OnWriting: Recent Comments

Comment on Manuscript Evaluation

Siddhartha — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:57:17 GMT

The only way to know if you have potential as a writer and to identify your strengths and areas of improvement - is to get your work critically appraised by either an established writer or professional editor/publisher. So one fine day, I googled the wonderful words "manuscript evaluation" and bingo - there were options galore. Most of them had one thing in common though, the profiles of the evaluators didn't seem convincing enough. I was lucky to chance upon Will's blog and I knew immediately that this was the person I need to get feedback from - how often would you find a well known writer offering an evaluation to amateurs like me. I was quick to grab onto this opportunity and I'm glad I did.

Will evaluated my story wearing three hats - of a writer, an editor and most importantly that of a reader. His feedback was focused, pragmatic and devoid of generalisations. It was good to know that he had gone through my work several times and given it enough thought to provide meaningful insights on the theme, structure, use of time sequences, dialogues and a reader's possible response to the story. His evaluation was not only useful for the story he reviewed but also for my development as a writer.

I'm convinced that I have taken the first serious step in my journey to becoming a published author and I would recommend Will to all writers in the closet who dream of seeing their name on a book.

Comment on My New Book, Reviewed

Kate Pierson — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:50:05 GMT

I think the whole thing is highly "blurbable." Congrats on the hard-earned review.

Comment on Literary Miscellany

CBergendahl — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:43:13 GMT

You are correct about guys reading versus girls. I teach advanced (CIHS) students in high school. Out of 42 students, only fifteen are male. Last year, I know there were fewer. iPods and texting are taking over. If something requires longer than a minute to read to "get" the information, it will likely not be done, no matter if the resulting grade is a failing one.

Comment on Manuscript Evaluation

CBergendahl — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:02:31 GMT

Will does a solid and insightful job with manuscripts and writing. His comments are thoughtful and provide not only a publisher's perspective, but a direction for the writer. Writing is intensely personal, and he treats both manuscript and writer with respect.

Comment on Deer Hunting and Therese of Lisieux

Paul J. Marasa — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:26:31 GMT

Wonderful piece. I wandered to your site because I'll be presenting the film "Sweet Land" as part of a little film festival in Monmouth, IL, in February, part of the Smithsonian's "Journey Stories" project. I place the movie, along with David Lynch's "The Straight Story," among the best contemporary films about the Midwest.

Anyway, I appreciate your comments about faith and the "perfectly crazy" nature of religion. My own Catholicism has never permanently lapsed, but it sometimes kicks at me like a cornered deer--which makes perfect, crazy sense. Flannery O'Connor knew the feeling well.

Comment on Lorrie Moore

C S — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:31:16 GMT

Thanks for posting this. I needed a good laugh today.

Comment on Writing the Memoir

Beth L. Waskosky — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:16:22 GMT

Thank you for your insights on the writing of a memoir. I learned several helpful things from your thoughts on this.

I attended a workshop on writing a memoir in Hubbard, MN. which was excellent. But, it still left me with many unresolved questions once I got started writing once I was home.

Your comments addressed some of these very issues. Thank you very much.

Comment on The "All-School Read"

Beth L. Waskosky — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:09:34 GMT

FANTASTIC!

How wonderful that each and every student could not only receive a free book but get a chance to meet you, the author!

Also, it is great that you reinforce what the classroom teachers are teaching such as your ideas on revision.

What a unique concept that that school has to draw students into the library! The involvement of various student organizations is a real plus, also.
It sounds like this idea is really working.

Thank you for your excellent writing and also for your contributions to readers and writers!

Comment on A New York City Literary Lunch

Beth L. Waskosky — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:58:30 GMT

You are RIGHT ON on your assessment of books for young boys to older boys. This lack of books of interest for this population not only impacts their reading of books but also their ability to read. I am a retired Sp. Ed. teacher and found that finding the book that the boy is interested in gets them excited about reading and using Sp. Ed. techniques to help their reading--both their reading and their interest in reading improves dramatically.

Having 2 sons who live in Brooklyn, I have visited NYC 4 times, now. Curiously, my oldest son works at NYU, also. He is also working on his Master's degree while working full-time. He also dj's on the side for extra income. My other son works as a case manager for formerly incarcerated women.

We visited the NYC public library--in their outdoor garden, complete with books, and I enjoyed it very much.

My sons are both avid readers. His Dad and I had a rule and that was that if they brought us a book when they were growing up, we would take time right then to read the book to them! Now, my 2 grandsons are having the same thing done with them as well.

Comment on A New York City Literary Lunch

C S — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:38:24 GMT

Rap music proves that there remains a hunger for poetry and story. I think about this when I feel discouraged about this topic.