In Which I Needlessly Chatter

Thank you for visiting my needless chatter session. You see I wrote some pages that were kind of blah. I thought I might cut them out later, but hey, they were there for now. I continued writing until I got the crux of it all--the dramatic final scene--no, I am not that close to finished. I'm just writing out of order because my poor re-fried brain can no longer think in a straight line.

So I open the document to finish said dramatic final scene. I re-read the last line to get myself in the mode and what do I realize? It sucks. Not just the last line the whole scene--and you know what this is what the whole book works towards so if the scene sucks that pretty much means the whole book sucks. I hate myself and I want to die!!!!

But not really though! I will finish said mediocre book. Then i will press DELETE! !!!!! I will start over keeping only the characters name and one day ten years from now I might have something worth reading! Ahhhh! but as my finger tips fly speedily over these keys, as i rant my self-hatred I already feel better. SO maybe, I can suck it up and write a better last scene and redeem the book.

*breathes in* *Breathes out* I'm closing my eyes and listening to Stephy chant "angel arms, angel arms" in my head. My crazy college roommate and the meditation exercises necessary for a peaceful co-existence follow. Thanks for the angel arms Stephy. I'm okay now.

Whew.

Wednesday and Writing: Are we there yet?

Well, I started the scenes at random and it's moving this manuscript along, slowly but surely. I've been so busy with the day job recently that I haven't had time for anything else, but it's getting there.

It's still frustrating though, because I made a list of scenes I thought I still needed to get to the end (including the end). I counted them and had a number to start working towards. I didn't realize there were still holes to fill and so the list doubled. But geez, I'm well above 300 pages and still don't see an end in sight.

I just have to remind myself you eat an elephant one bite at a time. Eventually, I will see the end, and then the revision can start. Are we there yet? In answer, no but we will be some day and that's why we work today. I'd love to stay and chat (with the two people who actually read this) but I have scenes to complete so ttyl! ;)

Eyes Like Stars Book 24

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev had an absolutely captivating premise. A parentless teen ager with no idea of who her parents were or what her history was growing up in a magical theater, forced to become a heroine when threatened with the possibility of losing the only home she had ever known. I was sold at the magical theater but thrown in a few fairy friends and Shakespearian protagonists and, of course, I bought the book. A decision I can't say I regret, but one I'm not as ecstatic about as I was before reading it.

There is a lot going on in this book: the search for Bertie's (the main character's) background, the search for a kidnapped friend, Bertie's goal of gaining permission to stay in the theater and last but certainly not least the quest to save the theater. Each of these scenes are described beautifully--too beautifully to the point that actions get lost in descriptions and flourishing language gives way to no transitions. One scene turns to another with no reason or rhyme and the reader is left to try to make the leap. Many times you're just lost with no hope of coherency. It's a mess--often times a beautiful mess, but a jumbled mess all the same.

There are also many characters in this book, most of which have previously existed in plays. Bertie is the only original character. With the premise of the book and the situation the author uses them in, I have no problem with the borrowing of characters. The problem is that they are never developed. The author relies exclusively on the reader's prior knowledge of the plays the characters were taken from and the playwright's character development.  Despite, overlooking an obvious opportunity to put some work in the characters and show sides that maybe haven't been seen before is the fact that not every reader will be familiar with all the plays characters are borrowed from and the author makes no attempt to fill that reader in. I think it's also an dis-justice to the characters as they are never developed as people.

Even Bertie, the protagonist, isn't well developed. She is sassy. Don't we love a sassy narrator? Well, it's really more bratty. She's often times sassy and rebellious without reason and we have no idea why, other than this is just how she is. It makes it hard to like her.

So why don't I regret spending my hard earned money on this? Well, because in the last 100 pages the author gained some sense of coherency and the story gained a decent pacing. In the last 100 pages, a rather interesting story unfolds and is told in such a way that it can actually be followed! Since this is a debut novel, I'm willing to cut it some slack and since the story did finally develop I may even read the sequel. Though, I remain uncertain.

Wednesday and Writing: Frustrations

Well, it's here again--hump day. I just finished re-writing a scene that I wrote yesterday then let get eaten by the computer--somehow which I still haven't figured out. The re-write isn't as good as the original, but I've re-written it four times since it happened and this is as close as I'm going to get to the words that originally lined the page. ARG!

I'm working on a trial period with a critique partner. Hopefully, this will work out. If not I'll be back at square one because I really don't think I can edit this manuscript without help. On an unrelated note, I wrote Kammi Garcia and she wrote me back! She recommends the SCBWI conference for networking and publishing education. I was grateful for the advice and pleasantly surprised that Kammi Garcia responded to my e-mail. So assuming I finish this dang manuscript and beat it into some kind of presentable shape, I fully intend to go to the SCBWI conference in New York this year. My Prince Charming is coming too, this should be fun ;).

Writing on a Wednesday--A Weekly Diversion from Book Blogging

Okay--so I'm about half way through a manuscript, which until now I've loved. The characters are intriguing and it has a good mixture of heaviness and humor. But my characters are now completely on my nerves. We so aren't friends anymore! Arrrg!!! The things is they told me the beginning of their story and the end of their story but are being completely secretive about the stuff that happens in the middle. I know where they come from and where they're going but have no idea how they intend to get there. I've offered a few options and none of them have worked.

Brandi and Laurent figure it out or you'll be hitchiking your way to the filing cabinet for indefinitely ever after!
Okay, I feel better now.

Critique Partner Wanted: Free Trial Offer

I'm an aspiring writer of YA fiction looking for a critique partner. I'm looking for someone interested in helping with both line and global edits. I'm happy to do the same or (one or the other should you prefer). If you follow the blog you should have a fairly good idea of my reading list, but if you would like something more in depth to determine if we might be a good fit, I'm happy to send you my TBR list.

Free Trial Offer:
I'm suggesting we exchange the first fifty pages of a manuscript and make edits/comments. If we don't both view it as a beneficial process, we walk away no hard feelings.

If interested please email me your TBR or reading list and a summary of your experience and qualifications to bethfred08@gmail.com

indie girl Book 23

http://www.cincity2000.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2118&Itemid=290