tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post853330775526951039..comments2024-03-20T02:49:17.606-07:00Comments on Between Fact and Fiction: Taking Questions TodayNatalie Whipplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-26061219797973229922010-12-15T15:30:38.447-08:002010-12-15T15:30:38.447-08:00Great questions and answers! I just wanted to say...Great questions and answers! I just wanted to say my husband plays WOW!<br /><br />I ask this a lot, but how do you balance writing, blogging, family and time for yourself?Abby Minardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963640263845561309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-53784775081277509632010-12-15T01:23:39.447-08:002010-12-15T01:23:39.447-08:00Have any tips on writing a first draft (and living...Have any tips on writing a first draft (and living to tell the tale)? :)<br /><br />~EllaThe Blogger Girlzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915385689799889397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-28151964593774851752010-12-14T19:20:42.881-08:002010-12-14T19:20:42.881-08:00Thank you so so many great suggestions Natalie. I ...Thank you so so many great suggestions Natalie. I will be looking into all of them, and they seem to be to my usual tastesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13632253128937849100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-61199870040066035242010-12-14T17:42:19.082-08:002010-12-14T17:42:19.082-08:00What's your favorite sushi restaurant?What's your favorite sushi restaurant?Jenilyn Collingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13166139358513659892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-9321827238119971192010-12-14T17:02:43.223-08:002010-12-14T17:02:43.223-08:00Liz, I think what I like about Utah's weather ...Liz, I think what I like about Utah's weather in general is its complete unpredictability. You just never know what you're going to get! <br /><br />I mean, hello? It's been in the 50s this week! What the heck? But I've loved it and I will soak up those few "warm" winter days while I can. <br /><br />And watch, blizzard next week, hehe. <br /><br />I used to kind of hate that, but I really do love it now. So much of my life is the same thing over and over, and it's nice that at least the weather makes things interesting. <br /><br />Like that one time it rained, hailed, and then turned sunny (complete with double rainbow) all within like three hours.<br /><br />Or when the summer evening thunderstorms roll in, in all their purple fury. <br /><br />Or when it's so cold (and yet not snowy), that the trees look like frosted ice.<br /><br />Or how the trees change colors—with the flame colors topping the mountains first and then trickling to the valleys. Then the first snow-topped peaks of winter...and on down. You can literally watch the world change bit by bit.<br /><br />And then one day it's all gone, covered in thick snow. Clean slate.<br /><br />I love how Spring teases you in Utah. One week so warm you start wearing flip flops. The next week snow. Then rain. One day in the 80s...and then another snowstorm. Such a tug-o-war, between winter and spring.<br /><br />And then summer butts in and cuts the rope. Hot hot hot. So hot you can't WAIT for that first snow to come. <br /><br />It does, in its own time. Never when you expect it.<br /><br />Wow, apparently I really like Utah weather. Heck, the whole state's grown on me over the years.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-19025433108896263772010-12-14T16:44:43.618-08:002010-12-14T16:44:43.618-08:00Natalie, what are your favorite things about winte...Natalie, what are your favorite things about winter in Utah?<br /><br />I'm trying to be more positive, all around, and it's all I can do to keep from complaining about the weather all day, so I could use some inspiration! :)Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10648005142462223746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-23038132826807398872010-12-14T16:18:44.809-08:002010-12-14T16:18:44.809-08:00I really should be a marriage counselor, I think. ...I really should be a marriage counselor, I think. People would make up just to get out of my strange and unusual methods...Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-12724911360917009552010-12-14T16:17:10.347-08:002010-12-14T16:17:10.347-08:00LMAO! Best advice EVER! I'm going to tell him ...LMAO! Best advice EVER! I'm going to tell him you said this. hahahahaHeather Hansenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814444108289873041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-35841768116437384242010-12-14T16:11:42.156-08:002010-12-14T16:11:42.156-08:00Heather, first, the shirt IS funny. Second, you SH...Heather, first, the shirt IS funny. Second, you SHOULD NOT have a child just so your husband can put you in that shirt.<br /><br />This is what I propose (I'm sure Steven will be totally ON BOARD): <br /><br />He should wear the shirt. And when people ask, he can explain that he has signed up for a mentoring program and is awaiting the news of which lucky kid he'll get.<br /><br />It's perfect, really. He gets to wear the shirt AND do community service.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-13865027727503261152010-12-14T15:54:17.706-08:002010-12-14T15:54:17.706-08:00My husband found a maternity t-shirt that says, &q...My husband found a maternity t-shirt that says, "Rolling and ALT." Now he wants to knock me up. I'm trying to convince him that wearing a hilarious t-shirt shouldn't be the reason behind procreation. He stands behind his joke. Advice?