tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post7287883430718129612..comments2023-10-30T07:08:09.860-07:00Comments on It's a Mystery: Uh-OhElspeth Futcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-32274302305831976192009-09-24T12:46:41.284-07:002009-09-24T12:46:41.284-07:00Elizabeth; It might not be too long, you just had...Elizabeth; It might not be too long, you just had the wrong agent. There are plenty of successful long books out there - just ask Diana Gabaldon! By the way, hope the sun shines again for you soon.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-55928041222958636582009-09-24T10:43:15.591-07:002009-09-24T10:43:15.591-07:00My first book was over 800 pages, I had several in...My first book was over 800 pages, I had several interested agents. But one particular agent stands out in my mind. He wanted me to divide the book into three parts. But there was no way to do it. I spent two years writing the thing, then six months racking my brain about how to divide it into three books, (impossible), so I put it on the shelf and moved on. My husbands says, (when I'm a Elizabeth Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03150221675618198674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-68622617216799573402009-09-24T08:54:32.102-07:002009-09-24T08:54:32.102-07:00Jill; Isn't it awful? Hope you didn't fe...Jill; Isn't it awful? Hope you didn't feel as much of an idiot as I did!<br /><br />Alan; Good point. Good for you for looking for the bright side - I'm more of a dark side person.<br /><br />Karen; Another vote for Helen's solution! Different genres would mean different types of uh ohs I would suppose. Glad you haven't encountered any. It's a humiliating Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-71491817746012718242009-09-24T06:12:06.504-07:002009-09-24T06:12:06.504-07:00Wow, I take a day off from the blogosphere and my ...Wow, I take a day off from the blogosphere and my whale story gets trashed. (FYI, nobody likes wizard stories.)<br /><br />Uh-ohs are inevitable--that's why they make delete keys and that's why first drafts bite. The trick is trying to minimize the damage.<br /><br />On the other hand, every once in a while, an uh-oh can be turned into a cool twist in the story.Alan Orloffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695574442723430347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-68934781959057170972009-09-24T02:22:55.944-07:002009-09-24T02:22:55.944-07:00OH OH!
Yes, I had one and my face went white. ...OH OH! <br /><br />Yes, I had one and my face went white. Luckily, it was before the book went to the printer. In my case it was a continuity error - and my book is a mystery novel. This continuity error made a big difference in "whodunit".<br /><br />I get what you mean in the opening post - it was clear in YOUR head, because you KNEW who the killer was. <br /><br />Me too!!!<br /Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05152599507268946811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-89600390384563121482009-09-23T22:07:51.110-07:002009-09-23T22:07:51.110-07:00Jack; I'm so glad he listened to you. A stor...Jack; I'm so glad he listened to you. A story about a whale? Next he'll be coming up with some yarn about a boy wizard...<br /><br />Patricia; That was a extremely brave act. Bravo!<br /><br />Jemi; Sober second looks. Priceless.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-52011535121553381812009-09-23T20:03:12.517-07:002009-09-23T20:03:12.517-07:00My biggest uh oh moment came just as I decided to ...My biggest uh oh moment came just as I decided to try this whole publishing thing. I'd finished the novel and thought I'd start looking at what would be involved in trying to publish it. Imagine my dismay when I found out 165k was just a little long. And that long-winded descriptions were out (for very good reasons!). And perhaps you shouldn't use "just", "seems", Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-55168741066398311542009-09-23T18:40:37.704-07:002009-09-23T18:40:37.704-07:00Humor, I meant humor.Humor, I meant humor.Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-5667916242430351882009-09-23T18:39:19.123-07:002009-09-23T18:39:19.123-07:00Mainly, I spend my time trying to fix Alan's u...Mainly, I spend my time trying to fix Alan's uh-ohs. Like the time he tried to write a novel about a possessed sea captain and a giant white whale. I tried to tell him the idea would never work, but he insisted. I think we all know how that turned out...