tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post5264144974085358396..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: How To Know If You're Any GoodStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-79123869181845006742015-03-16T11:57:59.799-05:002015-03-16T11:57:59.799-05:00Exactly! Family and friends can really keep you go...Exactly! Family and friends can really keep you going, and sometimes a "well done" feels really good, even if writer friends would find loads of stuff that needs improving :)Fraise Fruitrougehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07635206620185269192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-54687980256485592532015-03-15T21:35:57.019-05:002015-03-15T21:35:57.019-05:00I have been pondering this question for a while, a...I have been pondering this question for a while, and it was so refreshing to read this! It's a concept that I've heard before, but it really strengthened it in my mind and in my own writing life. Thank you so much!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17102112870911606839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-79595354502439439062015-03-14T21:28:07.456-05:002015-03-14T21:28:07.456-05:00What if you don't have anyone who knows you wr...What if you don't have anyone who knows you write? I mean, no one even knows I am writing a novel. I would feel so weird asking even my parents to read it and I don't have anyone else. Also, can I trust my parents' opinions? I feel like they are too prejudiced in my favor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-48520694264665617922015-03-14T11:37:59.973-05:002015-03-14T11:37:59.973-05:00You won't know--not really--until you try. My ...You won't know--not really--until you try. My suggestion is to keep offering your work to writer pals for feedback and work your way up to your target audience (agents and editors). Don't just jump straight there. Find critique groups. Go to conferences if you can. Find a great writing partner. When you're ready to take the next step, they'll help you know.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-46090337544360712562015-03-14T11:32:43.828-05:002015-03-14T11:32:43.828-05:00Good morning, friend! I've noted your question...Good morning, friend! I've noted your question and I'll stew on it, but my initial thought is this: just read. Read widely. Read Historicals and Science Fiction and read all sorts of Fantasy. Read books by authors from all over the globe. Ingest vocabulary. When you don't know a word, look it up. I know authors who keep a list of words they love at their elbow. Words they want to work into their writing. Read, friend. It's the best way to learn new words.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-76794532470394980702015-03-14T11:29:13.908-05:002015-03-14T11:29:13.908-05:00I have a very gushy aunt too! We need that. SO MUC...I have a very gushy aunt too! We need that. SO MUCH. AND YES! You will find a happy medium. You're starting so early in life, Miri. Trust that.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-30971679265826150882015-03-14T11:27:50.708-05:002015-03-14T11:27:50.708-05:00Keep writing! When you're ready for feedback, ...Keep writing! When you're ready for feedback, you'll find that bravery tucked away somewhere and I have no doubt you'll use it.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-17050010240513260752015-03-14T11:27:03.735-05:002015-03-14T11:27:03.735-05:00I plan to be a bestseller too one day, Alexa! It&#...I plan to be a bestseller too one day, Alexa! It's a good plan, but I don't get my job from it. I write for many, many other reasons. Like you, I write because I'm a writer and you're correct: that is enough.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11484257775864475452015-03-14T11:26:08.679-05:002015-03-14T11:26:08.679-05:00Oh yeah. Totally normal. I have feedback on its wa...Oh yeah. Totally normal. I have feedback on its way too. I'm STOKED and angsty. It's real. It is what it is. But WE ARE WRITERS! We've got this.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-76210983054477576402015-03-14T11:25:20.976-05:002015-03-14T11:25:20.976-05:00You know what I love about this? The progress you ...You know what I love about this? The progress you made. The work you put in paid off. It's not always so clear to us that we've made progress, but you're seeing it. GOOD JOB!Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-76818775746484259172015-03-14T11:23:14.208-05:002015-03-14T11:23:14.208-05:00Yes! CLOSE is such good feedback too because it mo...Yes! CLOSE is such good feedback too because it moves us forward. Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-13441696507265381272015-03-14T04:43:58.715-05:002015-03-14T04:43:58.715-05:00Hey! Bekah here.
One (lengthy) question: I write ...Hey! Bekah here.<br /><br />One (lengthy) question: I write fanfiction, and there people tell me my writing is good. (It varies. Some people say I am "talented," others say such-and-such a story made them cry, and so on.) How do I know whether my writing is good enough for traditional publication, not just fanfiction?Rebekah D. Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216040512555099417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-32669640027425750992015-03-14T04:24:04.055-05:002015-03-14T04:24:04.055-05:00Thank you Mrs. Dittemore, for this post! This is r...Thank you Mrs. Dittemore, for this post! This is really encouraging! It has also reminded me to remember to write because I love to write, and not write for the feedback and for the feedback solely. XD <br /><br />Also, I was just wondering, do you happen to have any tips on how I can expand my vocabulary? XD It might not be a very writerly question (as to character questions and plotting), and I completely understand if that's not the kind of thing you would write a blog post on, but I'm very interested in expanding my vocab so that I can incorporate much more of a richness into my stories. I was wondering if you might have any tips or tricks? :)<br /><br />Thank you, again! Blessings!<br /><br />-Koko :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-78171307692582606962015-03-14T01:56:49.458-05:002015-03-14T01:56:49.458-05:00Thanks, Emily! I was actually talking about third ...Thanks, Emily! I was actually talking about third person. Should have included that in my question, huh. Thanks though. This helped :).