tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post8235210785702401658..comments2023-09-12T00:58:57.476-07:00Comments on Deborah Walker: Why can't . . . Writers Judge the Quality of their Stories?Deborah Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-23666938396826069562012-12-28T09:49:18.476-08:002012-12-28T09:49:18.476-08:00I'm extremely inspired together with your writ...I'm extremely inspired together with your writing skills as neatly as with the format to your weblog. Is this a paid subject or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent high quality writing, it's rare to see <br />a great weblog like this one these days..<br /><i>Review my webpage</i> ... <b><a href="http://www.minhasmusicas.com/AmberArand/info/" rel="nofollow">tattoo removal</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-21343128652138792712012-12-08T02:01:57.717-08:002012-12-08T02:01:57.717-08:00I visit day-to-day a few blogs and websites to rea...I visit day-to-day a few blogs and websites to read posts, <br />except this webpage presents feature based content.<br /><i>My webpage</i> - <b><a href="http://www.yourtobaccosstore.com/5-samson" rel="nofollow">samson tobacco</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-39994400801780897552012-02-29T09:40:55.262-08:002012-02-29T09:40:55.262-08:00Sometimes the good feeling I have about a story is...Sometimes the good feeling I have about a story is more about its potential than what's actually on the page. This is why I seldom auto-send something out if it's been rejected. I usually take another look at it and tweak this, that, or the other. These are not usually trivial tweaks - often, they are the things that make a story make sense.<br /><br />I would wait until I've completed all the tweaks before I send it out the first time, but like others here I have little insight into whether something's good enough as is or good in potentia.Elizabeth Twisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133959633383307056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-49289250440824705002012-02-27T04:13:52.620-08:002012-02-27T04:13:52.620-08:00Mark, the only editors I have are the ones I send ...Mark, the only editors I have are the ones I send my stories to. *laughs*<br /><br />And I saw the fish! Excellent. Spread the fish.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-6171047142790923672012-02-26T16:15:42.027-08:002012-02-26T16:15:42.027-08:00And thank you so very much for joining me round th...And thank you so very much for joining me round the hearth :) I hope you find things of interest there.<br /><br />Kind regards,<br /><br />Mark EDMark Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13002166292175980928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-32823541810890309502012-02-26T16:14:39.367-08:002012-02-26T16:14:39.367-08:00Hey Deborah,
Thanks for the reply :) Your words ...Hey Deborah, <br /><br />Thanks for the reply :) Your words make very good sense, but as a newbie 'writer' I don;t have access to an editor, so I'm stuck with me, myself and I.<br /><br />Loved your fish so much, I added some to my blog :)Mark Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13002166292175980928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-22900540550316443832012-02-25T11:26:50.514-08:002012-02-25T11:26:50.514-08:00Hi, Mark. Thanks for the follow and the comment. I...Hi, Mark. Thanks for the follow and the comment. I think a lot of the time we judge our work harshly. It's never as perfect as the story in your head, is it?<br /><br />I just abdicate responsibility to the editor. It's their job to judge if my story is publishable or not. <br /><br />Job done.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-65455163225938935412012-02-24T07:56:02.654-08:002012-02-24T07:56:02.654-08:00If I don't think it's crap, and if I think...If I don't think it's crap, and if I think it's got a shot at publication considering what else is out there, then I know. The rest of the time, I resort to blind luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-62516710111842176152012-02-24T06:51:26.833-08:002012-02-24T06:51:26.833-08:00I've been making reprint subs this week sendin...I've been making reprint subs this week sending out my best work, or at least work that has been published in good venues. And still it gets rejected! (well not all the time).<br /><br />So this tells me that matching story to venue, is more important than an objective value of quality.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-33792071583878257012012-02-24T05:09:47.576-08:002012-02-24T05:09:47.576-08:00It's hard ... and subjective. I think I know t...It's hard ... and subjective. I think I know that an initial idea is good, but it's hard to maintain a perspective once you're deep into a story, I find. And it still surprises me which stories end up being accepted and published and which ones don't.Simon Kewinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11537163555998763769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-31616327413897253092012-02-23T23:37:11.616-08:002012-02-23T23:37:11.616-08:00Hello Deborah,
