tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post5697344451768463545..comments2024-01-18T05:37:22.292-05:00Comments on lisa and laura write: Ask LiLa: First Chapter-itislisa and laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18144863275895761642noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-21290114622477515302010-01-26T23:33:57.761-05:002010-01-26T23:33:57.761-05:00Good advice! I just did a Secret Agent thingie at ...Good advice! I just did a Secret Agent thingie at MSFV and was a runner up :)Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-75790377834887940822010-01-26T07:57:36.382-05:002010-01-26T07:57:36.382-05:00Always good tips to remember! I'm getting read...Always good tips to remember! I'm getting ready to edit that first chapter -- for the third time. Third time's the charm, right?Jeannie Linhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12714068387571203896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-12451908992345945892010-01-26T05:29:26.747-05:002010-01-26T05:29:26.747-05:00Wonderful advice ladies!
Kitty xWonderful advice ladies! <br /><br />Kitty xKitty Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00092976597645442642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-52342752664432058752010-01-25T22:18:48.573-05:002010-01-25T22:18:48.573-05:00Nicely said!!Nicely said!!Heidi Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18420802651029097379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-302504162419953832010-01-25T21:58:09.133-05:002010-01-25T21:58:09.133-05:00This is great advice! That's exactly what I tr...This is great advice! That's exactly what I tried to do this last time when I rewrote my first chapter. The story is so much better now!Kristen Torres-Torohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15903038121623389560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-33122394606715930442010-01-25T21:53:33.900-05:002010-01-25T21:53:33.900-05:00Good advice, chicklets.Good advice, chicklets.Little Ms Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00034349274576201531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-87732316601300826602010-01-25T21:49:06.558-05:002010-01-25T21:49:06.558-05:00First chapters ... ack. I struggle not to edit min...First chapters ... ack. I struggle not to edit mine every time I open my Word doc. Spectacular advice, team LiLa. You'd think you girls were writers or something ...JESSJORDANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08915521022827231804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-28733424766817202042010-01-25T20:47:10.134-05:002010-01-25T20:47:10.134-05:00Fabulous advice! I couldn't agree with you mo...Fabulous advice! I couldn't agree with you more. And imsn't it funny that you can usually find the flaws in someone else's first chapter, but it's so hard to figure out the problems with your own?Melissa Hursthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15530652829980250261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-79214235142327361472010-01-25T20:10:46.153-05:002010-01-25T20:10:46.153-05:00The last thing I wrote I didn't even start at ...The last thing I wrote I didn't even start at the beginning, since I have such a hard time changing the beginning once it's written down.<br /><br />So, I started in the middle. Remains to be seen if I will add a beginning, or if the middle will, in fact, become the beginning.<br /><br />(And no, I've not had any wine this evening. This is just how my brain works.)storyqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039684494823420722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-14183174236269886842010-01-25T18:28:29.020-05:002010-01-25T18:28:29.020-05:00The ms I'm currently working on is the first o...The ms I'm currently working on is the first one I've written with the thought of one day trying to publish it. I did a much better job of "finding" the beginning this time. My last one started about 30 pages in :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-45265267949349138372010-01-25T17:45:15.149-05:002010-01-25T17:45:15.149-05:00Great advice. I think I've reworked my first c...Great advice. I think I've reworked my first chapter too many times that now I need to spend more time fixing up the rest of the storyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01677563505368503476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-61535279415923882762010-01-25T15:37:56.094-05:002010-01-25T15:37:56.094-05:00Well said, ladies!Well said, ladies!ChristaCarol Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02908423468344511136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-71984559513770458412010-01-25T15:16:20.002-05:002010-01-25T15:16:20.002-05:00Ugh. First chapters are the worst. I swear sometim...Ugh. First chapters are the worst. I swear sometimes I spend more time rewriting the opening than I spent writing the entire rest of the book. <br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br />I usually like to start with an active scene that shows us something important about the mc.Tere Kirklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13562750950130316280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-38464020795912904092010-01-25T15:15:30.791-05:002010-01-25T15:15:30.791-05:00Great advice! I love it. My first chapter has been...Great advice! I love it. My first chapter has been done over and over so many times that I think it's ready to go. It's the other ones I'm worried about. =)Carolyn V.