Comments for Alyce Wilson http://www.alycewilson.com Writer, editor, poet Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:51:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Books by new stories | Mischievous Mind http://www.alycewilson.com/books/comment-page-1/#comment-274 new stories | Mischievous Mind Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:51:42 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/wordpress/?page_id=11#comment-274 [...] Added: Please take a moment to check out some excerpts from The Art of Life, my friend Alyce Wilson’s collection of essays and columns. If you like what you see (I particularly enjoyed and related to the piece about Dylan), you can purchase a copy in her online store. [...] [...] Added: Please take a moment to check out some excerpts from The Art of Life, my friend Alyce Wilson’s collection of essays and columns. If you like what you see (I particularly enjoyed and related to the piece about Dylan), you can purchase a copy in her online store. [...]

]]> Comment on Books by Alyce Wilson» Blog Archive » Blog Tour & Contest http://www.alycewilson.com/books/comment-page-1/#comment-273 Alyce Wilson» Blog Archive » Blog Tour & Contest Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:40:55 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/wordpress/?page_id=11#comment-273 [...] Books [...] [...] Books [...]

]]> Comment on Interview with Michael A. Ventrella by Sally Cruikshank http://www.alycewilson.com/2010/12/interview-michael-a-ventrella/comment-page-1/#comment-230 Sally Cruikshank Sat, 25 Dec 2010 02:35:20 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/?p=166#comment-230 Excellent interview, and Michael, your advice to beginning writers applies to animators starting out also. Excellent interview, and Michael, your advice to beginning writers applies to animators starting out also.

]]> Comment on Writing Dos and Don’ts by Sue Lange http://www.alycewilson.com/2010/03/dos-and-donts/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Sue Lange Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:38:53 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/?p=115#comment-10 One thing that bugs me in writing is the overuse of colorful phrases. Some writers have a lot of sensory detail in their writing and it works out well. In others, sometimes it feels like the author is trying too hard. Sorry I don't have specific examples or techniques for authors to follow to avoid this problem. My guess is that if you're straining to add detail, maybe you ought to leave it out. One thing that bugs me in writing is the overuse of colorful phrases. Some writers have a lot of sensory detail in their writing and it works out well. In others, sometimes it feels like the author is trying too hard. Sorry I don’t have specific examples or techniques for authors to follow to avoid this problem. My guess is that if you’re straining to add detail, maybe you ought to leave it out.

]]> Comment on Writing Dos and Don’ts by JonGibbs http://www.alycewilson.com/2010/03/dos-and-donts/comment-page-1/#comment-9 JonGibbs Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:17:49 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/?p=115#comment-9 Nice one, Alyce. Thanks for sharing :) Nice one, Alyce.

Thanks for sharing :)

]]> Comment on The Truth about Cover Letters by Fred Coppersmith http://www.alycewilson.com/2010/02/the-truth-about-cover-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-4 Fred Coppersmith Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:00:58 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/?p=92#comment-4 A short, to-the-point cover letter is good, and a couple of impressive publishing credits <i>might</i> convince me to give a piece a second look (or at least a more lenient first look), but I tend to just skim them and focus on the piece itself. I particularly don't like plot summaries -- go on, spoil your story for me -- and just ignore those. I know some people ignore cover letters altogether and prefer to read a piece blind. And the truth is, a long list of publishing credits from places nobody's ever heard of is (as <a href="http://rachel-swirsky.livejournal.com/185861.html" rel="nofollow">as Rachel Swirsky's recently pointed out</a>) probably worse than no credits at all. I hate to say it, but when I see certain names and credits in my slush pile, I know I'm probably not going to accept that story. I still give every story a fair shake -- however impressive or unimpressive the cover letter -- because why else am I doing this, if not to be surprised by the stories I get? I've never accepted a story because of something in the cover letter. In fact, I've sometimes received impressive cover letters, from authors with impressive (to me anyway) credits, and rejected the stories. A short, to-the-point cover letter is good, and a couple of impressive publishing credits might convince me to give a piece a second look (or at least a more lenient first look), but I tend to just skim them and focus on the piece itself. I particularly don’t like plot summaries — go on, spoil your story for me — and just ignore those. I know some people ignore cover letters altogether and prefer to read a piece blind. And the truth is, a long list of publishing credits from places nobody’s ever heard of is (as as Rachel Swirsky’s recently pointed out) probably worse than no credits at all. I hate to say it, but when I see certain names and credits in my slush pile, I know I’m probably not going to accept that story. I still give every story a fair shake — however impressive or unimpressive the cover letter — because why else am I doing this, if not to be surprised by the stories I get?

I’ve never accepted a story because of something in the cover letter. In fact, I’ve sometimes received impressive cover letters, from authors with impressive (to me anyway) credits, and rejected the stories.

]]> Comment on The Truth about Cover Letters by Barbara Custer http://www.alycewilson.com/2010/02/the-truth-about-cover-letters/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Barbara Custer Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:03:31 +0000 http://www.alycewilson.com/?p=92#comment-2 As an editor for NTD, I get most of my cover letters by email, and lots of times, I find that the way it's written will give me a preview on the writing. If I see a letter that says, "Dear Editor," I expect sloppy writing and might only read one or two pages of submission. If it says something like "Dear Ms. Custer," I antipate something that is well written and read on. And if the author addresses me by my nickname, I might think gosh, that person sure did their homework on me, and look forward to reading. But in the end, the best written letter will not guarantee an acceptance. Barbara Custer Author of Dark Side of the Moon As an editor for NTD, I get most of my cover letters by email, and lots of times, I find that the way it’s written will give me a preview on the writing. If I see a letter that says, “Dear Editor,” I expect sloppy writing and might only read one or two pages of submission. If it says something like “Dear Ms. Custer,” I antipate something that is well written and read on. And if the author addresses me by my nickname, I might think gosh, that person sure did their homework on me, and look forward to reading. But in the end, the best written letter will not guarantee an acceptance.

Barbara Custer
Author of Dark Side of the Moon

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