Comments on: Be Extraordinary http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/ about the craft and business of fiction Thu, 24 May 2012 18:17:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Sarah http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135336 Sarah Sat, 12 Jun 2010 13:19:14 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135336 I really enjoyed this, thanks so much. It helps so much to be reminded of these things and inspires me to continue with my revisions. .-= Sarah´s last blog ..<a href="http://foldingfields.wordpress.com/2010/06/11/just-some-random-thoughts/" rel="nofollow">Just some random thoughts</a> =-. I really enjoyed this, thanks so much. It helps so much to be reminded of these things and inspires me to continue with my revisions.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..Just some random thoughts =-.

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135293 Therese Walsh Sat, 12 Jun 2010 02:44:39 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135293 Thanks again for all the great comments, everyone. Kristan, fingers still crossed for you. And I'm nodding too over the time-consuming nature of revisions. But so wise of you -- better to have them wait and read your best work. You go. Richelle, that old boss of yours sounds fierce! I love your attitude, though. Erika, thanks for your comment about Last Will. :-) Margo, these things work together for me too. I really feel that without any one of these elements, I probably wouldn't have been published. Jan, I didn't realize that about critique right away either, but once I did it helped me open up and hear things at a deeper level. It's kind of cool when seemingly different comments that you hear from CPs come together and illuminate a single problem, and suddenly you get it--like noticing a constellation in the sky. Thanks again for all the great comments, everyone.

Kristan, fingers still crossed for you. And I’m nodding too over the time-consuming nature of revisions. But so wise of you — better to have them wait and read your best work. You go.

Richelle, that old boss of yours sounds fierce! I love your attitude, though.

Erika, thanks for your comment about Last Will. :-)

Margo, these things work together for me too. I really feel that without any one of these elements, I probably wouldn’t have been published.

Jan, I didn’t realize that about critique right away either, but once I did it helped me open up and hear things at a deeper level. It’s kind of cool when seemingly different comments that you hear from CPs come together and illuminate a single problem, and suddenly you get it–like noticing a constellation in the sky.

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]]> By: Writing Roundup, June 11 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135261 Writing Roundup, June 11 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:02:58 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135261 [...] Be Extraordinary Tips to take your writing from great to amazing. [...] [...] Be Extraordinary Tips to take your writing from great to amazing. [...]

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]]> By: Elisa Beatty http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135254 Elisa Beatty Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:09:17 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135254 Lovely post! Thanks for the inspiring words! 25th hour, indeed! Lovely post! Thanks for the inspiring words! 25th hour, indeed!

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]]> By: Improved Writing Doesn’t Have to be Torture – Write, Edit, & Repair Words http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135177 Improved Writing Doesn’t Have to be Torture – Write, Edit, & Repair Words Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:08:11 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135177 [...] Writer Unboxed blog has some great tips to keep in mind as you work on your novel. In this post, Be Extraordinary, she lists five things to do, or attitudes to have, but a couple of them really struck me because [...] [...] Writer Unboxed blog has some great tips to keep in mind as you work on your novel. In this post, Be Extraordinary, she lists five things to do, or attitudes to have, but a couple of them really struck me because [...]

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]]> By: Jan O'Hara http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135171 Jan O'Hara Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:35:17 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135171 Conceptually I agree with everything you've written, although my execution of the principles falls short. As per normal. <b>However</b>, this is the part that really helped: "Sometimes, with musing, you may see an indirect solution to a critique of your story; you may realize, for example, that someone’s complaint re: a character arc can be fixed with a plot tweak." In critique, I've witnessed situations where several people can agree on where the manuscript goes astray, but disagree about "why". It seems so obvious now you've said it, but accepting that change is necessary does not mean I have to accept their solution if it feels wrong. Bingo! .-= Jan O'Hara´s last blog ..<a href="http://cherrytart.wordpress.com/2010/06/09/freshly-pressed/" rel="nofollow">5 Things to Know Before WordPress Freshly-Presses You</a> =-. Conceptually I agree with everything you’ve written, although my execution of the principles falls short. As per normal.

However, this is the part that really helped: “Sometimes, with musing, you may see an indirect solution to a critique of your story; you may realize, for example, that someone’s complaint re: a character arc can be fixed with a plot tweak.”

