Purgatory's Pit of Doom

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Snappy

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Mercilessly sunny and getting hot here. That doctor better find out what's keeping The Snapster down. (Yeah, okay, that one just went too far.)

I will trade you...well maybe not the mercilessly sunny part. That sounds too cheery. LOL. The Snapster! Love it.
 

Catwoman

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Boo to zombie Rs.

I'm on my third cup of coffee...trying to decide whether novels (or specifically romances) are written in a 3-act structure.

Any thoughts?

I also keep telling myself I will NOT check the FB page of the woman who the man that shall not be named was seeing while he was seeing me. But I do anyway, knowing she will have indeed posted yet another photo of the two of them, and I will feel like major crap, and also like a bit of a stalker.

Sigh. Why do we do things we know will make us feel bad?
 

kellion92

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I plan my novels in a three act structure. But the first act has to be really short. That is, really, really short -- you almost have to start the second act on the first page these days, especially for many agents.
 

kellion92

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Yeah, Cat, that guy is a creep. Stalking is its own punishment -- do not look!
 

alias octavia

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It is hard not to look. I feel your pain, Cat. I still look up old boyfriends who broke my heart long ago. Just because. Last week I looked up one of my boyfriends from high school and discovered that he died suddenly. Which makes me feel old and weird and fragile.

I'm having a rather pittish day/week (as usual, right?) Argh. I think I've broken my toe. Yes, I did this about 2 years ago. Same toe on the opposite foot. It hurts bad. I have a lovely surgical shoe from last time that makes walking on it less excruciating. But still. Stupid toe.

Also, I got eliminated from the ABNA thing today and received my PW review. It was pretty terrible (read: it made me cry). Which makes me feel like a stupid, lame-o hack even though I know it is one person's opinion. Blah, blah, blah. It almost feels like someone peeled open my brain to discover the most heartbreaking things they could say about my book and then wrote it in that review. *sigh*

Anyway, I'm making some maggotinis if anyone wants one.
 

kellion92

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(((AO))) You are not a hack. And just like you know you shouldn't look up guys who broke your heart (and I'm sorry for your loss), you KNOW that the ABNA PW reviewers are really snarky and harsh. They make a point of it. It's not about your book. It's about them and using their little bit of power.
 

K. Taylor

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(((Alias))) Have you taped the toe to its neighbor?

Cat, I suppose you could do 3 acts for romance....act 1, the meeting and sparking; act 2, the struggles to get together; act 3, discovering they want to stay together and the HEA/HFN. The actual time/space you spend on act 1 depends on the sub-genre, like if you need to do world building. In romance, you can also introduce one MC in ch 1, the other in ch 2, have them meet in ch 3, and still not piss people off. As long as the audience meets the hero and heroine, the hero and heroine can delay meeting each other if it serves the plot. On the other hand, you can also start their relationship with a one-night-stand. It's all open to individuality.
 

alias octavia

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Yes, KTaylor, I've taped the toe. Still hurts. Still an unfortunate black and blue color.

I know, Kellion. Still. It stings. I'd hoped that I could cull a line or two from the review to help me sell it to a small press. Or, that I would get something that may help me revise. Nada. After all of my rejections, I thought I was steeled against feeling so emotional about it. But, no.
 

kellion92

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Who ARE those reviewers? Do they post their names, or is it anonymous?
 

Parametric

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I'm really thankful for all of your advice yesterday. Really helpful. :LilLove:
 

ink wench

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(((Octavia))) Have some chocolate and try to remember that it's one person probably looking to be mean. And ouch over the toe. :( *passes maggotini*

Cat, back away. *passes another maggotini*

Love the Snapster, heh.

Para, good to know the Pit has its uses.
 

mario_c

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People sure do have a big mouth when they're not accountable, do they? Like the person from the House Of Pain website who told me to quit...and so on.

And a friendly hug for those still fascinated with the ones that got away. I've been there myself - the lady at work I was in love with who treated me like dirt, the girl from HS who won't shut up about her kids on FB :ROFL: and the one who told me I was a loser for working "retail" (I work in a call center, she worked in a prison). Well, moving on is a bear, but it's wonderful when it happens. I think. I assume...
 

Amarie

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((((AO)))) what's so pittish about those sorts of reviews is you have no idea if the right reviewer was matched up with your book, I know someone who got good reviews from most except for one major review source, and it was clear the person who read his book for that site would have disliked any book like it.

