tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post5651457169383867209..comments2024-02-12T15:15:51.364+02:00Comments on The Five Year Project: Three Causes of a Sucky PlotMisha Gerrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-61527282231927257382013-06-05T07:08:02.502+02:002013-06-05T07:08:02.502+02:00Spot on, Misha! Nailed it! :D Spot on, Misha! Nailed it! :D Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15747144518868320969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-26923039832367438742013-06-05T04:51:40.297+02:002013-06-05T04:51:40.297+02:00You made some great points. Misha! All rookie mist...You made some great points. Misha! All rookie mistakes I made when I was just starting out. As much as it hurt to hear those kinds of criticisms, it helped me become a better writer. I hope this post helps others so they can improve, too. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-67826385406632019962013-06-04T07:14:18.609+02:002013-06-04T07:14:18.609+02:00It is. Almost painful.It is. Almost painful.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-48568734277828687682013-06-04T07:13:44.525+02:002013-06-04T07:13:44.525+02:00I agree. All historicals tend to be anachronistic,...I agree. All historicals tend to be anachronistic, to a degree, because everything is still written from a writer's perspective and experiences. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-68759687980161948712013-06-04T07:10:58.607+02:002013-06-04T07:10:58.607+02:00I agree with you 100%. And I also turn crits down ...I agree with you 100%. And I also turn crits down because of it. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-20947340867689662192013-06-04T07:09:47.337+02:002013-06-04T07:09:47.337+02:00I agree that it is that simple. I agree that it is that simple. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-85037838691935657892013-06-04T07:08:48.811+02:002013-06-04T07:08:48.811+02:00There always are gems, even in stuff you'll ha...There always are gems, even in stuff you'll have to edit out. <br /><br />Most of the stuff I remove gets reused in some form or the other.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-12993136592063339072013-06-04T07:07:52.587+02:002013-06-04T07:07:52.587+02:00Yeah that drives me up the wall too. Yeah that drives me up the wall too. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-47630291436214795202013-06-04T07:07:15.999+02:002013-06-04T07:07:15.999+02:00I agree. Great plots are wonderful, but if they...I agree. Great plots are wonderful, but if they're happening at the cost of character building, I honestly think it's too much of a good thing. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-86825018350099106172013-06-04T07:06:23.826+02:002013-06-04T07:06:23.826+02:00You're very very lucky. Once something bothers...You're very very lucky. Once something bothers me about a book, I have a very hard time seeing past that issue.Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-88892038540571454422013-06-04T07:02:08.827+02:002013-06-04T07:02:08.827+02:00But then, I read somewhere that women make up the ...But then, I read somewhere that women make up the vast majority of the readers out there. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-89380589211256076492013-06-04T07:01:01.790+02:002013-06-04T07:01:01.790+02:00So true. Once you have an idea about what's wr...So true. Once you have an idea about what's wrong, you can learn the skills needed to fix it. <br /><br />Until then, though, you can't really figure out why your book isn't doing what it should...Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-16146085893986705812013-06-04T06:59:19.346+02:002013-06-04T06:59:19.346+02:00Same here, except mine became very long. Now I spl...Same here, except mine became very long. Now I split the book, but I only vaguely keep the word count in mind as I write. Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-72806000095232626092013-06-03T21:16:08.404+02:002013-06-03T21:16:08.404+02:00Interesting tips. I'll keep them in mind. I ha...Interesting tips. I'll keep them in mind. I have read the kind of stories you describe, though. It's horrible to read them. Al Diazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08107619009321980764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-65791312686816439552013-06-03T20:17:00.067+02:002013-06-03T20:17:00.067+02:00I had a lot of those issues in my earliest days of...I had a lot of those issues in my earliest days of serious writing! I didn't have a good handle on character or plot development as a preteen or in my early teens, and so things often just happened.<br /><br />As a historical writer and reader, one big reason a story won't work for me is if it's too anachronistic. I think most realistic people can take a little bending of what was considered normal (e.g., a woman who wants to work or go to university instead of just being a secretary or homemaker), but if everyone behaves like that, it's going to turn me off. The Luxe and The Flappers series spring to mind, historical characters carrying on like modern people, with no real social repercussions for this scandalous behavior.Carrie-Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05810154378449825641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-73651889062415546092013-06-03T20:05:10.035+02:002013-06-03T20:05:10.035+02:00If you don't get readers caring about the char...If you don't get readers caring about the character and involved in his or her life as if it were their own it won't matter what else you do with the story. It's going to fall flat.L. Diane Wolfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425864276166334896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-61097819371446334732013-06-03T19:50:58.244+02:002013-06-03T19:50:58.244+02:00I've turned down critiquing more than one manu...I've turned down critiquing more than one manuscript because it started out with a bunch of nonsensical action. I blame it on the whole "start in the middle of the action" crap that is so popular now. And wrong. That idea is just wrong, and the fact that so many people choose to start their stories with crap like "the earth begins to shake a fissure opens up right in front of MC" proves it.