Cussedness

Triangulation is when more than one person home in on a problem in a manuscript. It's like when short wave hobbyists use to play a game of finding a hidden member. This home-in on the hidden person's signal until they are right on top of them.

Many things that critiquers tell you have to be taken with a grain of salt because everything is subjective. You need to regard them in the light of what you are trying to achieve and then trust your own judgment. One person who reads the story might prefer flowery descriptions and another might prefer lean prose. In that case, you have to decide what it is you want in your style and disregard what fails to fit.

However, with triangulation you can see very firmly where a problem exists.

For instance, I have a novel making the rounds right now that my agent likes a lot. Before he got it I had several people read it, a published author with four books under her belt from Tor, an academic's wife with a degree in English, and an ebook editor friend.

All of them homed-in on a single thing: they thought the protagonist died at the end. I had made the last minute save too subtle. So I went back and clarified a lot of things at the conclusion in order to make it clearer.

Clarity is probably one of the hardest things to get right in a manuscript. I tend to understate too much and not give the reader enough information in the course of the action. I have a tendency to sound like Mickey Spillane in early drafts and need to expand.

Other people have different kinds of problems, but I'll deal with them in the next editorial.

Vote for my journal

Other spots to find me:
http://janraefrank.blogspot.com/
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cussedness

Some brief creds, a partial list

articles published in:
Movieline *** Cinefantastique *** Washington Post Book World *** Los Angeles Times *** Los Angeles Drive Guide *** Black Belt *** Martial Arts Weapons *** Monsterland *** Thrust: Science Fiction in Review *** Science Fiction Review

Former MPAA Accredited Journalist.
Currently Active member, SFWA, HWA

Cussedness Godwar Central Station LEVEL 20 ARCH-CURMUDGEON ALL HATE MAIL WILL BE POSTED I am an out of the closet, bi-sexual gender queer and have long believed that the personal is political. Perhaps that is simply a bit of 1960s idealism that most people have outgrown; but it remains near and dear to me. I am the best-selling dark fantasy ebook author of the Dark Brothers of the Light series. I made my first short story sale at 23. it appeared in Amazons! which took the World Fantasy Award for best anthology in 1980 February 2004: In The Darkness Hunting: Tales of Chimquar the Lionhawk (wildside press) Dark Brothers of the Light Series. Renaissance Ebooks.
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Previous Entry :: Next Entry Mood: Contemplative Read/Post Comments (2) Share on Facebook		2004-12-16 12:52 PM Triangulation: How to get the best from your critters Triangulation is when more than one person home in on a problem in a manuscript. It's like when short wave hobbyists use to play a game of finding a hidden member. This home-in on the hidden person's signal until they are right on top of them. Many things that critiquers tell you have to be taken with a grain of salt because everything is subjective. You need to regard them in the light of what you are trying to achieve and then trust your own judgment. One person who reads the story might prefer flowery descriptions and another might prefer lean prose. In that case, you have to decide what it is you want in your style and disregard what fails to fit. However, with triangulation you can see very firmly where a problem exists. For instance, I have a novel making the rounds right now that my agent likes a lot. Before he got it I had several people read it, a published author with four books under her belt from Tor, an academic's wife with a degree in English, and an ebook editor friend. All of them homed-in on a single thing: they thought the protagonist died at the end. I had made the last minute save too subtle. So I went back and clarified a lot of things at the conclusion in order to make it clearer. Clarity is probably one of the hardest things to get right in a manuscript. I tend to understate too much and not give the reader enough information in the course of the action. I have a tendency to sound like Mickey Spillane in early drafts and need to expand. Other people have different kinds of problems, but I'll deal with them in the next editorial. Vote for my journal Other spots to find me: http://janraefrank.blogspot.com/ http://www.livejournal.com/users/cussedness Some brief creds, a partial list articles published in: Movieline * Cinefantastique * Washington Post Book World * Los Angeles Times * Los Angeles Drive Guide * Black Belt * Martial Arts Weapons * Monsterland * Thrust: Science Fiction in Review *** Science Fiction Review Former MPAA Accredited Journalist. Currently Active member, SFWA, HWA Read/Post Comments (2) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top