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mary rosenblum
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Hello all!
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mary rosenblum
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I"m impressed...everyone
is not at a Christmas party tonight!
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mary rosenblum
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Or out doing that eleventh
hour shopping (that's tomorrow, right? :-))
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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cherley
|
Just finished wrapping last
gift. Need two more giftsl.
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mary rosenblum
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Two isn't too bad!
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mary rosenblum
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This is one of our open
question nights...
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mary rosenblum
|
so if you have any question
that hasn't fit into one of our topics recently, here's your chance.
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mary rosenblum
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For anyone who missed my
announcement Tuesday, by the way...
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mary rosenblum
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Storyhouse is no longer in
business, alas.
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mary rosenblum
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They have been bought out by a
competing coffee roaster.
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mary rosenblum
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I haven't heard any hint that
this one will put stories on the labels. too bad.
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tory
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Mary, is there any central
registry-type place to check out if an aticle we want to do has already
been done and where, as Books in Print, etc. for book length work?
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mary rosenblum
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There is, Tory.
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mary rosenblum
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There's a registry of magazine
articles.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't know if I can lay my
hand on the info ...one of my nonfiction guests mentioned it in her
interview.
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rapidmath
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can we take the advance ICL
course and this program at the same time?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure rapid, as long as you
have time and energy to do two sets of assignments.
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mary rosenblum
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I have a few students who are
doing both.
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mary rosenblum
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Tory,I think Melanie Snyder
mentioned it in my most recent interview with her...
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mary rosenblum
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you might check there.
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mary rosenblum
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And for those of you who are
asking about the novel course, no I still can't talk about it...
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mary rosenblum
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but as soon as I can, I'll let
you all know. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Be patient. It will happen.
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andi
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what is icl course
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mary rosenblum
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That's the Institute of
Children's LIterature...Long Ridge's sister school, Andi.
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mary rosenblum
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It teaches writing for
children.
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rapidmath
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I have asked to join the adult
course since the summer, but I have not heard anything yet , is it true
they don't like people to take both couse at the same time
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mary rosenblum
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I don' t think they have a
policy about it rapid. I do have students who do both.
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mary rosenblum
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Your name may have been
mislaid. I'd call student services and make sure they know you want it.
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cherley
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Joey quickly turns his head and
hopes that Keith doesn’t hear his heavy sigh or see how his chest rises and
falls as he thinks how beautiful she is. Not much older than me.
Breath-taking. Makes me nervous. Is she staring? I wish I could get Becca a
dress like that. Becca is beautiful in a different way. A pure way. I miss
Becca. I miss Dad. I even miss my brothers. Wanna go home.
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cherley
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Does this read ok going into
thought.
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mary rosenblum
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I'd add a 'he thinks'
Cherley...make the transition real clear to the reader.
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mary rosenblum
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Not much olderl than me, he
thinks. Breath taking.
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mary rosenblum
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He thinks or she thought gives
the lazy, fast, or sloppy reader a 'heads up'.
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mary rosenblum
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I usually use it just as I
transition into thought. Then the reader is aware and will catch the
changes from thought to speach or action.
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cherley
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the first he thinks would be
dropped then?
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mary rosenblum
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I'd leave that whole phrase
out, Cherly. You're about to SHOW us how he's thinking of her...
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mary rosenblum
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so what you are doing is
telling us he's thinking she's beautiful and then...
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mary rosenblum
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letting us 'overhear' his
thoughts about how beautiful she is.
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mary rosenblum
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It's like doing this with
dialogue:
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mary rosenblum
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She told her mother she didn't
want to go. "I don't want to go, Mom."
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mary rosenblum
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You are simply repeating.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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neo
|
Are there any courses or
instructors that specialize in nonfiction (at Longridge)?
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mary rosenblum
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They have quite a few
nonfiction instructors, neo. IT's the same course for either...you can
focus on either fiction or non...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you want non, you get
an instructor who writes primarily nonfiction.
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info
|
Have you ever had a problem
where your general story idea is sound but you're having trouble with
coming up with the right feel and ideas as you are working on it? If so,
how do you handle it?
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mary rosenblum
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Oh gosh, info, that's the rule
rather than the exception, LOL!
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mary rosenblum
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I often begin with a great
story idea and then flounder around for a long time until the right
combination...
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mary rosenblum
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of characters and conflicts
click.
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mary rosenblum
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Generally, I just print out
the story idea and leave several copies sort of lying around in my life
space...
