Comments on Nathan Bransford, Author: Guest Blog Week: Everything You Need to Know About...

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2011-11-17T09:13:49.596-08:00

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Brilliant article.

2009-07-22T16:24:24.075-07:00

Brilliant article.

Now I'm also offering, on request, a weeklong ...

2009-07-20T16:50:49.910-07:00

Now I'm also offering, on request, a weeklong Dialog Workshop over email, for those who can't reliably schedule a full free hour.

You can see all the details on my blog.

Victoria

We've gotten so worked up over dialog on my bl...

2009-07-20T11:39:43.711-07:00

We've gotten so worked up over dialog on my blog that I'm offering new Dialog Workshops.

$10 for one hour of intense work on participants' own dialog (a few hundred words each). I'm limiting each workshop to 5 participants to give us time to really work in-depth on each piece and keeping the price low so everyone can be involved.

Please join us! BYOD.

http://victoriamixon.com/2009/07/20/dialog-workshop/

Victoria

"Putting the climax too far from the end.&quo...

2009-07-16T14:07:11.369-07:00

"Putting the climax too far from the end."

Or as Joe Bob Briggs used to say:

When the monster dies, roll credits.

Above all else, dialogue should be in the voices o...

2009-07-15T13:38:30.157-07:00

Above all else, dialogue should be in the voices of the characters. If the character is an 80-year-old grandma from Germany, she certainly shouldn’t talk like an inner city teen – or a 40something wannabe teen – from Detroit. If the character is a distraught 5-year-old, let her speak as one, don’t shove her into the body of a tranquilized 30-year-old out shoe shopping simply because childish stammers piss off impatient readers.

When characters speak, writers need to put down the rulebook and listen.

Andrew, frankly it's the American way for peop...

2009-07-15T11:23:01.502-07:00

Andrew, frankly it's the American way for people to lick each others' butt-holes with generous heaps of overwhelming praise for any feat, however spastic. (Gee, that sure was so wunnerfull dude etc.) You see it all over the net. Don't be suprahzd to fahn an elemint of it here. National trait and all that.

AM, Tweed: a coarse wool cloth in a variety of we...

2009-07-15T00:55:49.240-07:00

AM,

Tweed: a coarse wool cloth in a variety of weaves and colors, either hand-spun and handwoven in Scotland or reproduced, often by machine, elsewhere.

Coalesce: to grow together or into one body: The two lakes coalesced into one.

Caber: a pole or beam, esp. one thrown as a trial of strength.

Potato: Also called Irish potato, white potato. the edible tuber of a cultivated plant, Solanum tuberosum, of the nightshade family.

Cutlass: a short, heavy, slightly curved sword with a single cutting......

Sorry, I think I've missed the point of this game

Word verification - Chernab: Kidnapping of any once famous, plastic-coated vocal Diva

Andrew, Arrogance: an attitude of superiority ma...

2009-07-14T09:49:05.904-07:00

Andrew,

Arrogance: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

Patronizing: to adopt an air of condescension toward ; treat haughtily or coolly

Projection: the attribution of one's own ideas, feelings, or attitudes to other people or to objects

Really good advice. The exposition part especially...

2009-07-14T09:22:51.447-07:00

Really good advice. The exposition part especially. I don't want to be told. I want to be shown or even better figure it out myself.

A book that forces me to think makes me come back as a reader. That's what I strive to do as a writer

I have read quite a few books on the craft of writ...

2009-07-14T08:14:29.753-07:00

I have read quite a few books on the craft of writing, and own a few of them that I often re-read, but this post made me want to start revising my novel rightaway.

Very useful. Thank you!

:-)

OK well after a nights sleep (and a marathon fight...

2009-07-14T07:08:33.893-07:00

OK well after a nights sleep (and a marathon fight with my internet at home which still refuses to work. It was proper ‘Jason and the Argonaughts’ type stuff!) I thought I’ll try and clarify a few things (also as no one will comment at this late stage I will have snagged the last word…mwa-ha-ha!!)

Vic: First off, I’d never discourage praise. I like praise, you like praise, everyone likes praise (Except any French stereotypical struggling painter…hehe). Looking back retrospectively perhaps I was a little heavy-handed about the whole thing and for that I’m sorry (as a qualifier I wasn’t, at any point, having a pop at the article) but alas these public forums don’t have the mediating effect of a hurt look to slow down ones fingers.

