The Word Cloud

As writers we all know that we start our story with Action with a capital A. Then if we want we can set the scenes later. Ok.
But some books don't do that. For example, sagas, or long stories. Lots of authors begin by introducing the characters - Mary Higgins and Anne Tyler.
I put Kit's Reward out as an ebook. My story does not begin with excitement but with gloomy weather to match gloomy mood and outlook.
I did think maybe it would be better if I started in a different place - it is recognised that the first two chapters can usually be slung, particularly in a new writer's work. But I didn't.
I was setting atmosphere.
The first thing that my trial readers said was that they liked the first sentence where Kit says she woke up and knew  that she was going to have a bad day. The kids could obviously identify with that.
However, an editor, (sorry WW - she offered univited) has said that she cringed when she read the start of my book - she hates books that begin with the weather and people waking up. It was a no no and no one else would read it. They would balk at the first page. 
She went on to criticise the use of words like heartwarming and another similar word that was used as a tag. Also that she did not need telling that there was colour in the story she would judge for herself.
I explained that I took those words from reviews that the book had been given. 
She went on to say that I had no idea how to form a story and that Kit did not come across as a real character.
Now, in the past I would have been stung  by these remarks, but now, thanks to the wonderful people on Cloud I am smiling.
I am smiling because other people who I respect deeply have given very different and positive opinions.
Also I am smiling because over 550 people have downloaded the story in less than a month and I am going to beam at that.
I find it amazing that my little story is being read by people around the world.
Absolutely amazing.
I went on to look up the books that this ex editor of a famous house has written and I will just say that I am so happy that I write with feeling.
One of the most wonderful things said was that when they reached the part in my story where the grandmother hugs Kit, they broke down and cried.
Another said they had tears of happiness in their eyes at the end. What more could a writer want?
I am encouraged.
Have I managed to express my feelings adequately without tipping a bucket of worms over her head.
Or, of course, not been blind to a helpful opinion!

A L Kennedy on the limbo of waiting-to-hear. It doesn't get any better, even if it is your thirteenth novel...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/jan/05/waiting-book-go-a-l-kennedy

Emma

So I can't post the link to a piece I've just put on my own blog. So I'm putting the link here, instead, with thanks to whoever started the original thread, and apologies for not being able to credit you:

http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/2010/06/wake-up-and-rewrite.html

This article gives a decent insight into what editors actually do. The article sits in a NY-based chick-lit blog, but you don't have to be American or a chick (or even a woman) to get value from the piece. I think some authors might pencil in a small question mark by Donna Condon's sixth bullet point though ...

WRITERSWORLD a leading book publisher in self-publishing, print-on-demand books and book reprints in the United Kingdom that also issues the ISBN in the author's name, pays the author 100% of the royalties and supplies the author with copies of their books at print cost.

I am on a mission. My mission is to stop an insidious disease from spreading. The disease can be cured but the victims are often completely unaware of their symptoms. The problem is that this disease is highly contagious and affects people in all walks of life but particularly those who have gone to expensive schools. It affects people who want to do better in life, those who feel that they are climbing the social ladder or even those who have already arrived. And especially those who feel that they speak properly and are in the upper echelon of society. The disease is being spread through national newspapers, television, magazines (even Vogue) and, more recently, Facebook. I have noticed that old Etonians are particularly susceptible to this disease.

It is called the i-disease.

For some reason these people are terrified of the word 'me'. Whenever they can they replace 'me' with 'I'. They are incapable of saying: "Would you join me and the boys for a drink?" or "Would you join the boys and me for a drink?" No. They say instead: "Would you join the boys and I for a drink?" They don't caption a photo with: "Here's a picture of my dad and me". No. They say: "Here's a picture of my dad and I." Yes, they are truly terrified of the word 'me'. So are many TV script writers, newsreaders and journalists - the carriers of this illness. I even came across it in a best-selling book written by a writers' agent. A book in its sixth publication telling aspiring writers how to write! Its sixth publication no less. So even writers and editors are prone to catching the i-disease.

If you point their mistake out to them they actually won't believe you. They were taught by their mothers to never, ever say: "Me and John had a brilliant time at that party." So 'me' is a scary word. And mother was right. In that instance because the subject of a sentence cannot be 'me'. But maybe mother forgot to tell them that the word 'me' has its proper place. And a very important place it is too. People who say 'me and John did this or that' know that they are getting it wrong; it's just colloquial lazy talk. But people who say: "Here's a picture of my dad and I" sadly think that they are using the correct grammatical construction and they will even argue with you about it.

What happened to the subject and the object? What happened to nominative and accusative? What happened to good old English grammar? I, the subject, me, the object. 'He gave me a book.' Therefore, 'he gave Sally and me a book.' He did not give Sally and I a book. Nor did he take Sally and I to the airport. And nor should anyone join the boys and I for a drink.

It wouldn't be so bad if there were just a few of us infected. But I am seeing and hearing the 'fear of me', the i-disease everywhere (particularly with grown-ups) and I feel it must be stopped before there is a worldwide epidemic. Please help!