Learn Writing with Uncle Jim, Volume 1

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RJK

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Congratulations - I guess there's a literary gene, or is it nurture?
 

Dawno

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It is with great joy that I report that my elder daughter has sold her first novel, a paranormal romance, to Tor.

She submitted it unagented, and under a pseudonym (so no one would know it was her).

The book, Salt and Silver, by "Anna Katherine" will be coming out next year sometime.

Congratulations to "Anna Katherine"! And, as you mentioned the index above, I want to apologize that I haven't updated it in a while, but I will try to do so soon - maybe this weekend. I'm always thrilled that it gets used and is helpful, it was one of my first contributions to AW three years ago or so.
 

Shweta

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So, has everyone written at least 250 words of original fiction today?
Yessir. Been doing 500+/day except when my brain goes "No. Today is poetry day" or whatever. Then it's fewer words, cause poetry's slower.


ETA: And that's awesome about your daughter! Congratulations to her :)
 

pictopedia

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Me too, Sheta. Have written a short story-ish poem with 500 words and realised that alternating between poem and novel writing helps to break me lose from either being too wordy or not wordy enough.

Here is a question regarding the "death spiral": So now that Amazon is pushing the Kindle, and we are getting a new market where books are sold on demand, what does that mean for the writer? Has anybody made any experiences in regards to changed contracts, new conditions?

I would assume that the emergence of the eBook is favourable for the writer, since the publisher practically has no costs in getting the book out there. Are publishers loosing ground? Agents could have books layouted independently and sell directly to Amazon. Interesting shifts of power could take place.

(BTW: I've ordered a kindle and will test the reading experience)
 

James D. Macdonald

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Right now e-books are a small but interesting part of the market. Where they go in the future we'll see ... but I don't expect paper books to vanish. They're a climax technology.

I don't think that "We'll cut out the publishers!" is going to go anywhere. There's far more to publication than printing, and if publishers aren't doing those tasks someone else is going to have to do them.
 

Duncan J Macdonald

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It is with great joy that I report that my elder daughter has sold her first novel, a paranormal romance, to Tor.

She submitted it unagented, and under a pseudonym (so no one would know it was her).

The book, Salt and Silver, by "Anna Katherine" will be coming out next year sometime.
Curses! And my fiendish plot to force her to sign over the deed to the book so I could sell it to PA comes to naught!

-- Vincent DuMal
Gentleman Adventurer
Evil Deeds on Consignment


So, this would be another of those first-time authors grabbed off the slushpile that never happens, right?
 

Chrisla

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So, has everyone written at least 250 words of original fiction today?

I only wish!

I know that your rule is to write new fiction each day; that revision and plotting don't count, but I just can't do it all! I'm currently:
a. Trying to find a good starting point for the book I'm revising (and making numerous false starts), although I am progressing with revision of other chapters;
b. Tracking down all my "learning materials": The Miller's Tale, The Trojan Women, Red Harvest, Last Man Standing, Chicago Manual of Style, Modern English Usage. . .
c. Doing some of those exercises (e.g., watching A Fist Full of Dollars while I work out, and trying to read The Miller's Tale--tough reading);
d. Continuing to work my way through the "Uncle Jim" thread;
e. Thinking about the mystery I'm outlining and trying to make a smooth, believable connection between two crucial elements;
f. Working my way--slowly--through Noah Lukeman's The First Five Pages, A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection File. This is the best learning volume I've found anywhere, if you do the exercises.

As a new writer, the learning process takes much of my time. I'm concentrating on revision of the first book and outlining of the second, using what I'm learning, before I start something else. Otherwise, I fear I will never finish any of it.

Am I doomed to failure?
 
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James D. Macdonald

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Andreya

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WOW!! Congratulations to your daughter!!!! :)

The book sounds intriguing!! :)

Thank you so much for the tips & the index!!

Have already researched some markets in the short story forum & on Duotrope... (I mainly read novels, so.. :))

Truth be told, done too much researching (on markets & for the short story written, & some RL interfered, so I haven't actually written much - just two more beginnings, lol!! :)) - wasn't sure what I could write so it could be sold, lol!! :)
I might be tempted - or 'guiltied' into writing some more now!! lol

Good luck with writing everyone!! :)
 

allenparker

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It is with great joy that I report that my elder daughter has sold her first novel, a paranormal romance, to Tor.

She submitted it unagented, and under a pseudonym (so no one would know it was her).

The book, Salt and Silver, by "Anna Katherine" will be coming out next year sometime.


