How Things Change: The Next
Kel and I moved to Nanango in February of 2008. I found work. Kel did Family Day Care. Bayli (our daughter) said her first words and took her first steps. Then we moved to my parent's garage in Woodford for reasons partially relating to the fact that she is pregnant again. If you want to know more, check out the 'Robinsons' blog.
In writing news Singing Other Worlds (previously known by several other names-- the science fiction one with the trolls) has been trimmed by 60,000 words (it doesn't hove trolls any more) after comments supplied by a publisher. Subtle Chains has been postponed while I write The Brighest Light, a fantasy crystal-punk novel (it's a brand new genre that is about to take off) and then possible while I complete The Shadow of the Dragon a fantasy with cast iron blimps. Yes, the title is fairly cliched but I like it none the less for its double meaning.
I'm part way through reading The Tide Lords series by Jennifer Fallon. It has similarities to Winds of the Forelands in that it's bugging me but I'm still reading it. This one is easy enough to follow' its just the quality of the writing. It feels more like something by a first time writer than someone with ten or so books like Jennifer. One of my favourite "rules" of writing is the old, enter late, leave early. ie, start the scene at the last possible moment (taking things like flow and clarity into account) before the scene's point is made (there can obviously be more than one point to a scene) and get out as soon as possibe afterwards.
An example of this not happening. (paraphrased because I returned the first and second book to my mother in law).
Declan, a a low born major character is talking to a Prison Captain (PC), a minor character (who isn't seen after the first few chapters). PC is being a smart arse and says, "Would you like me to tell any of you friends you are in town. Do you have any friends?" or something to that effect. Declan replies, "Arkady Desean is my friend. Do you know who she is?" And he promptly leaves. PC is shocked. He thinks, Of course I know who she is. Everyone knows who she is. She is the Duchess. And he spends another page thinking about the Duchess and how she rose up from the slums.
Nothing wrong with that in itself, except after PC does all the thinking there's a new chapter from the Duchess's POV, in which we are given all the relevant information again. The previous chapter could have ended with Declan leaving the room.
There are a lot of little things like that. There's a lack of subtlety. The characters are intelligent one moment and as dense as an elvish forest the next. Where was the editor?
Anyway, Bayli wants to dance...
In writing news Singing Other Worlds (previously known by several other names-- the science fiction one with the trolls) has been trimmed by 60,000 words (it doesn't hove trolls any more) after comments supplied by a publisher. Subtle Chains has been postponed while I write The Brighest Light, a fantasy crystal-punk novel (it's a brand new genre that is about to take off) and then possible while I complete The Shadow of the Dragon a fantasy with cast iron blimps. Yes, the title is fairly cliched but I like it none the less for its double meaning.
I'm part way through reading The Tide Lords series by Jennifer Fallon. It has similarities to Winds of the Forelands in that it's bugging me but I'm still reading it. This one is easy enough to follow' its just the quality of the writing. It feels more like something by a first time writer than someone with ten or so books like Jennifer. One of my favourite "rules" of writing is the old, enter late, leave early. ie, start the scene at the last possible moment (taking things like flow and clarity into account) before the scene's point is made (there can obviously be more than one point to a scene) and get out as soon as possibe afterwards.
An example of this not happening. (paraphrased because I returned the first and second book to my mother in law).
Declan, a a low born major character is talking to a Prison Captain (PC), a minor character (who isn't seen after the first few chapters). PC is being a smart arse and says, "Would you like me to tell any of you friends you are in town. Do you have any friends?" or something to that effect. Declan replies, "Arkady Desean is my friend. Do you know who she is?" And he promptly leaves. PC is shocked. He thinks, Of course I know who she is. Everyone knows who she is. She is the Duchess. And he spends another page thinking about the Duchess and how she rose up from the slums.
Nothing wrong with that in itself, except after PC does all the thinking there's a new chapter from the Duchess's POV, in which we are given all the relevant information again. The previous chapter could have ended with Declan leaving the room.
There are a lot of little things like that. There's a lack of subtlety. The characters are intelligent one moment and as dense as an elvish forest the next. Where was the editor?
Anyway, Bayli wants to dance...
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