tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post2660133070732845506..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Twenty-Four, Maybe Forty-Eight HoursLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-60386792559499732212014-07-06T06:06:03.204-04:002014-07-06T06:06:03.204-04:00I often jump the gun, especially with emails, whic...I often jump the gun, especially with emails, which result in a trail of postscripts. Patience, girl, patience.A Broad Abroadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-77366963818173832742014-06-30T16:04:36.479-04:002014-06-30T16:04:36.479-04:00Janice, I haven't used him in a story, but the...Janice, I haven't used him in a story, but the thought crossed my mind when I wrote this blog. (I haven't killed him off in anything, either.)<br /><br />Dixon, you're right. My first criteria on anything I write is that it "feels right." Some folks would disagree.<br /><br />John, that last recheck seems to be especially useful when carving down stories to specific wordage.<br /><br />Leigh, my thoughts at that moment? I was aghast that he still had it because I was still teaching and it certainly wasn't anything I'd want publicized. My first thought was to try to get it away from him, but that didn't work. <br /><br />David, your rereading seems to work because I enjoy your writing.<br /><br />Eve, at that time, I seemed attracted to the "bad boy" types, oh so smooth and charming even after marrying one though that marriage lasted seventeen years.<br />The way those smooth talkers win women is they realize that most people respond to how the other person makes him/her feel. He always made me feel like a million dollars, but the sad truth is that it's nothing special because they make all vulnerable women feel that way. Since then, I've matured in my taste in men and much prefer "good guys."<br /><br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-27687149895097887592014-06-30T12:04:51.790-04:002014-06-30T12:04:51.790-04:00Ah, the scum always rises... I should be amazed t...Ah, the scum always rises... I should be amazed that he's gotten 10 wives, but then again, there is that "dream of the white dress" that seems to obsess so many women. I'll have to re-read Maugham's "The Round Dozen". Great post, and yes, it's a good idea to re-read before sending; if I could just remember to re-read before posting!Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-66500063255739284272014-06-30T11:06:48.727-04:002014-06-30T11:06:48.727-04:00An excellent cautionary tale on matters of the hea...An excellent cautionary tale on matters of the heart and writing, Fran. Oh, if only I had read and heeded these words in the past! <br /><br />These days I certainly do follow your advice;sometimes to the point of being ridiculous--I have to remind myself that if I don't eventually submit the damned thing, it cannot possibly be published!David Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13005457506363262838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-69833275418711463332014-06-30T10:30:11.431-04:002014-06-30T10:30:11.431-04:00Fran, I find scaly reptiles on my dock and you fin...Fran, I find scaly reptiles on my dock and you find scaly reptiles on yours! Yours are scarier.<br /><br />I would love to know why he kept the note all those years. And if it’s not being too writerly-nosy, beyond your vow, I’m intensely curious to know your thoughts at that moment.<br /><br />I’m with you– names have to sound and feel right to me and I often research them.<br /><br />And finally, I’ve had to learn in embarrassing ways to let, shall we say ‘writings’ sit for a day or so before acting on them.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-84445834074179436952014-06-30T08:41:53.686-04:002014-06-30T08:41:53.686-04:00Good advice, Fran. At one time I never let my sto...Good advice, Fran. At one time I never let my stories "cool off" after writing them; now I almost always do. You are right that most of us will spot errors in our stories the next day that we would never have noticed just after putting them on paper (or the screen).<br /><br />And I agree with Dix--your OWN story is a darn good one.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-16568539856471666082014-06-30T08:05:28.412-04:002014-06-30T08:05:28.412-04:00You know, Fran, that makes sense to me. I sometim...You know, Fran, that makes sense to me. I sometimes "feel" names are right or wrong, but I think your point about a character seeming more "real" probably hits the nail on the head more squarely.Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-81145659681767749632014-06-30T07:50:58.687-04:002014-06-30T07:50:58.687-04:00Good advice all the way around.
I hope you put him...Good advice all the way around.<br />I hope you put him in a story at some point, too,Janice Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07041319513734123806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-53131777996394204842014-06-30T05:50:56.963-04:002014-06-30T05:50:56.963-04:00Dixon,
"Deborah" never seemed real to me...Dixon,<br />"Deborah" never seemed real to me. The plot worked, the clues worked, but there was something off-kilter about the protagonist (a small town cop wearing Kevlar).<br /><br />I think I've said before that my characters generally seem like real people to me and their names are an important part of that. When the name Delores came to mind, she "felt" real to me. <br /><br />Would it matter to the editor at WW? I don't know, but I do know that Delores fits her much better for no known reason to me. I've had friends and relatives with both names and neither like nor dislike either name for any reason.<br /><br />I'll let everyone know when (not if, but when) I make it into WW. <br /><br /><br />Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-25842489406099464012014-06-30T00:40:09.610-04:002014-06-30T00:40:09.610-04:00A great post, Fran. Good advice and a nicely told...A great post, Fran. Good advice and a nicely told story to go with it.<br /><br />--Dixon<br /><br />P.S. How did you decide her name was wrong, and why?Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.com