Chat on 6-29-07

[calikat] hey Margie!

[Margie] Hi Kathy and Lori

[lorichance] Hi there.

[lorichance] btw: suz mentioned she’d be a little late tonight… so don’t take off!

[calikat] Margie, I found a new Inspirational Romance author you might like/Roxanne Rustand

[Margie] I’lll have to check her out Kathy, thanks

User gracepub has entered this room.

[gracepub] hey

[lorichance] hey

[Margie] Hi Suz

[gracepub] how is everyone tonight

User majikrose has entered this room.

[Margie] good…how about you?

[gracepub] I have a question. The last few weeks we notice about 8:00 - 8:30 that only one or two people are left - everyone else has left their computers - should we shorten the chats?

[gracepub] There is no use me talking to blank screens - especially as there is no archive

[calikat] may be a good idea,

[gracepub] I bought a chat room but the screen was so small it was stupid

[calikat] what does everyone else think?

[lorichance] yeah… my cut off is about an hour so that’d be good for me.

[Margie] I only have about an hour tonight also

[majikrose] Whatever is good for everybody else.

[gracepub] in the beginning the chats were only 1 hour - and everyone wanted me to lengthen them

[gracepub] but one hour works for me - better than talking to myself

[majikrose] I always listen.

[gracepub] Has anybody been working on their passive

[Margie] Not writing….but I have been reading your book on passive

[majikrose] Haven’t done much editing this week, but with the little writting I did do, yes.

[gracepub] has anyone made any progress

[gracepub] it is amazing - I worked with an experienced author who use to write the old passive fantasy

[calikat] Yes, but I am finding I am needing to add more words to my WIP

[gracepub] and she rewrote 20 pages and ‘got it’ after only going through a few of her passages. That is why I want to work on your writing. You will learn so much faster

[Margie] I think it is finally starting to click for me

[gracepub] I need someone who will submit

[majikrose] it clicks for me, too.

[Margie] You use some really good examples in your book, Suz

[calikat] I think I am a neurotic about it!

[gracepub] thank

[majikrose] Me too, calikat!

[gracepub] why? This is a ‘writing workshop’

[calikat] My writing partner thinks I am a neurotic too!

[gracepub] after all-

[gracepub] well - I only need about 5 or 6 lines

User Dana has entered this room.

[majikrose] I even found myself cutting passive voice in my e-mails. Nuts.

[calikat] Suz, what is this book Margie is referring to?

[calikat] !!!!

[Margie] The Novelist Guide to Showing and Narration

[gracepub] yes

[Dana] hi, just thought I’d pop in for a few minutes. Hello everyone

[calikat] I must have a copy

[Margie] Hi Dana

[majikrose] hello.

[calikat] Hi!

[calikat] Where can I get it?

[Margie] It is good Kathy…a good investment

[gracepub] http://www.lulu.com/content/879443 Here is the link to the book

[gracepub] We’ve been working on passive for a few weeks -

[gracepub] but - I figure the summer crowd is serious - so we should do some really good stuff - like editing, style, etc

[Margie] sounds good to me!

[majikrose] Yes.

[gracepub] but - I need YOU to submit your stuff

[gracepub] I was talking to Rose Skinner - She wonderfully gave Enspiren her entire 12 book fantasy series with a hero similar to Navar

[gracepub] and we were working on ways to use narration to ’show pictures’

[gracepub] I’ll ask her if I can use her example - just a sec

[gracepub] Rose said that we can use some stuff we’ve worked on in her book

User belleegrl has entered this room.

[gracepub] One thing we talked about was how her knight, Navar, and my Calum used their horses to build a scene and create mood.

[gracepub] In my novel - I wrote something like this

[gracepub] Calum slowed. The mist thinned, swirling around the stallion’s feet. The rise ahead blacked out the stars, casting shadows into the copse of trees. Calum leaned back in the saddle and watched the Stallion’s head. The beast flickered its ears.

[gracepub] It wooshed through its nose. The mane shook and took the bit between it teeth before sinking onto a haunch and waiting for its master’s command.

[gracepub] Here is an example where we used the horse to set the mood and show that there is not an ambush near.

User peters19 has entered this room.

[gracepub] Too many authors write: Calum strained his eyes against the mist. He strained to listen in the silence. His muscles taunt, ready to spring incase of an ambush.

