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I've got one a lot bigger. If you want to get your claws on it, let me know. I'll be glad to send it.Posts: 3687 | Registered: Jan 2007
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Good writers are hard to cut, so my first taker presents a serious challenge. And thanks for telling me about the link problem, djvdakota.
IB, feel free to send it. If I get something that's more than 1000 words, I'll assume that you don't care which thousand I choose. In that case, I'll either pick something at random or I'll pick something that illustrates a principle well.
Also, I guess I should have said explicitly that I'd like to post the excerpts that I use. I'm not using full stories for that reason -- 1000 words of a WIP shouldn't be an issue with publication rights, unless the WIP is flash fiction.
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I sent it to your gmail account. It's a beginning, that way it will ring in under 1000 words. Have fun. Posts: 3687 | Registered: Jan 2007
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Deb, did you see the link to his cutting blog in his initial post? If not, check it out. You may find it useful. I've sent him the first draft of my Pantroth prequel/short story. When he puts it up on his site, you'll see quite a bit of difference...Posts: 3687 | Registered: Jan 2007
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Yeah, yeah, yeah, I saw it, but he said the link was removed, so I didn't try it. I BELIEVED what I read. Oh. Oops. Silly me. Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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In general, there's no need to ask. Anytime anyone feels like a bit of bloated prose needs a trim, as long as I can blog about it, he or she can send it to cutting.blog@gmail.com. I've also posted some marketing work there, and I'd be open to attacking other types of text, too. No guarantees on how long it will take, of course, and I reserve the right to not do a darned thing.
Unless I'm told otherwise, I'll assume I can work over a sample of 1,000 words from whatever gets sent to me, and publish that section and the cut version to the blog. If I receive a complete story in 1,000 words, I won't blog more than 20-25% of it.
IB, I haven't received it on either my normal oliverhouse email or my cutting.blog email.
Deb, sorry for the confusion. Just goes to show you -- never believe me.
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IB bolded at me - he's being punished by the igits of email. Once he crits some of my stuff that is piling up in his inbox, I'm sure his post will get through! Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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Okay, djvdakota's piece is up. Since it was a flash, and I don't want the work to be considered "published" just because it showed up on my little blog, I'm only posting an extract: 185 words down to 150, or a 19% cut. (It's a really good story, too.) Comments welcome!
Now I'm working on a crit I owe Rick, and then I'll do InarticulateBabbler's intro.
[This message has been edited by oliverhouse (edited July 22, 2007).]
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trousercuit, I was just being funny - IAB and I tease each other sometimes, and the thing about bolds referred to some previous conversations we've had. I would have cleared that up as soon as I saw your post, but my husband was in the hospital this weekend, and this is the first chance I've had to get online. AS a matter of fact, a few threads ago I was teasing him that writing in bolds was his online version of wearing black leather. He's just too cool for mere mortals. So, say something nice to him now. Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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Sigh. It's nice to see you getting into the spirit of things. I was worried you wouldn't FIT IN!! Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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I just cut some of J's work. This was a tough one, but I was able to take about 19% out of it. J, let me know if you think I worked it over too hard.
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If the rest of you aren't checking out what oliverhouse is doing on his cutting blog, you should be. It's one of the most useful and educational writing tools I've seen in a long time.
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You're welcome, J. Thanks for providing the fodder.
Since I don't update the blog all that often, I've added an RSS feed to it. If you have an RSS reader, you won't have to keep checking back for updates -- the reader will tell you. You can find the link on the site, or, if I do this right, you should be able to subscribe by clicking here.
And I'm open to more submissions. Send text to cutting.blog@gmail.com.
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Oliverhouse, I've just got back the first crit on Alchemy: the Chemist's Story, and there's a large section in the middle that needs cut. If I send the piece and indicate where the material is that I'm talking about, would you? It seems odd to take it out of context and just send a chunk without sending the stuff it sits in, you know?
Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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I have an opening scene I've been trying to cut some repitious wording out of. Maybe you'd have a go at it. *smiles*
Posts: 1588 | Registered: Jul 2007
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I just cut 35% of Deb Hoag's submission. What a whacked out story, and a great voice. I very happily loathe and begrudgingly admire her characters.
Posts: 671 | Registered: May 2006
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Oliverhouse, just picked up my new and improved text from your site, and am chortling all the way to the word processor. Thank you sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar, not to mention that you say nice things about me behind my back. Moira, if you're out there, you've GOT to check this out! Have a good one, Oliverhouse and thanks again!
Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
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Great job, Oliver. As I mentioned in my email to you, I ran into a rather baffling problem when I tried to leave a comment on your blog. It seemed to be acting like the comment was on a continuous feed. Not sure if the problem was on my end or not.
Anyway even a few changes I didn't completely agree with gave me something useful. You showed, for instance, that when I referred to the king as "the man" in the middle of the paragraph describing him that it confused the reader since I had referred to the prisoner as "the man." Oops! I hadn't wanted to repeat the phrase "the king" again, but better to repeat that than confuse the reader.
And alliteration? Ouch! No one had ever pointed that out and this passage had been critted several times. Amazing what can slip in without one noticing it. I'll know to watch for that in the future.
Thanks so much! It is a much better passage with your trimming.
[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited September 06, 2007).]
quote:As I mentioned in my email to you, I ran into a rather baffling problem when I tried to leave a comment on your blog. It seemed to be acting like the comment was on a continuous feed. Not sure if the problem was on my end or not.
I believe his blog is on Blogger, right? (I usually get to it through RSS feed.) If so, that will happen when cookies are blocked, or perhaps if the cookie for that site is corrupted. It'll loop between two pages over and over again.
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Cookies aren't blocked but pop-ups are. I'll try it with pop-ups not blocked and see if that helps. Thanks.
Edit: I double checked to be sure that I hadn't blocked cookies and forgotten, but they aren't. I tried turning off my pop-up blocker to make sure that wasn't the problem. I have no clue what's happening. Very odd, but it sounds like it's something happening on my end.
Further edit: The culprit was my anti-spyware. It was set not to block cookies but was still interfering somehow. When I turned it off completely the problem went away! Yah.
[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited September 06, 2007).]
[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited September 06, 2007).]
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Looking for fodder, if anyone doesn't mind having their stuff ripped up online. (I have some travel to do over the next week.) Email submissions to cutting.blog@gmail.com. Posts: 671 | Registered: May 2006
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Hey, Oliverhouse, you too busy to take a look at something for me? I've got a piece up at Baen's Bar, and have got some consistent crits that the set up is too long. If you're willing, I'd like to send it over for your take.
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Deb, I have one in the queue before you, but send what you have and if I get the chance I'll put it up. Do you have a deadline?
Posts: 671 | Registered: May 2006
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what no one wants PAPER BE GONE? that is how we despose of sensitive paperwork, fire fixes anything. Rommel Fenrir Wolf II
Posts: 856 | Registered: Nov 2006
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I have an action scene I'd like to send (no rush); I want it to be tight as possible. Should I polish it first, or send the rough draft? Which do you prefer?
Lehollis, what ever you like is fine with me. I think a tightly written submission will provide us with the biggest benefit: if I can't do anything with it, you're assured that it's at least pretty tight (I don't pretend that someone else couldn't do better than I could), and if I can cut it, then you have new things to look out for in your own writing -- things you wouldn't have noticed on your own. But I don't mind either one.
I have to warn you, I've written very few action scenes. My result may butcher your baby. If you're willing to take the risk, I'm willing to give it a shot.
By the way, Rommel, it's a blog about cutting. I promise, though, that as soon as I start a blog about firing (sounds like a business blog!) or burning, you're first on my list to call.
From a safe distance, of course.
[This message has been edited by oliverhouse (edited September 20, 2007).]
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And thanks for telling me about the link problem, djvdakota.
