Sirfoldalot
Days Gone Bye!
Sorry to hear that, LOUIS: Is everyone vaxed?
Running Bear's August 2022 Coffee Shop
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Second: Is this a project of love? One and Done? Or do you want to succeed with it?
there are TONS of books on the craft of writing. Save those for later. You need to understand your genre, to plot the piece.
IF it's the latter, good luck. A single book taking off is VERY VERY rare. However, if you write it as a project because you want to, then first identify the genre. Sounds like supernatural-thriller or horror.
Definitely a thriller, just now sure how Amazon et al break down the sub-categories.
Go online and look for that sub-genre. Find books in the genre with sticking power in the top 100 (Google something like this). Top 100 Supernatural Thrillers on Amazon:
Get some of the books from that category (ebooks are cheaper, and look for the 3.99 to 6.99 ones. They're indie authors. Check their backlist. See how many they've got out.
Read a good dozen. Then read them again.
You're looking for:
1. What are the tropes of the genre? The same elements repeated in almost every book? EG: Romances always have a HEA (Happily Ever After). Cozy mysteries (What I write) have a dead body or other crime, an amateur sleuth and her "Scooby Gang" of helpers, and a resolution where the perp is revealed by the end.
2. What are the rules of that genre? In Cozy: NO Swearing!!!! Keep your F-bombs out. Or, use a mild cuss to very, very good effect about once every dozen books. Also, NO sexy bits on camera. The most my characters have done is kiss. This isn't a romance, it's a mystery.
Rules for THRILLERS are very different than cozy. Read a dozen and write down what does/doesn't happen (google Tropes of Thrillers).
Now look at the Acts, or structure of the stories you're reading. Three act? Four act? What happens in each act? Notice how there is an inciting event that ends one act, and sends the character off on something else, or complicates the story? Graph those three events out BEFORE plotting. Everything in between those can ebb and change based on what your characters start doing. But, you need the signposts set up to bring the plot back on track.
3. Apply seat of pants to chair, fingers to keyboard, and write.
4. Stick it in a drawer, forget about it for a month. Pull it out, (or print it out), sit down with a red pen and start marking it up. Use sticky notes.
5. Your first draft will SUCK. And suck BAD!. Great! You've told yourself the story. Now tell it again, but so it makes sense to other people.
6. Don't bug your loved ones to read your work. They'll say nice things about it. Even when it sucks. (Did I mention it will suck? It will).
7. Hire an editor for a Developmental edit. One that works in that genre. They'll take your money, and tell you where the book's plot and characters suck. Good ones will tell you nicely, but firmly. Bad ones will blow a lot of smoke. The editors aren't cheap, and developmental edits are the priciest.
8. After that, make your changes, then get a line editor to work on how you write. Your prose. Your grammar. You'll find you use a lot of "crutch words." So, when you look at something.... So, when I go... So... is a crutch word I use in dialog. I write with it, then try to take it out in the 2nd draft. My editor gets most of the rest of them.
Resources: (there are tons, but these helped me greatly)
Story Grid also has a podcast. If you're into that, I found it more approachable than reading the book. The author Shawn Coyne is a retired Editor for major publishing houses. His job was to find the next greatest book. So he looked for all that stuff I talked about above. In the podcast, he works with his co-host, who is writing a book, and they go through the StoryGrid method and apply it to co-host's writing process.
Hope these help. Feel free to reach out through DM or email if you want more assistance.
And, no, I won't read your manuscript. Editors get paid to do that.
sucks to get old but happy to be doing so
I can tell you why in just three words...
...and two of them are numbers.
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montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Good evening. Wasn't in town yesterday as I took a trip to visit the woman that I adopted 2 dachshunds from around 18 years ago. It was quite a trip from my old place to Athol, ID, but not far from Libby. Haven't seen her since I adopted the dogs but have stayed in touch over the years. Age is catching up with her as it is with me and she was wondering if I could take one of her dachshunds. Went and wanted to see how my 2 girls got along with him, Cowboy.
I told her that I would be happy to give him a home but will have to wait until after my shoulder replacement and physical therapy. I'll have my hands full taking care of my 2 girls when I get back home.
Todd - I enjoyed th car show, to a point. I didn't have my '59 Impala up here. It was also too hot for me. Glad that it is moderating. I won't say cooling off, but rather not quite as hot. At least there's no humidity. I do have a lot of exploring to do around the area. The electric company called a few minutes ago letting me know that they will be turning the power off for a few hours tomorrow. The area still has some construction going on.
Karl - If you have natural gas, I would consider a tankless water heater. Cut a third off of my electric bill when I put one in at my old place.
Willie - Good photos as usual. Years ago we had B-52's out of Malstrom AFB in Great Falls, flying over the mountains just to the south of us practicing low level flying. I was up in the mountains with my father getting firewood when one came over the top of the ridge we were on and scared the crap out of us. We also heard a lot of sonic booms back then but that has stopped. Looking at those tire tracks, someone may have had a few too many.