Just found your blog via the very ...Hello Deborah,<br /><br />Just found your blog via the very amusing review blog run by Mr Upstream (his writing style is so funny, but slightly scary at the same time!), and thought I'd say 'hello' with a comment.<br /><br />Personally, I find I'm overly critical of anything I write and never consider anything 'good enough', but I keep tapping away. I am a mere novice with a vast amount to learn about h craft of writing; you wouldn't believe how much it's taken for me to post my fiction on the pages of my blog - I feel way too precious and guarded about my writing, but only because I'm thinking it's not that good. <br /><br /><br />So, in answer to your question: no, I can't judge my own work because I'm too close to it and I always feel I could do better, right or wrong. It's a real pain in the butt at times, because you end up fighting against yourself for no good reason. But if I were asked to describe my writing, I would have to say average at best.Mark Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13002166292175980928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-52958656217898944942012-02-23T06:40:19.657-08:002012-02-23T06:40:19.657-08:00Hi Eagle,
Thanks for your comment. I think leavin...Hi Eagle,<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I think leaving a good space of time really helps with this.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-78189418472570545052012-02-23T06:38:55.871-08:002012-02-23T06:38:55.871-08:00It's frustrating really. I had a story out the...It's frustrating really. I had a story out the other day had a really good feeling about it. But the rejection soon came skimming back. <br /><br />Story is so mysterious.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-58345591269415139202012-02-23T06:36:28.449-08:002012-02-23T06:36:28.449-08:00That's interesting, Milo. Do you use any techn...That's interesting, Milo. Do you use any techniques to help you judge, or do you just know?Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-4011842883234337072012-02-23T06:34:58.645-08:002012-02-23T06:34:58.645-08:00I hardly ever wait. I'm just so impatient.I hardly ever wait. I'm just so impatient.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-63542206127525373422012-02-23T06:34:27.883-08:002012-02-23T06:34:27.883-08:00That seems to be the common response. I can only s...That seems to be the common response. I can only suggest that we strive to be mediocre, then everyone will love our stories.Deborah Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10120928766455872439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-38725240076297465632012-02-23T04:05:44.690-08:002012-02-23T04:05:44.690-08:00I always think it's best to work on something ...I always think it's best to work on something else then go back and have another look at your work after having a break, before sending out into the big wide world. Fresh Eyes see mistakes.Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-46896920261402541492012-02-22T18:09:34.894-08:002012-02-22T18:09:34.894-08:00I used to think I did, but if the opinions of othe...I used to think I did, but if the opinions of other people are accurate, then no, I can't. Stuff I think is cringingly bad now got all sorts of rave responses from test readers. Stuff I still think is among the best thing I've ever written has gotten mediocre responses. <br /><br />So, no. I can't tell.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-21102062872680494032012-02-22T17:43:54.377-08:002012-02-22T17:43:54.377-08:00I like to think I can, but you're absolutely r...I like to think I can, but you're absolutely right: "hitting the right market with the right editor" is what it takes -- and at the right time, when nothing in the slush pile was in any way similar to yours.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-68005404782112917542012-02-22T15:23:16.736-08:002012-02-22T15:23:16.736-08:00I think that if you read enough on the craft then ...I think that if you read enough on the craft then you will be able to judge your writing and catch mistakes like plot holes, weak dialogue, too much description, etc., to a certain extent. But if what sells counts as "quality", then as you said, it's a lot harder to tell what is quality writing.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285825281902714579.post-36931627174693739382012-02-22T11:32:58.660-08:002012-02-22T11:32:58.660-08:00Hi Debs.
I have no idea.
I always fell like I am ...Hi Debs.<br /><br />I have no idea.<br />I always fell like I am throwing mysterious objects into the dark for reasons I can't fathom.<br /><br />I have no idea why some sell and some don't, so my only answer is to keep throwing them out there in the hope that they'll stick.<br /><br />Other than that, I'm baffled by it all.Lydia Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12156550742845287244noreply@blogger.com