tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post60334055125046417..comments2024-02-28T12:45:42.761-05:00Comments on Hoosier Ink: My Mistakes as a First Time NovelistThe ACFW INDIANA Chapter Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07282742986179364847noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-17045546935786084152012-05-06T23:53:56.424-04:002012-05-06T23:53:56.424-04:00Thanks for sharing, Jeff. You're absolutely ri...Thanks for sharing, Jeff. You're absolutely right about getting better with each novel. My goal is to keep getting better. :)Melanie N. Brasherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911818530874840829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-15249374562394875582012-04-30T15:02:04.858-04:002012-04-30T15:02:04.858-04:00Thanks, Melanie, for sharing this.
My first nove...Thanks, Melanie, for sharing this. <br /><br />My first novel was written in '84 with a pen on notebook paper (or was it pencil?). I did no research, no character sheets giving facts about them. It was too Christian for the secular market and too worldly for a Christian market. However, the plus side is it proved to me that I could write a complete novel, and I had fun doing it. <br /><br />Almost a quarter of a century later, I wrote another novel. This one is far superior, with better research and better characters. But I have a lot of characters and some of them I introduced in batches. But so have experienced authors -- Frank Peretti did that in his second adult novel "Piercing the Darkness" and again in "The Oath". Those were early novels compared to where "Bear Island" is on the list of Alistair MacLean's stories, and he introduces most of the large cast in the first chapter.Jeffrey C. Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03260244563274650475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-11624197018227306512012-04-22T22:25:59.858-04:002012-04-22T22:25:59.858-04:00Thanks for your sweet encouragement, Nikki! I appr...Thanks for your sweet encouragement, Nikki! I appreciate you. :)Melanie N. Brasherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911818530874840829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-32716430298837258472012-04-22T21:47:28.890-04:002012-04-22T21:47:28.890-04:00Melanie, As always, I love your honesty and humili...Melanie, As always, I love your honesty and humility. Thanks for the good words and the truth behind them. Things to think about for us all.Nikki Studebaker Barcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12661375032806687908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-45961187783134970342012-04-22T21:10:23.714-04:002012-04-22T21:10:23.714-04:00Thanks for your encouraging comment, Karla! Yes, I...Thanks for your encouraging comment, Karla! Yes, I've read Donald Maas, and I need to reread him now. :) I learned so much from that book, and yes, I love Bird by Bird as well. I'm working through James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure. Very helpful.Melanie N. Brasherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16911818530874840829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2676691386361883927.post-37678526900344755752012-04-22T21:04:26.206-04:002012-04-22T21:04:26.206-04:00I love this post, Melanie, because we all need to ...I love this post, Melanie, because we all need to remain teachable no matter what stage of the game we're at. And I do believe you're right -- finishing that first novel is HUGE! Just HUGE! <br /><br />Have you ever read The Breakout Novel by Donald Maas? That was the "first" book that spoke to me in a way I "got" editing that first novel. I love that book and go back to it again and again for my stories. The workbook is excellent. I also love Bird by Bird. So many great books and blogs on writing out there, including this post!Karla Akinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16989639592455525499noreply@blogger.com