tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post2276577277951412744..comments2024-01-05T10:10:53.543+00:00Comments on neetswriter: Is it worth sharing a first draft in progress with a writing class?Anita Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-83138505506720133952012-09-11T14:09:26.178+01:002012-09-11T14:09:26.178+01:00Hi Julia, thanks very much for visiting and for yo...Hi Julia, thanks very much for visiting and for your comment. It is difficult! I've learnt so much about characters and plot from classes and brainstorming has helped me come up with ideas on how to take my novel forwards when stuck. So it may be helpful to take the novel you're already querying to a class. Good luck!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-46978236501244884032012-09-11T13:34:51.455+01:002012-09-11T13:34:51.455+01:00I just went through this (am taking a class now) a...I just went through this (am taking a class now) and decided not to share a first draft I just finished -- for all the reasons you've mentioned. And after reading this, I'm doubly glad I didn't. Instead I shared part of a novel I'm already querying... which I suppose opens up another whole can of worms, right? :)Julia Munroe Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09798422149542791454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-41053704938668964892012-09-10T21:49:14.713+01:002012-09-10T21:49:14.713+01:00Josephine has written an post about workshopping p...Josephine has written an post about workshopping poetry here: http://josephinecorcoran.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/when-is-the-best-time-to-workshop-a-poem/Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-35870079426551912072012-09-09T20:10:07.705+01:002012-09-09T20:10:07.705+01:00I'll remember that. I might well be in need of...I'll remember that. I might well be in need of someone to help me eat the leftovers for breakfast. In my enthusiasm to have sufficient for everyone, I may have over-catered!! Liz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03936240880106723456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-44610811647769319992012-09-09T20:00:14.461+01:002012-09-09T20:00:14.461+01:00Homemade sausage rolls-yum! Can you send some over...Homemade sausage rolls-yum! Can you send some over?Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-71910273845333261452012-09-09T19:45:21.705+01:002012-09-09T19:45:21.705+01:00It has been manic, and the next week is equally ma...It has been manic, and the next week is equally manic. And the week after...<br /><br />Many thanks for the good wishes for Friday's launch of The Road Back. I have made 200 mini sausage rolls, and enlisted the help of Messrs Waitrose for the rest of the nibbles. I do hope it goes well.<br /><br />Liz XLiz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03936240880106723456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-86026477521066562862012-09-09T19:31:07.891+01:002012-09-09T19:31:07.891+01:00Hi Liz, thanks for your comment. Expect you've...Hi Liz, thanks for your comment. Expect you've had a busy week-hope it went well and best of luck on Friday.xAnita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-74719130941998648242012-09-09T19:11:24.311+01:002012-09-09T19:11:24.311+01:00I, too, think On Writing is excellent, Anita.
I w...I, too, think On Writing is excellent, Anita.<br /><br />I wouldn't want to show a first draft to anyone. I polish it as much as I can before I show the light of day. Even after I've polished it, I know that there'll still be the sort of work done that only independent, objective eyes can spot, but I like to feel that I've sorted out the obvious problems before anyone else sees it.<br /><br />Liz X<br /><br />Liz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03936240880106723456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-49302921074779870262012-09-09T19:07:48.506+01:002012-09-09T19:07:48.506+01:00Hi Debs, thanks for visiting and for your comment....Hi Debs, thanks for visiting and for your comment. Yes, the book is packed with so much info, that I couldn't absorb it all at once. Also I downloaded it on Kindle and wish I had the paperback so I could mark the useful bits with post-it notes.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-43369636062612256622012-09-09T14:54:24.215+01:002012-09-09T14:54:24.215+01:00I must read Stephen King's On Writing again so...I must read Stephen King's On Writing again soon. There's so much information, most of which I'm sure goes straight out of my head as soon as I've read it, sadly.<br /><br />I don't show anyone my first draft (or even second or third), in fact I think the first person to ever see my work must be the RNA NWS Reader that my mss is sent to. Deborah Carr (Debs)https://www.blogger.com/profile/03223653554549707595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-34140040314852951502012-09-08T09:52:36.945+01:002012-09-08T09:52:36.945+01:00Hi Louise, thanks for your comment. Everyone comme...Hi Louise, thanks for your comment. Everyone commenting seems to agree! Hope your writing is going well.