<br /><br />(All the above is true, unfortunately. Heh)Heather Hansenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814444108289873041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-75775481987735707872010-12-14T14:58:50.817-08:002010-12-14T14:58:50.817-08:00Carrie! How could you make me pick just one? That&...Carrie! How could you make me pick just one? That's like picking between children. I will have to think on this...Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-81359974919057446692010-12-14T14:57:11.911-08:002010-12-14T14:57:11.911-08:00Please describe or post a photo of your favorite p...Please describe or post a photo of your favorite pair of shoes.CKHBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17741681893677604323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-17019090901053660382010-12-14T14:11:44.033-08:002010-12-14T14:11:44.033-08:00Jeigh, ah, that IS the question, isn't it? For...Jeigh, ah, that IS the question, isn't it? For me personally, a query needs to get across two things (yes, only two!):<br /><br />1. The heart of your story.<br />2. Your voice.<br /><br />I think recently the query thing has gone crazy. There is so much out there advice-wise, and people are taking it much more seriously than they used to. Which is good, but also kind of bad.<br /><br />Why? A lot of queries are reading "the same." Sure, the queries are solid and interesting, but they seem to be so uniform. <br /><br />Don't lose your voice. You don't need 50 people to crit your query. You don't need people leeching out your voice in favor of something pithy but general. <br /><br />From what I've seen, agents connect with voice AND story. If a story doesn't have a popping voice, eh, they can find another. If a voicey query doesn't seem to have a solid story, eh, another will come along. <br /><br />You gotta find that sweet spot—that letter that screams you and lays out your story perfectly.<br /><br />I know, easier said than done. But you'll know when you have it.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-88123236903286349732010-12-14T13:44:19.398-08:002010-12-14T13:44:19.398-08:00Thanks for a great answer. So, here's another...Thanks for a great answer. So, here's another question, then. How do you *know* your query is good enough? I'm really struggling with mine.Jeighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09171703860855673581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-81410752716598216572010-12-14T13:00:57.264-08:002010-12-14T13:00:57.264-08:00Natalie ~ Thanks for answering my question. Great ...Natalie ~ Thanks for answering my question. Great advice to which I hope hope hope to be using ASAP. BTW ~ I know your sister Ariel. She is totally cool and has great taste in clothing. Have a good day!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06519655950073446857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-79977318049968676412010-12-14T12:34:03.592-08:002010-12-14T12:34:03.592-08:00Hi Julia! Welcome. Have a cookie.
As for good bo...Hi Julia! Welcome. Have a cookie. <br /><br />As for good books, I am basically a hysterical fangirl of Sarah Dessen's right now. I finally picked up THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER after feeling guilty I hadn't read her. I LOVED it. Now I'm reading THIS LULLABY, and, uh, I may have bought a few Dessen books for Christmas.<br /><br />I'm also a big time fangirl of Julie Halpern. I've read all her books and I love them all. <br /><br />Oh, and FLASH BURNOUT by L.K. Madigan. Whoa. Amazing.<br /><br />If you're looking for fantasy/paranormal, my favorite this year (that wasn't PARANORMALCY by my close friend Kiersten White) was WHITE CAT by Holly Black. Suuuper cool and different.<br /><br />I also loved the WAKE series by Lisa McMann, which finished up this year. <br /><br />Oh! And anything Ally Carter! LOVE ALLY CARTER. <br /><br />*disclaimer* These are my personal tastes, and I cannot guarantee that you will like these books. Some may have "content" you aren't in to, so I encourage all to look into the books before deciding to read. Reading is a very personal thing.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-91441230198752824622010-12-14T12:22:42.997-08:002010-12-14T12:22:42.997-08:00I've got to say that I just stumbled upon your...I've got to say that I just stumbled upon your blog and I am inspired to take the plunge and get serious about my story. <br /><br />My Question: what is the most recent book you've read that you are obsessing about? I always love a good rec.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13632253128937849100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-726869211783488532010-12-14T12:16:35.117-08:002010-12-14T12:16:35.117-08:00No worries, Martinelli! It IS Q&A day. I just ...No worries, Martinelli! It IS Q&A day. I just wanted to make sure you knew if you wanted more info.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-88219617789858927842010-12-14T12:13:58.410-08:002010-12-14T12:13:58.410-08:00Your answer made so much sense I'm giving the ...Your answer made so much sense I'm giving the critique group adventure the "green light." Sorry I missed your reference page before sending the Q. <br /><br />Thanks!Christine Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08711726941768571495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-64011425049585484602010-12-14T12:11:14.494-08:002010-12-14T12:11:14.494-08:00Janet, artificial. But not exactly your traditiona...Janet, artificial. But not exactly your traditional artificial tree either. We live in a small townhouse, and a normal tree is just too wide. So we have one of those decorate fake pine trees, where the trunk is wood and then it has fake branches. <br /><br />It's six feet and about half the wideness of a normal tree. I love it. I'm so not an over-the-top holiday kind of person, so it plays to my sensibilities. Modest, cute. <br /><br />And yes, I'm also one of those people who sees a real tree inside and feels bad for it. All the dried up trees on the curb after Christmas makes me die inside. It seems like such a waste.