tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post7142466140565162527..comments2024-03-27T03:14:07.652-04:00Comments on Seekerville: The Journey Continues: First Chapter DropoutMissy Tippenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05480008023330542958noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-39067411614071339762022-09-23T14:03:35.968-04:002022-09-23T14:03:35.968-04:00A rut... yes, that's a good way to put it. The...A rut... yes, that's a good way to put it. There are all kinds of ruts and potholes and "hamster wheels" on this journey and getting stuck in Firstchapteritis land is probably the first big hurdle authors face. And it's a doozy.<br /><br />Wow, how's that for a bucketful of mixed metaphors? lolPam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-76227970312411640052022-09-23T08:46:01.491-04:002022-09-23T08:46:01.491-04:00I'm right with you, Terry! Prayers for us bo...I'm right with you, Terry! Prayers for us both to power through and finish the projects that God has for us! Glynishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01764754822702091594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-44609712409712746522022-09-23T08:44:35.553-04:002022-09-23T08:44:35.553-04:00You are, right, ladies. God knows which storie...You are, right, ladies. God knows which stories are for His glory. Thanks for the encouragement. Glynishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01764754822702091594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-10649614596361463002022-09-22T22:04:27.136-04:002022-09-22T22:04:27.136-04:00This is a great post, Pam! I have several of those...This is a great post, Pam! I have several of those first chapters that were sent to various contests, one of which did well in contests, but I could never sell the book. It may get published one day, or it may not. Eventually, I had to get out of the rut and move on.Dana R. Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17649630182279568107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-71836496016026630492022-09-22T21:51:32.855-04:002022-09-22T21:51:32.855-04:00Good for you, Sandy!!! Keep tweaking it until you&...Good for you, Sandy!!! Keep tweaking it until you're pleased with it, enter it in the FI contest and the Genesis (the next round opens in January) and get another story in the works. You're doing great!Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-68568200556599900492022-09-22T21:50:00.366-04:002022-09-22T21:50:00.366-04:00It's a juggling act for sure... figuring out w...It's a juggling act for sure... figuring out what advice works for a story and what doesn't. Sometimes a change might be needed, but maybe it isn't exactly what the judge suggests. I had one judge say that no one would ever buy my manuscript because the hero wasn't being very heroic. She suggested that I completely toss the whole idea.<br /><br />But the problem wasn't that he was being un-heroic, but that I hadn't given him enough reason and backstory to make him sympathetic to the reader. Once I figured that out, the story worked.<br /><br />If I'd take her advice, the story wouldn't have even been that story. It would have been something totally different.Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-523380369179061832022-09-22T21:46:15.632-04:002022-09-22T21:46:15.632-04:00Kaybee, I hope you get to feeling better!Kaybee, I hope you get to feeling better!Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-64939380767315092782022-09-22T21:43:40.952-04:002022-09-22T21:43:40.952-04:00Another good reason to write through to the end. I...Another good reason to write through to the end. I still have a few manuscripts that might see the light of day some day. Who knows? :)Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-46750638006004669552022-09-22T16:00:55.011-04:002022-09-22T16:00:55.011-04:00Great post, Pam. I have written that entire manusc...Great post, Pam. I have written that entire manuscript, but trying to figure out how to move forward with it now. I am back to working on the opening because I would like to see if I can enter it in the First Impressions. Thanks for the encouragement.Sandy Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11920692341258066387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-21165828379078972512022-09-22T15:53:27.703-04:002022-09-22T15:53:27.703-04:00Love this post, Pam! I remember one particular MS ...Love this post, Pam! I remember one particular MS I entered and re-entered in contests, and in one bootcamp where an agent looked over my first chapter. Man - did that chapter change and some changes didn't make it better. :( I had to learn how to consider the critique and use what would make the MS stronger. Some critiques give amazing feedback and others aren't so helpful. lolLee-Annnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-63699142526251193742022-09-22T14:46:05.353-04:002022-09-22T14:46:05.353-04:00Terri, I will pray for you! You are at that pinnac...Terri, I will pray for you! You are at that pinnacle of continuing to start new projects or choosing to finish something. Here's a piece of advice. <b>First drafts are MESSY!!!