[gracepub] While the second example tells the same information as the first - it is much weaker, and more boring …for one thing I said He-He-He- bla bla bla

[Margie] Suz..would this scene be considered a "breather"? (your 1st example)

[gracepub] Rose wrote: Bailack’s stallion danced sideways and threw its head up. Bailack’s knees tightened and he sank deep into the saddle. The stallion screamed its battle cry and tried to shake the bit loose. The master held the beast still until it quieted

[gracepub] before letting it move forward. The surrounding lands were quiet, but the beast’s smell of battle was excellent. Someone near fought within the last few hours. Balaick wondered who won, who lived, and how many needed to be buried.

[gracepub] No Margie - both of these are foreshadowing, creating emotion, tension- and preparing for action

[Margie] k…thanks!

[gracepub] But - do you notice how we stuck omnipresent narration inside of the character’s paragraph - as if the character is thinking.

[majikrose] yes

[gracepub] Yes - omnipresent narration is not wanted - but the way we did it, you can also call it introspection.

[gracepub] This is how you do it without saying. Balaick thought there had been a war. he wondered if anyone remain alive

[gracepub] Does anyone have any comments on this - it is quite an ‘advanced’ style

[gracepub] Does anyone understand why we used the horses, instead of introspection to narrate this

[majikrose] I like how it involves you in the story, brings you in.

[gracepub] and…(is anyone going to be brave enough to ask what introspection is?)

[belleegrl] the horses reflect the happenings in a new way

[gracepub] yes -

[Margie] Sure…I’ll bite…what is introspection?

[belleegrl] certain animals would work and others would not

[majikrose] sets the mood.

[gracepub] Try and imagine writing this over, as if it is all in the hero’s head - and say the same thing - with the same ‘tension’

[gracepub] Stallion - beast - animal - these are all primal words

[gracepub] introspection - internal thought …….. internal dialogue - a person talking to themselves

[belleegrl] sexual too…i’ll say it!

[gracepub] belleegrl - yes, there are 1000 ways to build sexual tension without using a single body part

[belleegrl] how much introspection is too much… should this be limited?

[gracepub] In fact - the next thing Calum sees is a black phantom ride up out of the moor. All his Scot warriors are terrified that it is evil, or a spirit. Calum knows it is not, because of his stallion.

[gracepub] Bellegrl - what genre are you writing?

[belleegrl] depends… varies

[gracepub] Well - I need a genre. A lot of introspection is allowed in breathers in horror/suspense/thriller

[gracepub] but very little is allowed in romance

[belleegrl] makes sense

[gracepub] Many writers use introspection instead of narration because it keeps the character alive and moving

[gracepub] Let’s look at my version this way:

[gracepub] Calum rode out of the mist. A black hill blocked the warrior’s view. Dark shadows filled their valley making it impossible to identify an ambush. Calum’s stallion tested the wind, and shook its head. Calum decided that if the stallion was not afraid,

[gracepub] then he would not be.

[gracepub] Can someone paste the first example here for people who came later

[gracepub] yes?

[majikrose] Calum slowed. The mist thinned, swirling around the stallion’s feet. The rise ahead blacked out the stars, casting shadows into the copse of trees. Calum leaned back in the saddle and watched the Stallion’s head. The beast flickered its ears.

[majikrose] Is that okay?

[gracepub] yes

[gracepub] Compare the two

[gracepub] One is narration - the second (second here) is introspection

[gracepub] Can you see the scope introspection allows?

[belleegrl] right Calum could say (think) anything now… we’re in his head

[gracepub] Okay - read the two examples and tell me how each makes you feel

[belleegrl] we went to another place inside a place

[gracepub] yes -

[majikrose] There is more showing and feeling as if being in Calum’s shoes

[gracepub] If you do it right - over several pages, the character and reader will become one.

[belleegrl] i feel more like i am there in the second

[Margie] The first example also doesn’t flow as well….

[gracepub] Notice - in introspection, there is no time line..you do not worry about what happened first, yesterday, last year….or will happen

[gracepub] Margie - if you don’t like the writing style, then just join a couple sentences using ‘ing’ (as long as they are not gerunds)

[belleegrl] and we feel connected because we have relied on an animal maybe before (dog) in our own lives and we know the feeling of relying on one

[gracepub] belle- yes this is very important.

[Dana] .

[gracepub] You can often do that - in this case, it works because the hero and his horse are one in these two books.

[Margie] Yes Suz…I can see how that helps

[majikrose] I thought all gerunds ended in ing. Can you explain what you mean?

