tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post2931546301404107796..comments2023-12-31T09:16:20.426-06:00Comments on ADVENTURES IN FICTION: Weekend, Writing Advice, and Space PiratesKeanan Brandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12638962927055276969noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post-87610166770277303402009-10-17T14:56:43.641-05:002009-10-17T14:56:43.641-05:00Pre-reading, def.
Often what I think is clear an...Pre-reading, def. <br /><br />Often what I think is clear and profound is muddy as hell when someone else reads it. It's pretty--but perplexing. I'm just young and dumb enough still to produce art for art's sake on occasion. <br /><br />Thanks for the advice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post-8924870875918386642009-10-17T14:29:35.751-05:002009-10-17T14:29:35.751-05:00Well, don't know what to say about that. Do yo...Well, don't know what to say about that. Do you mean finding spelling or grammar mistakes -- a fresh pair of eyes can really be useful -- or storytelling mistakes? <br /><br />For the latter, pre-readers are great, especially if they are avid readers. <br /><br />One piece of advice you might have heard is this: "Never rely on friends or family to give honest feedback," the concern being that they'll tell you only nice things, not what needs to be done to fix the story.<br /><br />However, I've told my small group of family and friends that I expect honesty, and only their nittiest-grittiest feedback is of any real use to me. Over the years, we've had long and detailed discussions -- these mostly involve my brother and his wife, or my dad -- that have clarified problems and then provided solutions. I owe much of the strength of my first (complete) fantasy novel to my brother and sister-in-law.Keanan Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638962927055276969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post-1443737157960287192009-10-17T07:02:48.263-05:002009-10-17T07:02:48.263-05:00"Just as we should know what needs cutting, w..."Just as we should know what needs cutting, we also need to recognize when to leave well enough alone."<br /><br />I had a creative writing prof. tell me that once, and it might be one of the most useful pieces of advice I've ever been given. Finding a good editor that you can trust is rough business--and I'm terrible at editing my own stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post-37895876522153466622009-10-11T14:11:09.419-05:002009-10-11T14:11:09.419-05:00Yeah, it was a rhetorical question, the result of ...Yeah, it was a rhetorical question, the result of an internal dialogue. The greatest competition is with myself. I look at the stuff I wrote a while back, and I can't let it stand as the writing for which I will be remembered. Know what I mean? <br /><br />Besides, I really do love the craft, and want to get better, so maybe it's a good thing I have all the bad writing to use as a comparison, so I know when the current writing is getting better.<br /><br />As for throwing down gauntlets, I think Alice did that in her story, "Sky Voices", that opened the most recent RGR issue. Good stuff.Keanan Brandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12638962927055276969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1656035854180770700.post-84176932250189850472009-10-11T08:47:31.664-05:002009-10-11T08:47:31.664-05:00To answer the (probably rhetorical) question, your...To answer the (probably rhetorical) question, your writing for Thieves' Honor is good. It's better. And getting even /better/ all the time. Kinda has the effect of throwing down the gauntlet, even when there isn't a competition. Which means that as you get better, we get better, too. Corporate 'by your bootstraps.'Phyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17308107138465049785noreply@blogger.com