James D. Macdonald said:Talking to yourself also gets you a seat to yourself on the bus/subway....
As does trying to read Terry Pratchitt. People think you're dying a cruel death as you snort, turn red, giggle, laugh so hard you cry...
James D. Macdonald said:Talking to yourself also gets you a seat to yourself on the bus/subway....
paritoshuttam said:Never felt so stupid. I think I swapped the covering letters in my query to two agents. Found out about it when I got a sorry no luck, reply from Agent #1: "NB: Your letter was addressed to Agent #2, instead of Agent #1."
Has anybody here ever done anything like that?
- Paritosh
Theo Neel said:... do you consciously aim to craft the story so that the reader wants to know that nugget?
Theo Neel said:Okay, I bite.
How?
Fair enough. When I came across it in the thread the first time it resonated for me, possibly because it's pretty, possibly because it's patterned. I followed the links to the Drawing Celtic Knots instructions and understood just enough of them to get obsessed with drawing them for the next two weeks (does double-take at date on comic, realizes how long it's been, sighs deeply). I guess i'll just have to play with it some more until it becomes less cat-waxing and more plot-prep.James D. Macdonald said:It can be anything you want it to be. Theme can also connect. One can be brought to the forefront.
I'm sorry that that isn't clear -- it's an ideosyncratic method of my own.
James D. Macdonald said:Don't tell the readers anything until they care.
HConn said:Words are information. Every word on the page tells the reader something. It's up to you (and all of us) to choose the words that will give enough information to make them curious.
pdr said:JMc meant that if your readers like and cheer for the characters then they will care to know what is going to happen to them.
James D. Macdonald said:If the readers don't care, they won't remember a word you've said.
By all means let the fire hose flow freely -- in the first draft!BardSkye said:I'm one of those who has problems with info-dumps, but I'm working on it.
Delarege said:How can a reader care if they don't know anything?
James D. Macdonald said:If the readers don't care, they won't remember a word you've said.