critiques | Meredith Mansfield, Author

Posts Tagged ‘critiques’

Cover Reveal, Revisions, and the Sale’s Still On

Posted in writing, tagged Cover Art, critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, sequels, series, world building, writing on October 8, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Want a sneak peek at the cover of THE VOICE OF PROPHECY (which used to be called THE IGNORED PROPHECY)?
Here it is.

Love that feeling of a wave about to crash (as opposed to the lightning strike on the first cover). Both are very apropos for the character’s experience in those books.

Look for a possible pre-order on Amazon as soon as I have a good handle on the needed revisions.

Meanwhile, I’m busy going through my beta readers’ comments in detail and planning the revisions to make the story even better.

Not surprisingly, some areas need to be tightened up. Some may need a little extra attention. The main thing is that I need to do a much better job of reintroducing the world, the cultures, the locations, and the people (just in case someone picks up this book first)–all while not bogging the story down for people who did read THE SHAMAN’S CURSE. Okay, that may not be as easy as I just made it sound.

Also, THE SHAMAN’S CURSE

and FIRE AND EARTH

are both on sale for only $0.99 thru the 11^th.

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Transitioning

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, revisions, sequels, series, writing on September 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Most of the critiques of the second book in the Dual Magics series (formerly titled THE IGNORED PROPHECY, now likely THE VOICE OF PROPHECY) have come back. I have some work to do to make it ready for publication in December. So, very soon, I will have to transition back to revision mode and start work on that.

I’m trying to finish up a couple of chapters of book three (BEYOND THE PROPHECY, probably) first. The ones I already have fairly clearly in my head. Best to get them out before they fade.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to come up with a new concept for the cover art. I thought I had that all wrapped up, but the title change to emphasize a different part of the story needs to be paired with appropriate cover art. I think I’ve got a fair idea now of what I’m going to do. Unfortunately, it’ll be a bit more work than the previous concept.

Lots to do.

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Book 3 and Cover Art

Posted in writing, tagged conflict, Cover Art, critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Multiple Projects, Real Life, sequels, series, writing on August 27, 2014| 2 Comments »

Well, I think I’ve done about as much as I can with THE IGNORED PROPHECY until I get some reactions from beta readers. It’s down to 108,500 words, which isn’t bad. There may be a bit more I can cut, but not much.

So, it’s time to start turning my attention to a couple of other things:

Cover art. Naturally, I’m going to want this to have some similarity to the cover of THE SHAMAN’S CURSE.I can find similar backgrounds with out much trouble. The trick is going to be coming up with a good central image.
The map. If I’m going to include a map in THE IGNORED PROPHECY (and maybe go back and add it to THE SHAMAN’S CURSE, I probably should get that ready pretty soon.
Book 3. Poor Book 3 doesn’t have a title yet. This is the book where everything falls apart. I need to settle the main outline of the plot. I’m a modified discovery writer. I don’t do a detailed outline, but I do find that having at least the main turning points as guide posts is helpful. Also, without having a good idea of the plot makes it hard to know where the story starts, and I really want to include an excerpt in THE IGNORED PROPHECY when I publish that in December.

Meanwhile, of course, still working on my new writing space. I got the ceiling painted yesterday. Progress!

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The Home Stretch

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, revisions, rewrites, sequels, series, writing on July 23, 2014| 2 Comments »

While I’m still really enjoying the ride with THE SHAMAN’S CURSE (and checking sales a couple of times a day), it’s time to get back to business.

And business, in this case, is progress on the sequel, THE IGNORED PROPHECY.

I’m coming right up on the climax. I probably won’t finish this pass this week, as I’d hoped, but I don’t think I’ll be far off. I’m going to have to do a fair amount of work on this climax. (I let our side get off way too easily the first time.) It’ll need at least one more pass before I hand it off to my beta readers (hopefully in September). Still, I love the downhill feeling of hitting the climax and heading toward those magical words “THE END”.

But I’ll need to let it cool a little, so it’s time to start wondering what I’ll work on while I let this draft cool a little and while my terrific beta readers have it. Probably not a true first draft yet. So Weird Oz will have to wait. Maybe the rewrite of DREAMER’S ROSE. I might have time to finish the rewrite/first draft portions of part one (the story of my backwards Hercules character).

