Timewaster's Guide Archive

I think it depends on the situation.  If you're a discovery writer with only a half formed idea or even a fresh idea, then writing 50k words will probably result in some areas that have to be heavily revised later.  If you're working on a current work or else have a strong idea of what you're writing with all the groundwork laid/a strong outline then there's no reason why it need be crap.

Stephen King says to write 2k a day.  I wrote 145k in 8 weeks.  It wasn't crap, though it did need revising.  But I had a strong outline and plenty of time with slow work to think about it every day.  If you're job doesn't allow for much time to think about your writing then 50k inside a month is going to be difficult and likely crap.  Even with a strong outline/idea it would be difficult.  Brandon spoke a lot about having time outside of physically writing in order to be successful in a few of his podcasts.  I think this is very true.

To my mind NaNoWriMo works best for very new writers who just need to write fast and often (to avoid internal editing/fear and improve their craft through practice) and those writers who need external motivation to write at a decent pace.  I know people who took years to write 80k words.  Those types could definitely benefit from NaNoWriMo.  But if your job allows, then I don't think there's any reason for a lot of writing to be crap.

A caveat, this is mostly geared towards those that work from a strong outline with fairly tight writing.  If you're a loose, fast, discovery writer then you will obviously expect to have a lot of revision afterwards.

You should use doublespacing.  It's the correct format and it's much easier to read, especially with dialogue.  Singlespace is just annoying./end rant

Hubert's thoughts are awkward.  Clearly there's info in there you want to convey, but no one would think that way.  Subconciously you've put the narrator into his thoughts and it shows plainly.  You could limit his thoughts to a line or two of suggestive material that leaves the reader with an idea of what you want to tell us.  Or better yet you could use his actions along with spurts of thoughts to "show" us what you want us to know.

"The machinery that, currently, has his best friend strapped firmly into its mechanical grasp. He turned and stared, wide eyed and face pale, as the machine started to hum to life."

Change has his to had his.  Wide eyed and pale or he paled and stared wide eyed. 

Awesome ending to that scene.  Aside from the issues above, I quite liked it.  Your prose is much improved over the last chapter.  Congrats.

"This one did nothing, he knew, but it was all for the show of things."  -It's from his POV, we don't need he knew.  We know because he knows...ya know?

"was hinged" is passive...lose the was and keep the rest.

The second part of the scene needs revision as some words are misspelled or over used (ex. realize).  Also, it's a little disjoineted...having said that...I liked it and its keeping up the semi comic undertone while serious matters are occurring.

The Jobber scene is interesting, but in desperate need of revision.  You have multiple tense changes, again overuse of similar words, and a bad habit of using two descriptors that mean the same thing for an action.  I like the thick accent of the thicker man.  Some might not like the accents, but I was able to read it and get a sense of his speech.

Good ending.  THis chapter, IMO is leaps and bounds above the previous one.  It still needs a lot of revision and I'm not sure how you're able to slip into present tense and Third Person Omniscient so easily, but outside of that it was well done.

Oh, and while I don't mind you might want to put an 'L' for use of the 'c' word.

No problem, message me with your email and I'll send them to you.

I also have another chapter for this monday.

I still haven't received your last chapter.

I'm an unpublished author who has written several books of varying lengths (130-150k) and sundry novellas and short stories.  I just finished the revisions on my latest novel and feel confident that it's my best yet.  How good?  Who knows for sure.  Only recently I've been considering going to some sf&f conventions to network with agents and editors.  I live in PA.  I'd love to go to the Con in NYC this weekend, but that's not possible with work. 

The next availiable con is World Fantasy.  For a variety of reasons I'd only be able to drive out Friday night, attend for most of the day Saturday, and then drive home for that night.  I haven't been able to find any feedback from new authors concerning this convention.  Having never been to a convention, I'm not sure what to expect.  For one thing, they don't allow day passes, so it's 165 dollars for 6-8 hours on Saturday.  That's not counting the hotel room and gas/food/time. 

For all of that, I don't have a problem heading out to Columbus Ohio if there are going to be a lot of reputable fantasy agents looking for new talent.  So, if anyone has gone, is going, or knows what it's all about, could you please clue me in?  The last thing I want is to do all of this to find only one or two agents there for other reasons, not looking for prospective clients.  Thanks in advance!

There is a writing group called reading excuses on this forum.  They allow new postings once a week.  Feedback is consistent, but small.  I'd say 2-5 responses seems to be par for the course.  If you're looking for more than that, good luck.  The holy grail is a group of ten to fifteen people who are experts just waiting to read your work and only your work.  In practice everyone wants thier work to be read and most don't have the time to read a dozen 5k chapters while working on thier own in thier busy lives.  The group on here seems to offer honest, good critiques.

I'd like to submit another CH on monday.

Let me start off by saying that this is the first CH I've read.  With that out of the way, I'll start off with what I liked.  The prose wasn't bad.  Some parts were very well done, but all passable.  I've never been a big fan of elementals either, but you did a good job with it.  Really not a bad chapter at all...definitely reminded me of high school and that is meant as a compliment.

  The real issues I had with it were the description.  There was a real lack of description on every level.  When the CH starts I don't get a strong impression of where the characters are.  Then when they head to the wall you tell us they are walking, but there's no description of what they are passing by.  There's no environment.  It felt like the chapter was all dialogue.  The dialogue is there, the chapter was readable, but it wasn't a story. 

  Also, there are a ton of characters...I realize this is the fifth chapter and it could be that you introduced them slowly and the reader is well acquainted in which case ignore this.  If not, then description is very important to help differentiate the various characters.  Also, short chapters with the character name as title wouldn't be a bad idea, ala George R.R. Martin.  Martin has a steep learning curve as well, but the prose carries it until the reader's mind can wrap around the large cast.  Your prose is intriguing enough to make me want to learn all the names, but I need description to solidify the various characters in my mind. 

  I'd also be careful that with so many characters you keep their dialogue different so they don't all sound alike.  I don't know if you've read Sanderson's Warbreaker.  If you did and had that at all in mind then be careful because a few of your ideas concerning Gods and even Euol reminded me instantly of his work.  If that's not the case then it's a happy coincidence that you can ignore.

  Overall I liked the direction and the dialogue.  I think that you have something here if you add details to help make this a world and not just a conversation between characters.  And while it will be alot more work to keep all the characters and pull this story off, I think you'd be doing a disservice to the story to remove characters just to make it easier on yourself.  As always, all IMHO.