tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post7810100762988025913..comments2023-10-27T00:42:05.512+13:00Comments on Books and Writing: Great Beginnings - Day FourSherrylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04405534589743973581noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-26521518215155694442008-08-01T11:43:00.000+12:002008-08-01T11:43:00.000+12:00Thanks for your comments, everyone. I'm glad this ...Thanks for your comments, everyone. I'm glad this has been useful. On to the 200 words part!Sherrylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04405534589743973581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-52752675294605497622008-08-01T11:18:00.000+12:002008-08-01T11:18:00.000+12:00I took my daughter along to meet Michael last year...I took my daughter along to meet Michael last year, he was great, she wasn't really impressed (Australian Idol was on...) but by the end of it she was actually enthralled in his story. Great writer.<BR/>I find that I start a novel and then on the edit I cut out at least the first seven pages to where the action starts. I always start with backstory, don't know why, probably getting into the groove.Natalie Hatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09377665702278806398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-8815787145303378042008-08-01T05:56:00.000+12:002008-08-01T05:56:00.000+12:00I am enjoying this workshop, and appreciate the ti...I am enjoying this workshop, and appreciate the time and effort you have put into it. <BR/><BR/>A word about journalist. I've been writing for a local paper for 10 years. I find writing fiction completely different than writing for a paper. <BR/><BR/>But judging from disorderly's comments, maybe I shouldn't view it as such. <BR/><BR/>I am new to fiction. <BR/><BR/>Again thanks for your time and effort <BR/><BR/>jerzegurlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-70012795982030147632008-08-01T03:54:00.000+12:002008-08-01T03:54:00.000+12:00Great workshop! I have been editing and I keep de...Great workshop! I have been editing and I keep deleting parts from my opening. You've given me a very good idea of what *should* stay and what needs to go. Thanks!Virginia Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16641613214603672322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-40208468488628764262008-08-01T02:48:00.000+12:002008-08-01T02:48:00.000+12:00Beginnings are my biggest struggle..thanks for doi...Beginnings are my biggest struggle..thanks for doing this workshop! I'm really getting a lot from it.Valerie Everharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06099852413575505130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-35468496276745010092008-08-01T01:37:00.000+12:002008-08-01T01:37:00.000+12:00Sherryl, can I add something to your observation a...Sherryl, can I add something to your observation about journalists "knowing what you need to pull the reader in"? I think you make a good point there. One of the prime commandments of journalism is "lead with your best shot." In writing news, we must grab a reader's attention with the very first sentence EACH AND EVERY TIME. I think sometimes that approach does help us craft a fiction opening that is "grabby" from the start. (Of course, it can backfire on us, too, and often does.)<BR/><BR/>You may have heard the phrase "burying the lead." In news writing, that refers to embedding the story's most salacious or outlandish detail somewhere below the opening graf, and it's a challenge (especially with young reporters) to keep that from happening. No one wants to give away the entire essence of an article in the first few words, so some of us go to great lengths to give a broad hint at the heart of the story without laying out every gory detail right up front.<BR/><BR/>Of course, there are numerous challenges when going from news to fiction, too. Chief among them, I've found, is that many journalists tend to adopt a very dry, straightforward style (of necessity) in their professional scribblings, and we have to work very hard to overcome that "voice" when we "cross the road" to the fun side of writing. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6727653.post-52282359916583238092008-08-01T01:09:00.000+12:002008-08-01T01:09:00.000+12:00Very helpful list of what not to do and I thought ...Very helpful list of what not to do and I thought the extract of what to do was a really illustrative example. <BR/><BR/>I totally agree with not starting with secondary characters - that was about the only one I've consciously thought of before. I've been guilty of starting with setting, back story and waking up - will not do again! I found the dialogue one interesting. So many people advocate it but what you said made a lot of sense. <BR/><BR/>Thank you!Esther.Jadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11552124058522436295noreply@blogger.com