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mary rosenblum
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so that I pick it up and look
at it every so often.
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mary rosenblum
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Eventually I have the 'aha'
moment and everything falls into place.
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mary rosenblum
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Sometimes that happens right
away or in a few days...
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mary rosenblum
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some story ideas are STILL
waiting for the aha moment. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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In fact, I'm doing that now.
:-) I got an antho invite to a SF anthology...
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mary rosenblum
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10,000 words. Nice money. I
have the general idea of what I want to do...
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mary rosenblum
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am waiting for characters and
conflict to appear on the horizon. :-)
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cherley
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I've noticed that some places
request courier font. Does it matter?
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mary rosenblum
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Yeah...what the editor wants,
you supply!
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mary rosenblum
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Otherwise, it's up to you.
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mary rosenblum
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I personally hate Courier and
use Times, but if someone wants Courier, they get it.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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beirdd
|
I've seen thoughts printed in a
different typeface, like italics, when they appear often in a book. Helps
to set them apart. Is that commonly accepted?
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mary rosenblum
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That's a house stylesheet rule
for many publishers, but otherwise it's up to you.
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mary rosenblum
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I won't use direct thought if
the publisher insists on italic for thought. (Putnam did for my mysteries.
I threw a FIT. Got me nowhere).
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mary rosenblum
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Italic sounds DIFFERENT.
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mary rosenblum
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It sounds loud.
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mary rosenblum
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At least to most readers.
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mary rosenblum
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Do your work as a writer and
make the thought clear from the context.
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mary rosenblum
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Then you need NO font change
to make it clear.
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cherley
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I have new courier is that the
same?
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mary rosenblum
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Dunno what the difference is.
YOur editor is not gonna reject you for the wrong font as long as she can
read it without eyestrain, Cherley.
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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geezer
|
You were talking about theme
recently. Should we try to come up with a theme then a plot?
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mary rosenblum
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Not necessarily.
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mary rosenblum
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I rarely knew what my theme
was when I was just starting out...not until after I'd finished.
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mary rosenblum
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If you feel you have to know
your theme, that may be the straw that breaks the camel's back and...
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mary rosenblum
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sends you into writers block.
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mary rosenblum
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Don't sweat it.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have a theme even if
you are totally unaware of what it is.
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mary rosenblum
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I can certainly decide on a
theme first, but often I don't.
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mary rosenblum
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My theme may not
emerge...especially in a novel length work...
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mary rosenblum
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until I have generated my
characters completely and am...
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mary rosenblum
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more aware of the complexities
of the story.
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lapart
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when your are waiting for your
characters do u focus in different areas?
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mary rosenblum
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Okay, lapart, I expanded your
shorthand ruthlessly. If I got it wrong, let me know, okay?
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mary rosenblum
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No matter how well I know my
characters before I begin even a short story...
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mary rosenblum
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they become deeper and more
real as they interact.
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mary rosenblum
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I do most of my
characterization work in my second draft.
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mary rosenblum
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I focus on plot flow and the
choreography of scenes in the first draft.
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mary rosenblum
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Walk your characters through
the action and come back later to add more thought and the gestures,
expressions that reveal...
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mary rosenblum
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their emotions.
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mary rosenblum
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The best thing with a first
draft is to keep it moving!
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mary rosenblum
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Don't bog down with worries
about characterization, description, etc.
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mary rosenblum
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Of course you DO need to know
your character well enough...
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mary rosenblum
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that this character acts more
or less consistently all the way through...
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mary rosenblum
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or you will do a lot of
rewriting instead of revision!
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cherley
|
My worst problem is with
punctuation. How much of a problem is that? I am studying Grammer books to
try to catch it.
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on how bad it is,
Cherley. YOu're my student, and it's just a marginal problem.
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mary rosenblum
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YOur editor doesn't mind
fixing a few comma issues, but if you can't write a single grammatically
correct sentence, the editor isn't really...
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mary rosenblum
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editing so much as revising
your story or article.
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mary rosenblum
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And that editor will simply
buy someone who can handle grammar better.
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mary rosenblum
|
I do send some of my ESL
students who have excellent ideas and who just are NOT going...
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mary rosenblum
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to master publishable English
soon to an editor.
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mary rosenblum
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Usually I suggest they contact
the local HS honors English teacher...
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mary rosenblum
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and pay a good HS student to
clean up grammar ...or a community college student.
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info
|
I remember hearing you state
something about not worrying about anything except getting your story
written the first time around. Does that include the nagging feeling that
you are repeating yourself and/or that you are forgetting something?