Chad - The company my ex-wife worked for sold a product like you had in your photos. Great product. They called it Diamond Snap Form.
Sherrel - Poor Charlie will probably be goofy for a while after his surgery. Hope you have some soft food for him. I think dental work on dogs costs more than people. Dave - Great photos. Miss seeing shots of your old layout.
Dave - Like the photo. Miss your photos of the old layout.
Mike - My doctor had mentioned the Shingles vaccine, but I am not a fan of vaccines. Had Covid and found that I now have natural immunity. Never had a flu shot and never had the flu. I also never had chicken pox.
I have 2 dogs sitting here staring at me because it is past their dinner time.
Here are photos from the archives.
Guess I may not check in tomorrow. With the power being turned off, I think I'll take the girls to the lake by "Happy Landing". The only bar listed on road maps. Nice spot along the lake.
Better feed these starving animals.
Later
I told her that I would be happy to give him a home but will have to wait until after my shoulder replacement and physical therapy. I'll have my hands full taking care of my 2 girls when I get back home.Todd - I enjoyed th car show, to a point. I didn't have my '59 Impala up here. It was also too hot for me. Glad that it is moderating. I won't say cooling off, but rather not quite as hot. At least there's no humidity. I do have a lot of exploring to do around the area. The electric company called a few minutes ago letting me know that they will be turning the power off for a few hours tomorrow. The area still has some construction going on.
Karl - If you have natural gas, I would consider a tankless water heater. Cut a third off of my electric bill when I put one in at my old place.
Willie - Good photos as usual. Years ago we had B-52's out of Malstrom AFB in Great Falls, flying over the mountains just to the south of us practicing low level flying. I was up in the mountains with my father getting firewood when one came over the top of the ridge we were on and scared the crap out of us. We also heard a lot of sonic booms back then but that has stopped. Looking at those tire tracks, someone may have had a few too many.
Chad - The company my ex-wife worked for sold a product like you had in your photos. Great product. They called it Diamond Snap Form.
Sherrel - Poor Charlie will probably be goofy for a while after his surgery. Hope you have some soft food for him. I think dental work on dogs costs more than people. Dave - Great photos. Miss seeing shots of your old layout.
Dave - Like the photo. Miss your photos of the old layout.
Mike - My doctor had mentioned the Shingles vaccine, but I am not a fan of vaccines. Had Covid and found that I now have natural immunity. Never had a flu shot and never had the flu. I also never had chicken pox.
I have 2 dogs sitting here staring at me because it is past their dinner time.
Here are photos from the archives.
Guess I may not check in tomorrow. With the power being turned off, I think I'll take the girls to the lake by "Happy Landing". The only bar listed on road maps. Nice spot along the lake.
Better feed these starving animals.
Later
troyphoto
Snarky Old Fart (in training)
First: What genre are you targeting?
Second: Is this a project of love? One and Done? Or do you want to succeed with it?
there are TONS of books on the craft of writing. Save those for later. You need to understand your genre, to plot the piece.
IF it's the latter, good luck. A single book taking off is VERY VERY rare. However, if you write it as a project because you want to, then first identify the genre. Sounds like supernatural-thriller or horror.
Definitely a thriller, just now sure how Amazon et al break down the sub-categories.
Go online and look for that sub-genre. Find books in the genre with sticking power in the top 100 (Google something like this). Top 100 Supernatural Thrillers on Amazon:
Amazon Best Sellers: Best Supernatural Thrillers
Discover the best books in Amazon Best Sellers. Find the top 100 most popular Amazon books.
www.amazon.com
Get some of the books from that category (ebooks are cheaper, and look for the 3.99 to 6.99 ones. They're indie authors. Check their backlist. See how many they've got out.
Read a good dozen. Then read them again.
You're looking for:
1. What are the tropes of the genre? The same elements repeated in almost every book? EG: Romances always have a HEA (Happily Ever After). Cozy mysteries (What I write) have a dead body or other crime, an amateur sleuth and her "Scooby Gang" of helpers, and a resolution where the perp is revealed by the end.
2. What are the rules of that genre? In Cozy: NO Swearing!!!! Keep your F-bombs out. Or, use a mild cuss to very, very good effect about once every dozen books. Also, NO sexy bits on camera. The most my characters have done is kiss. This isn't a romance, it's a mystery.
Rules for THRILLERS are very different than cozy. Read a dozen and write down what does/doesn't happen (google Tropes of Thrillers).
Now look at the Acts, or structure of the stories you're reading. Three act? Four act? What happens in each act? Notice how there is an inciting event that ends one act, and sends the character off on something else, or complicates the story? Graph those three events out BEFORE plotting. Everything in between those can ebb and change based on what your characters start doing. But, you need the signposts set up to bring the plot back on track.
