Update
Well, my Dryad story is still 500 words over the limit for my Odyssey pre-workshop assignment, so I queried Jeanne Cavelos to see if I should send it anyway or something else shorter, but without a glimmer of anything speculative or paranormal. The limit for most workshop submissions is 6,500 words so if I don't submit the Dryad story now, it is not a big deal. I can always use it later on and may even be able to flesh out a few things I feel like I skimped on to get the word count down.
For Dan Barden's last class, my novel excerpt was workshopped. I expected it to be a little confusing since it is pulled out of a chapter a little ways into the story, but Dan and those who commented thought it was pretty clear what the action was and what the rules were. Dan admitted that he would not pick up this sort of book, i.e., fantasy, "with a pair of pliers." I know fantasy is not everyone's thing. But that having been said, he thought that it worked and held his attention very well, which, he made sure to say, is an accomplishment since he doesn't like the genre. There was one place he thought I could increase the conflict, but other than that, he and the others didn't have much to say.
While it was nice that people liked it, I was almost disappointed, because, silly me, I was hoping for some magic solution to make it even better! One nice thing about Dan is he is not afraid to say when something is just not working and needs to be overhauled.
I finished up with my high school students in the music magnet program today, so now my schedule is pretty easy between now and Odyssey. This is a good thing because I've got a long "to do" list, including working on and organizing my writing!
On Sunday, my parents, aunt and uncle, sister and her boyfriend are all coming to visit for a few days, and we are going down to New Harmony for a couple nights. This has been a great motivation to clean up the house (including my messy desk, since this room serves as a guest room with the futon made up). I am really looking forward to seeing them. It is so much fun to get to host my family here since the norm is me going to NC to visit them.
For Dan Barden's last class, my novel excerpt was workshopped. I expected it to be a little confusing since it is pulled out of a chapter a little ways into the story, but Dan and those who commented thought it was pretty clear what the action was and what the rules were. Dan admitted that he would not pick up this sort of book, i.e., fantasy, "with a pair of pliers." I know fantasy is not everyone's thing. But that having been said, he thought that it worked and held his attention very well, which, he made sure to say, is an accomplishment since he doesn't like the genre. There was one place he thought I could increase the conflict, but other than that, he and the others didn't have much to say.
While it was nice that people liked it, I was almost disappointed, because, silly me, I was hoping for some magic solution to make it even better! One nice thing about Dan is he is not afraid to say when something is just not working and needs to be overhauled.
I finished up with my high school students in the music magnet program today, so now my schedule is pretty easy between now and Odyssey. This is a good thing because I've got a long "to do" list, including working on and organizing my writing!
On Sunday, my parents, aunt and uncle, sister and her boyfriend are all coming to visit for a few days, and we are going down to New Harmony for a couple nights. This has been a great motivation to clean up the house (including my messy desk, since this room serves as a guest room with the futon made up). I am really looking forward to seeing them. It is so much fun to get to host my family here since the norm is me going to NC to visit them.