The part I don't get is the unagented and pseudonym. I have been thinking of changing my name to James D. MacDonald, Jr and living in Jim's agent's front bedroom.

I know, doing it by yourself and no help from Mom and Pop. I get it.


So, can I have her help?

I won't use much. Just enough to get an agent and to sell about a million books. Then she can have them back.

Oh, and can I have your son's help as well? No. That was too greedy. Just half of his help, then?
 

James D. Macdonald

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Today I'm going to recco Editorial Anonymous' post on rejection letters. It has eight rules, but boils down to this: Unless the rejection letter contains specific, constructive, criticism it doesn't mean anything. I'm going to add a bit to that, to say that unless it also contains the word "resubmit" even that specific constructive criticism doesn't mean a heck of a lot.

But that's not what I'm going to talk about today. Today I'm going to comment on one of the comments to that post, put up by "anonymous" on 12 July 2008:

If they are not interested in seeing manuscripts, why are they editors or literary agents in the first place? And who said these people are any smarter than the writers?

If agents and editors were so talented they'd be in the same shoes as the authors.

Sick of the condescending attitude.

My very dear friend: They are interested in seeing manuscripts. That's why they're editors or agents; that's why they publish their names and addresses with the words "Send manuscripts to..." It's just that they've seen all of your manuscript that they care to, and want to see a different manuscript now.

No one said that they're any smarter than writers. What they're getting paid to do is find publishable books. Presumably they're doing it well enough so the publisher stays in business. They're talented, but not talented in the same way writers are.

Condescending attitude? Nope. No attitude. They certainly don't have an attitude about you. That rejection slip was preprinted, long before they'd heard your name. All that they've said is that this particular manuscript isn't one they want to buy/represent right now.

Move on to the next market, just like they've moved on to the next manuscript. It isn't personal.
 

FOTSGreg

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Howdy, And A Thank You

Mr. MacDonald,

First, I'd like to say "Thank you". I've been reading this thread almost since you started it (I've actually been a member here since 2007, but only recently figured out what I was doing wrong that was preventing me from posting until today). Your insight into the craft and commentary on various aspects of the craft have been truly, truly helpful in ways I cannot even begin to describe.

I'm basically restarting on a writing career I left about 20 years ago (up to that time I was writing mainly in the technical and journalism fields (fire test & pharmaceutical reports & newspaper reporting & column writing so I've had a lot to unlearn). My efforts through most of the intervening time were focused on game writing so I at least kept my hand in one area. Since restarting I've had 2 stories published over at Bewildering Stories (about a year apart each) and have procrastinated on sending in other projects to other markets (though I have accrued about 21 rejections so far, most of them this year).

I admit I've had to learn how to take rejections and use them to keep me submitting and, more importantly, working (the Critters workshop worked for awhile, but I'm also a member of the Analog Writer's Group and that group's probably the best I've ever been in). More and more the rejections I've been receiving have also been invitations to submit to that venue in the future.

Anyway, thanks again. Please keep up the good work and the inspiration to all us "wannabes" out here.

PS. Got through 1200 words of original work today (I don't feel like I've worked hard enough or at all unless I get at least a grand worth of words on the screen every day).
 

James D. Macdonald

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Welcome, FOTSGreg!

Would you be good enough to tell us what it was that kept you from posting, in case some other hapless lurker is in the same predicament?

I look forward to hearing of your future success!

Meanwhile, it's time to dip into Uncle Jim's Mailbag. Answering the questions that you never thought to ask!

Dear Uncle Jim:

I keep hearing the term "Big Name Author." I think it's supposed to be a good thing. Can you tell me what a Big Name Author is?

Signed,
Wondering in Fresno​

Dear Wondering:

I'm glad you asked that question. As you know, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. "Big Name Author" is the technical term for an author whose name, on his book jacket, is in larger type than the book's title.

For example:

51AOg%2B7SUEL._SL160_AA115_.jpg


Cordially,
Uncle Jim

Dear Uncle Jim:

Thank you for your answer! I have another question. What's the easiest way to become a Big Name Author?

Signed,
Still in Fresno and Still Wondering​


Dear Still:

The only stupid question is one you don't ask, but that one sure came close. The easiest way to become a Big Name Author is to have a last name that's five letters or less long.

Cordially,
Uncle Jim
 

Judg

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Dear Still:

The only stupid question is one you don't ask, but that one sure came close. The easiest way to become a Big Name Author is to have a last name that's five letters or less long.

