tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post2724641780215380839..comments2024-03-27T23:13:43.597-05:00Comments on Prairie Rose Publications: BUILDING YOUR BLOCKBUSTER ONE "BLOCK" AT A TIME--by CHERYL PIERSONLivia J Washburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05958199886826207363noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-1893996296823912152014-04-04T00:06:40.376-05:002014-04-04T00:06:40.376-05:00Thanks to everyone for stopping by today and comme...Thanks to everyone for stopping by today and commenting. I love sharing writing tips and learning from one another!<br /><br />MY WINNER OF THE DIGITAL COPY OF TIME PLAINS DRIFTER IS........<br /> J.E.S. Hays!<br />JES, thanks so much for stopping by today, and you did get LUCKY! LOL I hope you enjoy TIME PLAINS DRIFTER. Will get in touch with you tomorrow.<Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-48049048323151952692014-04-04T00:04:49.019-05:002014-04-04T00:04:49.019-05:00Y'all are too kind!Y'all are too kind!Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-66082831732238577912014-04-03T23:52:30.289-05:002014-04-03T23:52:30.289-05:00I thank you also Rod. I've heard of doing tha...I thank you also Rod. I've heard of doing that but never took it to heart. Now, well...I'll give it a try. <br /><br />I also agree Cheryl has great advice. DorisRenaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-54017546654099834262014-04-03T20:48:27.184-05:002014-04-03T20:48:27.184-05:00Rod, you just made MY day! I'm so glad you sto...Rod, you just made MY day! I'm so glad you stopped by, and that's an excellent tip, for sure. Many times, when you read it aloud, you can easily pick up where the dialogue sounds too stilted or "just isn't quite right". One of the main things that people can do to help that along is to USE CONTRACTIONS if your character would do so when speaking! Excellent tip, and thanks Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-16913641002004827712014-04-03T20:09:21.788-05:002014-04-03T20:09:21.788-05:00Renaissance Women, Though I do not usually respond...Renaissance Women, Though I do not usually respond, I come here when Cheryl talks about writing tips. I think she is awesome. I've only one book out and another coming soon, but something I do that might help you: My last read through is done out loud so I can hear how it sounds. As you just said, talking and writing are two different things. Someone wrote in one the reviews on either B&Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16821485378408913647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-12201958216368140412014-04-03T18:31:42.391-05:002014-04-03T18:31:42.391-05:00That's a real gift, Doris--one I wish I had!That's a real gift, Doris--one I wish I had!Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-59045695433692681262014-04-03T18:31:16.678-05:002014-04-03T18:31:16.678-05:00I WOULD TOO, SARAH! I don't mind small classes...I WOULD TOO, SARAH! I don't mind small classes, but big groups just make me stutter and want to go screaming from the room. LOL<br />CherylCheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-60582772413437845882014-04-03T18:30:17.351-05:002014-04-03T18:30:17.351-05:00Thank you, Sarah. I love that cover, too. Livia di...Thank you, Sarah. I love that cover, too. Livia did a wonderful job, but then, she always does. Thanks so much for the kind words. ( I'm working on your short story right now--should have it to you tonight.)<br />CherylCheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-73413845424118509442014-04-03T18:24:34.363-05:002014-04-03T18:24:34.363-05:00Oh, just want to , if I had to give an oral story,...Oh, just want to , if I had to give an oral story, I would pass out from anxiety. LOLSarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-58964435995143442302014-04-03T18:22:57.842-05:002014-04-03T18:22:57.842-05:00The most difficult part of writing for me is the b...The most difficult part of writing for me is the beginning. It's hard to decide on where to begin .I have a horrible tendency to put in backstory. <br />Time Plains Drifter is one of my favorites of your work. Actually, it's hard to pick a favorite because they are all just wonderful. I absolutely love the new cover for it--just gorgeous.Sarah J. McNealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17749991094677728042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-6251449206020170162014-04-03T18:10:25.807-05:002014-04-03T18:10:25.807-05:00And I'm the opposite. Terrified when I write, ...And I'm the opposite. Terrified when I write, but can speak before hundreds or more! *Sigh*Renaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-55518114844644237482014-04-03T14:36:47.794-05:002014-04-03T14:36:47.794-05:00Thank you, Doris. You're right--the oral story...Thank you, Doris. You're right--the oral storytelling is very different from writing it down and making it effective. Being able to use emotions in your voice, volume, intonation, inflection...all of that is so wonderful and so very hard to translate into the written word. A look, a body gesture, all must be described rather than shown. But I doubt that I would be much of an oral storyteller.Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-32480482149013706692014-04-03T14:07:05.396-05:002014-04-03T14:07:05.396-05:00A very timely and useful post. As an oral storytel...A very timely and useful post. As an oral storyteller it is easy for the voice and body language are tools that are used to great effect. Not so easy when you have just the printed word. It does make a difference. An improv writing group has helped bridge this gap, but the gap is still there. (Where there is a will there is a way and I really want to move into the written and make the dynamics Renaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-61870654368614567672014-04-03T11:59:42.951-05:002014-04-03T11:59:42.951-05:00Yes, Jill, it's amazing what passes for YA now...Yes, Jill, it's amazing what passes for YA now! Lots of variation, and I still believe that there is room for all kinds, with SMALLER publishers, but if you're trying to attract the big NYC publishers, edgy is the word. And anymore, kids are a lot more sexually active than they used to be at an earlier age. That being said, I know there are readers for the "tamer" YA/NA genres, Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-84669415093245362522014-04-03T11:57:35.255-05:002014-04-03T11:57:35.255-05:00Should say "YOU'VE"...fast fingers s...Should say "YOU'VE"...fast fingers strike again!Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-42581903605018751172014-04-03T11:57:10.624-05:002014-04-03T11:57:10.624-05:00You're branched out into so many different dir...You're branched out into so many different directions, Livia, I am just in awe. Mysteries, to me, would be the hardest thing ever to try to write. I just don't have that in me. But you know, we've all heard that "the western is dead"--yet there are still readers who want to read westerns! So I guess my answer would be I write what I like for those people who like the same Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-53271550626333265032014-04-03T11:55:31.706-05:002014-04-03T11:55:31.706-05:00Morgan, I do that same thing! You know what I ende...Morgan, I do that same thing! You know what I ended up doing, and it works well for me, is make a timeline starting with the first day of the book, the month, the year. I add events as I go along--a spring trail drive can't happen in November! When I get the major events worked out (and I had a pregnancy in one of my mss. I had to do this for, too) then it helps me to divide the book up into Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-17107827996965985502014-04-03T11:50:51.314-05:002014-04-03T11:50:51.314-05:00All good advice Cheryl! As you know I am working o...All good advice Cheryl! As you know I am working on a YA trilogy, (well, have been for a couple of years now!) I wanted a love interest with the young heroine and 'the hero' in the first book. I was concerned about how much 'attraction' etc to use, without actually getting them between the sheets of course, she's only 16! After reading this, I reckon I can put in a fair bit Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12572980383670606147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-11307869791564182302014-04-03T11:10:07.885-05:002014-04-03T11:10:07.885-05:00Who are you writing for? That's an interesting... Who are you writing for? That's an interesting question and my answer has changed some over the years. In the beginning I was more worried about fans of the genre I was working in, and what my agent would accept, and what the publisher was looking for. Now I worry less and have more fun.Livia J Washburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05958199886826207363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-68822738470958234402014-04-03T11:08:19.801-05:002014-04-03T11:08:19.801-05:00When I write, I have a problem keeping track of ti...When I write, I have a problem keeping track of time. Sometimes I have to write down when each even happens, so I know when the seasons are changing, and I don't write the wrong thing in the story. In one book, when I had a woman pregnant, I had to keep track of how many months, so she wouldn't be pregnant too long.Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-57880948119584431352014-04-03T10:51:36.749-05:002014-04-03T10:51:36.749-05:00But Julie, if we didn't have readers, we would...But Julie, if we didn't have readers, we wouldn't have a purpose! LOL You know, it is complicated, and some novels are more complicated than others. I remember when I was working on Time Plains Drifter--it was hard to get everything to "work out" since it was a time travel, but also was so heavy on the paranormal elements (good vs. evil--I am not a werewolf/vampire writer). But Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-56314773897171051452014-04-03T10:48:38.928-05:002014-04-03T10:48:38.928-05:00Thanks for coming by today, JES! Good to see you h...Thanks for coming by today, JES! Good to see you here!Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-28361624070001932172014-04-03T10:40:28.261-05:002014-04-03T10:40:28.261-05:00I am in awe of authors, the process of writing of ...I am in awe of authors, the process of writing of novel seems very complicated. I'm not an author as you may have guessed but I love to read. Writing a letter is about my limit.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02821248303934955305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8927727476793944291.post-71732308115763701122014-04-03T10:37:57.853-05:002014-04-03T10:37:57.853-05:00Always good advice - thanks!
hays.jes@gmail.com ...Always good advice - thanks! <br /><br />hays.jes@gmail.com in case I get luckyJ.E.S. Hayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040717916141732624noreply@blogger.com