tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640480.post8076599717965765679..comments2024-03-21T18:54:06.548-07:00Comments on Old Enough to Know Better: Writing: The Good, The Bad, and The UglySteve Perryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12079658447270792228noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640480.post-43510681687610425152010-09-01T12:56:18.391-07:002010-09-01T12:56:18.391-07:00Addendum:
But for a beginner, self-publishing cou...Addendum:<br /><br />But for a beginner, self-publishing could be a trap -- if you can't tell when you are making mistakes, those will get translated. Having a good reader to offer suggestions would be useful, but even then, a "good reader" is not the same as a good editor. I've seen book mss by folks read by folk who offered help, but who missed some basic beginner errors -- or didn't want to point them out -- which is the same difference in the end result. <br /><br />Many new writers make the same mistakes because nobody ever told them. Said-bookisms and adverbial swifties are common, but easy to fix. Have a look:<br /><br />Turning around, Tom was surprised to see her behind him. "OMG -- what are you doing behind me?!" Tom queried wonderingly.<br /><br />"Oh, well, whatever -- it's good to see you," he rasped contentedly.<br /><br />If those sentences work well for you? You need an editor.Steve Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12079658447270792228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640480.post-7503898745283706152010-09-01T10:26:37.259-07:002010-09-01T10:26:37.259-07:00At this point, I think whatever I self-publish wou...At this point, I think whatever I self-publish would be professional and readable. Bristlecone, my old spies novel, and Master of Pamor are two books I've done that way, and I'm pleased with both of them. They said what I wanted to say, and, I think, pretty well.<br /><br />Mostly, the books I've done on my own have been edited lightly, and that tells me I'm not too far off the mark.<br /><br />If you can tell a story, that's the main thing. Everything I've done could have been brushed up and made better, but several of the books sailed through with nothing but copy editing. <br /><br />Not to say I never need an editor, but after sixty-odd novels, I have a little feel for the craft.Steve Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12079658447270792228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640480.post-81036108787198919342010-09-01T10:11:50.477-07:002010-09-01T10:11:50.477-07:00If you had the capital and/or interest to self-pub...If you had the capital and/or interest to self-publish do you think that would be a good thing or bad thing for you-considering your statement about objectivity.<br /><br />How would your writing have changed , if at all?Shady_Gradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00996625985002373392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640480.post-71236470222347705872010-08-26T21:05:02.904-07:002010-08-26T21:05:02.904-07:00"I can brag that the Tom Clancy Net Force ser..."I can brag that the Tom Clancy Net Force series probably exposed more readers to the Javanese version of our art in this country than any other novels"<br /><br />Yes, you can. My buddy is in his third year of silat and kali, thanks to The Net Force series (the similarities to sumito made it irresistible, it seems). It is, by far, his favorite art that he's studied.Krisnoreply@blogger.com