Let the DUAL MAGICS characters get out of my head for a few weeks. Or maybe I’ll work on the companion short story/novella about one of the side characters. I have the bones of that laid out. And there’s almost nothing from his POV in the books. Hmm.

Of course, I could start playing with the cover art for THE IGNORED PROPHECY, too.

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Inspiration

Posted in writing, tagged conflict, critiques, fantasy, inspiration, revisions, Romance, writing, Young Adult on November 20, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes, it’s surprising what things will come together at the precisely right time to spark an idea. That might be the seed of a new story. Other times it might be the germ of what needs to happen to make an existing story better.

That happened to me yesterday. I was working through one of the critiques on MAGIC AND POWER (which may be retitled DESERT ROSE). Then I read this post on Adventures in YA Publishing, and everything started to come together.

I had a period early in my story in which my main character didn’t seem to be struggling enough. There wasn’t enough tension. Also, during that part of the story, the hoped-for love triangle didn’t have as much suspense as it needs because the “right” choice was a little too obvious.

Now, I’m going to give that “right” choice some drives based on his background that are at odds with the main character’s desires. Basically, he’s going to annoy the heck out of her, causing her to brush off her early attraction to him.

I think it will make the story so much better. And that’s the name of the game.

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Critiquing vs. Rewriting

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, inspiration, Multiple Projects, revisions, world building, writing, Young Adult on October 16, 2013| 1 Comment »

A week or so ago, I blogged about having found a couple of new critique partners. Well, I’m still slogging–somewhat painfully–through one of the critiques. Why? Well, there are a couple of reasons.

For one thing, whenever there are several comments on every page, at some point it all just becomes white noise. Some of those comments are valuable, but it takes a lot of work ot separate the diamonds from the dross.

I’m reminded of Orson Scott Card’s “wise reader” questions–So what? (“That was boring.”), Say what? (“I didn’t understand that.”) And Huh?! (“I don’t believe that.”) Those are the most important questions a reader/critiquer can answer. Of course, it’s always really nice to know when something works well, too.

Too many of those comments I’m skipping over are of the form “I think this would sound better . . .” which is basically an attempt to rewrite my prose. That’s a no, no. In fact, in at least one writers’ group to which I belong, Hatrack River Writers Workshop, it’s specifically forbidden.

Point out writerly tics, certainly. Typos and repetition of words that cause a kind of echo are fair game, too. But, well, there’s a line that can be crossed.

On a completely different subject, I found an ebook of all fourteen of L. Frank Baum’s Oz stories cheap on Amazon. If that doesn’t help jog my inspiration for that story, I don’t know what will.

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Critique Partners

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, fantasy, Learning, Multiple Projects, revisions, writing, Young Adult on October 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I’m taking a brief break from my Weird Oz Story to work through some of the critiques I’ve received on DESERT ROSE (formerly known as MAGIC AND POWER).

I’ve said before, but it bears repeating, that nothing will improve writing faster than giving and receiving critiques. Getting feedback on what works and what doesn’t, what’s missing or too thin (like description) or where you’ve taken something maybe a touch too far is invaluable. Doing critiques is at least as valuable. Sometimes, it’s just easier to see issues in someone else’s writing than in your own.

Now, I have a usual group of critique partners–the Pied Pipers (see sidebar)–but recently quite a few of our members have had to take time away because of real life. Others have drifted away for other reasons. (By the way, if you write young adult fantasy or science fiction, do check out the Pied Pipers on David Farland’s Writers’ Groups. We’re open to new members.) So, for DESERT ROSE I branched out and looked for a couple of new critique partners.

That’s made me realize something. See, the Pied Pipers have been exchanging critiques for a couple of years now. We know each others’ writing styles and the kinds of stories we tend to tell. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, in some ways it’s an advantage. But there’s something else to be learned from people who are reading one of my stories for the first time. My new critique partners are looking at and seeing different things.

It’s exciting and I think it’s already made my writing better on DESERT ROSE (and I’m only on Chapter 3 of the critiques.) So, if you’re reading this (and you know who you are), thank you.

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Starting Is The Hardest Part

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, Learning, marketing, Middle Grade, Multiple Projects, paranormal romance, Point of View, sequels, serialization, world building, writing, Young Adult on September 8, 2013| 2 Comments »

Sometimes I feel like I have a split personality. I’m working on so many different things at the same time (well, not at the some minute, but you know what I mean). And that doesn’t even count, you know, my ordinary life.