[gracepub] Roses’ book is a challenge to write - because the hero spends most of the quest alone. Most fantasy writers make a troupe, with each character having 1 or 2 main hero character traints. Rose made 1 hero and kept him alive for 12 books

[gracepub] Gerunds are ‘verbs’ that end in ing

[gracepub] or words that masquarade as verbs

[gracepub] Jim’s panting breath (gerund)

[gracepub] Jim stopped(verb), panting hard. Ok

[gracepub] because panting is a modifier - not the action verb

[majikrose] so as an adverb it’s ok?

[gracepub] but still be careful - because ‘panting hard’ is summary passive - so make sure that the important parts remain showing

[gracepub] not really - I use them occasionally - but they tell

[gracepub] Jim’s panting breath (gerund)

[gracepub] Jim stopped (verb), panting hard. Ok

[gracepub] because panting is a modifier - not the action verb

[majikrose] so as an adverb it’s ok?

[gracepub] she laughed happily - okay tell me what you see that made you come to the conclusion that she was laughing ‘happily’ as opposed to ‘hysterically’ or manically - or even morosely

[majikrose] k.

User Bernice has entered this room.

[gracepub] Do you see why?

[gracepub] the problem is the same as with exclamation marks

[gracepub] He shouted!

[gracepub] Okay - did he shout in anger, in rage, in frustration? An exclamation mark is far to vague

[majikrose] k

[gracepub] Does everyone have a coffee right now?

[calikat] yes

[Margie] no….water

[belleegrl] diet coke

[calikat] 2nd cup

[gracepub] Take a sip - and then tell me exactly what happened

[lorichance] no… beer and water (not mixed)

[Margie] It quenched my thirst……LOL Lori!

[lorichance] it’s been a long day…

[calikat] it’s hot and I am perspiring

[gracepub] give me a max of three lines ’showing’ me, so I can ’see’ what happens when you take a sip

[lorichance] my tongue felt cool as it slipped down my throat.

[gracepub] Lori - try introspection…… get rid of ‘felt’ - The water cooled my tongue as it slipped down my throat

User chriswager has entered this room.

[gracepub] I reached forward, lifted the cup, and sipped.

[Margie] The cool liquid quenched the fire on my tongue.

[gracepub] The cup rose to my lips and paused a moment before I took a sip

[majikrose] I tltled the ridge of the cup against my lips. The sweet heat of fresh tea poured into my mouth, and warm my throat as I swallowed it.

[gracepub] Margie - have you used the word ‘quenched’ in a telephone conversation over the last week?

[Margie] no….LOL

[majikrose] sorry, warmed.

[belleegrl] I tipped the can and poured coke into my mouth and it stung my tongue. My eyes closed slightly.

[gracepub] Try to keep the language international -

[gracepub] remember that most of the world are ESL -

[Margie] I had "put out the fire" but changed it to quenched!   

[Margie] Ok…I remember that

[gracepub] Actually Margie - that is a good example

[gracepub] When I started to learn how to write - a million years ago - we spent weeks learning this

[gracepub] Say What You Mean - Mean What You Say

[gracepub] It is so simple, but it is difficult to master the art of saying what you mean

[gracepub] for example (pick on Margie) - is your tongue really on fire?

[Bernice] I reached back for my water bottle, flipped open the lid and took large gulps.

[Margie] Yes….LOL….I just ate hot food

[gracepub] cool -

[Margie] But no not literally on fire

[gracepub] K Bernice - great until the last phrase. Make the last phrase its own sentence and continue showing what happened

[belleegrl] like?

[gracepub] The phone rang. Mike spun on a dime, racing to grab it.

[gracepub] Really? Why did Mike spin on a dime before he went for the phone?

[gracepub] Her heart plummeted into the depths of despair - really? was it LSD or maybe Extacy?

[gracepub] is she masking her pain by taking drugs?

[gracepub] This has to be one of the top reasons why books are rejected.

[gracepub] We watch for this when editing. Sex scenes are the worst

[chriswager] Why

[gracepub] He plunged his hard manhood deep inside her welcoming thighs.

[belleegrl] bad example?

[gracepub] Okay - you know what that means

[belleegrl] got it

[gracepub] but - to someone without a post-university education, or extensive writing education -

[gracepub] it could sound like he just stabbed her - or did something perverted

[Margie] So instead of saying my tongue is on fire …. I should say my tongue is burning from the hot food I just ate?

[gracepub] It is funny - but writers do this.

[gracepub] Or -

[gracepub] The water washed away the remains of my jalapeno sandwich

[Margie] Yes…I like that

[belleegrl] actually though water spreads jalapeno

[belleegrl] throughout your mouth

[majikrose] lol. I was just thinking that.

