Comments on: You can think too much. http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/ Weblog of National Bestselling, Award-Winning Novelist Sylvia Day Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:51:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jorie http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-2/#comment-1526 Jorie Wed, 23 Feb 2005 20:05:49 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1526 Good discussion. I'll agree with everyone, in that there is no right answer. On occasion, I will read for the writing and not the story, but that is rare. It's more common that I'll read for the story despite the writing. Best is when they come hand in glove, where the voice matches the story being told and there are no gaffes to throw me out of the story. If your study of craft is interfering with your storytelling than you are right to be careful about focusing too much on craft issues. But I really do think that poor craft can make it impossible for readers to enjoy the story. I know, I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said before! But I do believe a reasonable concern about craft is needed for your art to soar. Good discussion. I’ll agree with everyone, in that there is no right answer. On occasion, I will read for the writing and not the story, but that is rare. It’s more common that I’ll read for the story despite the writing. Best is when they come hand in glove, where the voice matches the story being told and there are no gaffes to throw me out of the story.

If your study of craft is interfering with your storytelling than you are right to be careful about focusing too much on craft issues. But I really do think that poor craft can make it impossible for readers to enjoy the story.

I know, I’m not saying anything that hasn’t been said before! But I do believe a reasonable concern about craft is needed for your art to soar.

]]> By: Blah Blog of Alison Kent | Contemporary Author http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1524 Blah Blog of Alison Kent | Contemporary Author Wed, 23 Feb 2005 18:21:11 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1524 [...] getting out and into the car), I’m going to do another informal poll based on a post Sylvia made yesterday. Here goes! 1) If you are an author, do you think of yoursel [...] [...] getting out and into the car), I’m going to do another informal poll based on a post Sylvia made yesterday. Here goes! 1) If you are an author, do you think of yoursel [...]

]]> By: Charlene Teglia http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1515 Charlene Teglia Wed, 23 Feb 2005 02:09:14 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1515 Interesting discussion! It takes art and craft together for a book to truly succeed for me. But if I had to pick one I'd pick art, the story. Craft errors can be fixed but if there's no story, why bother? I don't know about contests; I never entered one. I couldn't justify the cost when I could just query an editor I wanted to submit a ms. to for the cost of a stamp. :wink: Interesting discussion! It takes art and craft together for a book to truly succeed for me. But if I had to pick one I’d pick art, the story. Craft errors can be fixed but if there’s no story, why bother?

I don’t know about contests; I never entered one. I couldn’t justify the cost when I could just query an editor I wanted to submit a ms. to for the cost of a stamp. :wink:

]]> By: Teresa http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1514 Teresa Tue, 22 Feb 2005 22:03:20 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1514 I've only entered one contest. Both judges were pubs. And one liked it the other hated it. The one that hated it really hated it and told me it was unsatisfing. The one that loved it really loved it. I’ve only entered one contest. Both judges were pubs. And one liked it the other hated it. The one that hated it really hated it and told me it was unsatisfing. The one that loved it really loved it.

]]> By: Sasha http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1513 Sasha Tue, 22 Feb 2005 20:20:27 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1513 I can turn OFF my grammar checker???:mrgreen: AS for contests. I do terrible in them, pubbed and unpubbed judges comment on my grammar constantly...althought he pubbed judges have all als commented poistively on my storytelling, while unpubbed ones have just been negative about the craft issues. But that's MY experience. And why do I want to turn off my grammar checker when I seem to have bad grammar. Because it distracts me from the story. That stuff is for editing time, not writing time. I can turn OFF my grammar checker???:mrgreen:

AS for contests. I do terrible in them, pubbed and unpubbed judges comment on my grammar constantly…althought he pubbed judges have all als commented poistively on my storytelling, while unpubbed ones have just been negative about the craft issues. But that’s MY experience.

And why do I want to turn off my grammar checker when I seem to have bad grammar. Because it distracts me from the story. That stuff is for editing time, not writing time.

]]> By: Jordan http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1512 Jordan Tue, 22 Feb 2005 19:20:42 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1512 I think the hardest judges I've ever had have been unpublished authors. They nitpicked EVERYTHING. Most of the published authors were more forgiving and a heck of a lot more encouraging. I truly think it's the luck of the draw. I did have one published judge who came down on me a little, but considering who it was and the suggestions she made, I'm absolutely fine with it. I would take ANY advice she'd be willing to give me.:grin: That said, I've faired pretty good in contests. I've entered six and finaled in three, so I have no complaints.:wink: I think the hardest judges I’ve ever had have been unpublished authors. They nitpicked EVERYTHING. Most of the published authors were more forgiving and a heck of a lot more encouraging. I truly think it’s the luck of the draw. I did have one published judge who came down on me a little, but considering who it was and the suggestions she made, I’m absolutely fine with it. I would take ANY advice she’d be willing to give me.:grin: That said, I’ve faired pretty good in contests. I’ve entered six and finaled in three, so I have no complaints.:wink:

]]> By: Sylvia http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/comment-page-1/#comment-1511 Sylvia Tue, 22 Feb 2005 17:51:38 +0000 http://www.sylviaday.com/blog/2005/02/21/364/#comment-1511 Well, I hope this doesn't come out as a commentary on contests, because it's not. Contests have been very good to me, though I wasn't so successful at them when I first started. (But I am happy to say that I'm glad to be out of the contest circuit now. :wink: ) This is about telling a good story. I guess because the story is most important to me, that's what I look at when I read a work. Well, I hope this doesn’t come out as a commentary on contests, because it’s not. Contests have been very good to me, though I wasn’t so successful at them when I first started. (But I am happy to say that I’m glad to be out of the contest circuit now. :wink: ) This is about telling a good story. I guess because the story is most important to me, that’s what I look at when I read a work.

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