Yuk! Just clocked the I (heart) Presents blog about feedback from the editors concerning the latest HM&B Writing Competition. They have identified 7 major sins that we newbies are guilty of with our First Chapters (FC). They are:
1. Not enough dialogue
2. Dire dialogue
3. Well worn plots and characters
4. Random meetings; meandering action
5. Inappropriate first kisses
6. Unattractive hero
7. Sexual premises
Moi? Yikes having read the above I am convinced they have targeted my First Chapter (FC) and no one else's! Seriously folks I kid you not. And to prove it I now put my case to the jury as follows (as per the 7 sins above) :
1. My FC is too full of the back story - having read it again after my CP pointed it out to me it is. So "guilty as charged."
2. I think the dialogue between H/h is static and stilted. So "guilty as charged."
3. The story revolves around the heroine mistaking the hero for someone else. So "guilty as charged" on the well worn plot and characters.
4. Heroine meets hero in a dark stable block. So "guilty as charged" on the random meeting.
5. Hero kisses heroine in the FC so "guilty as charged."
6 . Have to say I am "not guilty here" as there was no rumpy pumpy in the FC (Phew!)
7. Juries out on this one. He's angry with her but not a total "B" if you get my drift! "Hung jury" on this one.
Umm. Like I said. Call me paranoid but...ya have to admit the evidence is pretty stacked against me. Ah well. I gave it a go didn't I?
Take care. Caroline x
I felt sick when I read this list with my chapter in mind, Caroline. But too late to worry - onwards and upwards...
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Don't worry I felt sick too and I haven't even entered the contest!! I read it and thought... ARGH my partial is riddled with these probs. Hopefully we're all just paranoid!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by guys! I felt so bad after reading the I Heart Presents blog that I wanted to run to HM&B HQ and whip my wip away from sight! Take care. Caroline x
ReplyDeleteI read and thought, oh no! too late, they have read all of them! just hope we all have something redeeming that has caught the eye of the judges :)
ReplyDeleteHi Kerrin - good to see you. When I read the list my heart sank - all that hard work.....
ReplyDeleteI'm sticking head in sand and not reading mine again. Even though I KNOW that I've committed sinnage therein!
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