((Mario)))
 

lkp

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I also keep telling myself I will NOT check the FB page of the woman who the man that shall not be named was seeing while he was seeing me. But I do anyway, knowing she will have indeed posted yet another photo of the two of them, and I will feel like major crap, and also like a bit of a stalker.

Sigh. Why do we do things we know will make us feel bad?

I don't know. But I do know that the minute I read this post I succumbed to the temptation to look up my last ex, who turned out to be a creep (you may remember) even though I am dating someone fabulous now whom I love and who loves me.

*ducks as helhound leaps, aiming for her throat*

Whew, that was close.
 

Catwoman

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And a friendly hug for those still fascinated with the ones that got away. I've been there myself - the lady at work I was in love with who treated me like dirt, the girl from HS who won't shut up about her kids on FB :ROFL: and the one who told me I was a loser for working "retail" (I work in a call center, she worked in a prison). Well, moving on is a bear, but it's wonderful when it happens. I think. I assume...

How funny -- you just described my dad in all those women: 1. Treated me like dirt 2. Never shuts up about his other kids who can do no wrong, and 3. Told me I was a loser for working retail (Actually, I believe his words to me were "A monkey can work retail.") So, anyhoo...

You know, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to see the other woman every freakin day at my son's school. Gah!

{{ao}} So sorry about your toe. And any way you look at it, snarky or not, a bad review sucks. And it makes you feel like crap. There's no sugar-coating it.

Thanks KT -- I completely winged my last 2 novels, and now with my WIP I'm thinking, Hmmm, perhaps I should have some real structure.

lkp -- Yay that you're dating someone fabulous! Esp. after that last one.
 

kellion92

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(((Cat))) (((lkp))) (((Mario))) (((AO))) for the exes. Probably everyone else too.

We are not hacks, monkeys, or losers.
 

triceretops

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We are not hacks, monkeys, or losers.

I keep saying that to myself over and over again. My relatives have a very dim view of my writing vocation--very dim and negative. A few are tolerable. And one is at least semi-interested when I have something to say about a bit of progress. I don't have a real job. But I sure manage to loan them tons of money and pay their bills.

But I'm still a writing bum.
 

fourlittlebees

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{{{{Alias}}}}

If it makes you feel any better, I was bumped at quarters last year, had a great PW review, and it didn't help me a single bit. The whole thing is a useless crapshoot much like buying a lottery ticket. I won $2 on mine, which didn't even buy a gallon of milk is how I see it.
 

Red-Green

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We are not hacks, monkeys, or losers.

Are we allowed to have an aspirational quote for the Pit? If so, I vote for this. Seriously, we have been dealt some tough blows, but we are none of the above.

Fuck the shitty anonymous ABNA PW reviewers. Anybody who goes into something with the goal of making the writer feel like shit isn't worth listening to.

Also: *hugs* for those struggling to get over lost loves. I sometimes wonder if this is why I married someone I wasn't madly in love with. It made things easier. I didn't feel crushed when it was done. I worry that makes me a coward. But it sucks righteously to have a long gone relationship like a fish hook in your heart.
 

Cricket18

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First of all, HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY, RED!!!!!! :snoopy::snoopy::snoopy:

*hisses at hellhounds* *dives under couch*

Ordered mine this past weekend--it should be here any moment.

I think the Pit needs one big {{{hug.}}} I like the aspirational quote, but unfortunately, I feel like all three at various times. Like today, I got a complimentary note on my query by a big-league agent, only to be followed with the inevitable pass. Oh, and two other passes as well.

{{{AO}}} I agree with Red. You're a gorgeous writer and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Sorry about the toe. Apply ice asap.

{{{Tri}}} You're not a bum.

{{{Mario}}} Those women sound terrible--good riddance.

Cat, I think every book should have some semblance of the three-act structure. Don't look up the jerk. You deserve better. And I'm sorry your dad said those things to you. Really, that's just horrible. {{{hugs}}}

Para, glad the Pit can help in some small way.

I have to say, a few guys I dated are on FB and let me tell you, time has not been kind to them. :evil
 

Filigree

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Hang in there, folks. Little victories can lead to bigger ones. To everyone who submitted to ABNA, just doing that was a huge step!

I chickened out because I was already on sub with another project, and I didn't like some of the contest rules. Plus, I'm pretty sure the reviewers wouldn't 'get' the mms I considered entering, and I didn't want to become pissed off for no real reward.
 
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