[gracepub] Again - say what you mean…was the food hot from the stove, hot and spicy, irritating your tongue - you see…there are so many ways to translate what you said

[Margie] Yes…it was spicy

[gracepub] were you allergic to the food?

[gracepub] Then say that

[Margie] no

[Margie] This is a great example

[belleegrl] i guess if you don’t say exactly what you mean it leaves too much room for the reader to criticize

[gracepub] too many writers are so concerned with sounding like writers that when the editor gets their manuscript there are entire pages that make absolutely no sense

[gracepub] belle to be confused

[chriswager] So being careless can be trouble

[lorichance] are there times when being vague or allowing for alternate translations is desired?

[belleegrl] sure

[gracepub] I live in Canada. I never knew what ‘hot food’ was until the chinese restaurant started serving General Tao Chicken about 10 years ago

[gracepub] We didn’t even have Taco Bell

[gracepub] so - when you say ‘hot’ we would have no idea what you mean

[Margie] good point

[gracepub] You can’t assume that everyone has your life experiences. People in the UK read more than Americans - but they don’t have hot food there at all - not even Mexican - and they don’t eat Chili - so you need to make sure they understand it

[calikat] one of my favorite reference books is The Synonym Finder, you get so many choices to find the exact word you want

[gracepub] or they might just assume that your tongue burned because you were drunk - or taking drugs - or something else

[belleegrl] some ingredients are universal so i guess you could use some of those

[calikat] its 1400 pps. of great words

[gracepub] some are - corn - flour - beef - no, not beef……ah sugar, rice, ….

[gracepub] I think chicken and fish are the only universal meats

[belleegrl] spices?

[gracepub] no - there are no universal spices

[belleegrl] ok

[gracepub] maybe curry

[belleegrl] garlic

[belleegrl] salty

[gracepub] oh yea - salt

[gracepub] no garlic isn’t universal - they don’t eat it at all in Africa or South America

[belleegrl] well

[gracepub] But it isn’t so much that you can’t mention the food - just make sure that you share the experience with your reader

[belleegrl] like the effect it has on us physically

[calikat] Suz, could you give me the link to your book again, I want to get a copy after the chat

[gracepub] Mike bit into the apple. The red skin gave way to reveal the crisp, white inside. Juice squirted as he bit hard, savouring every bite.

[gracepub] http://www.lulu.com/content/879443

[calikat] thanks

[gracepub] savoring - for Americans  

[belleegrl] heeheee

[gracepub] Does anyone want to try the coffee thing again?

[lorichance] I must have read too much british lit in college, the u looked right!

[gracepub] no?

[chriswager] sure

[majikrose] sure.

[gracepub] k

[belleegrl] I tipped the cold can of Coke and poured the stinging liquid into my mouth. My eyes closed slightly.

[majikrose] I tilted the ridge of the cup against my lips. The sweet heat of fresh tea poured into my mouth, and warmed my throat as I swallowed it.

[gracepub] yes-not a single weak verb - not a single vague noun - not a passive verb

[gracepub] who hooo!

[majikrose] yeah, baby!lol

[Margie] I lifted the styrofoam cup to my parched lips. The cool liquid removed the tingling sensation from my tongue.

[gracepub] K - again - define parched? - it sounds like you are dehydrated - other than that - it is good

[Margie] How about I just leave "parched" out…

[gracepub] Does anyone have a couple lines from their book they would like analyzed

[gracepub] yes - that would work good - because your lips are not parched - (say what you mean - mean what you say)

[gracepub] This style stuff is harder than it sounds, eh?

[belleegrl] it just makes you work harder

[gracepub] yes - don’t worry if this is beyond a few new people

[Margie] Suz…I have a book by that title….. Say what you mean, mean what you say…

[gracepub] This is really advanced writing - and something that I rarely teach

[gracepub] it is hard

[gracepub] even when you’ve been writing for years -

[belleegrl] it makes me more observant personally

[gracepub] yes - very

[belleegrl] of really basic movements and mannerisms

[Margie] The actual title is "How to use Power Phrases…..say when you mean, mean what you say, and get what you want

[belleegrl] we want published!

[Margie] That’s right!!!

[gracepub] well - it is a fine line

[gracepub] Yes, you can get your first 2 or 3 books published writing this way

[belleegrl] then what?

[gracepub] we have even accepted a couple books that would have failed HTWEN -

[gracepub] but after that, if you don’t learn to write well, you stop finding publishers -

[chriswager] Ben finishes the last drink of milk from the bottle; gets up from his chair and goes to the sink where he runs a comb through his short dark hair.

