tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post7844807359106725721..comments2024-01-05T05:32:54.346-05:00Comments on S.A. Larsen, Award-winning author of middle grade & young adult fiction: Notes on Opening Chapters with Agent Natalie Fischer ~ Segment IIS.A. Larsenッhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-43086473271349973342010-11-09T21:19:12.082-05:002010-11-09T21:19:12.082-05:00Awesome post! Thank you for sharing your experienc...Awesome post! Thank you for sharing your experience!nicólehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12673680232751257866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-86585836768266736192010-10-31T10:33:18.757-04:002010-10-31T10:33:18.757-04:00Great post! Thanks for sharingGreat post! Thanks for sharingE. Arroyohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06634213563563094173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-10035167255389424992010-10-29T09:20:38.124-04:002010-10-29T09:20:38.124-04:00Wonderful post! Thanks so much for sharing what yo...Wonderful post! Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned. :DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-85165210963038428722010-10-28T12:44:34.553-04:002010-10-28T12:44:34.553-04:00Oh, terrific list, Sheri! Can't wait for the n...Oh, terrific list, Sheri! Can't wait for the next post - keep it up, girl!Darbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02959329086283632376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-14468939349435294172010-10-28T07:44:36.149-04:002010-10-28T07:44:36.149-04:00That is so interesting! At least you got to keep y...That is so interesting! At least you got to keep your first chapter. On my latest critique, my critiquer advised me to throw that first chapter out altogether. Thanks again for sharing her awesome tips!Susan Fieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02433408456603462774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-45645586406886440362010-10-27T21:29:02.560-04:002010-10-27T21:29:02.560-04:00Hi! Thank you for dropping by my blog and for your...Hi! Thank you for dropping by my blog and for your cute comments. <3 I really love your valuable advice here.<br /><br />Like Carolina, I usually keep my chapters to 10 pages. I like short sentences, but I know it would be crazy if that's all I used, wouldn't it?<br /><br />As far as the first chapter approach, I really wouldn't know. It's like trying to recognize something I'm faced with every day and don't know anything is wrong with it unless someone steps up. I do feel like I apply what you mentioned here, but it may be because I'm feeding my ego.<br />*sigh*<br /><br />Thanks for your wonderful post! :)Elizabeth Muellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06028099814857743134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-43378962374873665612010-10-27T20:31:12.915-04:002010-10-27T20:31:12.915-04:00Oh man, great stuff here! How cool to have such an...Oh man, great stuff here! How cool to have such an in depth critique! I wonder how short is the right amount for chapters. I always try to keep mine around ten pages, double spaced...Carolina M. Valdez Schneiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589934533051907801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-7719195163140727992010-10-27T20:27:01.700-04:002010-10-27T20:27:01.700-04:00Yay for you and Natalie!!!! This whole experience ...Yay for you and Natalie!!!! This whole experience gets better by the post. I can't wait to hear what happens next. I'm having all sorts of problems with my ms right now so this post was timely:)Candylandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08956196611348299424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-35320977056755226932010-10-27T19:56:30.934-04:002010-10-27T19:56:30.934-04:00It's so cool that she wanted to read more! Yo...It's so cool that she wanted to read more! You'll have to tell us how it goes.<br /><br />Thanks for these great tips!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-32313587758400191702010-10-27T19:25:40.476-04:002010-10-27T19:25:40.476-04:00I'm so excited!!! I just finished my third man...I'm so excited!!! I just finished my third manuscript and I'm now officially ready to revies and what perfect tips to start out with!!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-53662230882790336732010-10-27T11:59:54.397-04:002010-10-27T11:59:54.397-04:00Those are fantastic tips! Really helpful... matter...Those are fantastic tips! Really helpful... matter of fact, I'm copying them down for my personal chapter 1 checklist. How cool she wanted to see more of your work!!<br />Coincidentally, there's a car wreck in the first chap of my new WIP... I din't realize it was so cliche. :s But it's not what my chap is all about, just an added caveat, so sounds like I can keep it in there.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!!! :)PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-29469757032084975932010-10-27T09:30:47.232-04:002010-10-27T09:30:47.232-04:00That's some awesome advice - and it is definit...That's some awesome advice - and it is definitely hard to know which advice to take and which to keep. That's part of why this is <i>art</i>! :)Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-91640089604213063412010-10-27T08:27:16.327-04:002010-10-27T08:27:16.327-04:00Great post! Number five is driving me nuts right n...Great post! Number five is driving me nuts right now. Based on agent feedback on my previous first chapter and someone else's feedback on my new one, I included a lot of info that I hadn't before because I wanted to build suspense. They said no, that I needed to "tell" the reader what was going on so she gets it. But a beta reader just read it and felt I should cut most of it out. She loved the suspense of not really knowing. Fortunately, not everything is revealed in the first chapter, it just might seem that way. There's a lot more to come as the story unfolds. <br /><br />It definitely is hard to please everyone. The main thing is to make sure your readers care about your character by the end of chapter one (or the sample pages). If that doens't happen, you won't get requests. No one will read chapter 2. ;)Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-77619293132214043172010-10-27T08:13:56.207-04:002010-10-27T08:13:56.207-04:00Great advice. Thanks for sharing this.Great advice. Thanks for sharing this.Basthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12561466241112288690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-6417899035782965072010-10-27T07:44:20.147-04:002010-10-27T07:44:20.147-04:00What a fantastic post. I totally agree with stayin...What a fantastic post. I totally agree with staying true to yourself. And good luck with the agent! Wow! fingers crossed for you honey! :o)Jessica Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10889900730906728317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-84768615945224982052010-10-27T07:33:12.466-04:002010-10-27T07:33:12.466-04:00Thanks for the great tips. Can't wait to hear ...Thanks for the great tips. Can't wait to hear more. Good luck with Natalie. Sounds like you really got her interest.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-85908281040008868102010-10-27T07:05:10.461-04:002010-10-27T07:05:10.461-04:00Great tips. I can't think of anything else to ...Great tips. I can't think of anything else to add. Thanks!Christine Danekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00979611961825725350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-54161917157340063912010-10-27T06:35:33.257-04:002010-10-27T06:35:33.257-04:00Wonderful tips! Still looking forward to beta read...Wonderful tips! Still looking forward to beta reading this manuscript! :)Dianne K. Salernihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16459839567235304842noreply@blogger.com