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mary rosenblum
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Yep.
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mary rosenblum
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If you think of waht you might
have forgotten or repeated, write it down as a note.
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mary rosenblum
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I start a 'revison notes' file
when I create chapter one.
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mary rosenblum
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Every time I think I should
have done something, should do something, I write it in that file.
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mary rosenblum
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I print it out and use it for
my first revision.
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geezer
|
I am having trouble writing what
I think might, maybe be authentic male dialogue. Everytime I get within
earshot, they change the way they speak. I complained to a couple of them
and the agreed that they do speak differently when females are present.
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mary rosenblum
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You're listening to the wrong
people, geeze. You're way too polite.
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mary rosenblum
|
Go to any sports event, the
mall, the park when lots of people are around, sit down, look at a
newspaper open on your lap...
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mary rosenblum
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and EAVEDROP LIKE CRAZY
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mary rosenblum
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You get authentic dialogue
from strangers who don't k now you're listening in.
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mary rosenblum
|
Cell phones have made this SO
easy.
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mary rosenblum
|
I LOVE Those private and
emotionally charged conversations those users are so-kindly handing me. LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
This is what I do at airports
while waiting for planes.
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mary rosenblum
|
I simply listen to the people
around me.
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andi
|
could you get away with
recording what you hear?
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mary rosenblum
|
That' s probably not wise,
andi.
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mary rosenblum
|
We live in a nervous time and
that's going to arouse attention unless...
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mary rosenblum
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you have a nice 'wire' set up
with a good distance mic.
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mary rosenblum
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Like the cops use.
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mary rosenblum
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Those are expensive I'll bet.
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mary rosenblum
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Besides, you don't want THIS
conversation, you want to begin to get a feel for HOW people talk.
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robastor
|
or a DAT recorded. A few hundred
dollars, however.
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mary rosenblum
|
What's a DAT, rob? Digital
something?
|
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mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
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robastor
|
It's a digital tape recorder,
has mics you can hhang on glasses, shirt collar, ect.
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mary rosenblum
|
Yeah...that's what I was
talking about. :-)
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mary rosenblum
|
Bet it's more than several
hundred!
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cherley
|
I got a DVR which is very small.
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mary rosenblum
|
Digital voice recorders are
small, but often the mic isn't good at a distance.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Waht you want to do when
you're eavesdropping is to pay attention to how...
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mary rosenblum
|
a thirty year old guy talks
with his buddy about , say, last night's game.
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mary rosenblum
|
Or how two 22 year old guy
friends interact (They may each be listening to ipod).
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mary rosenblum
|
Same thing for you guys.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
women tend to do good male POV
more easily than men do good female POV.
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mary rosenblum
|
YOu all need to work harder at
paying attention.
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mary rosenblum
|
And of course, you ask your
other-gender friends about the conversation you can't eavesdrop on.
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mary rosenblum
|
WE had a great session in the
bar at the last con...about eight of us about evenly divided in gender...
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mary rosenblum
|
trading 'what goes on in the
restroom' details.
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mary rosenblum
|
More on conversation and
behavior than bodily function. LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
Must have been something to
any 'normal' eavesdropping on US.
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mary rosenblum
|
ONe of the key things you can
do as a writer...
|
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mary rosenblum
|
is to be observant!
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mary rosenblum
|
Every detail in your life
every day may be useful to you!
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
So LOOK at it!
|
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mary rosenblum
|
We really learn not to look.
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mary rosenblum
|
We get used to 'familiar'
landscapes...and of course, it's not polite to stare.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
(Don't stare, just look!)
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mary rosenblum
|
Notice details and file them
away...
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mary rosenblum
|
the way the light scatters
across a lake right at sunset...
|
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mary rosenblum
|
a ghostly rainbow in a
twilight sky after the sun has gone down...
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mary rosenblum
|
a man standing in the middle
of a public street, staring at nothing and crying.
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lapart
|
can you switch your dialogue
i.e. evaesdropping to visual
|
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mary rosenblum
|
I'm not sure quite what you
mean, lapart. Can you give me an example?
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mary rosenblum
|
You can send it in several
parts.
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janecj333
|
I like to write heard
conversations word for word and later substitute my own verbs/nouns. It's
hard to trust my memory any more, and it feels much more genuine knowing I
got the rhythm right
|
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mary rosenblum
|
I did something like that a
lot when I started out, jane.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
I used to think of someone I
knew who would talk more or less like my character...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
had similar vocabulary level,
education, world view.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
And I would imagine THAT real
person saying the lines...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
and I'd then catch the syntax
and rhythm of real dialogue.
