tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post7267193575617597099..comments2024-03-09T02:15:11.120-08:00Comments on Eric W. Trant: Me on Writing, circa 2000Eric W. Tranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13842968931062056407noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-18960058782165606842010-07-02T04:57:45.699-07:002010-07-02T04:57:45.699-07:00Did Hemmingway really say that? Wow; he must have...Did Hemmingway really say that? Wow; he must have been reading my drafts :)<br /><br />Happy 4th!Dr. Mohamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13673867214475179890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-70602336522088871382010-06-23T18:31:51.155-07:002010-06-23T18:31:51.155-07:00"Tug some on the string. Unwind it from begin..."Tug some on the string. Unwind it from beginning to end as best you can. Don’t worry about the knots along they way—those’ll come out later. Keep going. Get to the end."<br /><br />I love this. It took me a long time to get here. I always wanted to tinker as I wrote. Finally I learned to let it go and untie the knots later.<br /><br />~catAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-48819794191177059732010-06-23T01:18:24.318-07:002010-06-23T01:18:24.318-07:00I have to agree with Olivia, a disgusting but affe...I have to agree with Olivia, a disgusting but affective hook but Im not sure I want to know more about your annals. I also like the metaphor and like Andrew I am trying to put some knots in my string!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-42923883005303560072010-06-22T15:54:01.994-07:002010-06-22T15:54:01.994-07:00I actually ground my teeth when you told me to lea...I actually ground my teeth when you told me to leave the knot...I am so type A.<br /><br />You are right, of course...I would never finish anything if I let "Perfectionist Raquel" be in charge.<br /><br />I usually just write out the scenes that flash in my head and connect them later. It seems to work so far in getting me to actually finish something.<br /><br />Congrats to you and your better half on the bundle...mazel tov!Raquel Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12870113745683162915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-85521402145609630752010-06-22T07:55:24.846-07:002010-06-22T07:55:24.846-07:00Patti: Someone beat me to it, but second drafts ar...Patti: Someone beat me to it, but second drafts are usually shit, too.<br /><br />Roland: I always love stopping by your blog, and thanks for the congrats. I'd love to find an unedited version of the better authors. Then you could hear their true voice.<br /><br />Anastasia: Thanks for the award!<br /><br />CL: I don't know if this is excellent, but it's food for thought.<br /><br />Andrew: You saying my metaphor isn't working? And your string has a ton of knots to untie. Seriously, your summary sounds like a great book, bro. You gotta finish and unwind those knots and I will absolutely hit your Amazon site and buy a copy.<br /><br />Olivia: 20-25% into the manuscript. That's a good place to be. You're in the woods, keep going.<br /><br />Donna: I say, "It's not my bag, man," all the time. Nothing wrong with that. I have so far put two novels on hold, both of which I believe are the more publishable works I've attempted. Fear, maybe, of commitment? Perhaps...<br /><br />Lola: Leave it to Lola to focus on a man's "thingie." Go figger.<br /><br /> - EricEric W. Tranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13842968931062056407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-19377897130567514282010-06-22T07:38:02.172-07:002010-06-22T07:38:02.172-07:00First drafts are shit. So are second drafts. (and ...First drafts are shit. So are second drafts. (and so is a lot of the crap that's published)<br /><br /><br />'Thingie'?? <br /><br />You went with 'thingie'.Lola Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14394765053485642935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-90576504074449168232010-06-22T02:40:45.744-07:002010-06-22T02:40:45.744-07:00Oh Baby! "Second, look at the string. Decide...Oh Baby! "Second, look at the string. Decide what it is."<br /><br />What if I can't figure it out? What if I'm stuck? What if . . . <br /><br />I hear that so often from my clients I want to puke. Yet, here I am; same damn litany.<br /><br />When do you toss the last 4-5 years worth of work and say, "F-it; time to move on. This is, not my bag."<br /><br />I know it time to go to bed when I get maudlin. Have a good night Eric. And thanks for the thought provoking post. I'll read it again when I'm a real person.<br /><br />Oh, yeah. E-mail. Look for it.<br /><br />........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-53819421759424003342010-06-21T17:58:29.023-07:002010-06-21T17:58:29.023-07:00Eric, I did not want to hear about you sticking yo...Eric, I did not want to hear about you sticking your finger in your annals, but after such a compelling first line I had to read it anyway.<br /><br />I like your analogy. It works. And I like the visual of King eating paint.<br /><br />I'm 20 to 25% of the way in to my manuscript and it occurred to me today that I need to sit down and plot out where I've been, so that I can keep track of it, get a handle on it, or whatever it is that I need to do this for. But it feels like I must. Or I'll die or something. Or explode. Or, more likely, my story will.<br /><br />I'm sure seasoned writers know all about this stuff. But, I'm tackling my first novel and learning as I go.<br /><br />So thanks for the writerly advice. Annals and all.<br /><br />~OliviaOlivia J. Herrell, writing as O.J. Barréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01107021392937169669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-1071394156941511212010-06-21T15:35:35.234-07:002010-06-21T15:35:35.234-07:00I love writing metaphors because they never work.
...I love writing metaphors because they never work.<br />For me, I'm trying to take a nice straight string and <i>add</i> knots, the more complex the better.<br />I don't want my story to go from A to B. I want it to twist and turn in ways the reader never expects.<br />My plotline should have dreads by the time I'm done. :)Andrew Rosenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09215333688753781447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-68881771814889146282010-06-21T13:00:41.547-07:002010-06-21T13:00:41.547-07:00this is excellent advise. thanks!this is excellent advise. thanks!LAFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11020587104012952426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-17501391360165179372010-06-21T11:04:49.070-07:002010-06-21T11:04:49.070-07:00I would like to have read Hemingway's first dr...I would like to have read Hemingway's first draft of THE SUN ALSO RISES. Like you said, Eric, about the cave experience : that draft might have had more life and art than the refined and sifted product that got published.<br /><br />Congratulations on your happy news about the coming baby, Eric. <br /><br />Thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving such a great comment. RolandRoland D. Yeomanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338410857990551352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5779183012658025206.post-42337647018859719642010-06-21T09:32:33.585-07:002010-06-21T09:32:33.585-07:00I totally agree with you. All first drafts are cra...I totally agree with you. All first drafts are crap.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00685341739870191402noreply@blogger.com