<br /><br />I have had my run-ins with smaller uh-ohs. I sometimes will write scenes out of order and when you do that, there's always Craig Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04601732068274136557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-21968445042921451772009-09-23T18:38:45.520-07:002009-09-23T18:38:45.520-07:00It wasn't all that long ago that I removed 15,...It wasn't all that long ago that I removed 15,000 words of my novel and started rewriting. I'm a better writer for it, but homor? Nope, at the time, I didn't have any of that.Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-4473041197886302572009-09-23T17:24:37.544-07:002009-09-23T17:24:37.544-07:00Carol; Another vote for Helen's solution! We...Carol; Another vote for Helen's solution! We may have a winner here...<br /><br />Galen; You are playing a dangerous card, my friend. However, I'm sure you're using the correct POV.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-50275155205158959232009-09-23T16:59:59.414-07:002009-09-23T16:59:59.414-07:00I like Helen's recipe. With my own uh-oh's...I like Helen's recipe. With my own uh-oh's, it's taken a lot of thought and hard work to whip things into shape.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-67736511975273284522009-09-23T16:21:21.474-07:002009-09-23T16:21:21.474-07:00Helen; You are a wise, wise woman. Vodka never h...Helen; You are a wise, wise woman. Vodka never hurts.<br /><br />Carolyn; I hope you never do! It's not a nice feeling. But I would think Helen's formula would help!<br /><br />Elisa; Also a good plan. Out of sight, out of mind...or it sits ticking in a corner as a grim reminder.<br /><br />Stephanie; I agree about the theatre. Wonderful fun if you're surrounded by great Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-30338913731331641762009-09-23T15:23:28.935-07:002009-09-23T15:23:28.935-07:00Most of the time I catch them, am horrified, and w...Most of the time I catch them, am horrified, and wonder what the heck was going on when I wrote it.<br /><br />Sometimes editors catch them. Much, much worse.<br /><br />You've had the coolest life!<br /><br />Elizabeth<br /><a href="http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Mystery Writing is Murder</a>Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-71992852691045150402009-09-23T14:16:59.626-07:002009-09-23T14:16:59.626-07:00The theater is a world in itself. I was in some pl...The theater is a world in itself. I was in some plays in high school and loved the backstage culture. It was such a thrill, working on a big production and seeing it through to fruition. Writing is similar...only we're more like the director than the actors!Stephanie Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461865229341760836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-34333649253035550852009-09-23T13:47:57.222-07:002009-09-23T13:47:57.222-07:00I cover them w/ a sheet.
Seriously, I think if I&...I cover them w/ a sheet.<br /><br />Seriously, I think if I'm up to disasterous levels, I put the writing away for awhile, if not indefinitely. And then I either obliterate and start over completely, or just move on to something else altogether.Elisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08399296868934652020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-37545317222143918432009-09-23T13:26:01.222-07:002009-09-23T13:26:01.222-07:00So far as I know, only Alan Orloff and Jack Regan ...So far as I know, only Alan Orloff and Jack Regan have disasters of this magnitude. I'll be anxious to see what they’re solution is, because, well, they have plenty of experience repairing disasters…right guys?<br /><br />Best Regards, Galen<br /><br /><a href="http://www.galenkindley.com/blog.htm" rel="nofollow">Imagineering Fiction Blog</a>joe doaks-Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283066862112820202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-81222123548881296012009-09-23T13:07:38.894-07:002009-09-23T13:07:38.894-07:00Haven't had an oh-uh moment, yet. But I think...Haven't had an oh-uh moment, yet. But I think I'd follow Helen's recipe :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538744000429800248.post-77274554019285590762009-09-23T12:02:09.853-07:002009-09-23T12:02:09.853-07:00With careful thought, of course. 1 part careful th...With careful thought, of course. 1 part careful thought, 2 parts vodka, 1 part self-lashing.<br /><br />Helen<br /><a href="http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Straight From Hel</a>Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.com