Don't you just love wading your way through excerpts from the middle of stories? Kind of like waking up after a coma. Or something like that.
Anyway, we've done this before, so let's do it again. The focus here is EMOTION. Send 250 words from anywhere in your novel to facelesswords(at)gmail.com. Choose a scene in which a particular emotion is prevalent.
At the end of your excerpt, tell me what the emotion is supposed to be (e.g. "sorrow," "angst," "joy," etc.).
At the top of your excerpt, please list the title and genre of your novel (as in our Are You Hooked? contests).
Critters will let you know a) if the emotion you were attempting to evoke was the one they felt while reading, and b) if the emotional content of the scene actually propelled the action forward and made them want to read more.
(Hey, it's ultimately always about wanting to read more, right??)
So. You have until Wednesday, September 10, at 9:00 am EDT to send me your submission. I'll post them on Thursday (I've finally learned to give myself extra time to post things!).
This exercise is open to all genres except erotica. Disqualification due to inappropriate content is at the sole discretion of Authoress. Offensive language will be "bleeped" according to the rules of this blog.
Okay, we've got the disclaimer out of the way.
Post your questions here.
YIKES! The pressure!!!
ReplyDeleteDoes this need to be a completed work, or can it be a WIP?
:) Terri
Since this isn't a contest, you can certainly post something from a WIP. Naturally, the further along you are on the project, the more beneficial exercises like this will be.
ReplyDelete:)
You so feed my OCD!
ReplyDeleteI'll stick to the same drivel that I keep posting, perhaps it will eventually get better! LOL
Thanks for the fun/stress/opportunity/excitement/etc.
:) Terri
*looks at piece she's editing*
ReplyDeletehe he he.... that would be mean, wouldn't it?
*sigh*
Okay, I'll try to dig out something with emotion.... oh... wait %-) it doesn't have to be finished?
Bwhahahaha!
<--- Me is torn
ReplyDeleteAre we limited to 1 submission or could I possibly sneak in 2?
Good question JustMe!
ReplyDeleteTwo may be too much, depending on the turn-out, though.
Maybe if there is a SHORTAGE of submissions?
Maybe we could submit two (from two different MS), and if there aren't too many, Authoress could use the second, but not post if there are too many FIRST submissions.
Just a thought!
:) Terri
Nice! I'll see if i have a nice scene here.
ReplyDeleteWill you show to the readers what the emotion is supposed to be, or will you let the critters guess? I prefer the latter, of course.
Y'all are pressuring me! LOL
ReplyDeleteSo I need to decide what is "too much." I'd like to have time to actually CRIT this time around, so I don't want to be inundated with entries. I don't think I will be, though, as these in-house things tend to be smaller.
(Until my blog dominates the world...)
I also need to be really consistent with this stuff. As in, when it's a Secret Agent contest, I don't need people whining, "But you aaaaaaaaalways let us enter more than once in your ooooooooother crit games!"
*shudder*
So...
Enter once.
Then, round about late on Tuesday afternoon, pop me a comment here, asking, "Well? May I submit another one?"
And I'll say yes or no.
Depending on what mood I'm in. :P
OK?
Oh...
And do y'all think it would be tacky if I entered my own excerpt?
Luc --
ReplyDeleteActually, what I'll do is this: I'll space down after each entry and type the emotion at the bottom, so you won't see it until you scroll a little bit farther.
How does that sound?
It would be way too much administration to come back later and add the emotions. But I agree it would be more fun to actually see if we can determine them by just reading the excerpts.
Ooh, maybe I should try to do this one. :S
ReplyDeleteWell, you can post it without the emotion, and let the writer later reveal it in the comment box. But I don't want to add to your workload. You're the boss!
ReplyDeleteMerc, every time you leave empty promises in the comments of each challenge. *taunts Merc with a toasted Scimitar*
Authoress- It wouldn't be tacky. It's your blog! Submit something...
ReplyDeleteMerc- If you don't I can find something of yours to send. %-)
*meanders away to find a suitable scene that she loves at the moment*
Heh. It's not that I don't have something to send, it's the time I need to devote to reading/commenting. ;) It usually takes me all afternoon... and when I work I'm too tired to focus well. :P
ReplyDelete*shall rally and try*
I think it's a crime for you NOT to submit!
ReplyDeleteYou do all the work, you (even if no one else can) should be able to submit multiples (cause multiples are GOOD).
It is, after all, YOUR blog!
We are still doing this anonymously, right (not that half of us don't know who wrote what by now)?
:) Terri
Well golly.
ReplyDelete:D
Guess maybe I'll submit something to myself. Ya think I should send it from a separate email address? LOL
Okay, I had one ALL ready, and then I reread your post....what if their are multiple emotions?
ReplyDeleteAre we trying to do a scene that only has ONE emotion?
Yikes...
:) Terri
Terri --
ReplyDeleteYou go ahead and see how many emotions you can cram into 250 words, ok? And we'll all applaud your effort.
:D
LOL, did that sound like I was bragging?
ReplyDeleteActually I was panicking!
Okay, I'll submit it, but have NO IDEA what to put at the bottom for the emotion/emotions!
:) Terri
This is going to be interesting. LOL
ReplyDeleteHeh. My entry had one or two "/" to separate emotions.
ReplyDelete:)
Woohoo! I was the first one to submit. hehe %-)
Merc - I really hope you submit something! I don't think I've read any of your pieces yet...
Authoress - You had most better submit something to your own contest. :)