tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post5979793689195425336..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Looking for help with your novel?Janet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12161869732617246472012-02-11T22:03:55.977-05:002012-02-11T22:03:55.977-05:00You do realize that with this post you've put ...You do realize that with this post you've put your FedEx man in grave danger, right? You offer free feedback when he doesn't show? Hmmmmm....Cole Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06885196937953488437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-32757072529615705902012-02-08T20:40:23.636-05:002012-02-08T20:40:23.636-05:00Thank you! My schedule won't allow me to do th...Thank you! My schedule won't allow me to do the live course, but I think I'll order the pre-recorded lectures. I'm doing revisions now, so this may help.Simon Hayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09384384882217609761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-84709927840158690822012-02-08T11:47:02.067-05:002012-02-08T11:47:02.067-05:00Thanks. Now, can you also help me lose weight?Thanks. Now, can you also help me lose weight?Steven J. Wangsnesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14846516529180802046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46773285654903035162012-02-08T07:48:41.421-05:002012-02-08T07:48:41.421-05:00A big-time agent helped me once. Took my first thr...A big-time agent helped me once. Took my first three paragraphs, mixed up the little wooden tiles and Scrabbled them into an excellent opening. The feedback changed everything because I changed everything. Maybe I was that agent’s project during idle-time. <br />Waiting for FedEx may have changed someone’s entire writing future. Good for you.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28890802594042518502012-02-08T00:46:38.695-05:002012-02-08T00:46:38.695-05:00I have "Hooked" on my reference shelf. T...I have "Hooked" on my reference shelf. That was an awesome favor you did for that writer. Someone did it for me once and it stuck.<br /><br />A few weeks ago I was working on a submission for an anthology. I wrote the storyline without thought to word count. The first draft clocked in at about 1300 words.<br /><br />I double-checked the sub requirements and it was either under 500 words or over 3000.<br /><br />Well, heck. I either had to make my story more than twice as long, or less than half as long. <br /><br />I decided to go short. To double it would have required a lot of padding, the point of the tale was narrow and straightforward. So, I went to work. <br /><br />Two hours and a bloody hatchet later, it was 499 words and a better work. All the redundancy was gone. And it was accepted into the anthology and will pub sometime this summer.<br /><br />Darlings have a life expectancy of about a week around here. I am looking at things to see if I can swing the recorded version of the classes or maybe a consulting session or two. Hmmm . . .<br /><br />TerriTerri Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461583056862465783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-22558239068393839082012-02-08T00:06:26.593-05:002012-02-08T00:06:26.593-05:00Good advice. I murdered some and was on the verge ...Good advice. I murdered some and was on the verge of murdering more-- but then an agent fell in love with my darlings. (= Saved in the nick of time.Jo Schafferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11514820971898568397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-20228509741609089152012-02-07T20:27:20.126-05:002012-02-07T20:27:20.126-05:00Janet knows all the aliases. I'm betting her a...Janet knows all the aliases. I'm betting her address book is packed with the contact info of all the classiest probation officers.NotaWarriorPrincesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01754153935155853192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-22772592009189900752012-02-07T18:38:09.978-05:002012-02-07T18:38:09.978-05:00I’ve been a student of Les' for about a year a...I’ve been a student of Les' for about a year and a half—both as a private student and in the college setting. I can’t say enough good things about him. If you want to take your writing to the next level, he’s the guy to hitch a ride with.Maegan Beaumonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04311901347438767578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-42719013753166754072012-02-07T18:35:43.205-05:002012-02-07T18:35:43.205-05:00@ Rashad, Elements of Fiction Writing series?@ Rashad, Elements of Fiction Writing series?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-47303092753307329082012-02-07T17:59:53.295-05:002012-02-07T17:59:53.295-05:00Thanks, Janet, you darling murderer of minions and...Thanks, Janet, you darling murderer of minions and paragraphs. Your write up is a lesson in how to hook. Right, Les?<br /><br />Leah, thank you for your kind words. It's easy to teach students as talented and motivated as Leah.<br /><br />Feaky and anyone else, if $$$ is preventing you from taking a class with me, write me and/or Les. I can't promise anything but we will talk. Money shouldn't interfere with the writer's journey. I I ever get rich, I'll be able to walk the walk better, but for now I'm trying.<br /><br />Thanks, you all, for your interest.Jenny Milchmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04410805792044518458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-91921080260543843692012-02-07T17:22:55.556-05:002012-02-07T17:22:55.556-05:00Les in book form ("Hooked") is a blend o...Les in book form ("Hooked") is a blend of humor and intimidation that forces every writer to take a butcher knife to every one of their darlings. Hence the nickname "Butch" I suspect. (Okay there may be other reasons that we aren't going to discuss here)<br /><br />But when you experience Les in "real life" not only do you kill those darling, you learn to call them by their real name: "overblown writerly crap." Makes them easier to slice into bits too, so there's that.<br /><br />I'm already hooked into a Les class. If you're not, take the skype class. You'll learn how to carve your story with maximum impact and minimum blood loss. And you'll write stronger for it.Birgittehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01801518363990576194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-35523060658364261482012-02-07T16:47:02.973-05:002012-02-07T16:47:02.973-05:00Damn it. I'm sick of being poor. :( And by ...Damn it. I'm sick of being poor. :( And by 'poor' I mean, 'Supporting two people on $700 /month,' not, 'gee I'd have to skip a few lunches with the girls this month to afford the course.' <br /><br />It's a good thing we can't sell blood for money here in Canada is all I'm saying.Feaky Snuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17481513779668517971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-17592796943158661042012-02-07T16:23:35.356-05:002012-02-07T16:23:35.356-05:00Thanks, Janet! You rock (as always!). This is a bi...Thanks, Janet! You rock (as always!). This is a big help for getting the word out.<br /><br />And, Garbrielle--it's both Les and Butch. Butch is a nickname only my fellow ex-cons know... Don't know how Janet knows this... :)<br /><br />Blue skies!Les Edgertonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17997858985904932554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19058373955396812552012-02-07T15:58:16.252-05:002012-02-07T15:58:16.252-05:00All - I took Jenny's last class (Polished and ...All - I took Jenny's last class (Polished and Published) and I honestly can't say enough good things about her! She's very smart and cares a TON about her students - and now I'm happy to call her a friend.<br /><br />So I know this class will be amazing!!<br /><br />Sign up - you won't regret it.<br /><br />(Janet - I was hoping you'd post about it so I could comment! Hooray!)Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07909811517213604525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16255962830568883932012-02-07T15:52:51.250-05:002012-02-07T15:52:51.250-05:00Do you recommend any additional books on the craft...Do you recommend any additional books on the craft as must-haves? A lot seem to be recycling the same information. I realize they hold the same lessons, but after reading thirty or so, I'm finding it harder and harder to pick up another one. I enjoyed Stephen King's more informal book "On Writing".<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />Rashad.Rashad Pharaonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03795035923841527742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-51072959864412802682012-02-07T15:52:22.928-05:002012-02-07T15:52:22.928-05:00Just bought the book, HOOKED but it's LES Edge...Just bought the book, HOOKED but it's LES Edgerton, yes?<br /><br />Serendipitous feedback from top agents and editors is like gold. Treasure it writers, treasure it.The Busy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06436661456524769835noreply@blogger.com