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lapart
|
when u want your readers to
visualize the conversation
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mary rosenblum
|
I think I get what you're
asking.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Dialogue DOES need to be a mix
of visuals and spoken words or you have a 'talking heads' scene...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
that is BORING.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
So you SHOW us the character
actions and then we see the people talking.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
The effect you strive for is
that of seeing the characters and hearing them simultaneously as you would
do in real life.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
IN real life we rarely listen
with our eyes closed. :-)
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
So you use action tags.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
"Let's go over to Ted's
house." Candy hoisted herself onto the stone wall. "He's got a
new Xbox."
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
"Ted's stuck up."
Roy shrugged. "I hate him."
|
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mary rosenblum
|
"So what do you want to
do?"
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
"Break into the haunted
house." Roy hopped off the wall, grinned. "Right now. Let's
go."
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
By inserting action among the
spoken lines, the reader sees Candy sit on the wall, Roy shrug, hop down
and grin. And at the same time...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
we hear their conversation.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Imagine yourself watching and
listening t o your characters...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
and then simply transfer that
scene to the page.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
|
|
lapart
|
yes that s it thanks
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Good. :-)
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Actually, that's the main
reason that a lot of novice dialogue sounds phony.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
It's often JUST dialogue and
no visuals.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
As I said...we rarely listen
to a conversation with our eyes closed!
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Phone conversations, by the
way , are tough.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
You only have visuals on one
side of the conversation....
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
so it's a good idea to work
hard at keeping that phone conversation VERY short and to the point.
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Let your characters meet face
to face for long emotional exchanges if you can.
|
|
lapart
|
chance of head hopping
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Do you mean when can you do
it?
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Or in dialogue?
|
|
lapart
|
phone conversations
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Ah!
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Really really BAD idea.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
You jolt the reader right out
of your POV...you still don't have visuals...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
and it seems really really
phony.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Better to let your POV do a
lot of thinking, make facial expressions, doodle and fidget
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
And if possible, they meet at
the cafe down the street!
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
I revised my scenes several
times in my recent novel...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
when I was going to end up
with conversations over communication equipment...
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
so that my characters could
have those long, important conversations in person.
|
|
tory
|
Does it work to have your POV on
the phone notice the other person's tone, or background noise?
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
That helps, Tory.
|
|
mary rosenblum
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"I'm not going."
Sandy winced at Cary's harsh gasp. "I decided. You can't talk me out
of it."
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mary rosenblum
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Of course we know they're
talking on the phone.
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tory
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I had a character speaking to
her busy, efficient mother and notice mom tapping apen on the desk
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mary rosenblum
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You can hear dishwasher in
background, that sort of stuff.
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mary rosenblum
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That has been used as a clue
in mystery many many times.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. I’ve published seven novels
(number eight will be out next year) , more than 60 short stories, and will
do my best to answer any questions you have. If you’re new here, remember
that you need to click on the ‘Ask a Question’ button or the ‘word bubble’
next to the red question mark at the top of the screen in order to ask a
question. Your regular ‘send’ bar won’t reach me! Or you can use /ask and
type your question into the regular send bar if that works better for you..
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mary rosenblum
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Of course, getting back to
characterization...many of you have a marvelous...
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mary rosenblum
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opportunity to study character
interactions this weekend.
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mary rosenblum
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At family get togethers you
know a lot about personality, so pay attention to body language...
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mary rosenblum
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and how it betrays emotion.
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ashton
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Merry before Christmas everyone!
I just got home. What's the topic?
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mary rosenblum
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Hey, ashton.
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mary rosenblum
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It's an open question night.
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mary rosenblum
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Anything I haven't touched on
lately.
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speckledorf
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How important is character
change in the MC? I'm working with a character who won't change until the
end then it is too late...and the change will only be implied.
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mary rosenblum
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Character change really MAKES
it a story.
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mary rosenblum
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Otherwise it's a slice of life
vignette.
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mary rosenblum
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But implied after the end of
the story is fine.
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mary rosenblum
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That is very common.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu know that events have had
such an impact on this person that he/she will take a different path
through life.
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janecj333
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Can you clear this up for me?
When I have a secondary character talking, and the pov character has
internal dialogue, can it all be in a single paragraph? like this:
"Don't look at me like that," he said. Didn't he always boss her
around? "I'm just tired of the whole thing."