<b>. Write through to the end. There might be (probably WILL be) places where you have to type <i>stuff happens here</i>, so just type it, and keep going. Your first draft might be 50k words in a manuscript that will ultimately be 90K. Yes, my first published novel, Stealing Jake, was such a project. Most of my earlier manuscripts were much shorter than the finished project, but that's the way I write. We've got your back.Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-8567474570909966172022-09-22T14:32:17.563-04:002022-09-22T14:32:17.563-04:00Good luck on your FI entry, and we're cheering...Good luck on your FI entry, and we're cheering you on to finish a project. As Kaybee said, God will show you which project you're the most passionate about, and work on that one. Pam Hillmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08604636348596615139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-52527026385225865952022-09-22T12:32:33.501-04:002022-09-22T12:32:33.501-04:00Pam, isn't it the same as everything in our ad...Pam, isn't it the same as everything in our adult lives? It's about balance. About knowing ourselves and the market and knowing which piece will Go The Distance and which ones should be put aside, at least for now. And it's not always going to make sense. I won the Genesis in my category in 2019, and still haven't been able to place that manuscript, for a variety of reasons. We need to seek God's will for EVERY WORD we put down on a keyboard and trust Him for the results.<br />Contests have been good to me. I appreciated the "feedback" stage. And I wouldn't be a visitor to Seekerville, for better or worse, if Mary Connealy hadn't reached out to me from behind a judge's mask years ago. So there's that. <br />Not feeling well today so going to wrap it up. <br />Kathy Bailey<br />Your Kaybee<br />Taking the rest of the day off in New Hampshirekaybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473317230010542909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-84461382409045252392022-09-22T12:26:57.417-04:002022-09-22T12:26:57.417-04:00Terri, pray for the one God wants you to finish an...Terri, pray for the one God wants you to finish and keep praying till you know.<br />kaybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473317230010542909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-32870427391585134852022-09-22T12:26:32.080-04:002022-09-22T12:26:32.080-04:00Glynis, pray for the one God wants you to complete...Glynis, pray for the one God wants you to complete. I'm doing that now as I contemplate the end of Western Dreams and my NEXT project. kaybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14473317230010542909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-69231524092316006642022-09-22T12:06:21.728-04:002022-09-22T12:06:21.728-04:00This is a great post, Pam. And timely, too, as we&...This is a great post, Pam. And timely, too, as we're in the middle of the First Impressions Contest!<br /><br />I didn't get the opportunity to make the rounds of the unpubbed contest circuit. My first Genesis entry didn't final. Didn't even score very well. BUT - I learned so much, and that manuscript sold before the next Genesis contest rolled around.<br />The takeaway from my experience is that it isn't the Win or the Final that's the most important part of contests, it's getting your manuscript in front of the judges and learning from their comments.<br />Jan Drexlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05609332074458434806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-16717891591887544322022-09-22T12:01:41.308-04:002022-09-22T12:01:41.308-04:00Praying for you, Terri!Praying for you, Terri!Jan Drexlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05609332074458434806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-13813158262293404462022-09-22T09:49:55.693-04:002022-09-22T09:49:55.693-04:00Excellent advice, Pam! It's so easy to keep fi...Excellent advice, Pam! It's so easy to keep fixing that first chapter, but at some point, you gotta move on. If for no other reason than to have other stories waiting in the wings.Mindy Obenhaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15049730175697756032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-61969123420252715042022-09-22T08:54:00.379-04:002022-09-22T08:54:00.379-04:00I needed this kick in the pants, Pam. This is wher...I needed this kick in the pants, Pam. This is where I'm at. I've started a dozen projects, but haven't finished even one. Once I enter it into a contest and it doesn't win, I move on to something else. I am asking all the Seekers to pray for me to actually finish SOMETHING. I'm pretty sure I'm a good writer, but that doesn't matter if I'm not a good finisher. Thank you for speaking this word of truth into our lives today.Terri Lynn Schumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00255690504642138018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-59389770884985913932022-09-22T07:48:23.934-04:002022-09-22T07:48:23.934-04:00As someone working on my First Impressions entry a...As someone working on my First Impressions entry as we speak, these are really good reminders. I know I need to actually finish a project because if I can't do that, there really is no point. You've given me a lot to think about. Thank you! Glynishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01764754822702091594noreply@blogger.com