I've been sending out a whole lot of queries for my novella titled "Native Vengeance." Therefore I've also been piling up rejections like crazy. But I got one today that was a ray of sunshine because I could tell this person had actually read my story. Not only did they read it, they gave me some very good critiquing. Here's what they said:

Hello Julie

Midnight Showcase Fiction is not able to offer you a contract at this time for Native Vengeance. We felt, although the premise is a good one, a rewrite is needed to make the story more character driven. We usually take character driven stories, where the focus is on the main characters all the way through. Right now you have a lot of characters and quite a few things going on in a small space of writing. To explore them more thoroughly, and extend the work is what I'd suggest. Also the Native Indian theme, while suggested in the title, is brought in too late in the story. Readers would buy it based on that aspect and I feel it is something that needs to be presented from the start. Also, try not to add things just to make it convenient for the way you want your plot to go.

For example, there is too much focus on how they got to the town, making friends on the internet etc. We like to see the story start in the action and stay there, any backstory must be limited and certainly not found on the first page. Plus overly descriptive passages of hair in the wind, the sun and such is not needed. Pare back to the bare skeleton of what you need readers to know to tell your story. Cut anything that does not move the plot forward, including characters and conversations. Dialogue is always a tool and never just a conversation about everyday things. Use the dialogue to reveal something about the plot we didn't already know, or to let us get to know the characters more intimately through their words and reactions.

Research your topics too, make sure you have a good grip on life in that era, and on the native link.

Good luck, and keep writing, it's the best way to learn. This is from our publisher point of view, and for the type of works we publish. Another publisher might be different. Feel free to submit any future works, we'd love to hear from you again. Just be sure you follow our guidelines for submission, the main ones being 12pt times New Roman, RTF file, single spaced lines, 0.3"indent on first line on paragraphs, no line space between paragraphs, put you name and contact details in the top left hand corner of you manuscript, and no other fancy stuff like headers, footers or tabs, and only press enter when starting a new paragraph.

Regards

Wendy Mackrell

Aquisitions

Midnight Showcase Fiction



I thought this was pretty cool of miss Wendy to do for me and it has inspired me to get back on the horse and do some more editing. Maybe I should pare it all the way down to a real short story instead of the novella that it is. It would mean shaving off several thousand words, but that might be what it needs to keep it nice and tight action-wise. If anyone is interested in reading it and possibly giving me feedback that would be great. Maybe miss Wendy is full of it in someone else's opinion. Maybe it's darn near perfect just the way it is. I'd love to know what people think.

On other fronts, my forehead is feeling pretty fine after surgery last Monday to have a benign lump called a lipoma removed. They gave me lots of fun drugs and did a good job of it. They went in from just above my hairline so I won't have a scar anyone can see on my face. I've seen surgeries like this done on the tube before and went for it when the doctor gave me the option. It just feels kinda freaky.

I've also met a nice man on the internet (CL) who apparently has a harem of women to go through, so I don't know if I have a chance with him, or that I would want one quite frankly. It's interesting the way he talks about the other women he has to weed through as if it's a chore on a list. I think I may put him down as vain and move along. It would just be nice to have a sweetheart. I've been alone for a while now and miss having a lover. There is one gentleman who's interested in me, but baby, there ain't no sparks! Ya know what I mean? Ya gotta have those sparks!


Until next time.......

Rejection Daze

I've been sending out a whole lot of queries for my novella titled "Native Vengeance." Therefore I've also been piling up rejections like crazy. But I got one today that was a ray of sunshine because I could tell this person had actually read my story. Not only did they read it, they gave me some very good critiquing. Here's what they said:

Hello Julie

Midnight Showcase Fiction is not able to offer you a contract at this time for Native Vengeance. We felt, although the premise is a good one, a rewrite is needed to make the story more character driven. We usually take character driven stories, where the focus is on the main characters all the way through. Right now you have a lot of characters and quite a few things going on in a small space of writing. To explore them more thoroughly, and extend the work is what I'd suggest. Also the Native Indian theme, while suggested in the title, is brought in too late in the story. Readers would buy it based on that aspect and I feel it is something that needs to be presented from the start. Also, try not to add things just to make it convenient for the way you want your plot to go.

For example, there is too much focus on how they got to the town, making friends on the internet etc. We like to see the story start in the action and stay there, any backstory must be limited and certainly not found on the first page. Plus overly descriptive passages of hair in the wind, the sun and such is not needed. Pare back to the bare skeleton of what you need readers to know to tell your story. Cut anything that does not move the plot forward, including characters and conversations. Dialogue is always a tool and never just a conversation about everyday things. Use the dialogue to reveal something about the plot we didn't already know, or to let us get to know the characters more intimately through their words and reactions.

Research your topics too, make sure you have a good grip on life in that era, and on the native link.

Good luck, and keep writing, it's the best way to learn. This is from our publisher point of view, and for the type of works we publish. Another publisher might be different. Feel free to submit any future works, we'd love to hear from you again. Just be sure you follow our guidelines for submission, the main ones being 12pt times New Roman, RTF file, single spaced lines, 0.3"indent on first line on paragraphs, no line space between paragraphs, put you name and contact details in the top left hand corner of you manuscript, and no other fancy stuff like headers, footers or tabs, and only press enter when starting a new paragraph.

Regards

Wendy Mackrell

Aquisitions

Midnight Showcase Fiction



I thought this was pretty cool of miss Wendy to do for me and it has inspired me to get back on the horse and do some more editing. Maybe I should pare it all the way down to a real short story instead of the novella that it is. It would mean shaving off several thousand words, but that might be what it needs to keep it nice and tight action-wise. If anyone is interested in reading it and possibly giving me feedback that would be great. Maybe miss Wendy is full of it in someone else's opinion. Maybe it's darn near perfect just the way it is. I'd love to know what people think.

On other fronts, my forehead is feeling pretty fine after surgery last Monday to have a benign lump called a lipoma removed. They gave me lots of fun drugs and did a good job of it. They went in from just above my hairline so I won't have a scar anyone can see on my face. I've seen surgeries like this done on the tube before and went for it when the doctor gave me the option. It just feels kinda freaky.

I've also met a nice man on the internet (CL) who apparently has a harem of women to go through, so I don't know if I have a chance with him, or that I would want one quite frankly. It's interesting the way he talks about the other women he has to weed through as if it's a chore on a list. I think I may put him down as vain and move along. It would just be nice to have a sweetheart. I've been alone for a while now and miss having a lover. There is one gentleman who's interested in me, but baby, there ain't no sparks! Ya know what I mean? Ya gotta have those sparks!


Until next time.......