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15456210036213016603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-33999019016518430112010-01-25T15:13:44.710-05:002010-01-25T15:13:44.710-05:00Yes! I'm an obsessive chapter one re-writer. G...Yes! I'm an obsessive chapter one re-writer. Great advice!!!Robin Mellomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225861794412705136noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-18397560986783647102010-01-25T15:05:49.509-05:002010-01-25T15:05:49.509-05:00Thanks for the advice. I recently read online a co...Thanks for the advice. I recently read online a couple of opening pages that rocked, and left me looking at my efforts and going waaaa! Anyway, I'm off to one of my crit groups with the first chapter of this new novel they haven't heard. Yikes.Tricia J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05993110400088806252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-14224715281079006132010-01-25T15:04:03.246-05:002010-01-25T15:04:03.246-05:00Thanks for the advice, I'm knee deep in first ...Thanks for the advice, I'm knee deep in first chapter blues.<br /><br />I'm checking out the link!aTamika:https://www.blogger.com/profile/04874834971492028558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-55458790875738570922010-01-25T14:55:44.614-05:002010-01-25T14:55:44.614-05:00thanks for the much-appreciated advice! A lot of u...thanks for the much-appreciated advice! A lot of us will need to read this more than once.<br />*coughmecough*<br /><br />xoxoxoBrigittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14886662855050236414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-54180836590031883722010-01-25T14:46:12.644-05:002010-01-25T14:46:12.644-05:00Great advice Lisa and Laura! Thanks for taking the...Great advice Lisa and Laura! Thanks for taking the time to answer my question! <br /><br />I like your advice on setting it free! Nicely said! But I still might throw myself at a bag of twizzlers just because they are yummy lol! <br /><br />Back to working on the first chapter....Kerri Cuevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305892536084882077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-71905965987031892202010-01-25T14:38:24.194-05:002010-01-25T14:38:24.194-05:00Great question and answer! I always have trouble w...Great question and answer! I always have trouble with the first chapter! I need to decide when I want the story to start - then maybe I can come up with a beginning - I think I'm close ;o) <br /><br />Great advice as always ladies :o)erica m. chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14773306703153110737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-67047897228710112072010-01-25T14:03:26.111-05:002010-01-25T14:03:26.111-05:00This is such great advice! I thought I was going ...This is such great advice! I thought I was going crazy- I'm on full edit 6 (or 7), but I must have revised Chapter 1 at least 20 times. Probably more. <br /><br />But you know what? I'd rather write Chapter 1 than a synopsis any day. <br /><br />So here's a question for you ladies- what part of the novel writing process do you absolutely loathe? I'm talking the loathing that comes when you'd rather be scrubbing toilets. :)Stephanie Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17437077559099315853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-43038622297421821792010-01-25T13:58:05.873-05:002010-01-25T13:58:05.873-05:00Yes, first chapters are definitely CRAZY HARD to g...Yes, first chapters are definitely CRAZY HARD to get just right, and even then you start to wonder. And I have to second Lisa and Laura on advice #4 MSFV's Secret Agent contest. I've entered at least 3 times, because it's one of the few places where you can get pretty much a totally unbiased opinion on the beginning of your first chapter. If you have a thick skin, I wholeheartedly recommend entering it at least once. The majority of the critters won't know you (& your story is only identified by a number) and will basically give it to you straight about why (or why not) your story hooks them. It's really invaluable in revisions! :)Crystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09968456960528987538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-64898796257792294962010-01-25T13:42:32.474-05:002010-01-25T13:42:32.474-05:00Yay for advice!
I'm a media res person myself...Yay for advice!<br /><br />I'm a media res person myself. Get to the action!Mariah Irvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181111151756005743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-6914346380768323102010-01-25T13:15:13.724-05:002010-01-25T13:15:13.724-05:00Hey, can I nitpick about #3 there? You don't a...Hey, can I nitpick about #3 there? You don't <i>always</i> have to start at the beginning, y'know. You could start at the end and work back up to it, like, flashback-style. Sure, something should be happening right at the beginning, but the start of the book isn't always the start of the story arc, right?<br /><br />Okay, nitpicking done. And since I feel a teeny bit guilty for disagreeing with you (what can I say? I'm a pleaser...), here's a little ditty just for fun.<br /><br />This blog is by Lisa and Laura.<br />It's quite a nice place, really, for a<br />Good joke about Spanx,<br />Or 'bout Twizzlers, Thanks!<br />I'll be sure and stop by here tomorra.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5328014776473730528.post-15315425585931031792010-01-25T13:14:28.416-05:002010-01-25T13:14:28.416-05:00Such great advice! I'm having this very proble...Such great advice! I'm having this very problem right now.<br /><br />Happy Monday!Kimberly Franklinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13957037411750752950noreply@blogger.com