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Re: critiquing a bad story, find the good first..
Great technique. I had a writing prof who used it, and almost all of his students bloomed under his guidance.
posted by
Pat_B
on February 27, 2012 at 4:04 AM
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PatB
Well now that post, like all of yours PatB, has great vibes. LOL
posted by
WileyJohn
on February 26, 2012 at 6:52 PM
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when critiquing a bad story i tried to find the good and point that out first....then try to sugar coat what i didnt like....its never easy
posted by
Annicita
on February 26, 2012 at 5:08 PM
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Re: Adnohr, "do you think first time purchasers will line up...
Maybe the second story will sell. People like him. And who knows, they say practice makes perfect... :)
posted by
Pat_B
on February 26, 2012 at 1:09 PM
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Re: Taps - grandparents' journey to America in the 1800s...
I think there's a lot of interest in family histories, and immigrant stories, even if it was only a few hundred words and distributed only to family. But Taps, you are a writer. You use literary references and apt quotations all the time. From what I've seen, you'd really have to slow down and back up to be uninteresting.
posted by
Pat_B
on February 26, 2012 at 1:06 PM
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Really? He sold 100 copies? Hmm..guess that's proof of persistance and believing in oneself. Ciel had a good idea, Pat. It may be better than sacrificing your trips to Mickey D's. Do you think any of the first time purchasers will be lining up for the second one?
posted by
adnohr
on February 26, 2012 at 12:51 PM
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I always wanted to write a book about my Grandparents journey from Czechoslovakia and life in Prague in the late 1800, to a little coal-mining town in Missouri. But, I knew I would end up like your Sam, and it would only be interesting to me. Mine would have been Vaclav instead of Yakov. LOL
posted by
TAPS.
on February 26, 2012 at 10:29 AM
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Re: I am too soft, I couldn't tell him that he will never sell another copy. I
Actually, Kabu, he's sold a hundred copies. Mostly at book signings at Mickey D's, but he's all over the place, knows everyone... And there's another book signing event on March 3, at (you know where).
posted by
Pat_B
on February 26, 2012 at 10:17 AM
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I am too soft, I couldn't tell him that he will never sell another copy. I
would be enjoying coffee at home as well.
posted by
Kabu
on February 26, 2012 at 10:04 AM
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Re: Heh... I'd tell him.
(By 'the book' I meant his, but a style manual is a good suggestion, too.)
posted by
Ciel
on February 26, 2012 at 7:49 AM
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Heh... I'd tell him.
First I would ask him if he wants to be a serious writer. If he said that was his intent, I would point him in the direction of things he clearly needs to know. If he asked for examples or evidence that he is in need of specific writing skills, I would refer to the book.
If he doesn't want to be a writer whom mainstream publishers--the kind who pay the author, rather than the other way around--will take seriously, then I'd admire his dogged persistance at stringing words together and wish him luck.
posted by
Ciel
on February 26, 2012 at 7:48 AM
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P.S. Sam's got another book in the works.
He was going to call it "Celibacy." It's about a priest who cashes in a lottery ticket after the winner dies on his doorstep. When the winner's long-lost sister comes to claim her brother's body, the priest, who has been doing good works with the winnings, confesses to her. She demands the winnings, including repayment of what he's spent. So he quits the priesthood and marries the sister so he can legally claim the cash. I suggested he title the story "The Celibate's Wife." So six months from now, there'll be another interesting story from Sam's fertile mind... (sigh)
posted by
Pat_B
on February 26, 2012 at 7:34 AM
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I suppose this proves the old adage Pat never write about what you do not know or have never had the experience of use.
posted by
C_C_T
on February 26, 2012 at 7:09 AM
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Pat
I know what you mean. One wants to be nice, but...Even I want to be nice sometimes, otherwise I'd say, 'Yuck'...
posted by
Nautikos
on February 26, 2012 at 7:06 AM
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Lol Pat. I like the way that you avoid him. I could use a hug. Oh gee I wonder about my hugs in the past now. But they’re cool. Good luck in handling your gentleness really in criticism love. BC-A, Bill’s R®st
posted by
BC-A
on February 26, 2012 at 6:58 AM
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