Dearest Alex,
I am six illustrations away from finishing AIMH. I can't believe it. However, the past week has not gone well concerning drawing.
I have not been feeling well for a while. I can't seem to scrape enough energy in the morning to get up, and by mid afternoon I'm desperate for a nap. Also, this past Thursday was my first ever Fantasy Writer's group meeting. I have not seen my novel for over a year, and I did not want to give my fellow group members something dreadful, so I spent two days editing, using notes given me by my friends.
I don't know if I've mentioned this in the past, but my fantasy novel is supposed to be a story, within a story, within a story. However, I do agree with my friends' comments that such structure takes a while for the reader to get into the meat of the novel, so with a heavy heart I chopped 2 introductory chapters. Instead of showing the concept of a story within a story and giving a prologue on the creation of my mythical land (Ardan), I dive into the story assuming that the reader is familiar with the land. I have added a bit of a hymn at the very beginning explaining that Mistress Nature created Ardan to save all magical creatures, and I do give a blurb about the creation of Warriors of Virtue, but from then on, the story begins with the monumental even that is necessary to start an epic along in Western literature. If you do not believe me, just read whatever is out there on story structure, sometimes called "The Hero's Journey". Be aware, that once you do read this, it will be very difficult for a movie or book to surprise you.
I have also submitted my query letter, that curse of all writers, to my group for inspection. And one of my new friends, pointed out that my query is too long. I honestly think it is far easier to write an entire novel, than to write a query letter. Query letters are illogical! How can one distill 600 pages into one page and make it sound interesting? No wonder J. K. Rowling faced rejections. Her plot is nothing new, it's the characters and style of her writing that make Harry Potter interesting.
Oh, well. Hopefully, I'll create something that will prompt a tired, jaded editor to read a bit of my novel.
Well, that's it for now.
I'm starving!
So, before I expire from lack of food, I'll say "au revoir"!
M
I am six illustrations away from finishing AIMH. I can't believe it. However, the past week has not gone well concerning drawing.
I have not been feeling well for a while. I can't seem to scrape enough energy in the morning to get up, and by mid afternoon I'm desperate for a nap. Also, this past Thursday was my first ever Fantasy Writer's group meeting. I have not seen my novel for over a year, and I did not want to give my fellow group members something dreadful, so I spent two days editing, using notes given me by my friends.
I don't know if I've mentioned this in the past, but my fantasy novel is supposed to be a story, within a story, within a story. However, I do agree with my friends' comments that such structure takes a while for the reader to get into the meat of the novel, so with a heavy heart I chopped 2 introductory chapters. Instead of showing the concept of a story within a story and giving a prologue on the creation of my mythical land (Ardan), I dive into the story assuming that the reader is familiar with the land. I have added a bit of a hymn at the very beginning explaining that Mistress Nature created Ardan to save all magical creatures, and I do give a blurb about the creation of Warriors of Virtue, but from then on, the story begins with the monumental even that is necessary to start an epic along in Western literature. If you do not believe me, just read whatever is out there on story structure, sometimes called "The Hero's Journey". Be aware, that once you do read this, it will be very difficult for a movie or book to surprise you.
I have also submitted my query letter, that curse of all writers, to my group for inspection. And one of my new friends, pointed out that my query is too long. I honestly think it is far easier to write an entire novel, than to write a query letter. Query letters are illogical! How can one distill 600 pages into one page and make it sound interesting? No wonder J. K. Rowling faced rejections. Her plot is nothing new, it's the characters and style of her writing that make Harry Potter interesting.
Oh, well. Hopefully, I'll create something that will prompt a tired, jaded editor to read a bit of my novel.
Well, that's it for now.
I'm starving!
So, before I expire from lack of food, I'll say "au revoir"!
M
