A Change in Pace

I have decided that if I were to keep this blog strictly a collection of my short stories and such, then this would take forever to fill. So, time for a little change in pace. This blog will be where I write my ideas for short stories and my thoughts about the writing process. Let's begin.

I have to say that in this past year I've really begun to improve, slowly finding my style and technique. Yesterday I sat down with my professor, who is the author Lynn Freed, to talk about my writing style. She told me that she rather enjoyed it and I must say I was very flattered. It was a big moment for me to hear from someone who has been successful at having several books published tell me she liked my writing. Now, I'm not trying to say "o yeah I'm the best," that's far from it. Rather, I am recording a moment, a step of mine towards becoming a better author. Having a good writing style is probably the first and best thing one needs to have down before ever considering going to an agent or a publisher, at least that is what I have been told by several people within the writing department at my university. When you give your manuscript to a publisher, they read three pages(beginning, middle, and end) and if the writing is crap or just not appealing to them, that's it. It doesn't matter about your story's plot or the characters. No. Such elements won't even come into play unless you have perfected your writing. And it looks like I'm slowly getting there.

I will be posting the story that Professor Freed read shortly after making a few corrections.

Signing off,
Nicole