Cordially,
Uncle Jim
LOL! Yet another reason to write under my maiden name!

Seriously, it had occurred to me that it would fit so much nicer on a book cover...
 

FOTSGreg

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Jim (Can I call you Jim?) & anyone who might be one of the Powers That Be - the problem with my registration appears to have been that I originally registered with an AOL email address. I changed that to another address after waiting and waiting for a confirmation. Same thing happened there, ie nothing. I could not sign in using my screen name or password at the main entry point. Today, I noticed while reading a thread that there was another sign-in point and, not having tried to sign in in quite a while, I tried signing in from inside a thread.

And here I am.

It sounds kinda' silly, I know, but I gave up even trying to sign in after awhile.

To get back on topic a bit - One of the things an Editor Who Shall Not Be Named with whom I have had discussions on and off the forum site for the outfit he works for has told me is that, in his opinion, my writing lacks "emotional depth" in the characters and characterizations and that it will be "years" before I am writing at anything near a professional level (again, in his opinion). I went to the mats with him and attempted to soothe what I thought were ruffled feathers between us, even going so far as to participate in a line edit of a piece he really liked (I got a fragmentary portion of the real work). When I was finished the Editor Who Shall Not Be Named stated that I had destroyed the emotional content of the original work (something I strongly disagreed with as I made every attempt to not do that and I have edited other people's work before in an amateur fashion; however, the participation did give me a keen insight, I think, as to what this particular person likes in work for the magazine he works for and his taste and my own are diametrically opposed).

I have found that my writing can be somewhat dry, something I'm trying to unlearn from my old tech writing days, but I have had one other editor tell me I had written a good story, but that the characters "lacked emotional appeal". That one really kinda' got me - I mean, good story, but lacking in emotional appeal? What the heck does that mean?

Regardless, I'm working on it, but could you, Mr. MacDonald (I feel awkward calling you Jim just yet), please comment on emotional appeal and emotional characterization in fiction?
 

James D. Macdonald

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Jim (Can I call you Jim?)

Sure.

Regardless, I'm working on it, but could you, Mr. MacDonald (I feel awkward calling you Jim just yet), please comment on emotional appeal and emotional characterization in fiction?

Okay.

Are your characters likable? Do they have things that they want?

And ... are there little bits of stage business that they can do to reveal what they're thinking and how they're feeling?

Definitely a place to show rather than tell.

Did the editor who shall not be named mention any favorite books where the characters had particular emotional appeal?
 
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FOTSGreg

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Are your characters likable? Do they have things that they want?

Well, I think they're likable, though that's not always true (the main character in the book I'm working on the 5th draft of starts off as a really cold fish who's not really likable right away (exactly the way I intended him). I almost never give the characters everything they want and always try to have them motivated to perform some action even if they don't realize what that motive truly is.

And ... are there little bits of stage business that they can do to reveal what they're thinking and how they're feeling?

Yes, I think. I try to have them actually doing something when they're talking, for example, so it's not just straight dialogue. They fidget, play with a coffee cup, sick their hands in their pockets, run their fingers through their hair, etc. In the book, at one point, I have the character privately expose some of his frustration by shoving a stack of books and papers off a lab bench (realizing what he's done he then proceeds to pick everything back up off the floor). This was done in private, however, after a particularly intense scene in which a friend of his has been severely injured. He doesn't explode until his friend has awakened in the hospital, but he holds himself partly responsible (even though it clearly wasn't his fault at all and the event was unforseeable). The characters, no matter how minor, are almost always doing something that would work out to little bits of stage play.

Did the editor who shall not be named mention any favorite books where the characters had particular emotional appeal?

Unfortunately, no. He referenced a story he was particularly proud of which, to me, consisted of basically the same type of story he tried to demonstrate line level editing to me with (fantasy tale, female characters, lots of emotional "tear jerking", but not much plot or action that I could see).

We have, BTW, agreed to agree to disagree, but he still takes shots at me every chance he gets (I'm not sure if I should be annoyed or amused by by the fact he seems to take pains to take those shots - in one sense I really am amused and I hope he's doing this because he truly does see some kind of promise in my writing).

My disagreement with this editor isn't, to my mind, as serious as I might make it sound. I certainly don't dwell on it though it is one of those niggling little things that everyone's got in the backs of their minds. He pointed out what he saw as a fault in my writing and I'm sure that's an area where I could improve.

BTW, I'm sure you've gone over this in this thread before. If you could just point me to the index (I forgot how to find it) or to the post # I won't trouble you any more with my annoying little worries.
 
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