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-88080942856864146932013-06-03T19:30:16.733+02:002013-06-03T19:30:16.733+02:00Excellent advice! One thing that helps is either a...Excellent advice! One thing that helps is either a) plotting a little more beforehand or b) an honest edit after writing the first draft. Sometimes it's as simple as putting on our "reader" hats and honestly asking how we'd react to the story as a reader if we found it on the shelf.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-86129892941522253192013-06-03T18:24:21.743+02:002013-06-03T18:24:21.743+02:00Great post! I'm now going through my Killer St...Great post! I'm now going through my Killer Stilettos because I know some of it really sucks right now. There were days I wrote when I didn't have a clue as to what to write. But there are gems under the crud.<br /><br />Hugs and chocolate,<br />Shellyshellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09596621767297173021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-69089004114638781852013-06-03T18:15:38.766+02:002013-06-03T18:15:38.766+02:00One thing that can turn me off is when a character...One thing that can turn me off is when a character's actions just don't make sense. I read a story where a chick finds a body under the bed of her hotel room and, rather than dealing with that at the moment of discovery, she goes off to a meeting or something with the idea of doing something about the body later. Say what? SAY WHAT??? Grrr...<br /><a href="http://minalobo.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Some Dark Romantic</a>Mina Lobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173895884776280826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-19836867927362879392013-06-03T18:02:17.731+02:002013-06-03T18:02:17.731+02:00It's interesting how often I feel disconnected...It's interesting how often I feel disconnected from the characters. I think we have turned to such plot driven reading that sometimes the character build gets a little neglected.Johanna Garthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15515478890074610814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-12557520572163111082013-06-03T18:00:36.367+02:002013-06-03T18:00:36.367+02:00I'm trying to remember a novel like you've...I'm trying to remember a novel like you've described but none come to mind. I guess I tend to be a very forgiving reader and just read for the experience and not for the critique. I have certainly read some books that I like better than others, but I guess I put myself more in the mind of the writer than whatever it is they have written. Also, I'm not overly focused on action and character as much as I am in ideas and story message. I may walk away from a book having totally forgotten what happened, but if the story made me think then the philosophy or message is what I remember.<br /><br />Lee <br /><a href="http://wrotebyrote.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Wrote By Rote</a><br />Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-16784451302790220472013-06-03T17:14:05.631+02:002013-06-03T17:14:05.631+02:00Yup. I think stories are 50% story, and 50% charac...Yup. I think stories are 50% story, and 50% character, and in order to have a stellar plot, you have to factor in both aspects equally. In fact, I think you can get away with skewing the book toward the characters (even as far as 80%) and still come off better than if you skew it toward action, but then, I'm a woman. I hear we think that way. =)Crystal Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912469552483168148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-90535123929997657492013-06-03T16:34:04.245+02:002013-06-03T16:34:04.245+02:00Hi, Mishi,
I was I knew you when I wrote MY FIRS...Hi, Mishi,<br /><br /><br />I was I knew you when I wrote MY FIRST NOVEL. What terrific advice. I LEARNED THE HARD WAY...<br /><br />SO many errors, SO MANY YEARS to fix the problems... BUt the bottom line is THE STORY. If the story has merit, stick to it. I have read SO many wonderful premises only to be let down by poor writing. SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED. That is my advice. LEARN HOW TO WRITE. I am not the most structural person/writer. I am a true artist. I let my passions rule me. And this has a positive and MINUS... the PLUS is if the reader feels your passion, then they will relate to your story and characters because if feels REAL to them.<br /><br />BUT... if your story is ALL OVER THE PLACE, then your reader will get frustrated because they want to experience the passion and the premise you enticed the with, so my advice is to practice and LEARN to structure your story. Once that is in place let your passion for your story and characters rush with the wind.Michael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-63760347396510360622013-06-03T15:31:01.819+02:002013-06-03T15:31:01.819+02:00My novels aren't really long because I've ...My novels aren't really long because I've never set out with a word count in mind - I just wrote until it was finished.<br />Excessive detail can kill a story for me because it really slows down the plot.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.com