[gracepub] after 3 books, if editors don’t see good writing, then they won’t waste money on you.

[belleegrl] so we better get a grip on this now!

[gracepub] Chris - no semi colons. But this is very visual. After the word chair make a new sentence (one topic per sentence)

[gracepub] yes - you are all 110% better than 3 weeks ago

[Margie] It’s actually been fun

[gracepub] that is another thing - Word loves semicolons - Editors hate them

[gracepub] It is fun when you start to get it.

[chriswager] Thanks

[gracepub] Oh - I have a tip

[gracepub] When you write - turn all your ‘auto’ features off. Turn all your formatting off.

[chriswager] I have 237 more pages do we have time? ha ha

[Margie] LOL Chirs

[Margie] Chris

[gracepub] We have wasted about $500 in the last 3 weeks removing ‘macros’ from ‘auto correct’ ….and worse… ‘edit tracker’ from word

[gracepub] sure

[chriswager] That is a good piece of advice.

[gracepub] yes - because WE HATE FIXING FILES and layout people won’t fix them

[gracepub] so - anyone have another sentence?

[Margie] Yes…

[Margie] The petrid smell permeated the room. Emma Chandler opened her eyes and sat straight up in bed. Fire!

[gracepub] K - The only thing I see is ’straight’ up’…. can she sit staight down? Nope

[gracepub] so just take out the word ‘up’

[Margie] LOL

[Margie] opened her eyes and sat up in bed

[gracepub] Also - she cannot identify the petrid smell - so the Article is ‘a’

[gracepub] A petrid smell

[Margie] Ok…thanks…

[gracepub] any more?

[Bernice] Nara stared into his dark chocolate eyes seeing his determination there. He held out his other hand waiting for her to comply.

[gracepub] This is good - because this type of stuff is what you will remember most

[gracepub] Nara stared into his dark chocolate eyes. (new topic/new sentence) seeing is a gerund, so this is passive….=-Determination glinted in their depths. He held out a hand, waiting for her to ….what? what does comply mean.

[belleegrl] right it sounds scary to me

[belleegrl] that she has to comply

[gracepub] Nara stared into his dark chocolate eyes. Determination glinted in their depths. He held out one hand, waiting for her to accept his help.

[Bernice] yes

[Bernice] you did good

[gracepub] The thing is - most ‘non’ readers (other than thriller/historical/horror) will probably not know what comply means

User lorichance has logged out.

[gracepub] There is an easier way to do this - I get paid $4000 to rewrite every 50 000 words….OR - you can learn it yourself

[gracepub] ROLF

[Margie] :J

[majikrose] I am really listening!

[Margie] J

[belleegrl] heehee

[gracepub] I am currently rewriting a book for an agent - and it was REALLY bad. He did this. He did that. He thought this. He thought that.

[Margie] yes, me too…I’d rather make that money!

[belleegrl] ugg…

[gracepub] But, the story is good, but I don’t think it will ever earn my fee back.

[gracepub] then - that is not my problem.

[gracepub] One way to make this easier is to put away your ms for one month. Work on something else. Then, when you come back, it is as if you are working on someone else’s ms. It is always easier to work on someone else’s ms

[gracepub] even when I work for clients. I will only edit for 2 days every 2 weeks

[Margie] It’s been several months since I looked my ms

[belleegrl] i have done that and i can’t believe what i write.

[majikrose] me too.

[belleegrl] it’s like hearing you voice on a recording and not believing it’s you

[gracepub] When I am working on my work. I will stop and read a book on writing before I go back

[gracepub] usually - I barf that I was so bad and then rewrite it

[belleegrl] what is a fav book on writing for you?

[gracepub] whew-

[gracepub] Donald Maasa’s book

[Margie] I like that one

[gracepub] Stephen King’s book

[gracepub] I always like my own stuff

[gracepub] actually - I usually rewrite a lesson or something because it makes me focus

[gracepub] I love reading books about characters

[gracepub] 40 master arch types is my favorite

[belleegrl] about character development?

[gracepub] yes

[gracepub] 40 master arch types is my favorite

[belleegrl] about character development?

[gracepub] yes

[majikrose] I always worry about prose and smooth transitions from one scene to another.

[gracepub] I have a hard time with most books. Most ‘teachers’ make writing so sugar coated so people will buy their books that at the end of the book you ask ‘well, what can I improve’ and the answer is nothing.