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-72471535321817126372015-03-13T17:04:48.128-05:002015-03-13T17:04:48.128-05:00This is such a wonderful post! Thank you! I don...This is such a wonderful post! Thank you! I don't really know who I want to please most. Myself, I suppose, though my perfectionism makes that difficult. And my immediate family, though they can feel like hardest to hand things off to because they're more apt to read me and people in my life into my work, if that makes sense. <br /><br />I like praise that seems deserved, though come to think of it, some of the praise that's inspired most has been of the gushy grandparent/enthusiastic aunt variety. Even though the only thing I've let my aunt read is kinda awful, she's never stopped showering me with encouragement. And apparently my first grade cousin has decided she wants to 'write books like Cousin [Real life name].' *wipes away tears* It was such an honoring moment for me even though the last thing I'd wish on her is literally writing books like me, meaning either writing really long messy unsalvageable bears of first drafts or obsessing and over-editing to the point of hardly writing anything. (Hopefully there's a way of finding a happy medium? But I'm getting off-topic here...) Anyway.<br /><br />Thanks again for this post. It really brightened my day. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177827192567822315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-43816953032462039282015-03-13T14:33:59.466-05:002015-03-13T14:33:59.466-05:00Dittemore*, sorry!Dittemore*, sorry!Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-78320354916702326302015-03-13T14:33:28.759-05:002015-03-13T14:33:28.759-05:00Dittemore*, excuse me.Dittemore*, excuse me.Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11418170993920626842015-03-13T14:32:24.017-05:002015-03-13T14:32:24.017-05:00Jonathan, Do you mean when you're writing in f...Jonathan, Do you mean when you're writing in first person (or even third), and that character is thinking to his/her self?<br /><br />That's how I'm taking your question. :P<br /><br />The only novel (first-draft only so far) was written in first person. I tried not to make her think far too much, but, I mean, the novel is in first person- and humans think- A LOT.<br /><br />I would personally say try to keep the internal monologue relevant. For instance:<br /><br />I would not suggest doing: (This is really random. Yes, I know.)<br /><br />"I wonder what I'll wear to (blah blah blah) next week."<br /><br />If this is important information, yes; if we'll never travel to that event, I would not put it in.<br /><br />I would suggest (again, very random):<br /><br />"She thought about the war plans, mulling over (yada yada)."<br /><br />If that part is critical to the story :D<br /><br />I'm sure Mrs. Dittermore will be able to answer the question far better than I can. She's a published writer, unlike I am, after all :)<br /><br />Sorry for the long comment!<br /><br />I hope your book is coming along well, Jonathan!Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-12329776169545262512015-03-13T14:24:44.836-05:002015-03-13T14:24:44.836-05:00Oh my goodness, I haven't been on here in FORE...Oh my goodness, I haven't been on here in FOREVER!<br /><br />Awesome post as always, Mrs. Dittermore!<br /><br />I have more trouble liking MY OWN writing than other people liking it. <br /><br />I am absolutely scared TO DEATH to send any part of my WIP to my critique partners. They're the best, but I always get scared when people read my writing XD<br /><br />Welp, that was kind of off subject. :p I'll leave with a relevant comment: That helped a lot. I need to start asking myself- and others- that question.<br /><br />Thank you, Mrs. Dittermore!Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36259062427338939242015-03-13T13:29:40.478-05:002015-03-13T13:29:40.478-05:00You definitely helped me! This is a brilliant post...You definitely helped me! This is a brilliant post and everything you said was so true!<br />I would eventually like to be published and get a paycheck and be on the bestsellers list and have my books be made into movies that everyone fangirls over like crazy (every writer's dream, right?). But even if that never happens, at the end of the day, I write because I enjoy it. I write because I'm a writer. So for now, I guess that's enough.<br />I do still plan to be a bestseller one day, though ;)<br /><br /><br />Alexa<br />thessalexa.blogspot.comAlexa Mintahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13865586987033390255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-89653778910687092182015-03-13T13:22:24.240-05:002015-03-13T13:22:24.240-05:00Feedback is that strange thing where I absolutely ...Feedback is that strange thing where I absolutely dread knowing its on the way, and adore no matter how negative it may be because I got it, I can learn, and I can sort through what is good and what is not. I love your post and how encouraging you always are, Mrs. Dittermore. *internet hugs*Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07274929031054555066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-46320404540720076582015-03-13T11:56:22.187-05:002015-03-13T11:56:22.187-05:00I think this is a great way to know when you'r...I think this is a great way to know when you're good with your writing. I haven't submitted that much on the fiction front, although I've written lots of short stories and am currently revising a novel that I hope to get published, but I've submitted quite a few pieces of nonfiction. One way I gained confidence was by entering a national essay contest. The first year, I wasn't even a finalist, but the second year I worked really hard and placed. I might not have been good enough the first year, but I was good enough the second year. For fiction I plan to contact some critique partners and try to get their feedback on my novel. Hopefully it will go well, but if I don't get as much positive feedback, then I'll just remember that contest and try again. Eventually and with enough work, I'll "win".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-42996742131570773582015-03-13T11:14:48.282-05:002015-03-13T11:14:48.282-05:00These are great thoughts, Shan, and I completely a...These are great thoughts, Shan, and I completely agree. The only way to know is have people in the industry give you feedback.In my experience, for a few years I kept hearing, "This is close. Try working on X, Y, and Z." I would work on that, take it to an agent/editor/published writer and hear, "This is close. Try working on A, B, and C." It was actually kind of a shock the first time an agent was like, "This is great!" Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-47213106947896503062015-03-13T10:36:39.152-05:002015-03-13T10:36:39.152-05:00And God bless you! Have a wonderful day, Hanan.And God bless you! Have a wonderful day, Hanan.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-84979014151353980202015-03-13T10:36:01.793-05:002015-03-13T10:36:01.793-05:00Yes! So glad. I worried.Yes! So glad. I worried.Shannon Dittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07757781231485815876noreply@blogger.com