Tuesday, September 14, 2010

A Critique, a renewed committment and a Writing Tuesday with Gwen

Clarissa Draper from Listen to the Voices is an incredibly generous and talented person! She is willing to look at a chapter of your novel or a short story and do an in-depth critique of it. As you writers know, the chance to get a good, fair, unbiased critique is GOLDEN. I am about to kick The Rock Walker out of its cubby and make it get a job so I jumped at the chance to have her look at it. Go over on the link and see what she says and even more importantly HOW she says it.

Because of the critique, I have re-tackled The Rock Walker and am restructuring the 2nd chapter completely. I made the appropriate changes to the first one, which is really one of those dreaded prologues that make everyone antsy, but the 2nd chapter needed a total re-haul. Gwen is here as it is a Tuesday and I got right in and went to work. It isn't over yet but I like the direction I am going in now. With The Rock Walker the bones are all there - but there is lots of tightening and polishing to do. I think I can do it in pretty good time.

Hoagy did a runner last night - he's home after about 15 hours of freedom. Sleeping.

Now where does this leave my revision of True? I'm nearing the end of this story revision. I made a great breakthrough yesterday so I think I'll have to divide my time as much as possible between the two manuscripts. I don't want to lose my pacing with True and I don't want to ignore The Rock Walker when I'm inspired to get at it again. If I can stick to my two hours a day plan, I think I can do this. Especially since I left weekends free...canning will have to be an art I still don't know - at least until next year.

If you haven't gone over to see Clarissa - go over and check her blog out - you won't be sorry. Tell her I sent you.

14 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Good luck with chapter 2! I've got one of *those* kinds of chapters right now, too.

I'm going to probably be the only person to say that I love prologues. :) I *love* them! No one else in the world does, though. Still, I got away with having a prologue in 2 books. :)

Unknown said...

I will tell her.

I'm super happy you liked the critique. I'm always so nervous the other person won't like it. I knew that chapter one was a prologue but some people get so up in the air about calling it that, I just called it Chapter One. I think it's a prologue and I'm fine with it. I think that your Rock Walker will be a fascinating character and can't wait to read more.

CD

Jan Morrison said...

Elizabeth - I did it! I did it today - my chapter 2 which is really chapter 1 - I completely did it over and I'm loving it. Yep, I don't mind prologues either - don't know what the fuss is about. The Rock Walker started and went pretty far before I knew it was a murder mystery. I didn't want to change the way it unfolds but I had to let people know there was a mystery in there - voila! the prologue.

Clarissa - oh my what a lovely pickle you got me in! Thank you, thank you. As you can see above in my response to Elizabeth I have flown at it and am very happy with the results. I might just send them to you for fun so you can see what happened - with no need to say a word as you've done enough!
now about those hours in the day. yikes.

Stacy Post said...

I'm heading over to Clarissa's to check it out! Thanks for sharing! Best of luck with the writing, Jan. I know you can do it!!

Helen Ginger said...

Once you learn the art of canning, teach me.

Best of luck and progress on your writing! And give Hoagy a kiss. I bet you're glad he's home.

Words A Day said...

Thanks so much for the link to Clarissas blog! I hit the bloody post first!Ah! She gave a really detailed critique of your work, thats so generous, and very interesting to read!

Natasha said...

I will be sure to visit Clarissa and tell her that you sent her. She is such an incredibly generous person- and her review of your chapters was really good.

Jan Morrison said...

Hi Stacy! Congrats on your nomination - check it out peoples at A Writer's Point of View - Stacy has been nominated to the Referential Magazine for an award!

Helen - with the last name of Ginger I cannot imagine that you don't can - evertime I read your name I think of really excellent marmalade! Yah, I'm happy he's home but I'm still p*ss*ed at him for running away and toying with us! (he hangs around the house and flips his rear end at us when we call him - like 'ha! catch me if you can!' And I always have to think of some way to trick him when he's so tired he's snoozing in my flowers. I know he knows he's not really going for a ride in the car BUT he cannot give up - must be tricked. grrrr.

Niamh - yes, she's a wonder. Fire up a story and send it to her - you'll be glad you did.

Natasha - yep, it was so so helpful for me - I've totally redone the first two bits and feel much better about them.

Hart Johnson said...

I read her review and then neglected to comment because I kept waiting for a time I would have time to read your chapters! *ack* (think I will print them off and read between 'classes' at my daughter's curriculum night tonight--aren't I terrible?

It sounded though, like great feedback, and like she likes the book so far (and I am coming to trust her opinion on such things--she seems to shoot pretty straight)

GOOD FOR YOU on being so inspired and ready to dive in! Fabulous to have direction and be plugging away! (and yes, the canning can wait. You've got two books nearing readiness!)

RosieC said...

Good luck with chap 2! I've been doing a ridiculous amount of restructuring myself lately. I feel the anguish :) I'll have to stop by Clarissa's blog in a little bit. Looking forward to seeing what she's done.

If you get a chance, stop by my blog. There's something waiting there for you :)

Carol Kilgore said...

Clarissa is great, isn't she? Glad Hoagy is home all safe and sound.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm sure Clarissa did a fantastic job!

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