tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post1454418535463628692..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: "failing and breaking, failing and learning and failing again"Janet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-79739472751764680432010-02-26T11:30:21.635-05:002010-02-26T11:30:21.635-05:00Thanks. This was a very interesting story.
It...Thanks. This was a very interesting story.<br /><br />It's like that story about Thomas Edison: "I did not fail 1000 times at making a ligh tbulb. I learned 1000 ways Not to make a light bulb."Kelsey (Dominique) Ridgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646757546422013401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-9977774334011485122010-02-26T01:38:35.318-05:002010-02-26T01:38:35.318-05:00Wow - this happens to be one of those times when I...Wow - this happens to be one of those times when I happen across a post that I really needed to read. Thanks for the reminder.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06453996715078965400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3094464791446227652010-02-25T16:49:57.252-05:002010-02-25T16:49:57.252-05:00This is why I always keep a hammer next to my lapt...This is why I always keep a hammer next to my laptop...<br /><br />Actually, that's to keep the kids away from me while I'm working, but it's nice to know there are other uses for it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704845146768729518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-75696503374985492852010-02-25T12:12:45.434-05:002010-02-25T12:12:45.434-05:00"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Agai..."Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better." - Mr. BeckettCoral Fellowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05342050748689864585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14512585703758881692010-02-25T12:03:41.627-05:002010-02-25T12:03:41.627-05:00Wow! If ever there was a great story of persevere...Wow! If ever there was a great story of perseverence, that's one of them.<br /><br />Now I have to go look up moon pots. You piqued my interest.M.R.J. Le Blanchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770517124639901061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-63370148288951983052010-02-25T11:51:43.818-05:002010-02-25T11:51:43.818-05:00Andrew, very interesting point you raise. I've...Andrew, very interesting point you raise. I've never heard the phrase "grammar of hypertext" before.<br /><br />My first reaction was "hey, you're lucky the damn link works" since I've had to do some (ok,lots of) link fixes in my day.<br /><br />My second reaction is this is going to be something to think about.<br /><br /><br />Now I have go google "grammar of hypertext" to see if anyone is talking about it and if so what they're saying.<br /><br />Work? pffft. This is research!!Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-78927818791662620832010-02-25T11:47:36.913-05:002010-02-25T11:47:36.913-05:00This really speaks to me right now :). I feel cal...This really speaks to me right now :). I feel calmer just for having read it.<br /><br />Also, I am now on a quest to find and procure Slayer underpants.Rebecca Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15214077952378770753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-61751927667338420602010-02-25T11:44:50.874-05:002010-02-25T11:44:50.874-05:00Wow, really interesting stuff. I always feel like ...Wow, really interesting stuff. I always feel like I am part of the "in" group of writers after I read this blog.<br /><br />Sarah Allen<br />(<a href="http://fromsarahwithjoy.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">my creative writing blog</a>)Sarah Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01185278849400551014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30504996045838880932010-02-25T11:34:03.888-05:002010-02-25T11:34:03.888-05:00Tangential musing on the grammar of hypertext:
Af...Tangential musing on the grammar of hypertext:<br /><br />After skimming your post and realizing it was 99% quote, I went back to the top and followed the link for "Rebecca Brown's"--expecting it to be the quoted essay. I read the whole thing before noticing it was not. I intended to inform you of your error, but was interrupted by noticing my own.<br /><br />While I had seen the link for "The article is here" at the bottom, I assumed it was a repeat link, as one often finds when a poster wants to emphasize and promote a link forecefully.<br /><br />My question: if the initial link had only been under "Rebecca Brown", leaving the possessive apostrophe-S un-linked (and somewhat dangling, perhaps), would that have conveyed more clearly its content to me? I think it likely. Underlin(k)ing the whole possessive, as you have, implies that the link <i>belongs</i> to her. Underlining only the proper name implies that it is a link <i>about</i> her.<br /><br />Not a nitpick, just a musing. Now I think I'll go actually read the (second) article...Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17710199217121149910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-85157268995221179652010-02-25T11:29:26.432-05:002010-02-25T11:29:26.432-05:00However much I loathe failing, I must agree. I wou...However much I loathe failing, I must agree. I wouldn't write as well as I do today if I had clung on to my first novel ten years ago and never decided to tear it apart, look what I did wrong, learned, and started on a new piece. As a writer, I'm simply lucky because even when I break apart my work, it's still there and not in tiny tiny clay pieces in a hole in the ground.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14869145555938203736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13554857415081337302010-02-25T10:59:55.549-05:002010-02-25T10:59:55.549-05:00Potters have the advantage in that they can litera...Potters have the advantage in that they can literally smash things up with a hammer. It's satisfying.<br /><br />I try to get some satisfaction out of ripping and remodeling a manuscript, but it's just intellectual. No great crunch! Crash! Thunk! (Although the cats enjoy the resulting paper balls.)The Daring Novelisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01676188266569869059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16243855485436006642010-02-25T10:47:02.526-05:002010-02-25T10:47:02.526-05:00Having been a scenic artist for a time, I learned ...Having been a scenic artist for a time, I learned to be fairly Zen about creating. After spending hours, if not days, creating scenery for shows that don't happen or scenes that are cut, you learn to find your joy in the process. And you learn to appreciate your own journey towards excellence.Alice Sabohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15017512356886351379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-4922109821869682012010-02-25T10:36:20.885-05:002010-02-25T10:36:20.885-05:00Words cannot express how deeply this pierced me.Words cannot express how deeply this pierced me.Sean Ferrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01233391827095815940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6959876221923896042010-02-25T10:23:14.440-05:002010-02-25T10:23:14.440-05:00My twin sister's a ceramist, and I recently he...My twin sister's a ceramist, and I recently helped her smash a bunch of substandard work. I think it was harder for me than for her - I didn't see all the flaws, but she did. When I'd protest the smashing of this piece or that, she'd just smile and say that the next one she made would be better.<br /><br />She and I have found a lot of similarities between ceramics and writing. I suppose art is art, and the pursuit of perfection translates. Still, I'm glad I can figuratively tear apart my drafts while editing instead of literally destroying them :)Andrea Coulterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13478845861604754432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19689573952541198062010-02-25T10:05:21.817-05:002010-02-25T10:05:21.817-05:00Love, love, love this story. Thanks so much for sh...Love, love, love this story. Thanks so much for sharing (and inspiring - especially since I'm doing yet another draft of my MS right now!).Alli Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00363202163419352155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1755882137357850202010-02-25T09:55:59.558-05:002010-02-25T09:55:59.558-05:00I believe we have some moon pots at The Newark Mus...I believe we have some moon pots at The Newark Museum in New Jersey. I'm not sure they're hers, though.<br /><br />Gorgeous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-58547241200118210662010-02-25T09:52:57.735-05:002010-02-25T09:52:57.735-05:00Sometimes, in some ways, I would rather fail than ...Sometimes, in some ways, I would rather fail than succeed. When I fail, I learn from it, but when I succeed, I always go, "Wait a minute... how'd I do that?" and learn nothing, except for how to stop sounding as shocked each time.Christi Goddardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08590491851753709622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42616004828380345722010-02-25T09:52:32.251-05:002010-02-25T09:52:32.251-05:00Very appropriate.
Writing is like that, at least...Very appropriate. <br /><br />Writing is like that, at least for most of us. Natural story-telling is one thing, but you still need to understand the rules (even if you break a couple - much better to do so with a reason than through ignorance) and learn craftsmanship.<br /><br />Like artistry, craftsmanship in writing is about understanding and using the subtleties of language and taking something as clumsy as words to paint pictures, conjure conversation a reader can hear, evoke memories, even simulates sensations like smell and exhaustion.<br /><br />You might know what story to tell, be a font of fantastic ideas, but you need your tools and your skills to communicate them to others. <br /><br />At least, that's my opinion.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-40805406035103848792010-02-25T09:34:46.463-05:002010-02-25T09:34:46.463-05:00Thank you for this Janet.Thank you for this Janet.Anne Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05816355522284492131noreply@blogger.com