3. Apply seat of pants to chair, fingers to keyboard, and write.
4. Stick it in a drawer, forget about it for a month. Pull it out, (or print it out), sit down with a red pen and start marking it up. Use sticky notes.
5. Your first draft will SUCK. And suck BAD!. Great! You've told yourself the story. Now tell it again, but so it makes sense to other people.
6. Don't bug your loved ones to read your work. They'll say nice things about it. Even when it sucks. (Did I mention it will suck? It will).
7. Hire an editor for a Developmental edit. One that works in that genre. They'll take your money, and tell you where the book's plot and characters suck. Good ones will tell you nicely, but firmly. Bad ones will blow a lot of smoke. The editors aren't cheap, and developmental edits are the priciest.
8. After that, make your changes, then get a line editor to work on how you write. Your prose. Your grammar. You'll find you use a lot of "crutch words." So, when you look at something.... So, when I go... So... is a crutch word I use in dialog. I write with it, then try to take it out in the 2nd draft. My editor gets most of the rest of them.
Resources: (there are tons, but these helped me greatly)
Amazon.com: The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know eBook : Coyne, Shawn, Pressfield, Steven: Books
Buy The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know: Read Books Reviews - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
Story Grid also has a podcast. If you're into that, I found it more approachable than reading the book. The author Shawn Coyne is a retired Editor for major publishing houses. His job was to find the next greatest book. So he looked for all that stuff I talked about above. In the podcast, he works with his co-host, who is writing a book, and they go through the StoryGrid method and apply it to co-host's writing process.
Hope these help. Feel free to reach out through DM or email if you want more assistance.
And, no, I won't read your manuscript. Editors get paid to do that.
Chet, it's too bad you're so far away. I've been considering adopting another pooch.
TLOC
Well-Known Member
TLOC
Well-Known Member
It’s a never ending cycle of possible shall I say conspiracies
sucks to get old but happy to be doing so
D&J RailRoad
Professor of HO
Yeah, writing can be tedious. I wrote tech manuals for new radio systems for the Marine Corps. Step by step instructions on how to install variants of the system into variants of vehicles. Did the field work too for each vehicle; measurements, attachment points, cables along with maint instructions. Handed the details off to engineers to develop shaker table and rough road tests at Aberdeen, MD test grounds. They would install the system the put it to the test then report results.
Fixes would be created and the test done again. Everything from the microphone to the antenna had to pass before we could do the final edit of the manuals. I have several hundred manuals to my credit.
Fixes would be created and the test done again. Everything from the microphone to the antenna had to pass before we could do the final edit of the manuals. I have several hundred manuals to my credit.
Snowman
Well-Known Member
As you say: "To each his own." Voyager is my favorite of all the series.
I can tell you why in just three words...
...and two of them are numbers.
Several train cars derail in Missoula
A train derailed in Missoula on Tuesday morning. We have a call in to Montana Rail Link and are waiting to hear back.
nbcmontana.com
Snowman
Well-Known Member
Not just Captains....
D&J RailRoad
Professor of HO
????? ?????
Bonita Grand Central
Well-Known Member
Another 98 degree day and 50 % humidity. Got poking around in my stash for a new model to build and found the stick and tissue Guillow's bomber I bought back in 1996. Always wanted to build this model but didn't have room for it after it was built. So now I have room for it so out it came and onto the build bench. I do like building S&T models but it's been at least ten years since I did one. Took a bit of studying the plans and instructions to get started but now it all falling into place. While I'm waiting for some railroad structures this will keep me busy. I'm also contemplating making some drastic changes to my track plan as I'm not too thrilled at what I've done so far. So here's the start of the B-24 fuselage
Attachments
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Sherrel - How is the sale of the MIL's house going? I looked at the listing that you posted several times, and I have been drooling ever since. That's a great property and there is room for a train shed if one doesn't want to use one of the many bedrooms. No HOA is a real plus and the pool house looks to be easily 900 sq ft. It could also be used as a train shed. The only downside is that it is in Kalifornia. It may still be worth purchasing and then I could rent it back to you!
kbkchooch
Verified Human
Chet, Cody is a cutie, and we don't have that kinda natrul gas around these parts. Ours don't heat the water, but it does makes bubbles in thu tub!
troyphoto
Snarky Old Fart (in training)
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
My tankless water heater is electric and I installed it myself in under an hour. Since there's just two of us, I got a smaller unit that uses two 40 amp 240 volt circuits. We just shower together instead of separate bathrooms. Flow rate is about 3 gal/min at 130° except in extreme winter weather when it drops to about 2.5. Even that is sufficient for the dishwasher.
Boris
Beach Bum
Sorry to hear that, Louis. Hope everyone recovers quickly.
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