Laura: Not quite the wrong side of the bed, maybe the bottom corner perhaps. I just felt that the tone of a large number of post came across like salesman charm, ‘whatever it is that you do, it’s awesome Just please; like me, like me, like me, like me, like me…and buy this photocopier!’ You can go as berserk and over-the-top as you like, that doesn’t bother me, at least, but don’t dilute your excitement by some perceived need to justify yourself. It seems, well, mildly sycophantic. The only other answer seems that were honestly impressed by the advice, which is fine, there just seemed too many. Now while the truth probably lies somewhere in a mixture of politeness and excitement and total in its innocence, I still stand by what I said, albeit now I accept it was probably the illusion, not the intention I reacted to.

AM: I’ve got no problem with the work, no problem with people enjoying it; I said, quite clearly, that this shouldn’t be *new* knowledge to most people here. I stand by that fact - label me as arrogant if you wish, despite the irony of making such a judgement on an assumption of what I ‘think’. Yes, the basics are important. Yes, when things aren’t working the basics is the best. And Yes I don’t know everything about writing, which is why I continue trawling the net for more perspective, advice, tips, hints, etc etc. But I can say a hearty and honest well done to someone without making out they’ve just done the equivalent to cloning Christ. That is patronizing.

Amy: I’m not talking about your usual Google flim-flam. I’m talking Sawyer, Scott Card, King, Sanderson, Strunk. And that’s not including the new breed giving great advice. Carolyn Jewel said some stuff about back-story collision I’d never heard before and was really, genuinely blown away. That’s not belittling Vic’s experience, which as an editor may consist of vastly more pages of text reviewed than any of those I’ve listed above.

Phew….well, I think I’ve alienated everyone….my work here is done…=0)

Word Verification - hotiless: a room full of Michael Winner

I agree with most of what you wrote. The one ar...

2009-07-14T07:00:46.615-07:00

I agree with most of what you wrote.

The one area I differ is on dialog. Humor sometimes requires the use of words like "Well," "So," "Um," and so on. Also ellipses. Timing is important to humor and you can use all those otherwise unnecessary bits to put comic timing on the page.

Needs a re-write,viz. re-ordering of priorities, a...

2009-07-13T18:45:26.133-07:00

Needs a re-write,viz. re-ordering of priorities, and examples referenced need to be more succinct and better placed. Other than that ok -

What makes Victoria's post valuable is that it...

2009-07-13T12:43:38.472-07:00

What makes Victoria's post valuable is that it's not only succinct and engaging, but Victoria obviously writes from experience. The advice she delivers is not simply an aggregation of Google search results from questionable sources. That's why people -- myself included -- will print this out and tack it up next to their monitors. Going to check out Victoria's blog for more...

While this is an excellent summation of what seems...

2009-07-13T11:16:10.603-07:00

While this is an excellent summation of what seems to be the conventional wisdom these days (and I do follow it as best I can), I have to admit that when I read over the novels that I love the most, I see those authors breaking these rules regularly. When I come across a novel that follows these rules closely, I tend to like them okay, but not love them.

Hi, Andrew. Well, as one of the "new" w...

2009-07-13T09:34:52.338-07:00

Hi, Andrew.

Well, as one of the "new" writers who'd previously commented on Victoria's post (and thanked her for her insight), I just have to say that, of course, I've encountered such advice before. That's, in fact, WHY I commented.

Although exceptions certainly exist, it seems that publishers, editors, and agents are encouraging today's writers to write books that more closely resemble streamlined screenplays than the classic ramblings of old.

Nonetheless, though I've read these "guidelines" in many other places, I thought that Victoria did put them together well, and I'm not ashamed to thank her as I did - for her time and her perspective.

Like you, I'm not a fan of obsequious flattery - and you're right, any "new" writer worth his/her salt should've read all this before. But I still have to agree with Mira - perhaps someone did get up on the wrong side of the bed today... Hmm?

Aw, Andrew. This has been a great bunch of comment...

2009-07-13T09:20:16.584-07:00

Aw, Andrew. This has been a great bunch of comments! You don't mean to tell me you're discouraging folks from saying wonderful, kind things whenever and wherever the urge takes them?

Don't do that!

Actually, I just checked in to thank Nathan for offering his site (and his great readers) to the five of us. It was really a terrific week.

Thank you, Nathan!

