Comments on: What does it take to make a good story? http://jordanmccollum.com/2010/01/good-story-2/ mysteries to fall in love with, romance to keep you in suspense Sat, 19 May 2012 20:11:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Terresa Wellborn http://jordanmccollum.com/2010/01/good-story-2/#comment-2084 Terresa Wellborn Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:24:39 +0000 http://jordanmccollum.com/?p=1844#comment-2084 The story department sounds like a writing critique group on steroids. Mmm, I'd like one!! Jen Rofe, Agent for Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc., told us last week that she'd like to see our manuscripts when they are in the 7th draft. Or later. That really gave me some food for thought. For me, that means when we think we are done, we are probably still not done. We don't want to submit crap to agents and then burn through them. Although it's still possible anyways. The cliche, "Rome wasn't built in a day" comes to mind here with writing. As I'm learning this craft, I meander a bit. I must. I have 4 still mostly small children who need to be either bathed or reminded regularly to bathe. I can't karate chop them out of my life to write a book. And I need sleep. And I need the sociality that blogging brings to my life, writerly and otherwise. I think one year per ms is possible, but so far, my current ms is 1 1/2 years in the making, while I continue to develop poems and essays to submit to journals on the side. And being Primary President and keeping a clean house and the 1 million other things. But I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. It's the journey, not just the destination, right? The story department sounds like a writing critique group on steroids. Mmm, I’d like one!!

Jen Rofe, Agent for Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc., told us last week that she’d like to see our manuscripts when they are in the 7th draft. Or later. That really gave me some food for thought.

For me, that means when we think we are done, we are probably still not done. We don’t want to submit crap to agents and then burn through them. Although it’s still possible anyways.

The cliche, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” comes to mind here with writing. As I’m learning this craft, I meander a bit. I must. I have 4 still mostly small children who need to be either bathed or reminded regularly to bathe. I can’t karate chop them out of my life to write a book. And I need sleep. And I need the sociality that blogging brings to my life, writerly and otherwise.

I think one year per ms is possible, but so far, my current ms is 1 1/2 years in the making, while I continue to develop poems and essays to submit to journals on the side. And being Primary President and keeping a clean house and the 1 million other things. But I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything. It’s the journey, not just the destination, right?

]]> By: Trish http://jordanmccollum.com/2010/01/good-story-2/#comment-2071 Trish Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:50:16 +0000 http://jordanmccollum.com/?p=1844#comment-2071 It took me about a year to complete my first manuscript of 13,000 words, ready to submit. Then a year to complete the second in the series, a 32,000 words junior novel, but even then, I keep going back and editing them. And that's writing and editing every day for hours. I'm getting much faster now though. I'm learning all the time and that helps. I'm now able write and edit much quicker. I've just started the third in the series, so I'll see how fast I can finish that one. It took me about a year to complete my first manuscript of 13,000 words, ready to submit. Then a year to complete the second in the series, a 32,000 words junior novel, but even then, I keep going back and editing them. And that’s writing and editing every day for hours. I’m getting much faster now though. I’m learning all the time and that helps. I’m now able write and edit much quicker. I’ve just started the third in the series, so I’ll see how fast I can finish that one.

]]> By: Jordan http://jordanmccollum.com/2010/01/good-story-2/#comment-2066 Jordan Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:32:57 +0000 http://jordanmccollum.com/?p=1844#comment-2066 Seriously. Seriously.

]]> By: Iapetus999 http://jordanmccollum.com/2010/01/good-story-2/#comment-2063 Iapetus999 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:51:11 +0000 http://jordanmccollum.com/?p=1844#comment-2063 I don't know. I've never "finished" one (well, novel-length. but I could argue my flash fiction is half-baked as well) Can I hire those people? Just kidding. But not really. I don’t know. I’ve never “finished” one (well, novel-length. but I could argue my flash fiction is half-baked as well)

Can I hire those people? Just kidding. But not really.

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