Archive for ‘critiques’

September 13th, 2011

Read for Relief

by Holly Dodson

Hopefully you’ve heard about Read for Relief, which is an auction to fund Hurricane Irene relief brought about by the wonderful Sarah Enni, Tracey Neithercott, Erin Bowman, and Caroline Richmond.

The auctions have already begun, so head on over and see what kind of awesome you can snag.  There are manuscript critiques, books, and all sorts of goodness over there.

Tomorrow an auction will go live for a Super Critique Package from me, Alicia, Erinn, Pam, Quita, and Katharine!  We’ve teamed up to bring you a kick-butt critique package that includes:

1 query critique: Pam Harris
1 synopsis critique (1-2 page limit): Holly Dodson
1 first pages critique (10-15 page limit): Marquita Hockaday
1 first 50 pages critique: Alicia Gregoire
1 full manuscript critique: Katharine Owens (Detailed Crit.)
1 full manuscript critique: Erinn Manack (Big Picture Issues)

SO, make sure you head over and check out everything that’s being offered every day this week!  After all, it’s for a good cause. 

A huge thanks to all the ladies who have worked so hard to set this up.

Categorycharity, critiques, Read for Relief, Writing | CommentNo Comments »

July 14th, 2011

Beta Anxiety

by Holly Dodson

I tend to warn people before I ever agree to critique their work: I’m a heavy-handed commenter.  Just because you see a bunch of track changes marks should not scare you.  I comment on the good as well as what could use work.

But it’s inevitable — the moment I hit send on that email containing my notes and the marked up MS, I start to worry.  Not about the comments I made so much as the way they will be received.

I always, always try my hardest to put comments nicely, helpfully.  I would never intentionally be rude or overbearing to someone I’m working with — ever.  Then that niggling doubt in the back of my mind creeps forward and harasses me again. “She’s going to hate you.  You’ve scared her off for good this time.”

Then I bite my fingernails until the writer comes back after reading my notes.  And it always turns out fine.

Still, I’m the anxious beta.  It gets better the more I work with my steady betas — I know they expect my plethora of comments, and I know it won’t overwhelm them.  But it doesn’t seem to matter, every time I send another file off that anxiety trickles back in.

What about you guys?  Do you have beta anxiety?

Categorycritiques, Writing | CommentNo Comments »

May 3rd, 2011

Help Write Now

by Holly Dodson

Tomorrow marks the opening of the bidding for items to benefit storm victims who have been devastated over the last two weeks.  Kate Hart is heading up the auction at Help Write Now, which is featuring everything from signed books to manuscript critiques to swag and web design.

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All proceeds from the auction are being donated to the Red Cross, so make sure you go check it out when bidding goes live!

A few friends and I have joined up to donate a pretty awesome critique package, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Most importantly, this is going to help people who really need it right now.  A big thanks to Kate and the other organizers for putting this together.  I’m constantly surprised by the offerings of help and outpouring of love from the YA community when people are in need.  It’s great to be a part of such a caring group of people.  <3

Categorycritiques | CommentNo Comments »

March 31st, 2011

Crits for Water

by Holly Dodson
Crits for Water is being hosted by Kat Brauer from March 31st – June 31st

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The idea is that for every $1 you donate to Crits for Water, Kat will critique 250 words from your MS.

She has also got some special guest critiquers (which work on a different scale for donations).  You can see the list HERE, but some of the names included are Susan Dennard, Joanna Volpe, Sara Kendall, The Rejectionist, and many more!

Charity: Water is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing clean water to the estimated 1 billion people on earth who do not have access to it, and all donations go directly to the field.  A super worthy cause, wouldn’t you say?

This is a huge opportunity for you to make a difference in someone’s life, and still benefit from it!

Categorycritiques, Writing | CommentNo Comments »

January 22nd, 2011

Who’s The Ninja?

by Holly Dodson
 
 
 
 
Today the ninja brings us a query and synopsis critique for you, my lovelies!
First follower to comment with their email address wins! 
 

Categorycontest, critiques | Comment4 Comments »

November 18th, 2010

Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows

by Holly Dodson

I have no book review for you this week.

Excuses:  Super Spawn has been sick.  Deathly Hallows comes out Friday and I just HAD to re-read the book before I could see it.  I’m in revising heaven with the most awesome critique partner ever, and the best WIP I’ve ever written and just. can’t. put it down.

But now I feel inclined to write a little ditty about Super Spawn and the Deathly Hallows because that sounds SO intriguing.  lol

It has been such an awesome week.  I’m going to take a moment to thank Susan for her enthusiastic support and friendship, not to mention her stellar critiques.

Also, I’d like to thank everyone who commented on yesterdays post.  It’s something that I wouldn’t ever wish on a person, and I hope one day something I say can help someone either get out, or deal with the after effects of the situation.

You are all wonderful, and thank you so much for the support and kind words.  Really.  It means a lot.

Okay, get over here!  Group hug!

