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Oct. 9th, 2010 09:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
indriAfter a week off, I'm starting to edit In the Morning of the Magicians.
This is the largest single undertaking I've made as a writer of fiction. I'm not sure how it's going to go, in terms of the frequency and regularity of publication, as it will depend on how busy I get in other areas of my life. I'll do my best to ensure that it's worth reading, but I expect I'll be learning about my limitations as we go along.
I don't suppose there's a checklist somewhere of mistakes frequently made by first time novelists? Maybe there's a bingo card I could check against...
Mark Sarvas
They try to take on too much. Maybe?
They don’t take on enough. Also maybe? So maybe it's somewhere in the middle.
They rely on a quirky voice to carry the book. No.
They are too chatty ... Don't think so.
... or they are too formal. No.
They start out strong, then fade away. Doubtful. I started the novel knowing the end - everything leads up to that. Doesn't mean I pull it off though.
They are familiar. I don't think so. Or at least, I can't think of any other novels that are too similar. However, in the very specific area of Giles/Ethan fic, I've deliberately avoided reading other stories set in the early seventies. For all I know, I'm replicating the work of others, although my past experience in writing Buffy fic suggests that I'm interested in bits that no-one else wants to write.
They don’t justify their existence. I can barely justify my own existence. How do I justify a novel's?
Snowden Editorial
Slow start Maybe?
Sagging midsection Maybe. Honestly, I don't know.
Uneven pacing Quite likely.
"Too Nice" Protagonist Ah, not a problem, not even with Giles.
Loathsome Protagonist Think I'm OK here, even with Ethan.
Stilted dialogue I think some of the dialogue is good, but much needs a good edit.
All characters speak alike Doubtful. I hear very distinct cadences in my head.
Too much detail No. Quite possibly the opposite though. And can I complain that this would rule out many fine writers? Proust's the archetype here, but have you read a Hollingworth lately?
Too much research Alas, no.
Too many viewpoints No. Just the two.
Fingers crossed.
This is the largest single undertaking I've made as a writer of fiction. I'm not sure how it's going to go, in terms of the frequency and regularity of publication, as it will depend on how busy I get in other areas of my life. I'll do my best to ensure that it's worth reading, but I expect I'll be learning about my limitations as we go along.
I don't suppose there's a checklist somewhere of mistakes frequently made by first time novelists? Maybe there's a bingo card I could check against...
Mark Sarvas
They try to take on too much. Maybe?
They don’t take on enough. Also maybe? So maybe it's somewhere in the middle.
They rely on a quirky voice to carry the book. No.
They are too chatty ... Don't think so.
... or they are too formal. No.
They start out strong, then fade away. Doubtful. I started the novel knowing the end - everything leads up to that. Doesn't mean I pull it off though.
They are familiar. I don't think so. Or at least, I can't think of any other novels that are too similar. However, in the very specific area of Giles/Ethan fic, I've deliberately avoided reading other stories set in the early seventies. For all I know, I'm replicating the work of others, although my past experience in writing Buffy fic suggests that I'm interested in bits that no-one else wants to write.
They don’t justify their existence. I can barely justify my own existence. How do I justify a novel's?
Snowden Editorial
Slow start Maybe?
Sagging midsection Maybe. Honestly, I don't know.
Uneven pacing Quite likely.
"Too Nice" Protagonist Ah, not a problem, not even with Giles.
Loathsome Protagonist Think I'm OK here, even with Ethan.
Stilted dialogue I think some of the dialogue is good, but much needs a good edit.
All characters speak alike Doubtful. I hear very distinct cadences in my head.
Too much detail No. Quite possibly the opposite though. And can I complain that this would rule out many fine writers? Proust's the archetype here, but have you read a Hollingworth lately?
Too much research Alas, no.
Too many viewpoints No. Just the two.
Fingers crossed.
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Date: 2010-10-09 02:25 pm (UTC)(Can you tell I just spent a week on an island critiquing a bunch of aspiring novelists? And a few short story writers, for variety.)
Seriously, I'm looking forward to reading In the Morning of the Magicians, and I think I can safely predict, based on what I've read of your other writing, that whatever errors you fear you may commit, they will definitely not be entry-level ones.
Writing . . . the job (or hobby) that gets harder the better you get at it.
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Date: 2010-10-10 10:18 am (UTC)Two more mistakes I've haven't made!
Hope you enjoyed VP this year.
I think I can safely predict, based on what I've read of your other writing, that whatever errors you fear you may commit, they will definitely not be entry-level ones
That comment's quite made my day. I will aim for above-entry-level mistakes :)