Comments on: Supertaunt Tension and Sizzling Stakes http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/ A place for people who love, read and write children's literature. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:53:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: Janelle http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-42781 Janelle Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:07:24 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-42781 Annnnnd, I just realized this post was from 2009! That's what I get for searching while tired. I'm guessing you won't be going back to old posts to answer questions. Still, thanks for writing this up way back when. Annnnnd, I just realized this post was from 2009! That’s what I get for searching while tired. I’m guessing you won’t be going back to old posts to answer questions. Still, thanks for writing this up way back when.

]]> By: Janelle http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-42749 Janelle Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:53:14 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-42749 Mary, you are the best. I came by today so I could do a search on chapter endings, and there was your post with a section on...chapter endings! Yay! If you have time, I would love to hear your opinion on the difference (if there is/should be one) in this area between commercial and literary fiction. Mary, you are the best. I came by today so I could do a search on chapter endings, and there was your post with a section on…chapter endings! Yay! If you have time, I would love to hear your opinion on the difference (if there is/should be one) in this area between commercial and literary fiction.

]]> By: Erin Kelly Cormier http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-12658 Erin Kelly Cormier Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:31:09 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-12658 Mary - The thread that seems to tie all this together is PACE. I find that this is my greatest struggle. Sometimes it feels as if the story is moving forward too quickly or too slowly. There are times when I consider writing a throat-clearing chapter just so I can sandwich it between two fast-paced chapters, just to keep some kind of steady pace. By the same token I don't want to "force" a more expo/character-heavy chapter just-because. Do you find that pacing is a big problem in your slush pile? Any quick words of wisdom? Erin Mary -
The thread that seems to tie all this together is PACE. I find that this is my greatest struggle. Sometimes it feels as if the story is moving forward too quickly or too slowly. There are times when I consider writing a throat-clearing chapter just so I can sandwich it between two fast-paced chapters, just to keep some kind of steady pace. By the same token I don’t want to “force” a more expo/character-heavy chapter just-because.

Do you find that pacing is a big problem in your slush pile? Any quick words of wisdom?

Erin

]]> By: Naomi Canale http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-4214 Naomi Canale Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:39:54 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-4214 This is such a great post. I was at critique not to long ago and a newbie to informed me she couldn't read past the first page, she was disturbed. I guess I did what I was supposed to do, according to this post, yay! I tried not to take it to personal, but what my character was going through was real because I went through it. I did end up toning it down a bit. Thanks Mary for sharing your knowledge, your so wise! You know your a great agent when, writers dream of having you as an agent because you help improve their craft so immensely. This is such a great post. I was at critique not to long ago and a newbie to informed me she couldn’t read past the first page, she was disturbed. I guess I did what I was supposed to do, according to this post, yay! I tried not to take it to personal, but what my character was going through was real because I went through it. I did end up toning it down a bit. Thanks Mary for sharing your knowledge, your so wise! You know your a great agent when, writers dream of having you as an agent because you help improve their craft so immensely.

]]> By: Laura Perdew http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-3679 Laura Perdew Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:01:03 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-3679 Love thisinfo! I copied and pasted it for my own writing files. The information is easy to use and practical...I think I'll use it when outlining my next novel as a pre-writing exercise. Love thisinfo! I copied and pasted it for my own writing files. The information is easy to use and practical…I think I’ll use it when outlining my next novel as a pre-writing exercise.

]]> By: Piper http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-2429 Piper Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:41:45 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-2429 This post just helped me with a huge problem in my MG. The whole story hinges on a group of kids attempting to solve a mystery, but something felt off and now I see that I haven't given them a 'real' reason for doing anything. I'm now infusing the story with kid-friendly motivation and things are crackling along quite nicely. How fun it must be to know that every post on your blog changes writers' lives and gives people hope and inspiration. You rock! :) This post just helped me with a huge problem in my MG. The whole story hinges on a group of kids attempting to solve a mystery, but something felt off and now I see that I haven’t given them a ‘real’ reason for doing anything. I’m now infusing the story with kid-friendly motivation and things are crackling along quite nicely.

How fun it must be to know that every post on your blog changes writers’ lives and gives people hope and inspiration. You rock! :)

]]> By: Jackee http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-2427 Jackee Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:23:56 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-2427 Great stuff, Mary, thanks! I love that you use the word button. I might steal that one, if you don't mind. :) Great stuff, Mary, thanks!

I love that you use the word button. I might steal that one, if you don’t mind. :)

]]> By: Karen Collum http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-2425 Karen Collum Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:20:44 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-2425 Excellent post, Mary. You've really clarified this for me and I feel like I have a better grasp of both tension and stakes now, so thank you. I can now revise with this in mind, but also write with it in mind too. So many gems :) Excellent post, Mary. You’ve really clarified this for me and I feel like I have a better grasp of both tension and stakes now, so thank you. I can now revise with this in mind, but also write with it in mind too. So many gems :)

]]> By: Christina http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-2424 Christina Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:13:37 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-2424 Great advice as always. You really should think about teaching a writer's class. You have the knack for it! Thanks for sharing. Great advice as always. You really should think about teaching a writer’s class. You have the knack for it! Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Silvia http://kidlit.com/2009/12/11/supertaunt-tension-sizzling-stakes/comment-page-1/#comment-2419 Silvia Sun, 13 Dec 2009 00:41:26 +0000 http://kidlit.com/?p=983#comment-2419 I've been checking this blog for a while and it's the first time I've copied and pasted so many posts. Thank you for the great advice! I’ve been checking this blog for a while and it’s the first time I’ve copied and pasted so many posts. Thank you for the great advice!

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