What's the best thing anyone ever said about your writing?
When I'm feeling down on my writing, I reread some good reviews I've had. "Couldn't put it down." "I laughed. I cried." "Want to read more by this author."
Those good things help keep me going. Saying good things about pacing and characters helps too. Thanks to all those who take time to write reviews.
In other BIG news, IWSG members can vote for the genre of our next anthology. Please go to the link and cast your vote if you haven't already.
I didn't post the Question of the Month on Monday since it was July 4th. Michael G. D'Agostino runs the monthly bloghop. You can find him at A Live Examined and the rest of the group on this list. July's question:
What was the first book (or book series) that you really fell in love with?
I'm not sure. I read so much from about fourth grade on. I read all things animal at that time. Jack London books and The Black Stallion Series by Walter Farley. I also read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle during that time. It could have been any of those that I fell in love with.
I read Michael J. Sullivan's newest book, Age of Myth over the weekend. It was terrific! I hope you visited him when he guested last week on IWSG. He's a great guy and one of my top five favorite fantasy writers.
My writing groups are keeping me busy as usual but I have been getting some writing done. My husband has been around the house a lot which is a distraction. He likes to talk whereas I like quiet. I saw a statistic that says the average woman utters 7,000 words per day and the average man speaks just over 2,000. It's opposite at our house.
Do you remember the first book you fell in love with? Do you have some 'feel good' writing comments to fall back on when you need it? Did you vote for the anthology yet? Who talks the most at your house?
44 comments:
I've read so many books growing up, it's impossible for me to remember exactly which one was the first I fell in love with, haha. Very cool to see you mention A Wrinkle in Time. Such a classic!
It is so important to reflect on the positive comments given about our work. And yes, it is great that people take time to leave a review and pay a compliment. I try to pay a compliment to someone each day.
I always had my head in a book growing up, though when I got married and had a young family I didn't read so much, but pleased to say now retired and plenty of time reading is fast coming into my life again.
Yvonne.
Do I remember the first book I fell in love with. Of course, it was The Detective by Roderick Thorpe and I was sixteen years old. Will never forget it. I also have a personal letter from Catherine Marshall about my writing and it is framed and sits on my desk. As for the anthology, I've already cast my vote.
Shalom aleichem,
Patricia
I read so much when I was a child. Anything with an animal in it was fair game. I loved Marguerite Henry's books about horses. I also fell in love with the Narnia series.
I read constantly as a kid, but I don't remember the first book I fell in love with. A Bridge To Terabithia, maybe?
And I don't really have any 'Feel Good' writing comments to fall back on. Such comments have been made (I posted some on my blog today) but thinking about them makes me nervous, so mostly I try to ignore it. But I really do appreciate reviews and the people who write them! It's fantastic that they take the time to do so.
I went with the first series for my answer.
You know, I've never read a Wrinkle in Time...
Excellent reminder about reading our good reviews and writing them for books we've read and enjoyed.
Already voted for the anthology's genre!
Positive reviews are awesome!
I remember loving Encyclopedia Brown when I was really young, but the 1st series I truly feel in love with was probably Anne of Green Gables. So good!
First book is easy. Cat in the Hat. Still love it and read it to my kids at least once a week.
Already voted, too. I did a write-in vote for "Seussian."
www.cdgallantking.ca
Oh boy. You've got me thinking now. I remember throughout 4th, 5th and 6th grade I would stockpile books for the summer, so it obviously was before then. OH! I know it. It was My Friend the Monster, followed by The Whipping Boy. Ah, good memories.
Love the compliments.
Husband: 100,000 words a day. Me: 5
I loved A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle. When I heard in 8th grade science that mitochondria were real, I almost fell out of my seat. Seriously, the teacher almost reprimanded me for gasping so loud.
I like how you go back and read reviews when you are feeling a bit down about your writing. Also good reminder for us who aren't writers but enjoy good books to leave a review, even if it is just a few words, to encourage writers.
I think I talk more at home than hubby, but then I do a lot of my talking through the keyboard, LOL, so I'm probably would be more chatty if I didn't have this outlet :)
betty
That is a good practice to look back on those positive words. I need to do that more often. Neither my husband nor I are talkers, but my kid makes up for it! :) I think the first books I loved were the Nancy Drews.
I read SO many great books as a kid!
I love anything By Dr. Seuss.
I loved Enid Blyton's The Wishing Chair and other stories.
As a pre-teen, I read The Anne Of Green Gables Collection by Lucy Maud Montgomery, which included Anne Of Avonlea, Anne Of The Island, Anne Of Windy Poplars, and a few others which I'm not sure if I read or not.
At home, hubby is the talkative one. I'm the quieter one.
Happy IWSG Day!
