tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post1778846012653312392..comments2024-03-29T09:16:30.082-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Dos and Don'ts in Starting A BookJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-58127005139731659532011-02-19T15:21:42.276-05:002011-02-19T15:21:42.276-05:00Only one 'do' for me: Give me a compelling...Only one 'do' for me: Give me a compelling situation right up front. I can get past a lot else--or if it's a WIP, help fix it. And only one don't--don't fail to do that!Jenny Milchmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04410805792044518458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21778773273194013842011-02-19T11:04:47.835-05:002011-02-19T11:04:47.835-05:00Ellis, I do the same. A good first page is not a ...Ellis, I do the same. A good first page is not a guarantee of a good book but I've never read a good book that had a poorly-written first page. I suspect agents and editors who are swamped with manuscripts quickly eliminate many of them for the reasons you mentioned.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-63574799981113253152011-02-19T10:59:42.682-05:002011-02-19T10:59:42.682-05:00Peg, I have not solved the problem of keeping a ch...Peg, I have not solved the problem of keeping a character's name consistent throughout a story. I changed a name mid-paragraph in the short story I am working on now. That's one of many reasons to have a skilled and trusted reader go over your work. My first reader is my wife. She caught the mistake.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-49412529131118614672011-02-19T07:33:14.630-05:002011-02-19T07:33:14.630-05:00Good points, Warren. When the first page is badly ...Good points, Warren. When the first page is badly written and the opening is dull, I won't buy the book. But if one of those is good, I'll read on, at least through several pages or a chapter. As you said, a well-placed fragment or some unusual phrasing can add interest.Ellis Vidlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11918353154644739285noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-27664905571621345772011-02-18T22:00:27.993-05:002011-02-18T22:00:27.993-05:00So how do you avoid the problem of changing a char...So how do you avoid the problem of changing a character's name in the middle? Apparently this is not a uncommon problem. Writers in the SistersinCrime discussion list have mentioned cases in which the book was actually published withouth the writer, or an editor, catching the error.Peg Nicholshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07442026513439378111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-55522681912708626082011-02-18T17:38:40.379-05:002011-02-18T17:38:40.379-05:00I'm hooked if I'm presented with an intere...I'm hooked if I'm presented with an interesting problem I have no idea how to solve. Then the person involved in trying to solve it needs to show intelligence and at least some persistence.<br /><br />Back story's a turn off because I like getting to know a character gradually. <br /><br />Maybe I've been lucky but I haven't seen much bad grammar or spelling or head hopping.Pauline Alldredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00847008019331163905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-40831264769461603542011-02-18T17:33:37.222-05:002011-02-18T17:33:37.222-05:00Sadly, ever the best-known publishers don't ed...Sadly, ever the best-known publishers don't edit well anymore. A backstory "dump" is an excellent reason to dump the book. I find it irritating when the mood of a book swings,e.g. from scary to funny within a few pages and with no transition.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-85441306763055520722011-02-18T15:29:04.043-05:002011-02-18T15:29:04.043-05:00I can overlooks some grammatical and spelling erro...I can overlooks some grammatical and spelling errors, but if forced to muddle through fifty pages of backstory to get to the real action, the book gets tossed.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09172958965803279000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-84983485764656861672011-02-18T13:05:57.199-05:002011-02-18T13:05:57.199-05:00With my checked past as an editor and a writing co...With my checked past as an editor and a writing contest judge, i have, sadly, gotten past the point when I try to like everything I read. However, It is exciting to find a new author who shows craft and knowledge.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-38234457157998726062011-02-18T12:49:50.505-05:002011-02-18T12:49:50.505-05:00Excellent thinking Warren and your commenters as w...Excellent thinking Warren and your commenters as well. <br />BillieAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11469607629317842216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-37364275159018756102011-02-18T12:11:16.516-05:002011-02-18T12:11:16.516-05:00I agree with Silverhearts7 although I'm aware ...I agree with Silverhearts7 although I'm aware now that not all editing errors are made by the author. Not all publishers are equal. <br /><br />I have a pet peeve that sometimes makes me crazy--changing tenses during narrative. I've put a book down on the first page once when I saw that, and in that particular case, there was no reason for the switch in tenses, and it wasn't dialogue. <br /><br />Aside from that, I usually give an author at least the first chapter. Opposite from agents, I really try to like everything I read. Of course, I don't, but try to start out open minded.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-12489882114837623362011-02-18T12:01:34.091-05:002011-02-18T12:01:34.091-05:00Laura,
I agree with all your comments. Changing...Laura, <br /><br />I agree with all your comments. Changing POVs 13 times in 6 pages must be a world record, don't you think?Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-20991346696342148742011-02-18T09:41:12.414-05:002011-02-18T09:41:12.414-05:00I have put books down by the end of the first page...I have put books down by the end of the first page or two due to poor grammar, spelling and punctuation. Otherwise I will give an author at least one chapter, but I have been known to walk away from books with the following:<br />* Poor spelling, grammar and punctuation (yep, repeated this one intentionally).<br />* Boring or slow (your cat scene is on target).<br />* Jumps into the action so fast that I have absolutely no reason to like or dislike the character.<br />* A main character whose behavior is idiotic.<br />* A completely unrealistic plot.<br />* Head hopping within the same chapter (I began a book that I put down after six pages, because the author had changed point of views 13 times in those six pages, even once in the middle of a paragraph).<br />* Excessive telling and no (or little) showing.<br /><br />LauraLaura Stonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03686289907121579526noreply@blogger.com