<br /><br />I'm also the person who doesn't pick flowers and keeps live ones inside and out.<br /><br />Bet that was more than you wanted to know:PNatalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-5935964156942458762010-12-14T12:05:21.977-08:002010-12-14T12:05:21.977-08:00Martinelli Gold, I have more in depth information ...Martinelli Gold, I have more in depth information on my crit partner experiences and tips under my reference tab, but I'll add a few things here. <br /><br />1. Here's a secret: No one is going to steal your ideas. Why? Because they all think their ideas are better. I'm not kidding. Writers are both the most narcissistic and the most self-deprecating people out there.<br /><br />New writers think it's their idea that will sell—seasoned writers know it's the execution of that idea that sells. Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Good execution? Not so much.<br /><br />Harsh, but true. Trust me, I learned the hard way. AKA: 8 AWESOME ideas that became poorly executed books that never got me past a partial request.<br /><br />2. It is true that newly published writers will probably not read your book. I don't know about the clause, but it's more likely they just don't have time and they get A LOT of requests. <br /><br />But there are many wonderful writers out there who aren't published.<br /><br />None of my writer friends (crit partners) were published when I met them. Most didn't have agents (I made a few more post-agent). Now? Two are published (one an NYT bestseller and another who is getting attention from the likes of John Freaking Green). One is to be published next year. One just got an agent, many have had them for a while. <br /><br />We had no idea that any of this would happen. We were green and new once, with wild dreams. We grew together. We learned together. The fruits of all that work are starting to ripen. It's very cool. <br /><br />So I wouldn't recommend someone "seasoned," per se. I would recommend a fellow traveler, so to speak, someone you want to travel the publishing road with.<br /><br />3. If you are nervous about whether or not someone will be a good fit for you, I recommend the "partial" approach. Basically, you give the potential crit partner 30-50 pages—a test run. <br /><br />If you like what they're saying, if you feel that connection, then yay! If not, it's easy to part ways. No big deal. <br /><br />I've read for people who I don't think liked my approach. And I've had readers who didn't work for me. I'm still friends with them! It's so not personal. It's just a matter of whose crit method works for you.<br /><br />And...that was way longer than I planned.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-79089548986582268792010-12-14T11:45:01.198-08:002010-12-14T11:45:01.198-08:00You are brave! So my question: real tree or artifi...You are brave! So my question: real tree or artificial? ;)Janet Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688012956157161889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-35634362110585646142010-12-14T11:33:20.725-08:002010-12-14T11:33:20.725-08:00Who do you use as critique partners? I dread the i...Who do you use as critique partners? I dread the idea of trying to find people online, worrying about someone stealing ideas or plagiarizing, and don't have much confidence in being able to find someone with tact and skill on a forum. <br /><br />I've heard it suggested to ask new writers, but this appears to be a big no-no, as many of them have a legal clause saying they can't read unpublished manuscripts now that they're published. <br /><br />I'm about to take some creative writing college classes and am hoping to make some contacts with other writers who might be interested in critique exchange. <br /><br />What do you suggest?Christine Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08711726941768571495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-3193752391093932512010-12-14T10:46:18.354-08:002010-12-14T10:46:18.354-08:00Julia, boy have I been there! My books tend to gen...Julia, boy have I been there! My books tend to genre bend—probably too much. What I did was query those who seemed to take YA in general or those that took both genres I felt my book fell under. <br /><br />After that I would start querying those who took one of the genres, and so on and so forth. <br /><br />But here's a strange bit of information: what you find online about agent preferences may not be accurate! It could be out of date, or just straight up inaccurate. For example, everything I've seen online says my agent doesn't want fantasy/sci-fi, but when I first talked with her and asked about that, she said it wasn't true! (Hope she doesn't kill me for the possible jump in queries...) Also, my friend Kiersten White's agent said she wasn't interested in paranormal...and she sold a book named PARANORMALCY.<br /><br />So as hard as it is, sometimes you just have to send a query to see, accept that it may be a flat rejection based on genre, but it might not be.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-43568502318728934812010-12-14T10:39:21.419-08:002010-12-14T10:39:21.419-08:00Inthewritemind, I must admit I haven't been wa...Inthewritemind, I must admit I haven't been watching much lately! I go in phases...and I've been so busy lately.<br /><br />But before my hiatus I was watching Full Metal Panic! and really enjoyed it. I also watched this really different one called Spice and Wolf. I've been watching Vampire Knight—yeah I love it so sue me;P And there was this crazy funny weird one called My Bride Is A Mermaid—just picture Yakuza merpeople.Natalie Whipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.com