Writer In Transit
The positives are great to see indeed at ones feed. Thank is a lot of words, 7000 and I'd have no voice left lol
I remember a book from my childhood, but I can't remember the title or the author. In those days, neither of those things were important. Wish I'd written the title down. But the story has stuck with me all these years. Happy IWSG Day, Susan!
I use my words on the page. Hubby is pretty quiet at home too, because he talks all day. We enjoy our silence!
I fell in love with the Nancy Drew series, and went from there! Loved reading - still do!
Hi, Susan,
Great reviews are definitely good to keep around whenever you have the blues....
Sometimes I look up old blog stories I had posted and look at the comments. Many put a HUGE smile on my face and get me thinking about writing again.
As a third grader, I loved EB White books especially Charlotte's Web. In my teens, it was the classics. LOVED English Literature, Dickens, Bronte, Austen, etc. In my twenties and thirties it was Terry Brooks.. The Shannara Series and his other works. Then finally I had come across JK Rowling by watching the first HP movie. When the second movie come out I discover it was a series and devoured each book up to Year 4... then the waiting began, and like so many others, I was at Barnes and Noble at Midnight to get book FIVE.. Her books are truly the reason why I started writing.
It does help to look back and realize it's not just me that thinks I can write. :-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Congratulations on those great reviews. It's great to be able to look on those.
I can't really remember the first book I fell in love with. Although I think it was probably Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. I loved her books before I was old enough to read them myself.
Love the idea of the themed anthology. Alex is pretty darn clever.
I'm a very quiet person, it's rare for me to talk a lot! The first series that I really fell in love with was the Harry Potter series, and it's still my favourite to this day.
I don't reread good reviews, but I did steal some quotes for them to make an endorsement page on my website called Praise for Chrys. I hate the self-centered title of that page, but I did it hoping an agent would like it. :)
Those are nice compliments. They can really get you going when times are tough. :)
Those are really nice comments to think about. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks, Susan.
One of my first favorites was Robin Hood, followed by Little Women. Yes, i'm weird.
Keep thinking about the good comments when editing and rewriting, remind yourself you have a good reason to keep going!
In school Charlotte's Web was the first in school I remember loving.
Happy IWSG day
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
In school Charlotte's Web was the first in school I remember loving.
Happy IWSG day
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
Heidi by Johanna Spyri was my first love when it came to books. It taught me all sorts of things and inspired my love of travel: I had to see those Swiss mountains, which I did!
One of the best things someone said about my writing was a 1-star review for Salem's Daughters, "Ghastly violence. No heroes here. This is a horror story." Nailed it! I use this as a promo and sold over 50 downloads in one week using twitter.
Hehe, my house is veeery quiet when my daughter is away at college - I never really noticed the quiet until she came home again.
I loved the Black Stallion books, too! But the first book I ever fell head over heels for was Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.
I second that thank you to reviewers.
Its these good reviews and praise from readers that keeps us writers motivated.
Rachna Chhabria
Co-host IWSG
Rachna's Scriptorium
They are wonderful compliments!
congrats on the great reviews.
I fell in love with The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. I lost my original copy and bought another. I would hate not to have it any more.
Those are wonderful reviews!
My first favorite was Where the Wild Things Are - my mom was embarrassed that I kept checking it out from the library when I could read chapter books. I just fell in love with the sailing away of imagination in that book.
My husband and I take "talkative" turns, although I admit I probably talk more in the car than he does.
My husband is like yours -- and he also has a ham radio he uses for both voice transmission and Morse Code. I prefer quiet times when I write as well, so it makes the schedule complicated.
I think the first book I absolutely fell in love with was LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott. I wanted to be Jo - well, probably still do want to be her.
Those are great reviews. Good that you re-read when you are feeling discouraged.
I can't write with my hubby home; he is always popping in to deliberately disturb me. Such a meany!!
Pulling a reader through all kinds of emotions is not easy, so it seems you've done an excellent job with your writing.
Neither my husband nor I are terribly wordy (verbally, anyway :p ), but my kids talk my ears off, especially my daughter. Looking at good reviews seems like a great way to overcome insecurities.
I see you are another Ninja Minion.
I live alone so my house is generally pretty quiet. Especially when I'm working on writing. I'm not a person that can listen to music while writing. A mouse in my house would typically only hear the keys clacking away at my laptop. Not that I have a mouse, or that I do that much writing. But I should probably do more writing when possible.
I remember the bright/faded yellow of the Nancy Drew books, as a kid. So fun.
Happy Weekend.
I think the first book series I fell in love with was the Nancy Drew mysteries :)
I wish you a wonderful start to the week :)
I read old emails from readers to feel good. If I go to the sites to read reviews for my pick me up I'd inevitably see the bad too. LOL
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