Tuesdays with Story

Writer’s Mail
Tuesdays with Story
September 7, 2018

Our Tuesday evening collect

Ten of your colleagues gathered around the tables – yes, we had tables! – on B&N’s bargain floor Tuesday evening. Here’s some of what was said in the critiques:

Paul Wagner (part 1 rewrite, “Mad Jack”) . . .

John Schneller (chapter 29, Final Stronghold) . . . A great deal of discussion was generated over a dirty rock. While the author limped away from the stoning, he did resolve to make things more clear to the reader instead of explaining himself to the critiquers. Thanks for the input. I think I figured out a way to develop the scene which will make the rock more useful when it shows up again later. The other concerns about the cashbox dynamics also need clarity, but doggone it, the description of the jail cell will  …..o heck, that will probably go also.  Thanks for the comments! 

Millie Mader (rewrite, “Stone Cold Stripper”) . . .

Larry Sommers (chapter 1 rewrite, Izzy) . . . I offered a re-worked first chapter of my “Izzy” book, trying to write strictly from the little boy’s point of view—but not succeeding very well at it. Numerous problems noted by several people—mainly, adult word choices and observations coming out of a six-year-old. A deeper problem is I don’t quite know where the story is going and what it’s about—which may be why it hasn’t yet really got a “hook,” as Tracey helpfully pointed out. Jack suggested starting with the gentler scene of Izzy riding Grandpa’s truck and do a flashback of the family’s eviction from Cobb, which he thought would then have more emotional impact. Maybe.

Jack Freiburger (chapter 13, A Walk upon the Water) . . .

Tracey Gemmell (chapter 3, Lavender Wine) . . . Nice comments about the humor in this week’s chapters. Meg and Cindi mentioned several places that made them laugh. Isabella is a favorite character but John warned she could be stealing the show. The early section where Cassie is sharing details of David’s adultery needs rework as it jumps around in time too much. There’s also too much spewing of food! Jack suggests making more of the whim of Cassie becoming a lavender farmer. Many thanks for everyone’s help.

Jerry Peterson (part 1 rewrite, “Death Rides the Rails”) . . . Just about everyone agreed they didn’t know what the connection was between James Early and Wilferd Randall, why the two should be bumming together, a problem Jerry promised to fix. There was a gender split on Early’s stoicism about leaving home, the women wanting him to react to leaving, to have some sorrow, where the men maintained what Larry Sommers said, that men of the Depression era didn’t have time for feelings. They just stuffed them down and went on. Jack Freiburger explained it more bluntly: “Early is the walking dead.”

Who’s up next

September 18

Bob Kralapp (???)

Meg Matenaer (chapter 3, Write in Time)

Cindi Dyke (???)

Amber Boudreau (chapter, Avice)

Kashmira Sheth (chapters, middle grade mystery)

Mike Austin (chapters, Backroads)

At this meeting, we will set the writing challenge for our October Fifth Tuesday. Bring your ideas.

Our editor

Meg Matenaer continues as editor of our e-newsletter this month. Email your good stuff to her for the next issue.

How to know when your manuscript’s done

Mystery writer Hank Phillippi Ryan—she has written 10 crime novels and thrillers, most of them hitting the New York Times bestseller list—knows when a manuscript is done, when it’s ready to send off to her agent and publisher. “It happens when I am revising and revising and revising. And then, at some point, there’s a moment when I realize I’m no longer editing. I’m simply reading the book—and I forgot I wrote it! I’m carried away by my own story.”

Stuck at a point in your story?

 Christine DeSmet offers an easy tip to get writing again in her UW online class Write Your Novel Fast and Sure. When you’re not sure where to go next in your story, get back to the basics. “A novel is about a character with a problem. Always—ALWAYS—go back to that simple statement when you feel yourself getting lost in your novel or its plot.”