Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Still Marking Up

July 13, 2016 by meredithmansfield

I’m still mired in the markup of my manuscript of WAR OF MAGIC.WarMagicNew

Although, I’m now about a quarter of the way through the third–and last–critique. So not much longer. I’ve gleaned a few interesting ideas in the process. Putting my version of my beta readers’ comments into the manuscript often prompts new ideas. So, while it’s the drudge work of the process, it’s still worth it.

Otherwise, back to the favorite fantasy characters of #FellowshipOfFun:

  • F: Faramir. Tolkien’s version, not the one from the movies. The one who could honestly say that he was not tempted by the ring of power.
  • G: Galadriel, of course.
  • H: Enough LotR, at least for now. H is for Harry Potter. Or maybe for Hermione.

 

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Mark Ups

July 10, 2016 by meredithmansfield

Now all three critiques are back for WAR OF MAGIC.

WarMagicNew

So, I’ve switched back to working on that one.

It’s interesting sometimes to compare critiques. One beta reader found a particular scene slow, while another loved it. That may have been influenced by the fact that the one who found it slow has read all three previous books in the series and the other has only read the second book, THE VOICE OF PROPHECY.

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

There’s a somewhat similar–not the same–in the third book, BEYOND THE PROPHECY, so maybe that’s why.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I’ll have to reread that scene from the third book before I decide what to do.

Meantime, I’m marking up the comments into my manuscript. It’s the slowest, most boring part of the revision process and requires taking frequent breaks. (Good thing my kitchen needs cleaning anyway.)  But it gives me a chance to start thinking about the more major revisions that may be needed.

Meantime, on the subject of taking short breaks, one of the groups I belong to, Fellowship of Fantasy, has an ABC challenge going on on twitter under the hastag #FellowshipOfFun. For each day, a favorite fantasy character starting with a different letter. (Some letters are way more challenging than others.)

So far, my answers are:

  • A: Aragorn, of course. Goes without saying.
  • B: Bran Cornick, the Marrok, from Patricia Briggs series.
  • C: Cazaril from Lois McMaster Bujold’s THE CURSE OF CHALION. One of my favorite fantasies of all time.
  • D: Dag Redwing/Bluefield from Lois McMaster Bujold’s SHARING KNIFE series. Another favorite.
  • E: Eowyn, who slew the Witch King of Angmar.

And, since we didn’t start until the 6th, that’s as far as we’ve gotten.

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Critiques

July 6, 2016 by meredithmansfield

I’ve gotten back the second (of three) critiques back on WAR OF MAGIC.

WarMagicNew

With later books in a series, I always try to have one beta reader who hasn’t read the previous books. They’re the ones who can tell me when I’ve assumed too much after living in this story for a couple of years. When I haven’t reintroduced characters sufficiently–especially minor but important characters. When I haven’t re-grounded the reader in the world or the magic system. Or, in the case of DUAL MAGICS, what the various groups of people feel about magic. When I haven’t established where scattered characters are in this world at the start of the story. Things I’m much too close to the story to judge.

Though I label each book with its number in the series, there’s no way I can control how readers come to them. Some might pick up the fourth book first. Or, someone who’d read the first three books might not read the last for–well, at least a year, because that’s how long it’s probably going to take me to get it published. But maybe longer than that, too.

That’s okay. Each book in this series is meant to stand alone, but they’re also part of a larger story. So I try to make it easy to step back into the story. And there are clearly some places where I failed to accomplish that.

Also, it appears that the first part of the story is too slow. I’ll have to think about how to fix that, too.

 

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Flowing

July 3, 2016 by meredithmansfield

BECOME is flowing much better now with the new structure.

Become 5

I’ve completed three new chapters and started a fourth since coming back to this one with a new structure. I’m really liking it a lot better, too. This time, I really believe the story is going to work.

Now, you’ll have to excuse me while I get back to this slightly awkward scene–awkward for my characters that is.

Happy Independence Day

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Writing Enthusiasm

June 29, 2016 by meredithmansfield

Enthusiasm for the project really does make a huge difference. I was grinding out MAGE STORM. Not because I don’t love that story, but just because it’s not where my heart is right now. Maybe the elements of that rewrite just aren’t ripe yet. That’s happened before.

As soon as I switched to BECOME, words started flowing. And I do love that feeling.

Become 5

And I’m loving the way the story is shaping up now that it feels less episodic.

