› ›
Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime

Might be getting better!

HippoHippo
edited February 2007 in - Writing Tales

Comments

  • HippoHippo
    I sent in a story to Writer's Forum magazine just before Christmas and, although it wasn't selected for publication, I was pleased that my score on their judging sheet was the highest I've had for the 3 stories I've sent in over the last couple of years, as I did feel it was better than previous work.

    I did a bit of analysis of all three judging sheets (two readers for each - the main reader for stories 1 and 3 appeared, from the handwriting, to be the same) and it was interesting to see what I was good at and what needed improving.  I've always had top marks for my titles and story endings - I 'just' need to get all the stuff in the middle right, then.  Action and Pace get good marks and Characters, Dialogue and Language are improving. The big thing I need to work on is Openings.  In a points' range of -10 to 25, I keep getting 10, which is still classified as 'an intriguing opening', but definitely needs work!  I think I'll be signing up for Spread the Word's workshop in April on that very subject...  Let's face it, if I don't hook an editor with the opening of my novel, all the other improvements in the world aren't going to help me, are they? 

    The sheets and my analysis are hardly conclusive proof of anything, but I'd like to think indicate my writing's moving in the right direction.  And at least I've never had low scores for anything (some of the lower scores come with rather harsh comments) - the perfectionist in me sometimes forgets things could be worse...  I could have had ' Flat, lacked pace and punch (-5)' or 'Needed re-writing, an early letdown (-10) for my opening.  Eeeek.
  • KangarooKangaroo
    Well done Hippo, that's great news!
  • KatyKaty
    Hippo, that sounds really encouraging, well done!
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Well done!
  • Tessa TangentTessa Tangent
    Yes, well done, Hippo and many many congratulations for managing to take the criticism as positively as it was intended.  They WANT good writers and so it is also in their interests at WF to criticise well.

    It's given you a pointer and we all know that when we pick up a book to buy or borrow, we tend to read the first page or so to see if it's for us.  Then the first few chapters have to back that up.

    My problem is character names at the moment - have so many I've started calling them M and N and P for thinking about and completing later!

    Looking forward to March :O)
  • JaceyJacey
    Well done, Hippo!
  • josiehenleyjosiehenley
    Well done Hippo, it is heartening when you can see that your writing is getting better. How bizarre to have ‘scores’ though! I imagine ice-skating judges holding up a placard, or the Eurovision song contest (I remember me and my sisters saying ‘Loosemborg nil pwa’ to each other if we did something daft)!

    I agree about openings, there has to be a hook and dialogue is a good way in. I’ve never had critiques with scores, only the sort where the work is ripped apart with red pen, but I suppose a grade is the same as a score. Dorothy, although it can be harsh I much prefer these sorts of critiques than the ones where people try to spare my feelings which are really quite useless.
  • CarolCarol
    You have to be honest if you're doing a critique. It is no use to the writer if you don't show them what is wriong, as well as what is right.
    Well done Hippo, keep working at it.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    I've just had a look at the scores for stories I sent in a few years ago. They ranged from 133 to 141, apart from one which initially received 146 marks, then was bumped up to 160 and was shortlisted. Nothing was ever published and I'd found a publisher for the collections by then, so I haven't sent anything recently. 
  • HippoHippo
    Hi Jay, I've just checked my scores and they've been 145 (then bumped up to 147), 136 and 160 (downgraded to 158 - boo!) for the last one.  So more or less the same ball park as you.  Two were shortlisted, but, strangely, not the one with the highest score - it must depend on what else is sent in that month and how you compare to others.  Or just on how the readers/editore are feeling that day!  As we all know, it's highly subjective.  The one which got 145/147 was the one I subsequently had published in Scribble - WF had ticked 'should find a market', so I guess that bit was accurate, at least.
Sign In or Register to comment.