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The Gilded Ink Parlor
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Marlowe and Christie Writers
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11 contributions to Marlowe and Christie Writers
15d •
Editing preferences
When editing a novel (say a document of 75,000 words ) do you prefer to edit on the screen or print out the entire thing and get busy with pencils and red pens?
0 likes • 12d
With my current WIP I have printed out the first draft and wrote some annotations for me, kind of like gauging how much I liked what and it also felt like a reward to have it in paper form. But now actually editing, I have taken a few scenes I want to keep from one draft to the next, and know what other scenes I need to build differently entierly/fill in the gaps, so I am basically rewrriting everything in a new blank document, but referencing the old draft on paper from time to time. I do think that going from 2nd to 3rd draft will be more of on paper editing and then going over in the computer but I'll have to get there to tell you.
19d •
MG or YA or Whatever?
I wrote this as a comment to another post but I thought it might deserve its own place here among we struggling scribblers. * * * I'm writing a book about a modern boy who meets the ghosts of Indians (yeah, I know) who once lived where he does now. I never heard of MG until your post. I knew my book wasn't an adult book but I didn't know what to call it or who might read it. I was only vaguely aware of YA. I asked Chat GPT what MG and YA are, especially with reference to my book. I got back a lengthy and interesting response, too long to share here. If this topic interests you, I encourage you to do the same. Here are the basics. The entire answer was much deeper and more involved. Middle Grade (MG) - Ages roughly 8–12 - Protagonist usually 10–13 - Focus: discovery, belonging, courage - No romance focus - Adults exist but aren’t central - Emotional stakes matter more than physical danger Young Adult (YA) - Ages roughly 13–18 - Identity, autonomy, first love, rebellion - Strong inner conflict - Adults often obstacles * * * The idea of MG and YA writing is new to me. I was reading books at those ages (I'm an old man now) so someone must have been writing for me, thankfully. I'd like to hear your thoughts about MG and YA writing and how you think it differs from mainstream writing for adults, beyond the obvious sex and blood.
1 like • 15d
Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction differs from those written for adults in ways it has been wirtten too. Something for children will often be written in a way a child's attention span can grasp, so think shorter or simpler sentences, shorter paragraphs, perhaps more "telling" dialogue, quicker pace. I've also heard authors talk about how tolerance for certain things varies between adults and children - children love a good cliffhanger, even if every chapter ends in one ( look at most of R.L.Stine's books), and they also tend to question realism less. At the same time adults might endure more tedious scenes that kid's will skip, ( I remember as a child skipping a spread if I saw no dialogue on it). I would earnestly recommend you to google articles, find writer interviews, books, anything on this topic, pick out a MG and YA book at a library and re-read them and see how they differ to adult books you read now. Because ChatGPT takes from this sources but doesn't do them justice. For example, in Percy Jackson, famous MG book - adults are central, everything the Percy does in book one he does to save his mother, and there is also romance from the start, just tuned down to the way kid's experience it. Also, the word "Indians" by itself, if you mean it to reffer to Native American people/Indigenous people, is likely outdated.
28d •
Exercises to flex writing muscles
Hello everyone. Just wondering, do any of you ever do writing exercises? In the past, I've found them fun and useful for freeing up my brain and subconscious etc. I was thinking I should do some, so looking for new ones. Can you recommend any?
0 likes • 26d
Not so much exercises for free writing, as I find myself quite occupied by the stories/characters/similar and then I'd either just write a bit of what I already have in my head, or have to imagine something new that would stick with me latter and contribute to the fiction-cluster in my head already. What I am doing however, to learn more on the prose, is when I am reading something and there is a paragraph/passage/technique I like, I will copy it down in a journal and try to figure out what the writer has done to create the effects they have created, and how much this goes with or against the "rules" of writing I have been thaught. Not really a warm-up exercise, but I'd still consider it useful.
0 likes • 22d
@Juno Baker Oh I didn't know that, if it's a writing book I will deffinitely have to check it out!
24d •
Implausible or not what’s the truth?
A question for you guys: How plausible does a high concept thriller need to be? ALL Dan Browns books cross the line and are not speculative? So are many other best sellers. Does Gone Girl have an improbable plot? Is Girl on a train is far fetched and highly coincidental? And, Where the Crawdads Sing…I mean, really? But it works great doesn’t it?! So is it ok the cross the line a bit with an exciting plot? And does the reader care? I’m asking for a friend!!!
2 likes • 24d
I think what an average person thinks is "plausible" to happen to them or around them in real life differs greatly from what actually happens out there somewhere. The thing is, personal crime planned for years upon years is, well, kind of rare, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. As long as it could happen to one of 8 billion people, it's plausible. That being said, people read thrilles to be entertained/terrified, not neccesarily to get all the right details of crime ( they have true-crime for that), so go for something that seems exiting to you.
Jan 14 •
MG Historical help, please?
My latest WIP is another MG Historical, while I query my first ms. I've had a few rejections from agents, with a couple kindly stating that "MG Historical is a hard place right now." Does anyone know of any agents/indie publishers that might be interested in this area, so I'm not banging my head against a brick wall? It is with Penguin WriteNow and a couple of competitions, as I really do believe in this one, but I'd like to get an agent one day!
1 like • 29d
@Petra Glover If I come along anything else I'll let you know ( I think Alyssa Matesic had interesting querying tips ( also on subsctrack/youtube)). I have actually never heard for Query Tracker/Yearbook before.
1 like • 29d
@Petra Glover Oh damn that seems useful, when I come to querying I'll deffinitely check it out. Untill then, from someone who is still in editing, don't let the querying process discourage you, it is already so amazing you got through all the drafts and edits and you should be proud!
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@milica-stevanovic-6265
A young writer considerably addicted to her craft. If the light is on at 4 am in the morning, I am probably editing. I also dab in mathematics.
Active 1d ago
Joined Dec 29, 2025
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