Categorycritiques, reading, revisions, Writing | Comment3 Comments »

August 4th, 2010

Critique Party #8

by Holly Dodson

Remember – I’m moderating the comments. This is meant to help one another, so be nice.

Our goal is to help each writer make their page stronger.

Dear Dream Agent,

Fourteen-year-old Mandy Samkirk is the only person who can return light to the world, but she isn’t sure she wants to.

Mandy’s parents have been keeping secrets. Not only is Mandy a marvel – complete with magical powers – but she is being forced to leave her life and friends behind for some ridiculous boarding school. How cliché.

When Mandy’s father is murdered right before her eyes, she is thrust into the heart of a battle she never knew existed. The marvel world is under siege by Temne – who consume light, or your inherent goodness – causing the world to get darker. The days creep by until the earth is covered in perpetual darkness, and death is certain for all.

Legend says there is only one who can bridge the gap between magical and non-magical beings to restore harmony to the precarious balance of good and evil. This harmony holds the key to restoring light to the decaying planet.

Even with the fate of humanity resting on her shoulders, Mandy isn’t sure she can face the villain she loves.

When battle is imminent, Mandy finds the courage to make a decision she never expected.

Emerald’s Keeper, a YA Paranormal novel, is complete at 61,000 words. I believe it will appeal to fans of Aprilynne Pike’s Wings as well as Holly Black’s Tithe.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Holly Dodson

Categorycritiques, queries, revisions, Writing | Comment8 Comments »

August 3rd, 2010

Critique Party #7

by Holly Dodson
Remember – I’m moderating the comments. This is meant to help one another, so be nice.

Our goal is to help each writer make their page stronger.

*A note about this page: The story is set in England and the author has used British spellings.*

Butterfly With Broken Wings, a contemporary YA novel by Laura Dunks

Time machines. If I could invent one, I’d hop in and go back to the days when things were simple. When I knew what came next.

You know when you become stuck on autopilot and the days go by so fast you don’t even stop to think? Then you wake up one day and realise that everything is about to change, but you aren’t ready? You haven’t even begun to prepare.

How was this worse than the changes every teenager must face? The truth was, I didn’t know. This time seemed different. A strange sensation nagged me every time I stopped to think. Things would never be the same.

So what did I, Amelia Jane Wright, do when life threw me so much uncertainty that I wanted to jump into bed, pull the covers over my head, and never wake up?

I relived amazing memories and dreamed of the future.

My best friend Gina and I lay on our stomachs on her bed watching our favourite old home movie – a compilation made by my dad. In the grainy video we were three-years-old, holding hands, and jumping into muddy puddles, to see who could make the biggest splash.

I rolled to face her. “You wanna like skip school tomorrow?”

She snorted. “You say that every summer.”

“Tomorrow our lives will be ruled by exams and gossip.”

She rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.”

Although we were at the same school, Gina was fourteen and a year above me.

She beamed at the television and fiddled with her glasses. “I love this part.”

Categorycritiques, revisions, Writing | Comment6 Comments »

August 2nd, 2010

Critique Party #6

by Holly Dodson
Remember – I’m moderating the comments. This is meant to help one another, so be nice.

Our goal is to help each writer make their page stronger.

[Contact Info]

Dear Dream Agent,

I’m seeking representation for THE SPIRIT-HUNTERS, a young adult steampunk complete at 80,000 words.

When her brother vanishes at the train station, Eleanor Fitt – a stubborn and naïve young lady-of-leisure – must leave the confines of corsets and courtesy to get him back.

It’s 1876, and Philadelphia is hosting the Centennial Exhibition. It’s also hosting rancid corpses that refuse to stay dead. When one of those decomposing bodies delivers a hostage note for Eleanor’s scholarly brother, she resolves to do anything to get him back. But to face the armies of Dead that have him, she’ll need a little help.

The Spirit-Hunters, a three-man team hired to protect the Centennial Exhibition, have different backgrounds and different skills, but they work together under a single goal: return the Dead to where they belong. Yet, what had begun as an easy job with only a handful of shambling bodies has escalated beyond the teams’ abilities, and time is running out. Whoever rules the Dead is losing control of his power, and when the leash finally snaps, Philadelphia will be overrun with ravenous corpses.

From the steampunk lab of the Spirit-Hunters to the emptied cemeteries of Philadelphia, Eleanor must follow the clues – and the bodies – to find her brother and stop the Dead before it’s too late.

I’m an active member of RWA, SCBWI, the Online Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop, and YALitChat. I avidly read your blog daily [or insert some relevant comment for specific agent...] Thanks so much for your time.

Best regards,

Susan Dennard

Categorycritiques, queries, Writing | Comment6 Comments »

July 31st, 2010

A Saturday Hello

by Holly Dodson

I do hope you are all enjoying the Critique Party! There have been some really excellent comments for these writers. Thank you all for participating. Next week we have three more critiques: two queries, and one more first page.

After that we’ll go back to the regular schedule again. Though, if you guys have enjoyed/learned from this I may do it again.

Have a good weekend, lovelies! I’m off to do some writing.

Categorycritiques, Writing | Comment1 Comment »

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