tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post5667896775465782600..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: Wrestling snakes - by Nicola MorganUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-58000634630905395712013-04-24T18:10:21.611+01:002013-04-24T18:10:21.611+01:00Stroppy, I think the only long, straight snake is ...Stroppy, I think the only long, straight snake is a dead snake. That isn't what we want. *frowns*Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847390687632715336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-86330255796807770612013-04-24T10:36:45.968+01:002013-04-24T10:36:45.968+01:00Do we mind if the snake likes it? I have no desire...Do we mind if the snake likes it? I have no desire to make snakes miserable.<br /><br />Liz, I've also left this for long periods to untangle itself. It untangled a bit after the first six months, a bit more after then three-month interval. But it's still not a nice, straight snake.<br />Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-43451742593542496682013-04-24T10:33:01.528+01:002013-04-24T10:33:01.528+01:00I have an anaconda too, so I will be pleased to be...I have an anaconda too, so I will be pleased to be your second wrangler. Get the drink in, Crabbit. But we should not physically wrestle our anacondas. You both get filthy and the snake likes it.Gillian Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01143802491301982960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-9839978266280350782013-04-23T17:14:53.147+01:002013-04-23T17:14:53.147+01:00Woohoo! Well done - and good luck!Woohoo! Well done - and good luck!Liz Kesslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675259815023413448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-61733443563436923692013-04-23T16:52:26.044+01:002013-04-23T16:52:26.044+01:00rsgold - I like the sound of your dragon! Good luc...rsgold - I like the sound of your dragon! Good luck.<br /><br />And Stroppy and Savita - commiserations. It's so horrible but, as you know, it's worth the pain. Keep working away.Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847390687632715336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-38657869758166815202013-04-23T16:51:06.942+01:002013-04-23T16:51:06.942+01:00Liz, very interesting you should say that. When I ...Liz, very interesting you should say that. When I left it the second time, ie before this final wrestling, i did exactly that. I shelved it. I gave it no instructions or deadline or anything and i started writing something else - two things, one commissioned non-fiction and one other uncommissioned novel. I'd told my agent and myself that I might come back to it one day. I think I probably left it six months, maybe more, but then I just wanted to have another shot. not really because I'd found the solution but really because a) it wouldn't go away and b) people kept asking, "What happened to Lizzy Invisible?" <br /><br />Anyway, last week, two days after writing this post, I won the fight. The new draft is finished! Gone to agent! No idea whether it will be published but if it's not I can't imagine wrestling it again.<br /><br />Thanks for all your support, everyone!<br />Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847390687632715336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-85664149295768067082013-04-23T12:11:11.533+01:002013-04-23T12:11:11.533+01:00Really interesting post Nicola. Good luck with you...Really interesting post Nicola. Good luck with your anaconda. From my perspective at the moment, I do wonder if you're trying to wrestle a snake that wants to be left alone? Maybe it's not ready to play nicely and needs completely leaving alone for now...?<br />Liz Kesslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675259815023413448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-376427655104911182013-04-23T10:45:39.087+01:002013-04-23T10:45:39.087+01:00Nicola, I can totally feel your pain and, like Str...Nicola, I can totally feel your pain and, like Stroppy, I'm up for the swapping anacondas too! My first draft of the new book is missing an ending - it's gone AWOL and I'm still searching for it! Good luck with yours.Savita Kalhanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07977368691995933130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69071230534427447732013-04-23T07:06:07.516+01:002013-04-23T07:06:07.516+01:00Thank you for that excellently timed post, Nicola....Thank you for that excellently timed post, Nicola. I am wrestling with my own anaconda at the moment, only because I'm writing historical fiction it's probably more of a Lambton Worm-style dragon which will eat everyone's cattle if I don't get it under control.<a href="http://www.joyrs.com/" rel="nofollow">gold runescape</a>rsgoldhttp://www.joyrs.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-41423555941365918042013-04-22T20:36:55.838+01:002013-04-22T20:36:55.838+01:00Stroppy - I think that between you, me, GP and som...Stroppy - I think that between you, me, GP and some substantial Prosecco, we could wrangle both our stories wonderfully. Q is also v keen for me to finish mine so she can sell it, so she will be very pleased with us if we manage. And that will be a Good Thing. Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847390687632715336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-60762720490580015552013-04-22T16:08:41.371+01:002013-04-22T16:08:41.371+01:00wrangler. I give upwrangler. I give upStroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-90130109478672695912013-04-22T16:08:18.745+01:002013-04-22T16:08:18.745+01:00(That should have been 'second snake-wrnagler&...(That should have been 'second snake-wrnagler', not someone who wrangles seconds.)Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-11518046918742381292013-04-22T16:07:14.143+01:002013-04-22T16:07:14.143+01:00Swap anacondas? I've got a similarly ****ing a...Swap anacondas? I've got a similarly ****ing annoying story and Q wants to sell it, and it *won't* lie down and behave. We could try untangling each other's snakes over prosecco, with GP as second-wrangler?<br /><br />Also - you are right that there is no guarantee it will ever come right. But I think it might be worth giving the zombie penguins a go :-)Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69637064469761577082013-04-22T14:48:45.165+01:002013-04-22T14:48:45.165+01:00Thank you for that excellently timed post, Nicola....Thank you for that excellently timed post, Nicola. I am wrestling with my own anaconda at the moment, only because I'm writing historical fiction it's probably more of a Lambton Worm-style dragon which will eat everyone's cattle if I don't get it under control.<br />I'm going to copy out your third point (the one about it being more satisfying when you eventually get there) to cheer myself up.<br />Good luck with your snake. <br /><br />Katharine Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-33703404648019167592013-04-22T12:42:47.034+01:002013-04-22T12:42:47.034+01:00Emma - my agent likes it already! She liked the fi...Emma - my agent likes it already! She liked the first draft. :) <br /><br />Thanks, everyone! Glad it's not just me. Well, I knew it wasn't just me...Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07847390687632715336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-51744007513363129652013-04-22T10:28:11.123+01:002013-04-22T10:28:11.123+01:00Maybe you need somebody else to read it for you - ...Maybe you need somebody else to read it for you - your agent, an editor or perhaps somebody of the age-group/interests it's written for? Their perspective might really help - and who knows, they might love the bits that you feel don't work!<br /><br />I'd also add the most problems I've had with a book was when I was trying to put it into a shape/structure I felt would be more "commercial" - but which was ultimately at odds with what I was trying to do...<br /><br />Good luck, anyhow! It will work out in the end!Emma Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02718171070716804800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-12182907221255283052013-04-22T10:16:26.833+01:002013-04-22T10:16:26.833+01:00Been there - done it. Saw the light and got to the...Been there - done it. Saw the light and got to the end. If I can I'm sure you can and when it's finished please do blog about it. Lynne Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05697330164705623835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-21106722988514468292013-04-22T09:48:59.906+01:002013-04-22T09:48:59.906+01:00What I would do (I'm a very minor new pro with...What I would do (I'm a very minor new pro with franchise contracts, so do ignore me):<br /><br />1. Write a new plan/outline based on what you like about what you have<br /><br />2. Rewrite the entire thing from scratch<br /><br />Reason? For structural problems, it's usually faster to redraft than to wrangle screeds of text that doesn't want to fit elsewhere.<br /><br /><br /><br />M Harold Pagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08949772130509527838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-52224535032588890362013-04-22T09:35:11.685+01:002013-04-22T09:35:11.685+01:00Oh yes - each new book is a new challenge. No comf...Oh yes - each new book is a new challenge. No comfort to you, I know, but for me it's so reassuring to hear you say that.<br /><br />We all have different ways of tackling times like this. I'm no advice-giver, though I sometimes find cake is comforting (though rarely comes with ideas.)JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-71592938213740157642013-04-22T09:19:10.518+01:002013-04-22T09:19:10.518+01:00Each book is a new challenge - that's certainl...Each book is a new challenge - that's certainly true. Good luck with your wrestling this week!Joan Lennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763862159032836768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-50704099561676534862013-04-22T04:56:12.478+01:002013-04-22T04:56:12.478+01:00Well I was going to suggest that if you needed you...Well I was going to suggest that if you needed your paw held or a comforting pat/stroking in the middle of the night you could e-mail me or have a DM Twitter or FB conversation. The middle of the night is, after all, a reasonably civilised hour here and any distraction from my own problems is usually welcome...<br />In the meantime I will keep my own paws crossed for you!catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com