In critique, I’ve witnessed situations where several people can agree on where the manuscript goes astray, but disagree about “why”. It seems so obvious now you’ve said it, but accepting that change is necessary does not mean I have to accept their solution if it feels wrong. Bingo!
.-= Jan O’Hara´s last blog ..5 Things to Know Before WordPress Freshly-Presses You =-.

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]]> By: Margo Gremmler http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135158 Margo Gremmler Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:38:25 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135158 Therese, Thank you so much for this insightful post. This may be true for other writers, but for me, many of these things work together. The story I'm currently revising has been with me since 2004 – It's my old friend now. So when I received constructive feedback from a trusted critique partner, I let it sit for a day and even explored a little – and then I knew it was exactly what my old friend needed. Patience (with your writer self), that gut instinct, and knowing your story all work together. And of course, starting with a hook that excites you is where all writing should begin. You gotta live with that old friend for a while, after all... ;) .-= Margo Gremmler´s last blog ..<a href="http://margocole.wordpress.com/2010/06/03/armchair-auction-amazing/" rel="nofollow">Libraries’ Armchair Auction: AMAZING</a> =-. Therese,
Thank you so much for this insightful post. This may be true for other writers, but for me, many of these things work together. The story I’m currently revising has been with me since 2004 – It’s my old friend now. So when I received constructive feedback from a trusted critique partner, I let it sit for a day and even explored a little – and then I knew it was exactly what my old friend needed.
Patience (with your writer self), that gut instinct, and knowing your story all work together.
And of course, starting with a hook that excites you is where all writing should begin. You gotta live with that old friend for a while, after all… ;)
.-= Margo Gremmler´s last blog ..Libraries’ Armchair Auction: AMAZING =-.

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]]> By: Erika Robuck http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135150 Erika Robuck Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:16:48 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135150 Every piece of this post spoke to me today, in some aspect. I'm especially intrigued by #1: "Create truly novel ideas," as a whole, and for each scene. Turning every scene on its side, doing the unexpected (while keeping it believable), attacking a major theme a way no one ever has before--that's the goal. It's something I've been struck by with a lot of the books I've read recently--really unique plots, feeling like I haven't read a book a hundred times before. LAST WILL OF MOIRA did that beautifully! Great post! .-= Erika Robuck´s last blog ..<a href="http://erikarobuck.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/interview-hyatt-bass/" rel="nofollow">Interview: Hyatt Bass</a> =-. Every piece of this post spoke to me today, in some aspect. I’m especially intrigued by #1: “Create truly novel ideas,” as a whole, and for each scene. Turning every scene on its side, doing the unexpected (while keeping it believable), attacking a major theme a way no one ever has before–that’s the goal. It’s something I’ve been struck by with a lot of the books I’ve read recently–really unique plots, feeling like I haven’t read a book a hundred times before. LAST WILL OF MOIRA did that beautifully! Great post!
.-= Erika Robuck´s last blog ..Interview: Hyatt Bass =-.

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]]> By: Richelle Morgan http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135122 Richelle Morgan Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:16:55 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135122 Really wonderful advice. Especially checking your ego at the door during critique! Years ago, I had a boss who was a fierce and ruthless editor. She drove me to tears almost every day. But the best thing that came out of that awful experience was the ability to take even the harshest criticism and see what I could get out of it. In her own wretched way, she made me a much better writer! Thanks! Really wonderful advice. Especially checking your ego at the door during critique!

Years ago, I had a boss who was a fierce and ruthless editor. She drove me to tears almost every day. But the best thing that came out of that awful experience was the ability to take even the harshest criticism and see what I could get out of it. In her own wretched way, she made me a much better writer!

Thanks!

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]]> By: Julie Musil http://writerunboxed.com/2010/06/08/be-extraordinary/#comment-135121 Julie Musil Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:59:14 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/?p=3739#comment-135121 Wow, great advice. Thanks so much! .-= Julie Musil´s last blog ..<a href="http://juliemusil.blogspot.com/2010/06/torture-reducing-stress-and-triple-t-of.html" rel="nofollow">Torture, Reducing Stress, and the Triple T of Publishing</a> =-. Wow, great advice. Thanks so much!
.-= Julie Musil´s last blog ..Torture, Reducing Stress, and the Triple T of Publishing =-.

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