To celebrate the release of her second book, Courage, Carrie Butler is visiting my blog today with a guest post on interpreting CP comments.
*thinks back over critiques I've sent to Carrie*
0_0
Gulp. I'm not sure I want to do this.
Um. Carrie? I know you've been working day and night on guest posts for your tour and all, but can we change the topic to something else...?
*Carrie glares at me with bloodshot eyes and snarls*
Never mind.
Here's Carrie...
You know something I’ve noticed? Melissa and I have been
critique partners (CPs) for over two years now, and as such, we’ve developed our
own style of feedback. Seriously. It’s efficient and full of literary
brilliance. Why don’t you take a look?
Translation: The hero has done something I find sexually
attractive, which likely advances the romance element of the story. Good job!
Translation: “This goes without saying.” A.K.A Did you notice that I used abbreviations? I didn’t want to take the time to stop and write out my comment—meaning, it’s a good scene. It’ll be even better once you trim the fat.
Translation: “This goes without saying.” A.K.A Did you notice that I used abbreviations? I didn’t want to take the time to stop and write out my comment—meaning, it’s a good scene. It’ll be even better once you trim the fat.
Translation: Cut this.
Translation: Rewrite this.
*Grins* Okay, so the majority of our comments aren’t like
that. She types out grammar lessons, and I ramble off plot suggestions. We
complement each other. (Sometimes we even
compliment each other!) The point is: It’s worth it to search long and hard
for a few good CPs, and then invest in those relationships. Having someone who
shares your wavelength is a godsend.
(I second that! :D)
Questions: Do you have CPs or beta readers? What’s your communication style like?
(I second that! :D)
Questions: Do you have CPs or beta readers? What’s your communication style like?
Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.
Title: Courage
Author: Carrie Butler
Series: Mark of Nexus #2
Expected publication: October
15th, 2013
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
(PNR)
***
Courage (Mark of Nexus #2) is a New Adult paranormal romance that features four unique points-of-view. The novel is best enjoyed after Strength (Mark of Nexus #1).
Don't forget to add Courage to Goodreads.
Carrie's giving away Prizes!
One (1) signed paperback of Courage by Carrie Butler {US only}
Five (5) eBook copies of Courage {INT}
One (1) limited edition Mark of Nexus pillowcase {US only}
End date: November 3rd, 2013
You can find Carrie here:
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | YouTube | Goodreads
You can buy Courage here:
Have you read Strength yet?
The last day to get book 1 FREE is today.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
*Grins* Thank you for having me over, CP! I hope I didn't embarrass you too much... ;)
ReplyDeleteYou bet! :D
DeleteWhew! Thankfully, no. (Though, goodness knows, you could have.) :P
*laughs* I love the creative critique technique! Sometimes, less is more. A few choice words (or abbreviations) can convey better than a handful of sentences, and it does make critiquing and editing less painful and time-consuming. Thanks for sharing and participating in the tour, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure, Raina. :)
DeleteThe last one made me chuckle!
ReplyDeleteI have a couple awesome critique partners and their comments are hilarious. I laugh my way through revisions.
I know what you mean. Carrie could have dredged up some really embarrassing/hilarious ones, if she'd been so inclined. xD
DeleteThose are the best kinds of comments! I've spit out my drink while reading some of Melissa's... LOL
DeleteAgreed. I've learned not to have ANY liquid in my mouth when I read yours. :P
DeleteNew follower here. I'm so glad to find this blog and some new writer friends. This book looks very cool, and I like that you shared screen shots of the critique. I've never seen some of the abbreviations before. My CP's comments are usually written out, but a shared understanding of abbreviations like this would certainly save time. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to visiting again!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
Nice to meet you, Sylvia. :)
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Sylvia! :D
DeleteHow fun, love your notes back and forth.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Courage!
Thank you, Julie! :)
DeleteMy crit group uses SDT and we laughed to it's closeness to STD. :D It means show don't tell. I'm hosting Carrie next week. I hope she's hugely successful with this book.
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so going to write STD on Melissa's next manuscript... LOL
DeleteThank you, M. Pax! :)
Yeah. Gee, thanks, M Pax. : \
Delete*wink*
You guys know each other so well. Two years is a good while, congrats on keeping a cool CP Carrie.