Victoria

Mira: I've got no quibble (love that word) wi...

2009-07-13T08:13:28.605-07:00

Mira:

I've got no quibble (love that word) with people new to writing. I was once. I said "dumb stuff" quite alot. I've got even less of a problem with Victoria's post, which does exactly what it says it will do in 1000 words. My shock was the number of people who came across seemingly taken aback by the news. Really, it shouldn't have been.

Fine, comment and say well done I've got no problem with that. Comment and whoop about Nathan picking a "friend of the comments board" (Which sounds like some cool middleearth title). And if you're new to the whole process, then gape in wonder, copy, paste into a word document and save on your desktop.

But I'd be shocked (hey I could still be massively wrong at which point I'll prepare a hat ragu to eat) if the note-leavers hadn't read/come across this info already. And in all seriousness (IF they are experienced and serious about writing) they should have.

I'm not raining on Victoria's parade - well done to her (She kicked my literary ass - my entry probably came 300th out of 250....hehe) but sometimes you can say well done without feeling like you have to justify that praise with some personal anecdote. It comes across a tad patronising (unless of course I'm wildly wrong and everyone that posted truly had heard nowt of the posted advice - in which case I retract everything I said and will find a hole to curl up in)

Word verification - reres: male ra-ra skirts

Andrew, I’ve realized that if I revisit what I on...

2009-07-13T08:00:11.465-07:00

Andrew,

I’ve realized that if I revisit what I once learned, I do so with new eyes and deeper understanding.

It behooves us all to reexamine what we already know or think we know.

I am genuinely grateful that Victoria, a professional editor, took the time to prepare and share.

Shame, shame, shame on all authors who think they’ve already learned and comprehended everything they'll ever need to know about writing – or who think they’re too good to revisit basics.

Andrew - you're funny. Wrong side of the bed ...

2009-07-13T06:57:20.532-07:00

Andrew - you're funny. Wrong side of the bed this morning?

Just for the record, I'm fairly new to writing, and I thought this was wonderful.

And, oddly enough, I'm not at all embarrassed about being new.

I loved the way she laid it out - very clear, concise and accessible.
I didn't agree with every word, but that just gave an opportunity for some fun discussion.

But even if I wasn't new: Lots of people write about writing. The trick is to do so in a way that is helpful, and I really think Victoria accomplished that.

There is also, by the way, a thing called supporting your fellow writer when they've been given an awesome opportunity. That's not the same as not being truthful, but it is in the general range of not being too critical. You might want to look it up. It's under 'supporting your fellow writer when they've been given an awesome opportunity.' So that would be under the 'S'.

On a different note, Nathan is back today! Yay!!

I'm somewhat aghast. I mean, people, Really? ...

2009-07-13T01:47:00.528-07:00

I'm somewhat aghast. I mean, people, Really?

Victoria, for your part, hey it's well written, concise and achieves what it set out to.

But I have google, I have fingers, I know words such as "writing tips novels". I've read all of this in one form or another (whether or not I put this into practise or not is another argument =0P) and I also have the power of memory so I don't forget this stuff as soon as I read it.

So why's everyone gushing about the content? I mean I understand it's brilliant to have a concise crib sheet for beginners, but I don't for one second believe that too many here are beginners. And to be honest, if you aren't new to this, and this info is mind-blowingly insightful, then you haven't done your research so shame on you budding writers. Shame shame shame!

Truth is that any advise, simplified and truncated, can only do so much. I understand that not everyone wants to read the minutia of how to spot, and omit, unnecessary compound clauses. But that's, unfortunately, the kind of detail you have to go into to move from using 70% of your writing ability, to 75%. And then the next step is harder and so on. Going from 10-60% is easy, because it's learning the basics.

So while congrats Vic on Nathan picking your post out (Mine was overlooked, probably because it was rambling, unnecessarily verbose and crap), and the article itself is perfectly fine, I can't help but think the overall reaction to it is somewhat excessive.

Word verification - Slyinale: A dishonest gastropod

Thank you. My only problem now is having too littl...

2009-07-12T17:15:55.313-07:00

Thank you. My only problem now is having too little description....

Thank you.

2009-07-12T13:32:38.445-07:00

Thank you.

Wow! Thanks for this. Will make sure my friends kn...

2009-07-12T08:53:35.586-07:00

Wow! Thanks for this. Will make sure my friends know about it.