October 26, 2012

Advice that is sure to Help Me

When I looked in my email yesterday, I got the MSS report on the draft of my upcoming novel Panoptemitry from Cornerstones Literary Consultancy (cool prize I won from iwritereadrate.com). It had not only ideas for how I can polish this book to make it pretty for publication, but it gave me a connection with an editor who seemed to genuinely care about the made up characters in my story.
(Now that's a cool feeling for a wanna be author.)
Matt R wrote out for me advice on how to improve my style of writing. I need to allow the action to happen- not just tell about it happening.

Confused about the difference? No one's ever explained it to me so I understood the concept right before now, so I might not say this clear enough:

wrong way: Having looked at this report will help improve my writing.
(I tell about what happened)
right way: Reading this report improves my entire approach to writing.
(it happens)

That wasn't everything of course, but most of the rest was kind of specific to the story; what was good, what could be improved. Why, and how so.

I'm still just thrilled I got my book evaluated like this. The timing of the report is perfect too because now I'll have advice specific to my own style of writing fresh in my head just in time for NaNoWriMo.

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