tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post6413124448382555567..comments2024-03-10T04:29:20.044-04:00Comments on Mad Genius Club: Rules for WritersSarah A. Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-42800741507511771592009-09-08T15:20:00.948-04:002009-09-08T15:20:00.948-04:00Remember this, because those words --or at least a...Remember this, because those words --or at least a chunk of them -- will find their way to your slush pile again. BWahahahahahaha!Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-64713703121264355392009-09-08T13:47:27.017-04:002009-09-08T13:47:27.017-04:00It's too late. Something weird about how our s...It's too late. Something weird about how our subconscious works. Or the nonverbal side of the brain being afronted, maybe.<br /><br />Enjoy! I love it when the words just gush out. Even if later editing piles up and up.<br /><br />MataPamAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-82946027131833845522009-09-08T12:41:14.597-04:002009-09-08T12:41:14.597-04:00Matapam, help! Why didn't you tell me that be...Matapam, help! Why didn't you tell me that before I wrote it? My muse is now kicking my butt. Not on just one project but on three -- all at once and all demanding my undivided attention,<br /><br />Help me, please!Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-66405993813578822812009-09-08T10:42:06.330-04:002009-09-08T10:42:06.330-04:00Oh Amanda! It's not safe to publicly claim to ...Oh Amanda! It's not safe to publicly claim to control your Muse like that. I said almost the same thing once, and the Muse put on her spurs, snatched up the whip and took control of the writing. My little Play Village will never be the same.<br /><br />Of course, it did actually make a really nice story. <br /><br />It's the other nine full first drafts I wrote before the Muse retired, triumphant, to leave me in rewrite and edit hell . . . <br /><br />Rule #1 Always respect your Muse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-77588266364728008752009-09-07T19:02:39.905-04:002009-09-07T19:02:39.905-04:00Kate, first off, welcome back. I am still jealous...Kate, first off, welcome back. I am still jealous that you got to see PTerry.<br /><br />As for writing crap, I've done my fair share of it. And I think that falls into the "let yourself make mistakes" bit. But I also think it goes one further. I think, as writers, we need to have that one story or world or set of characters we can write and not worry about submitting it. I have one that will never be seen by anyone else's eyes but mine. But it also is something that I can go work on as a means of just writing something when the muse isn't cooperating.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-19958460865183443932009-09-07T17:37:08.607-04:002009-09-07T17:37:08.607-04:00Let yourself write crap. And even wallow in it on ...Let yourself write crap. And even wallow in it on occasion. You've got to write a phenomenal amount of crap before you really get a handle on the craft, and even then there's this lurking sense that you've screwed it up.<br /><br />If you let yourself screw up you've got a really good learning example. If you're going to make a mistake, you might as well make it a doozy and get it over with.Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-77724683370353218932009-09-07T07:21:02.541-04:002009-09-07T07:21:02.541-04:00Rowena, I should have scrolled down to read your r...Rowena, I should have scrolled down to read your response to Dave :-) <br /><br />I agree. If you don't find a way to make the work as enjoyable as possible for you, the writer, the reader is going to be able to tell. Maybe that's part of the reason why we are storytellers...not only do we tell stories to our readers, but we tell them to ourselves as well at times. If we don't, then those projects we aren't enamored with won't grab our readers and, well, that's the kiss of death -- or can be.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-24500660693922903802009-09-07T07:17:33.523-04:002009-09-07T07:17:33.523-04:00Dave! I'm the hack, not you. You promised me...Dave! I'm the hack, not you. You promised me I could be the hack. <br /><br />As for sometimes having to write something you aren't in love with, I know a lot of writers who have done that. Sometimes, it's simply that the book or story won't leave you alone until you write it. Sometimes, it's a work for hire. The challenge, I think, is how to make those works as enjoyable as possible for the writer so the reader will also enjoy them.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-12677811642094503612009-09-07T07:15:10.829-04:002009-09-07T07:15:10.829-04:00Hi, Chris. I'm not sure I'd have the nerv...Hi, Chris. I'm not sure I'd have the nerve to ask an agent who he knows. I do, however, check out their websites, blogs, make sure they are a member of AAR and even check Locus to see if they have any recent sales.<br /><br />As for the level of communication between an agent and client, I'm not sure. I think a lot of it depends on the agent -- and on what sort of relationship the agent and client. But then, that's true about any sort of business relationship.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-42081565008576232802009-09-07T04:56:42.286-04:002009-09-07T04:56:42.286-04:00You take the idea and turn it into something that ...You take the idea and turn it into something that you love, Dave. <br /><br />When I was working as a graphic artist, I'd always find a way to make the work resonate for me.Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-31422941723979176402009-09-07T02:51:23.482-04:002009-09-07T02:51:23.482-04:00Well, Rowena, as probably the nearest to a hack th...Well, Rowena, as probably the nearest to a hack this group has, I take work where I can get it, not always what I wanted to do. I've found that I can adapt nearly anything so that I can love it. So it is more a case of learn to love it :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-51676681385174099662009-09-07T00:02:41.813-04:002009-09-07T00:02:41.813-04:00The idea of asking an agent who they know is a lit...The idea of asking an agent who they know is a little itimidating. I've asked for sales records before and got a blank response. I like the approach of asking where they think the book might be placed though - its more collaborative.<br /><br />Talking about agents - what do people regard as a reasonable level of communication between agent and author?Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-28172178231346052092009-09-06T18:48:39.984-04:002009-09-06T18:48:39.984-04:00Rowena, I love those sites where they tell us to d...Rowena, I love those sites where they tell us to do a market survey before ever writing anything. While that might work with non-fiction, I'm not sure it does with fiction. For one thing, by the time you do the market survey and research, the market has moved on to the next trend. I think our best bet as writers is to write something we're proud of, submit it and have a general marketing plan ready in case we're asked.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-44842791289550992892009-09-06T18:46:00.735-04:002009-09-06T18:46:00.735-04:00Damn, Dave, you mean I have to not use common sens...Damn, Dave, you mean I have to not use common sense but dispassionate common sense? Seriously, you're right. It is so easy to give up, especially after you get that first scathing response from an agent or critic. I'm still trying to develop enough of a thick skin that I don't go into a funk after a rejection -- of course, Sarah allows me only an hour or two after a short story rejection, but she's very generous with a book rejection. I get a whole day [VBG] As for sorting the wheat from the chaff, I'm trying. I feel lucky in that I have some very good friends and a wonderful mentor who don't sugar coat things but also aren't out there to see how quick they can beat me down.Amanda Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02927312739323222344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-47756613446772814572009-09-06T17:13:05.625-04:002009-09-06T17:13:05.625-04:00And before (1) comes
LOVE what you're writing...And before (1) comes<br /><br />LOVE what you're writing. (Write what you love).<br /><br />We wouldn't did it, if we didn't love the actual writing part.<br /><br />I was skimming the web the other day and came across a site where the writer advised people not to write anything until they'd done a market survey and shape their book according to the feedback!Rowena Cory Daniellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08995983965583233914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-59103769083064400962009-09-06T11:35:46.370-04:002009-09-06T11:35:46.370-04:001)Don't EVER give up. 2)Keep learning, and use...1)Don't EVER give up. 2)Keep learning, and use dispassionate common sense to sort the wheat from the chaff of what you learn. But mostly (1)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.com