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-23924902563666426442012-09-07T22:01:24.889+01:002012-09-07T22:01:24.889+01:00I don't share anything I write until it's ...I don't share anything I write until it's reached a certain level of "completion" that I feel happy with, I don't think it's useful to show work too early in the process, and have it pulled apart. My confidence would be demolished :)Louisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00456086542084627953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-26470285204769413332012-09-07T19:10:43.773+01:002012-09-07T19:10:43.773+01:00Ps thanks for the good luck wish. Hope your writin...Ps thanks for the good luck wish. Hope your writing is going well.xAnita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-2787143262061935682012-09-07T18:22:52.075+01:002012-09-07T18:22:52.075+01:00Hi Cara, thanks for commenting. it is a great book...Hi Cara, thanks for commenting. it is a great book and I'm sure I'll read it many times. You're right, the analysis reminds me a bit of English A level classes and is too much for an early draft.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-56177777244165035882012-09-07T18:20:33.990+01:002012-09-07T18:20:33.990+01:00Hi Josephine, thanks so much for visiting and for ...Hi Josephine, thanks so much for visiting and for posting a comment. I keep seeing your tweets about poems, making a mental note to read them on your blog. Will check out later. Look forward to reading your post!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-16211234226980977112012-09-07T16:26:38.714+01:002012-09-07T16:26:38.714+01:00Hi Anita - I've been re-reading the wonderful ...Hi Anita - I've been re-reading the wonderful Stephen King's book again too ..... snap! I don't think I'd show a first draft to a writing class. We are, after all primarily writing for readers who are reading for pleasure. People in a class are looking at fiction in a different way, they are picking it apart and analysing it. I feel sometimes therefore there might be a tendency to 'overwork' things. It's difficult! Best of luck with your writing.Cara Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15972751301677687055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-2809015861454831662012-09-07T16:19:50.559+01:002012-09-07T16:19:50.559+01:00Another interesting topic! I agree about first dr...Another interesting topic! I agree about first drafts - the pages have to be filled before there's any analysis. However, it's got me pondering about poems and, also, short, short fiction. I may well blog about this so thank you for the inspiration, Anita! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-87069665188664247722012-09-07T13:20:04.760+01:002012-09-07T13:20:04.760+01:00Thanks for your comment Carol. The general consens...Thanks for your comment Carol. The general consensus seems to be keep first drafts to yourself!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-10925116166236004412012-09-07T13:16:46.329+01:002012-09-07T13:16:46.329+01:00I agree with Kelly. I never show, read or talk abo...I agree with Kelly. I never show, read or talk about a mss until it is where I want it to be. Then my agent gets to read it. I like to hear 'my' voice, not others, as I'm insecure enough, and would probably end up with a book written by a committee! Carol Hedgeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10359578624109905400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-86986467946972443652012-09-06T23:09:05.007+01:002012-09-06T23:09:05.007+01:00Hi Kelly, thanks for your comment. Yes, egos can g...Hi Kelly, thanks for your comment. Yes, egos can get easily bruised in writing classes!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-16591517465914713822012-09-06T23:05:07.959+01:002012-09-06T23:05:07.959+01:00I like to polish as much as I can before I get cri...I like to polish as much as I can before I get critiques. I find them more helpful that way and less painful to my ego. ;)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-66409423546485963142012-09-06T22:20:26.899+01:002012-09-06T22:20:26.899+01:00ps, thanks for leaving a comment Helen!ps, thanks for leaving a comment Helen!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-88912289729047442292012-09-06T22:11:27.061+01:002012-09-06T22:11:27.061+01:00It's a brilliant book and easy to read because...It's a brilliant book and easy to read because of his no-nonsense style of writing. Yes, I think first drafts ought to stay in the computer!Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-54748379799929284252012-09-06T22:01:36.391+01:002012-09-06T22:01:36.391+01:00Interesting post Anita. I too have read 'On Wr...Interesting post Anita. I too have read 'On Writing' and blogged about how valuable I found his advice. Also, I share your reservations about sharing a first draft. I experienced the same scenario during my MLitt workshops and sometimes left feeling more bewildered about where to go next rather than getting to the end before I was open to feedback. I'm not so sure now that first drafts are fit for public viewing- well not mine anyway! Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04744878290428282921noreply@blogger.com