Querying MAGE STORM, trying to promote both FIRE AND EARTH and BLOOD IS THICKER, getting feedback on DESERT ROSE (MAGIC AND POWER), and trying to write the first draft of my Weird Oz Story (no title, yet).

I wonder if that’s why I’m having a hard time getting started on Weird Oz. I’m only on Chapter 3. (Here’s a teaser, Chapter 3 is titled “Pixie Spiders”.)

Could be that, or it could be that this is a bit of a departure for me. It’s the first novel I’m attempteing in first-person point of view. I’ve written a couple of shorter pieces (“Heart of Oak” and “Becoming Lioness”) in first person, but never a novel. It’s also a very different story to what I’ve been writing recently.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t completely built this world in my own mind yet. I’m a discovery writer (somewhat modified), so I’m generally okay with that. I can fix anything in revision (except the empty page I’m staring at right now). And sometimes the only way the ideas will start to come is when I start to write.

It’s also occurred to me that this may turn out to be a middle grade story instead of young adult, as I’ve currently envisioned. Well, I can fix that, too. But only if I get the story down first.

Well, once I get it well and truly started, hopefully it will start flowing better. Forward, ho!

In other news: Check out Clean Romance Reviews on Tuesday, September 10th for my first ever author interview. I’ll try to post a direct link on Wednesday. She did a very nice review of FIRE AND EARTH.

Also, a new chapter of BLOOD IS THICKER is up on wattpad. Or, you could just buy the book.

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At Loose Ends

Posted in writing, tagged critiques, e-publishing, fantasy, first drafts, marketing, Middle Grade, Multiple Projects, paranormal romance, revisions, rewrites, sequels, serialization, writing, Young Adult on July 17, 2013| 2 Comments »

Well, not really. There’s plenty for me to be working on. But . . . but I’ve finished most of the revisions I was planning to carry me into next month.

BLOOD IS THICKER is done and already available on Smashwords. (By the way, my other published stories are on sale on Smashwords through the end of the month. Some are even free. Check them out here and remember to use the coupon code listed right below the price.) You can also read the first three chapters of BLOOD IS THICKER free on wattpad.
MAGE STORM is basically done, although I’m still waiting for feedback from a couple of beta readers. I still need to work on the query and pitches some more. The synopsis could probably stand a bit of polish, too.
And, surprisingly, I feel like the third draft of MAGIC AND POWER is probably just about the final draft–at least until I can get it in front of a few beta readers. After the last pass, there’s just one more thing I think I need to take a look at. I suspect my characters do a lot of taking deep breaths and breathing out. Using a physical response to show emotion is good, but I probably need to introduce a little more variety there.

So, it looks like I may be starting that weird Oz story about a month sooner than I’d planned. I’m going to have to spend a little time getting myself into the right frame of mind. This one will be in first person and my character has (I hope) a distinct voice. But I don’t like taking more than a few days without doing some actual writing. Gotta keep those writing muscles in shape.

Of course, I also need to continue preparing to officially launch BLOOD IS THICKER (October 20). And continue trying to promote FIRE AND EARTH, mostly by trying to line up reviewers.

Maybe I’m not at such loose ends, after all.

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Adding Back

Posted in writing, tagged agents, Contests, critiques, fantasy, Learning, Pitches, revisions, world building, writing, Young Adult on January 20, 2013| Leave a Comment »

The first part of my revisions for this next phase of Pitch Wars was all about deleting. My mentor made me realize that there was too much foundation in those first few chapters–too much space dedicated to letting the reader know how things worked. The reader needs enough of that to make sense of the story, but not quite as much as I had put in. I may be fascinated by world building, but that doesn’t mean it will engage the reader.

So, the first thing I did was to delete approximately 10,000 words. Ouch.

As I went through, there were small places where I could add a little more. Mostly, these were places where I could do a better job of showing a character’s emotions, for which I remain indebted to The Emotion Thesaurus. That adds up gradually, because showing generally takes more words than just saying that a character is sad or angry, etc.

Now, though, I’ve come to the first place where I’m adding back serious word count. It’s a place near the middle of the manuscript where I can do a lot more showing–as in scenes, not just paragraphs–about how this character begins to move from one state to the next. It’s an important point for this character and I think it not only can support, but that it needs the extra foundation.

I’m really happy with this.

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