just for kicks, I went back and read the reviews of SU's books

[MikeWaters]

Holy cow, you would think that he wrote a magnum opus not seen in the English language in the past two centuries! 20 reviews!

Wow, the number of favors SU must have called in boggles the mind!

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Holy cow, you would think that he wrote a magnum opus not seen in the English language in the past two centuries! 20 reviews!

Wow, the number of favors SU must have called in boggles the mind!

They weren't all people I knew. Most notably, R. Kyle, a top Amazon reviewer who won the reviewing prize, was not. By sheer chance R. Kyle was in an online critique group that I joined after the Amazon contest. The way the group works is a new member critiques a whole novel using a template and instrctions, thereby earning credit points that can be spent to have your work critiqued. There are all serious writers, many of them published. I did my critique, and by double sheer chance R. Kyle was assigned my novel.

She critiqued it page by page start to finish. It was a really rewarding experience. She was tough, had some great input, but it was fun to have someone read it who was engaged and "got it." Unfortuantely a novel is not as accessible a work of art as a song. The novel is much improved now and I'm going to post it on an online slush pile started by Harper Collins.

This time the whole thing will be up and you can grade it again.

[MikeWaters]

your novel will be on a site so anyone can download it and read it?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

your novel will be on a site so anyone can download it and read it?

Just read it. the idea is to give it exposure, buzz, etc. with at a place where agents and editors browse. HarperCollins claims at the site that there's no down side. I don't think there is. There's an associated forum and blog. Here is the site:

http://www.authonomy.com/

I've changed the title. It's now called "Children of God." I think that's much better.

Meanhile, I'm working on a new project.

[MikeWaters]

Luciano is actually on to something. A book can be dense and rich.

But a book can also be dense and not rich. Or dense and trying to be rich, but plodding in the effort.

For this book to be successful, it needs to be written like a thriller where the reader gains historical knowledge by accident. Because it is not Ondaatje and really can't be. It needs to move, move, move.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Luciano is actually on to something. A book can be dense and rich.

But a book can also be dense and not rich. Or dense and trying to be rich, but plodding in the effort.

For this book to be successful, it needs to be written like a thriller where the reader gains historical knowledge by accident. Because it is not Ondaatje and really can't be. It needs to move, move, move.

I've cut 4,000 words. The first chapter received a lot of work.

[SeattleUte]

That site makes you give your book a rating, like the movies (R, PG, etc.), but different designations, topping out at >18. I'm afraid mine is >18.