[gracepub] well - smooth transitions are fairly easy

[peters19] Suz, who is the author of 40 master archtypes?

[gracepub] One trick is to bring a color or image from the last to the next

[gracepub] - forget

[gracepub] Like - at the end of chapter 1 the man is sitting in a cafe with cool drops running down the edge of his lemonade glass.

[gracepub] At the beginning of chapter 2 it is raining, and rivlets are running down the window panes.

[gracepub] Or using a color - mention blue in both sections.

[gracepub] Of course - you can also have similar situations.

[Bernice] Victoria Schmidt (45 Master Characters)

[belleegrl] do you ever need to make an abrupt change from scene to scene

[gracepub] At the end of chapter one he is going over legal documents looking for some way to save the company….at the beginning of the next chapter she is reading a letter trying to figure out who sent it.

[gracepub] use colors - or an item that is similar -

[gracepub] Like in The Pledge

[gracepub] The moon is setting - in the next chapter the moon is rising

[gracepub] 2 weeks later -

[majikrose] But what about in the SAME chapter, when a few boring days pass - or maybe a few boring weeks? I always worry that my prose is rushing people into the next phase too quickly.

[gracepub] K - a few boring weeks - that warrants a new chapter

[majikrose] that could be it.

[gracepub] even in the same chapter - you obviously need a new scene - so treat it like a new chapter

[majikrose] k

[gracepub] Oh - in Discovery I had the villain contemplating killing the heroine who he has been hunting for months

[gracepub] and in the beginning of the next chapter, the police are at her house because someone broke in

[gracepub] so - there is a sequence of events. except that they are unrelated - but the sequence is still there

[belleegrl] and they both make one nervous!

[majikrose] But what if it makes the chapter too small?

[gracepub] Like at the end of a chapter he could be heading to the store to buy something … and the beginning of the next, she is putting bags in the trunk of the car.

[gracepub] What is a too small chapter? Mary Higgens Clark has managed 5 lines.

[belleegrl] whoa!

[majikrose] I’ve seen it done, but… I’m not Mary. J

[majikrose] She can get away with it.

[gracepub] but - the defining attribute of a chapter is that something major happened that moved the plot forward - when that is done, there is no reason to make the chapter longer

[majikrose] k.

[gracepub] I think it is better to have 50 chapters instead of 20 with 5 - 10 scenes each

[majikrose] I agree. Just wondered if it "looks bad".

[gracepub] what genre?

[majikrose] Hist. romance.

[gracepub] nope

[gracepub] but only do it once or twice

[majikrose] ok.

[Margie] Suz…this was really good tonight…thanks

[gracepub] J

[gracepub] It was fun doing something a bit different

[gracepub] You guys should tell all your friends - the best chats are when we have about 25 - then you can lurk and still have a great chat

[gracepub] OH - btw

[gracepub] the new platform for www.inspiredauthor.com is almost finished.

[belleegrl] cool

[gracepub] We have 2 places opened for reviewers - they will share a blog/topic -

[majikrose] great.

[gracepub] so there is not much involved…but, when your book is published - you get all the perks of a TE

[gracepub] and until then, you get 80% of the google money

[gracepub] so - pass that around, because unlike Dabblingmum or bellaonline or suite101- IA only takes new TEs 3 - 4 times a year

[gracepub] so - you might want to let people know -

[gracepub] it is something to blog about

[gracepub] so - what are we going to chat about next week?

[belleegrl] how about setting

[Margie] How about the elements of a novel?

[gracepub] k -

[gracepub] Did someone ask about plots a week or two ago?

[majikrose] Can we do a chat about novel mapping?

[gracepub] How many people here are from HTWEN?

[Margie] yes

[majikrose] I took it before.

[peters19] I was interested in improving on subplots

[gracepub] so everyone is familiar with storyboarding and mapping?

[belleegrl] yes

[majikrose] I’d like to do plotting also.

[Margie] yes

[majikrose] familiar, but not great at it.

[gracepub] K - I will start with plots next week - and we can move right through the entire thing and end up with mapping

[majikrose] Like to get better.

[gracepub] Margie - you keep archiving these for me.

[Margie] yes…I sure will

[Margie] Does anyone need a copy of tonights?

[gracepub] I want to save these chats for my new course - and everyone who attends at least 3 of the chats in the next few weeks will

[gracepub] get into the course free

[Margie] That joined us late

[Bernice] I need the first hour

[chriswager] I love storyboarding

[Margie] That will be cool, Suz

[gracepub] nite