 

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Progress

June 26, 2016 by meredithmansfield

On several fronts.

I have the first fifteen minutes of the audio book for THE SHAMAN’S CURSE to listen to–again–and either make suggestions or approve it. It’s really good. But I want to listen again.

TSC Audio

And, now that I have a better idea of the right story structure for this story, I’m making progress on BECOME, too. (Also, I just revamped the cover.)

Become 5

Lightened it up a little. Not quite so dark and brooding. I’ve left the series title off, for now. I need to do some more thinking about that title.

I’ve also started getting critiques back on the final book of the DUAL MAGICS series, WAR OF MAGIC.

WarMagicNew

The second (partial) critique to come back is from a reader unfamiliar with the earlier books in the series. I always like to find someone who hasn’t read the prior books. Only they can tell me when I truly confuse a new reader. Of course, I hope new readers will start at the beginning. But I have no control over that, so I really need to try to make the opening chapters as non-confusing as possible. By the fourth book, reintroducing (in brief) all the characters and their relationships to one another, and a touch of the previous story (enough for going on with) without slowing the story to a complete stop is . . . well, tricky doesn’t quite cover it. Apparently, I didn’t do as good a job as I’d hoped at the start of WAR OF MAGIC.

So, plenty of things to think about.

I’m also starting to think I need to find some way to take at least a day or two off and recharge the creative well. That’s going to be even trickier to figure out, since the budget won’t get me very far right now. Thinking outside the box may provide a solution.

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Change of Plans

June 22, 2016 by meredithmansfield

Well, by my carefully laid plans, I’m supposed to be working on MAGE STORM. But, now that I’ve (mostly) figured out the story structure for BECOME, it’s clear that’s the only sandbox my subconscious wants to play in right now.

Become4

I could try to flog my brain onto the planned track, but it likely wouldn’t be too successful. So, here’s to seeing what I can do with BECOME.

Flexibility. As my (dog) agility instructor used to say, “Be rigid about being flexible.”

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Unconventional Story Structure

June 19, 2016 by meredithmansfield

Thanks to some comments in a writer’s forum I belong to (Hatrack River Writers Workshop) about what is–and is not–a flashback and other kinds of story structures that are not linear, I think I finally have a good idea how BELONG needs to flow.

Become4

As I’ve said before, BECOME is loosely based on the Hercules myth/legend cycle–turned upside-down. What has intrigued me most about that story is that Herc, at the end, ascends and becomes a god.

Now, exciting as his story is, it’s undeniable that outside of killing monsters and similar feats, Hercules’s life was a disaster. Admittedly, Hera was responsible for most of that, but still . . . what about his life prepared him to be a god of anything (except possibly killing monsters)?

So, Become is mostly about what happens when my character, who has led a blessed and very successful life (upside-down Hercules, remember) is suddenly confronted with the first thing he can’t do easily–become a god. That’s when the story really gets moving. But there’s a lot of story before that, too. Both about the hero and about his near-twin half brother (very like Hercules) who is his sometimes ally-friend, sometimes opponent and who will be the one to try to take advantage of that failure.

I now think I know how to start the story much closer to that key event and then let the earlier story come in, hopefully organically. We’ll see how well I succeed at that.

I have a reading list of a couple of books that have done something similar to look into, too.

Of course, what I really should be working on is MAGE STORM. I guess my muse just doesn’t agree with my plans.

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Critiques

June 15, 2016 by meredithmansfield

The first critique of WAR OF MAGIC has come back–earlier than I expected.

WarMagicNew

And it’s given me some things to start thinking about.

There are some slow spots. Not really surprising. What to do about them . . . well, that’s part of what I’ll have to think about. Some things are necessary to the plot, so cutting them isn’t really an option. Finding a way to spice them up might be possible, but will require thought.

Some things aren’t clear enough. That’s easier to deal with.

And some things might need to be expanded a little.

The climax worked, so that’s a relief.

I’ll let these things turn over in my mind while I wait for the other critiques.

 

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Log Jam Broken

June 12, 2016 by meredithmansfield

I haven’t quite finished that problem chapter I’ve been struggling with, but it’s close. I’m making progress on MAGE STORM again.

Sometimes, you just have to give your subconscious a little more time. Hopefully, the next chapters will go more smoothly. There’s at least one brand new one coming up.

Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »