Ike Penworthy

Finding My Holes

I have found that most readers are better editors than most authors (this is not to insult anyone). I can read over my book hundreds of times and miss something that a reader will find at a glance. Readers might not be able to tell me where to use a comma instead of a semicolon, but they're still helpful when it comes to words and noting when a phrase feels drawn out or doesn't have a verb.

So I have a task for my readers.

Find My Holes.

I think of my books as webs, and sometimes I get too carried away in a rabbit trail to realize that my web needs help. Once I've realized that, the rabbit trail is forgotten but was still touched, and so something weird/unexpected has enter my book that no one understands and I've given up on (forgotten about).

I try to keep plots simple and not stray but sometimes things come up that just have to be noted, but because I didn't mean for them to happen they tend to be left as loose strings and go nowhere in the story.

This is where I need your help.

Finding words I shouldn't have used, or suggesting words I should have used is helpful but most of the time I meant what I wrote and don't want to change it because you think its wrong. However help with my plot holes is something I thrive off of.

I still have a lot to learn. [Fun Fact: I learned to write like I do by reading others; ND Wilson, JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, JK Rowling, Homer, EJ Patten, just to name a few, which might be why you can point out book references even if I didn't mean to use them (I'd suggest reading any of those authors that you haven't. Wilson and Patten are really bad about getting new books out for their series though) (which might be where I got it from).] 

I'm making writing/becoming a good author hard on myself by not studying (or going to college) anything that could help me become a better writer. During high school I did some writing courses, but I learn best when it's just me and my reader(s). My cousin is my main editor. My best friend is the foundation for a lot of my characters. That's just how it works. I thrive off teaching myself and getting tidbits along the way. This might make me a weak author, but I'm stuck in my ways and so ask for your help to find my mistakes and errors (my holes).

Thanks for putting time into this book. It's probably my best considering it's so recent (I'll probably change my mind in a few months), but it still has room for improvement.

For any that thought I strayed from my medieval time period, here's a thought to chew on: FANTASY (as in my world) IS CONSIDERED MODERN MEDIEVAL! Meaning, it's a medieval playground in a modern time period. Got it? (FYI: I'm adding 'Modern Medieval' to my descriptions now, because I don't mean to be confusing anyone, or offending them).

Have a wonderful Labor Day. I don't get off so congrats to those that get to laze around all day drinking beer and eating burgers.

JJ

09.04.17