Welcome to the Guestbook!
I’m always eager to read your comments about my books and stories, so please feel free to pitch in. Here are a few things for you to know:
1) I answer the messages here personally.
2) No message shows up here until I actually answer it to prevent spam and other inappropriate postings. So there will sometimes be a delay before your message posts, especially if I am traveling.
3) Teachers, a gentle request: Please do not have multiple children send me variants of the same message. A group email is much easier to respond to and not such a drain on my time. My thanks in advance for being alert to this.
Sign the Guestbook!
Hello! Just wanted to say, I love your books, I'm in college now and will still curl up with Song of the Unicorn or Monsters of Morley Manor when I need a good book to read.
I also had a question, do you have any suggestions for a writer trying to finish her first book? I'm trying to finish a fantasy novel and I'm kinda stuck at the moment. I'd love any advice you could give!
Thanks 🙂
I also had a question, do you have any suggestions for a writer trying to finish her first book? I'm trying to finish a fantasy novel and I'm kinda stuck at the moment. I'd love any advice you could give!
Thanks 🙂
Reply by Bruce Coville
Hi, Dia -
Sorry to be so long in replying. The guestbook got away from me completely this spring, and I'm still trying to get caught up!
It delights me to know that you're still reading the books now that you're in college.
Two thoughts about finishing your novel: (1)I've found that having a big scene in mind for the ending, a scene I really want to write, sometimes helps me wade through some of the interim material (2) Don't worry about getting it right the first time, just worry about getting it on paper; you can't revise and craft and improve until you've got a full draft to work on. If you'll excuse the slight vulgarity, I sometimes tell my students to just "vomit on the paper" - just get something down. Then you can start the real work.
Good luck!
BC
Sorry to be so long in replying. The guestbook got away from me completely this spring, and I'm still trying to get caught up!
It delights me to know that you're still reading the books now that you're in college.
Two thoughts about finishing your novel: (1)I've found that having a big scene in mind for the ending, a scene I really want to write, sometimes helps me wade through some of the interim material (2) Don't worry about getting it right the first time, just worry about getting it on paper; you can't revise and craft and improve until you've got a full draft to work on. If you'll excuse the slight vulgarity, I sometimes tell my students to just "vomit on the paper" - just get something down. Then you can start the real work.
Good luck!
BC