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Author Topic: An editor's rejection, and weak grammar skills
chefchil
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[This message has been edited by chefchil (edited March 16, 2003).]


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Rahl22
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Well I can see a few spots that look a little rocky already, but the story seems good and the fact that you got a personalized rejection letter is VERY promising! So, rewrite it, and good luck placing it!
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chefchil
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[This message has been edited by chefchil (edited March 16, 2003).]


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Rahl22
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Well those sorts of classes are always good, that's true. But I'd concentrate on basic grammar skills. Pick up a book from the library about it. Take a communications class that emphasises it. Either way, I can tell from the first thirteen lines that you most likely have a problem with run-ons and comma splices. So maybe concentrate on those areas.

Most people who have those types of problems, just end up having really long sentences. As a general rule, just remember that it's ok to break those behemoths into little pieces. That doesn't mean that you should make it choppy, or even that long sentences are bad, simply don't be afraid to use more manageably sized sentence lengths.


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Kolona
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How long is your story?

First thoughts: Strangely, I don't find grammar to be the problem in these 13 lines so much as I do mood. If this is a psychological thriller, and assuming there is something nefarious going on in these 13 lines, you're sabotaging the mood with words like "milky," "gentle," "scattered raindrops," as well as with the sentence structure to which Rahl referred.

Not that the sentences are incorrect--alone and at first glance, each seems okay--but together, their cadence, their flow, whatever you want to call it, is too--I don't want to say flowery--maybe poetic. Not nefarious enough.

"Raindrops"--scattered (?) or not--also seems more poetic, softer, as opposed to "rain," which sounds harder, more malevolent for your purposes. (Again, assuming there is something nefarious going on here.)

True, you can use such words as a foil, but I don't get that sense here.

"Carcasses" is good, but it may not be accurate, since "shells" don't have carcasses, and I don't think they can even be considered carcasses, stricly speaking. (I don't eat oysters, so maybe any oyster connoisseurs can set me straight. ) But I do love the oyster shells. They're different, unexpected, and caught my attention.

Not that this is perfect, but here's something for a quick comparison/suggestion:

The van splashed through murky puddles of rainwater where oyster shells cracked and popped under the black sidewall tires. As the vehicle rolled to a stop, the man inside backhanded the sweat from his forehead and wiped his hand on his trousers. Rain fell as he rolled down his window. He tugged at his leather cap, centering its visor over his eyes, and then leaned back and started—methodically—to pick the wrapping from a new roll of duct tape.

Finally, as Rahl said, a personal note from an editor means you're doing something right.


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chefchil
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[This message has been edited by chefchil (edited March 12, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by chefchil (edited March 12, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by chefchil (edited March 16, 2003).]


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Kolona
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I can fit in 1200 words right now--especially since I'm on a reading binge. Feel free to send it along.
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SiliGurl
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Feel free to email me your story and I'll be happy to look it over. I'm pretty good at spotting grammatical nits since it's a pet peeve of mine.

jlcrews26@hotmail.com


Jennifer


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Rahl22
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Since I'm a follower, I'll read it too. Send away.

The reason I didn't offer before is because I don't have time to do a line edit, or nitpick crit, but I will give you a general reaction critique.


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SiliGurl
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--- sorry for the double post! My computer is acting screwy...

[This message has been edited by SiliGurl (edited March 13, 2003).]


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