Louisa
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| 05-04-2011 8:01 PM |
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| Bill, an intriguing charcter can be a hook as well. John Le Carre does this so very well. I think the moral dilemma idea is a great one and, in my mind, what might be interesting is if the character made the wrong decision, so the reader has an "oh shit!" moment on behalf of your character. |
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Gemma (guest)
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| 05-04-2011 8:02 PM |
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Sorry I'm late, I had to get my husband settled with the kids. I plan to work on my fiction project and hope to knock over 500 words tonight.
So nice to have you here Louisa. |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:05 PM |
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I think that's a fantastic idea, Peter.
I know that I'm so aware of my own faults and hate myself when I fall into the behaviour patterns that I've tried to change.
In terms of protagonists, don't you think they're more interesting and realistic when they're not perfect? |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Louisa
Posts:20
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| 05-04-2011 8:07 PM |
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| Peter, yes, it could certainly help if the character berates himself afterwards. Writing a character that is dislikable though is a really big challenge for a new author. Ian McEwan can do it because he's a genius and a highly experienced author but my advice would be to create a likeable central charcter, who only has a small fault, which will be much easier to write. But it's your story so you must do what you feel is right. |
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Dawn
Posts:248
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| 05-04-2011 8:11 PM |
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Hi everyone (and Hi Peter, it's been a long time!)
I'm here late, just got my 22 month old and 3 month old to bed, it's 6.15 here in Perth.
I used to be a regular but new baby took over. I'm editing tonight - trying to get my MS polished enough to resubmit - and have set a deadline of 2 months to do it!
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Dawn
www.psychiatristparent.wordpress.com
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Louisa
Posts:20
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| 05-04-2011 8:12 PM |
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| Hi Gemma and lovely to meet you. I know a mother of three who has had her first book published and is selling it internationally. It's very hard to focus when you have kids. Her name is Rebecca James and she writes YA. What genre are you writing? |
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Peter
Posts:448
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| 05-04-2011 8:14 PM |
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| I definitely prefer flawed characters! I didn't originally intend for my protagonist to be an arsehole (pardon me), but just a bit simplistic/black-and-white in his outlook. Maybe I overcooked it. |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:14 PM |
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Hi, Dawn, and welcome to tonight's Race.
All the best with your editing! Can you tell us its genre?
Karyn |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Peter
Posts:448
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| 05-04-2011 8:16 PM |
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| Hi Dawn, LTNS. Congrats on 3-month-old! And you'll get no sympathy from me for having a resubmission deadline. ;) |
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http://writer.catplace.net |
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Gemma (guest)
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| 05-04-2011 8:16 PM |
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| I don't know what genre it is, kind of a modern story about people with a bit of romance. But it's not a romance novel, just a story about life and how we deal with it. So I don't know what it would be classifised as. |
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Louisa
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| 05-04-2011 8:17 PM |
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| Hi Dawn and welcome! Good on you for resubmitting your MS. Sounds like you have someone interested? Well done! It takes guts to keep going. One of the hardest things new authors have to deal with is the rejection letter. It can really crush you if you let it. I recall Stephen King saying that when he first started writing he collected his rejection slips and hung them on his wall. Not sure if I'd do that but it worked for him! |
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Dawn
Posts:248
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| 05-04-2011 8:23 PM |
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Hi Louisa and Gemma (good to see I'm not the only mum/writer here!)
My MS is dramatic fiction I suppose. I thought it was literary fiction but I attended the Hachette/QWC manuscript development program in November (that's who I'm resubmitting to - the Hachette publisher) and was told that it wasn't :) Made me laugh - think I was taking myself a bit too seriously!
And yes, I am waiting for my first official rejection letter (have to send it out there first, eek) - and am encouraged by the fact that Stephen King then sold Carrie for squillions of dollars! |
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Dawn
www.psychiatristparent.wordpress.com
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Louisa
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| 05-04-2011 8:29 PM |
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| Wow Dawn. That's great! I wish you the very best of luck! I hear Hachette is a great publisher to work with. |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:30 PM |
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Guess what, Racers?
We're halfway through! Is everyone on track with their word counts and inspiration?
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Karyn Markwell |
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Louisa
Posts:20
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| 05-04-2011 8:34 PM |
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| No! I've been enjoying "talking" to everyone too much! |
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Dawn
Posts:248
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| 05-04-2011 8:34 PM |
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Thanks Louisa - the programme was great and has opened a few doors - but the main thing was that it gave me validation and motivation to keep going. It can be easy as a writer to let your mind take over when you tell yourself you're wasting your time...
Hope everyone is doing well at half time! |
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Dawn
www.psychiatristparent.wordpress.com
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:36 PM |
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You're right, Louisa; I'm usually too distracted by the conversation each week to write more than a couple hundred words.
But that's why these forums are so incredible!! |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:37 PM |
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Dawn, that writing opportunity is incredible.
We hope to see your book in print soon! |
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Karyn Markwell |
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Louisa
Posts:20
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| 05-04-2011 8:43 PM |
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| While I think about it, is anyone going to the Gold Coast Literati Festival in May or the Byron Bay Writers' Festival in August? It would be great to meet you. |
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Karyn
Posts:334
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| 05-04-2011 8:45 PM |
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Probably yes to both. :)
Will you be playing a role at each one? |
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Karyn Markwell |
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