I don't know if any of you have read this, but it is really funny and helpful. Enjoy.
http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/004175.html
Peace
http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/004175.html
Peace
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
-
CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.
Ten Things . . .
- Thread starter Peace Eternal
- Start date
Lindon Tinuviel
Well-Known Member
- Nov 19, 2002
- 3,551
- 109
- 58
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- In Relationship
- Politics
- US-Others
Upvote
0
Christianfantasy
Member
It's a list of ten writing tips aimed at teen writers. The author is John Scalzi, a SF writer who's had a couple of novels nominated for Hugo Awards. [Which is not small potatoes, btw.] I read the list and it's an excellent one, imho. The fact that it's geared toward teens makes me wonder, though. Does Mr. Scalzi just have a lot of time on his hands? No offense, but teen writers don't strike me as likely to take this type of advice to heart, from what I have seen. I know I wouldn't have. I believed my second novel would ignite actual fistfights between publishers, as they vied for the right to rush it into print. After that, the only question would be, will this thing get a Nobel, a Pulitzer, or both?
A few years down the road, and I can see what a train wreck of a story The Nightingale was, on every level. There isn't even any hope of revising it into decent shape, it's so bad. Fortunately, I've learned to write a lot better since then, but as I said, if somebody had put Scalzi's list in my hand during the creative process of that novel, I'd have blown it/him off with a knowing chuckle. 'Little do they know!' would, I'm sure, have been my response.
A few years down the road, and I can see what a train wreck of a story The Nightingale was, on every level. There isn't even any hope of revising it into decent shape, it's so bad. Fortunately, I've learned to write a lot better since then, but as I said, if somebody had put Scalzi's list in my hand during the creative process of that novel, I'd have blown it/him off with a knowing chuckle. 'Little do they know!' would, I'm sure, have been my response.
Upvote
0
sunstruckdream
Simply fantastical!
The first novel I ever attempted was so very bad. I know what you're saying, CF. It's totally unsalvageable. That was, if I recall correctly, about five years ago. I've learned a lot since then. Makes me wonder how much more I'll have learned five years from now, y'know?
And, like Tariel, I know a few people who should read that also. But I meant in person. (Though I did get the underground Paolini reference pretty immediately.
)
And, like Tariel, I know a few people who should read that also. But I meant in person. (Though I did get the underground Paolini reference pretty immediately.
)
Upvote
0
Christianfantasy
Member
I think, Sunstruck, you have just identified the line of demarcation between a story that is merely bad and one that is really, TRULY horrid: the fact that no amount of editing and/or rewriting can fix the latter. Interestingly, if I had the time and inclination, I could definitely salvage my first novel (a simple YA). Its that second novel that is flat-out hopeless. I got a hoot out of Mr. Scalvi suggesting that many young writers substitute cleverness for depth. There wasnt a single clever line in The Nightingale; it was solid pretension and horrible writing from start to finish. Whenever a beta pointed out the pretensious part, I would say, No, its not pretentious; its Literary. Rotflmho. (Rolling on the floor laughing my head off.) It was about as literary as I am a three-headed space alien from the Planet Pulitzer.
Upvote
0
Similar threads
