tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post70323302054056038..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Bestseller Metrics with Editor & Author Elaine AshLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-77706272276641459612017-07-19T05:23:17.876-04:002017-07-19T05:23:17.876-04:00Thanks everyone for your comments. And thanks agai...Thanks everyone for your comments. And thanks again, Elaine, for stopping by.Paul D. Markshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15466234708772287399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-26286423810761144242017-07-18T22:46:24.044-04:002017-07-18T22:46:24.044-04:00Thanks Rusty.
Thanks Rusty.<br />EAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11427618205516183976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-50238106193696247222017-07-18T17:50:45.657-04:002017-07-18T17:50:45.657-04:00Looks like a great and useful book.Looks like a great and useful book.Rustyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209150671200557517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-41747213466279377842017-07-18T17:28:06.827-04:002017-07-18T17:28:06.827-04:00Hi Gayle! Thanks for dropping by.
ElaineHi Gayle! Thanks for dropping by.<br />ElaineEAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11427618205516183976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-37676070928202801352017-07-18T17:15:53.177-04:002017-07-18T17:15:53.177-04:00Since two people already used "fascinating,&q...Since two people already used "fascinating," I'll have to say how great to know there is method in all this madness we writers do. Great post Elaine and Paul.GBPoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190573764848658894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-82866874357329680282017-07-18T15:37:52.174-04:002017-07-18T15:37:52.174-04:00Hi Fran, Steve and O'Neil,
Great comments, tha...Hi Fran, Steve and O'Neil,<br />Great comments, thank you. Lovely to hear from all of you. For the record, I make no rules. I point out patterns in bestselling books that have not been documented before, and leave it to the individual writer to decide what they'd like to adopt or not. <br /><br />I'll check back now and then and see if there are any more comments from Paul's terrific readership and Sleuth Sayer colleagues. Thanks so much for your interest.<br />Elaine Ash<br />EAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11427618205516183976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-7491617743809688992017-07-18T10:45:11.111-04:002017-07-18T10:45:11.111-04:00Sound a little like applying math to art.
Which m...Sound a little like applying math to art.<br /><br />Which means W. Somerset Maugham was wrong when he said, "There are three rules for the writing of a novel. Unfortunately no one knows what they are." Apparently this woman knows.<br /><br />I guess Stephen King was also wrong when he said, "You don't always have to take the editor's advice. Sometimes the way you see it is the way it should be.”<br />O'Neil De Nouxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03142721824657611738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-39269052970615138612017-07-18T08:36:45.472-04:002017-07-18T08:36:45.472-04:00Fascinating interview, Paul and Elaine.
I wonder...Fascinating interview, Paul and Elaine. <br /><br />I wonder how many agents could verbalize what you say here, Elaine. I remember sending queries and partials to a few agents who said things like, "you write well, but I can't sell this." End of explanation. It took me years to figure out that my weakness was (and still is) structure.<br /><br />Structure DOES get short shrift in a lot of writing books. I've read many books on plot, and most of them talk about the sagging middle, the middle third, the middle half, and similar, but seldom explain how to get through the development. It's pretty much a given now that a major twist happens 25-30% through the MS and another at 75-80 (the climax), but most books don't tell you exactly how to get from one of these points to the other.<br /><br />Elaine, you mention screenwriting metrics. For what it's worth, the books that helped me learn structure were actually geared to screenwriting more than novels. John Truby's book is one, and Victoria Lynn Schmidt's is another (both writers are also script doctors).<br /><br />I'll definitely be checking your book out, too, Elaine. Thanks for visiting. And Paul, thanks for sharing this info.<br /><br /><br />Steve Liskowhttp://www.steveliskow.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-85806410405732070842017-07-18T08:28:09.649-04:002017-07-18T08:28:09.649-04:00Paul, the word for this is one I seldom use--fasci...Paul, the word for this is one I seldom use--fascinating. Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.com