See, the longest one I've written was Fire Queen at 93K, and I consider that an epic and thought it was too long, although there really wasn't anything extraneous. I think in smaller, more concise books.

I really, truly, do not understand how people work best in epic form. My take on it is always dude! This is three books! Get an editor, damnit!

I can also understand that people with experience in journalism and PR would assume they had writing skills enough between them to transfer to a novel. But I'm still boggling that they sent out so many queries--you'd think with their background they'd be more savvy about figuring out how these things are generally done.

Yeah, I don't think you get into that without wanting to write stuff.And Susan, just figured out your tag. I was thinking like 'dracula bat" duh.(smacks forehead0

I should probably get a new tag. (For posterity, current tag is "The ping of an aluminum bat is an abomination before Almighty God.") That one is from something my DH said when they kept advertising the College World Series on ESPN with lots of those high-pitched pings, but that was weeks ago now.

Well, I thought your neighbors kept their Halloween decorations up too long. Kiss Rocks? Why would anyone want to... oh, I get it.

I should probably get a new tag. (For posterity, current tag is "The ping of an aluminum bat is an abomination before Almighty God.") That one is from something my DH said when they kept advertising the College World Series on ESPN with lots of those high-pitched pings, but that was weeks ago now.

Your husband is wrong wrong wrong, I've been meaning to say. (And my opinion is that of a player, not a fan. As a softball player who is a power hitter, there is no sweeter sound than the PING! of an alumnium bat when you hit the pitch at just the right angle and height off the sweet spot. Hot damn.)

I like aluminum bats in softball, just fine.

But what were they thinking, teaching college students who are planning on careers in the Show, to hit with aluminum bats? Which are totally outlawed in the bigs?

But what were they thinking, teaching college students who are planning on careers in the Show, to hit with aluminum bats? Which are totally outlawed in the bigs?

Oh, I agree. But Susan's DH (who I'd like to heckle in person, instead of by proxy) referred to that sweet sweet PING!, and I just can't help speaking up for it.

I can totally see that. But I'd pitch a fit if MLB ever allowed them, not that I think there's any danger of it.

t xposted

Going back a bit, a dear, dear classmate of mine at NCSA had the absolute worst singing voice I'd ever heard. He had no conception of tune. He could hear music, he loved music, but he opened his mouth and, the sad truth was that his singing voice, unlike his melliflouous speaking voice and enormous acting talent, was purely painful to listen to: harsh, grating, all over the scale. It took a full semester, patience from the class, and dedication of the teacher and much, much extracurricular work by the student, but by the end of the semester he could follow notes on a page up and down the scale. He actually almost achieved on-tune for a couple of very familiar simple melodies. He worked so hard to acheive that, we were all so proud of him. Not a one of us hoped he'd go into musical comedy, though, since his singing voice remained about as pleasant as scraping metal over gravel.

Edited to add my point, which is, technique can be taught. But if there's no talent there, it can be a pretty pointless exercise.