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, you can, Jane. This is
fine, but I"d through in a 'she thought' to make it easy for the
reader.
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mary rosenblum
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Or use an action tag so that
we know she is thinking 'didn't he always boss he around."
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mary rosenblum
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Like this:
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mary rosenblum
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"Don't look at me like
that," he said. " Janet glared at him. Didn't he always boss her
around? "I'm just tired of the whole thing," she said.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu need to give casual
readers a bit of help in a paragraph like that.
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info
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Thank you Mary. Stating the
opportunity to study character interactions helped me to realize that maybe
I am using the wrong person as the main character. Only problem is, would
it be wrong to use two adults talking in first scene and then move to the
real mc in the next scene?
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mary rosenblum
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YOu mean you want to use both
POV in the first scene, info?
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info
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the story I am working on is
about a girl that was brought into a group home. first scene is where the
directer of the group home is talking to the social worker. I believe my
real mc is the girl.
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mary rosenblum
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Ah, got you.
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mary rosenblum
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well, you could do it a couple
of ways.
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mary rosenblum
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If your MC girl could be
eavesdropping, that's best.
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mary rosenblum
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If not, I'd do it as a
cinematic scene, and stay out of either POV...the readers will realize
these people may not be the MC>
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mary rosenblum
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YOu may find you don't need to
start there, that you can start elsewhere and get this info in another way.
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janecj333
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ok, if it's fine, can you
explain why, since two characters are presenting basically 'spoken' info in
one paragraph.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, technically, you should
break and do a new paragraph when the speaker changes.
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mary rosenblum
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But you can do it that way,
depending on the style and the degree of narrative you're using.
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mary rosenblum
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If you are doing a literary
piece and you want all that in one paragraph, you're going to have to make
it very clear.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, I've seen speaker changes
in a single paragraph.
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mary rosenblum
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This is one of those 'don't
try this at home' caveats for most of you...
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mary rosenblum
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since it tends to show up in
edgy literary stuff.
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mary rosenblum
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But the Grammar Police won't
execute you. BUT...it does NOT add to your piece if you're writing a story
and it does NOT...
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mary rosenblum
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make a piece 'seem literary'.
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mary rosenblum
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And it DOES confuse the
reader.
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ashton
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Until just recently I've had
little interest in Fantasy writing...but some writing buddies sucked me
into a wonderful game of fantasy role-playing the other day...now I'm
hooked. I do think I've found another writing love. That said...does the
market pay less for Fantasty writing as apposed to Sci-fi? And what are
some of the best markets for Fantasy? I love to try new things when it
comes to writing and I feel like a new "world" has been opened to
me.
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mary rosenblum
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Actually, ashton, thanks to
HP, fantasy is much more popular than SF and is an easier sell.
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mary rosenblum
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The markets 'pay' the
same...what you actually 'make' depends on how many books you sell.
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ashton
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HP?
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mary rosenblum
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Harry Potter.
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mary rosenblum
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Fantasy Revival in a box! LOL
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mary rosenblum
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Fantasy was languishing before
he came on the scene.
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andi
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I've started a story with only a
place seeing the spaceship land and an agent from alien investigations
finds out at the station. the next paragraph is the mc enters. Is that okay
to start like that?
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mary rosenblum
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Andi, a good start compels the
reader to keep reading.
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mary rosenblum
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If your start does that, it's
good.
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mary rosenblum
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As long as your reader thinks
'oh, wow, what's going on,' and keeps reading...you've got it. :-)
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lapart
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what is your normal writing
routine?
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mary rosenblum
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Wow lapart. :-) I don't really
have a huge 'routine'. I found long ago...
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mary rosenblum
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that sitting for an hour in
front of a blank screen got me nowhere.
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mary rosenblum
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But more or less, I get up and
in the winter, I usually work on something early in the morning...
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mary rosenblum
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when it's dark and cold out. A
story, novel, revision, whatever...until it bogs.
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mary rosenblum
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That can be five minutes or
five hours later!
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mary rosenblum
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I do website stuff and LR
students during the day and into the evening...
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mary rosenblum
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interspersed with outdoor
chores (I have 2.5 acres of garden/livestock/woodlot) and dog stuff..
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mary rosenblum
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If a story is hot, I do a LOT
of writing and stay up late to get other stuff done.
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mary rosenblum
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If it's not hot, I get a lot
of outdoor work done.
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mary rosenblum
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It's a fluid schedule.
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forest elf
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I have a question about genres
... if we need to pick one...
