Comments on: The Unbearable Lightness of an Old MS https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/ Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:17:02 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Jackie Ashenden https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4668 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:17:02 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4668 Hi Monique – thanks for the comment, I really appreciate it. Sadly I’m not sure this will fly with Harlequin again. It’s MUCH better than it was but still not completely sure I’ve ‘fixed’ it. And since it has already be R’d, I really don’t think they’ll want to see it again. Thanks re my NV chapter. Sadly that was a no go too. Not having much luck with HMB at the moment so I’m giving it a rest. I’m actually at a very low point with writing at the moment – not even close to being there sadly.
But thanks anyway. 🙂

]]> By: Monique DeVere https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4664 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 10:12:53 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4664 Hi, Jackie,

I’ve seen you around quite often and have popped over here a couple of time in the past. Blogger doesn’t seem to like me much and wouldn’t allow me to post comments so I wasn’t able to let you know I dropped by. (I’m hoping it lets me post this one)

Anyway, I found your post to be very touching! It seems to me you’ve put your story away long enough to be able to see its flaws.

As I read your post, I thought–This lady has nailed the hard part! Understanding what is wrong and how to fix it is the important bit.

To the best of my knowledge, unless HMB request that you do not re-sub the story, I think once you fix it, you can sub the MS to them again.

I’ve read your entry in the last NV comp and I can see you’re almost there!

Best of luck.

Hugs,
Monique
Author of humorous, feel-good romance

]]> By: Jackie Ashenden https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4662 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:39:09 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4662 Madeline – well, this story is the least dire of all my old mss. And I have learned enough to see what the problems were – they were fairly glaring! But as to whether I’ve ‘fixed’ it or not…only time will tell. I hope it’s worth it! Thanks for the good luck!

]]> By: Madeline Ash https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4661 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 02:24:22 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4661 Hi Jackie,

You’re lucky to have recognised where your conflict was going awry and that you have the strength to fix it! There are manuscripts of mine that I either can’t figure out where I’ve gone wrong, or that I’m not brave enough to re-work.

I’m glad that the re-writing process won’t be as difficult as it could be: sometimes I wonder whether it’s worth it. But it sounds like it definitely will be! Good luck when you’re ready to send it on to the next publisher.

Madeline x

]]> By: Jackie Ashenden https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4660 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:25:48 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4660 Aimee – thanks! Yeah, it’s a cringe all right. But well, got nothing else to lose I guess.
Don’t remind me of summer hols – at least these ones are only two weeks.

]]> By: Aimee Carson https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4659 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:33:10 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4659 Hey, Jackie! Summer holidays with kids out of school is killing me.

Currently I’m struggling to get through my current manuscript LOL. The thought of revisiting one of my old ones(and facing all my mistakes) makes me cringe.

Good luck, Jackie! I’m rooting for you!!

]]> By: Jackie Ashenden https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4658 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:55:29 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4658 Scarlet – no POV! Lol! Does I think I can do it work? 🙂

Caroline – Oh, I think the level of self awareness depends on the story. The problem with this story is that the heroine was too self aware and the reasons for her feeling this way were too nebulous. I could have had her knowing this about herself but then her actions in the story would have been different. For example, if she just wanted to be loved for herself, she may have had an ‘eff you’ ‘take me as I am’ kind of attitude. Or she may be shy and unsure of herself (which she is in the story) but there has to be a reason why she feels she can’t go out there and be accepted for who she is. I didn’t give her a reason. And that was kind of the problem.

]]> By: Caroline https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4657 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:28:09 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4657 It’s a funny old world sometimes isn’t it? I’ve been a M&B reader for years and years – and I know for a fact that I have definately read books where the heroine is self-aware at the beginning of a story and wants to be accepted as she is flaws an’ all. I do get confused as to what an editor is looking for sometimes! Caroline x

]]> By: scarlet wilson https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4656 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:22:43 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4656 Right there with you Jackie! Just hauled out an old manuscript – that apart from the fact it’s 50,000 words with no POV – is lovely!
Say the words with me Jackie
I CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT…….
There’s also something nice about doing justice to a story, and that’s the way to think about it!
Good luck with new submission

]]> By: Jackie Ashenden https://www.jackieashenden.com/the-unbearable-lightness-of-an-old-ms/#comment-4655 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:16:44 +0000 http://jackieashenden.com/?p=313#comment-4655 Rach – I’m sure you will, m’dear! Any time you want an opinion, just let me know. Mmmkay? 🙂

Lacey – I prepare for the cringe. And usually I am pleasantly surprsied. Oh, there’s definitely heaps of cringe factor going on but sometimes it isn’t half bad. And if the rest of the ms is crap, you can pillage stuff for a better one. At least that’s what I do. 🙂

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