ReplyDeleteCarrie's the cool one, trust me. ;)
DeleteThank you! I'm a lucky gal. :)
DeleteWow- great cover and plot. I'm sure it's going to be a hit. Yay-- congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Julie! :)
DeleteOhhh, CP's are worth their weight in royalty checks (if there's no gold available:)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Carrie on the book (and you, too, Melissa) for having found each other in this big, happy crazy world of writing :)
They certainly are! Thank you, Mark. :D
DeleteYes, thanks, Mark.
DeleteThe freaky thing is we met by sheer chance! I shudder to think where I'd be if I hadn't posted that ad.
You two are a hoot!
ReplyDeleteHa! You should see some of the comments she DIDN'T include. :P
DeleteYeah, I'm saving those for blackmail. :D
DeleteMelissa and Carrie, Oh my gosh, I love this post! I got a kick out of seeing images of your track change's comments!
ReplyDeleteI do have a couple of readers / CPs, and we do use track changes. It's such a handy device! I have one CP, my first ever, who still does hers by hand for me. She always tells me I'm "so advanced" when I use track changes on hers. Shh, don't tell her I'm not as savvy as she believes! She thinks I'm quite cool, and I'd like to keep it that way. ;) LOL.
We won't tell her a thing. ;)
DeleteThere are benefits to printing it out, though. I have an easier time seeing the big picture stuff when I sit back and read on paper.
If anything, we'll perpetuate the rumor that you're on the cutting edge of technology. We might even use the word 'guru'... ;)
DeleteOk, this looks awesome :) Definitely gotta check this out.
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(From Sarah, with Joy)
It is! You won't be sorry.
DeleteThanks for visiting, Sarah. :)
Thank you, Sarah! :D
DeleteIt's fun to see how you both have developed your own CP language. Awesome. Congrats Carrie on your second book! I've already have it on my must read list! (:
ReplyDeleteYes! Must read!!! :D
DeleteMaybe next, we'll do a post on the text messages we exchange. *giggle*
Thank you, Elise! :D
DeleteLOL The text messages are even worse...
Whoop-whoop! for Carrie! She's rocking with this one! And I'm guessing you're getting the standard CP cut of the success, M? (i.e., When is she coming down to kid sit for you? ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL - I wish. xD
DeleteAs soon as they create a teleportation device that can send me from Ohio to Texas. :D
DeleteCongrats Carrie on the release of "Courage" which is exactly what you must have if you've teamed up with Melissa as a CP. It must be AWFUL having a grammar police for a CP. However, it also allows you to have a powerful secret weapon in your back pocket. Something we all need as writers.
ReplyDeleteWishing you much success on your second book.
I howled with laughter when I first read this, then I gasped. Am I really that bad? 0_0
DeleteBragging on Carrie, I hardly find anything to mark. I sometimes wonder why she keeps me around. :P
You're not bad, you're a necessary evil. As I said, you're a secret weapon to have as a CP. The awful part would be writing chapters of a novel knowing it had to go through your evil grammatical eyes.
DeleteThere would be serious elements of paranoia making sure my nouns and verbs agreed, or my present tense didn't wrongly mingle with my past tense (that tense thing is my downfall).
I've actually learned alot from your grammar police posts. Keep 'em coming.
LOL
DeleteWill do. :)
Haha! I love this comment.
DeleteYes, Melissa certainly knows what she's talking about. I even refer to her as the Goddess of Grammar in my acknowledgements. ;)
I love my CPs! I always feel my feedback for them is inadequate compared to what they give me. I'm still working towards the stage of needing betas!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. Your feedback is more valuable than you think. ;)
DeleteI'm trying to get to that stage, too, Nick. I'll dance around my living room when I'm finally ready to call in the betas. :D
I agree with Melissa. Sometimes a reaction is all you need! :)
DeleteHahaha we tend not to use abbreviations, but between all of my CPs put together, more or less the same stuff comes out.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, reading my CP comments is actually one of the aspects to editing I enjoy most. :-D
Me, too. Especially with Carrie's. :)
Delete