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forest elf
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what if I have a YA urban
fantasy paranormal romance ...
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mary rosenblum
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YA is YA elf. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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They cover all of the above.
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forest elf
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but have to choose one ... which
one do I choose?
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mary rosenblum
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YOu don't. If it's YA it has
to go to a YA publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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They publish YA books wiht all
the features you mentioned.
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mary rosenblum
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YA IS a genre.
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janecj333
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as long asthe fluid is coffee
and not morning martinis :)
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mary rosenblum
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LOL, booze makes you feel like
your words are golden, but the proof next morning is just the opposite!
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info
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do you have a word count average
or does that fluxuate daily
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mary rosenblum
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It might be a few sentences,
info, or it might be 18 pages.
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mary rosenblum
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It entirely depends on how the
words are flowing.
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mary rosenblum
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I do something every day...at
least one sentence.
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mary rosenblum
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But when words
work...everythign else gets shoved out of the way.
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mary rosenblum
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I get my LR students back on
time and show up here on schedule, but that's it.
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info
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I find that I get frustrated
with myself no matter if it's a sentence or two thousand words.....always
feel like it should be more or I'm not doing enough
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mary rosenblum
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That's one of the species of
shoulder vultures info.
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mary rosenblum
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Whack it off your shoulder.
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mary rosenblum
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You do enough if it's good.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember...you have the rest
of your life ahead of you.
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mary rosenblum
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Believe me, there is time
enough to get written what you need.
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mary rosenblum
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And guilt/urgency won't make
it better!
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ashton
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When sending assignments in
electronically what's the usual response time?
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on when they come in
,ashton.
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mary rosenblum
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If I have snail mail students
to do , I get them out first...they take longer to get to students.
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mary rosenblum
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But I do all my students
within a week.
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mary rosenblum
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If i have no snail mail
students, I usually do estudents that day or the next.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't have an assignment
from you ash.
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cherley
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Mary is very quick. I love it!
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mary rosenblum
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Thanks, Cherley. :-)
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info
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another words be patient and let
the words flow on their own
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mary rosenblum
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Info, that works, but only if
you're not a terminal procrastinator.
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mary rosenblum
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It works for me, because if I
don't write, I itch.
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forest elf
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btw. lesson 12 came back
yesterday. diploma is in the mail.
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mary rosenblum
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woohoo! congrats, elf!
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mary rosenblum
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That is a LOT of work!
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blueslady
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What's the best screenwriting
software? WD advertises some.
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mary rosenblum
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Blues, I don't know.
Screenplays are not my interest.
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mary rosenblum
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I'd google 'screenwriting
software' and see what turnes up.
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mary rosenblum
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You should find some good
reviews.
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ashton
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Congrats Elf!
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cherley
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Is writing software like the
grammer check on Microsoft. It is so bad.
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mary rosenblum
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Screenwriting software formats
for you.
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mary rosenblum
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Screenplay format is REALLY
extreme.
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mary rosenblum
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The software makes it easy.
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cherley
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Just regular writing software.
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mary rosenblum
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In my opinion...this is my
opinion...writing software is a rip off.
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mary rosenblum
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It either gives you a
formula...and a well written formula is not what most editors are looking
for...
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mary rosenblum
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or it proposes to check
grammar etc...and dialogue, etc, should NOT be grammatically correct.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, any last questions?
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mary rosenblum
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This has been a fun Oregon
hour!
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mary rosenblum
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I hope you all have a GREAT
Christmas holiday.
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ashton
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Just want to wish you, Mary, a
wonderful Christmas and everyone else in here and those who read the
transcripts..
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mary rosenblum
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Thanks, Ash!
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mary rosenblum
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If I'm around Sunday, I'll
drop in and see who else is here.
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mary rosenblum
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I have no idea what I'll be
doing!
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mary rosenblum
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But I hope you all have a
wonderful weekend.
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mary rosenblum
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And...
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mary rosenblum
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I'll be announcing a new LR
Anthology after the new year.
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mary rosenblum
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A theme...
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mary rosenblum
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Think New Beginnings.
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cherley
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Meryy Christmas Mary and
everyone else.
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lapart
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you to merry christmas
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andi
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Merry Christmas Mary
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janecj333
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and a Gud Jul!
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mary rosenblum
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Gud Jul to you all!
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mary rosenblum
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Jane, my friends do a real
Yule log!
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mary rosenblum
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See you all maybe Sunday and
certainly Monday morning.
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mary rosenblum
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Good night!
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