Tina Morris

Writer, World Creator, SciFi, Wanderer, Love Wins, she/her

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

@JayLongWrites I have too many ideas all the time.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

Started reading a beloved book from a series with my daughter, and thought my prose at least on par. I’m not trying to be vain, she’s published. And, I just haven’t found the right placement for my book yet.

#writerslife
#amwriting

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

Every time I query, I say to myself, either that was the dumbest thing I’ve ever said, or I’m a genius. They’ll likely say no, anyway.

Also, almost forgot to include the first 10 bc it’s so nerve wracking

#amwriting
#query

[Morgan Wright 💎 @byMorganWright]

This is the way😁💅👀🤣

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

@JasonWMizer But recommendations or comps to a book I loved can also work.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

@JasonWMizer They try to tell you not to judge a book by its cover, but it’s what you see first. It’s what catches your eye to a book and author you’ve never heard. Then I read the blurb. If it’s interesting, I’ll read the first line. If it catches, I’m in. If not, I move on.

[Orson Scott Card @orsonscottcard]

You don't need advice from editors on rejected manuscripts. 

My short story “Ender's Game” was rejected by Ben Bova at Analog back when that was the top market for a sci-fi story. Ben gave me feedback. He thought the title should be “Professional Soldier” and he said to “cut it in half.”

But I knew he was wrong on both points and submitted it to Jim Baen at Galaxy. He sat on it for a year, and responded to my query with a rejection. There was some kind of explanation, but I don't remember what it was. I concluded at the time that Baen's comments showed that he had barely glanced at the story.

So … I got feedback both times, but it was not helpful. I looked at Ben's rejection again. What was it about the story that made him think it should, let alone COULD, be cut in half?

Apparently it FELT long. What made it feel long? Now, post-Harry Potter, I would call it the quidditch problem. I had too many battles in which the details became tedious. So I cut two battles entirely, merely reporting the outcomes, and shortened another. In retyping the whole manuscript (pre-word-processor, that was the only way to get a clean manuscript), I added new point-of-view material to the point that I had cut only one page in length. So much for “in half.”
But I already knew that my manuscripts did not need cutting — if it wasn't needed, it wouldn't be there in the first place. Even the battles were still there, but instead of showing them, I merely told what happened (so much for the usually asinine advice “show don't tell”), which kept the pace going.

Those changes made, I sent it to Ben again. I did not remind him of what he had advised me to do. I merely told him I liked my title, and said, “I have addressed your other concerns,” which was true. I figured he wouldn't remember what his exact words had been. My answer was a check. That revised story was the basis for my winning the Campbell Award for best new writer.

Did Ben's feedback help? Yes — but his specific advice was not right, and I knew it. On my next two submissions, Ben hated my endings, and I revised as suggested. The fourth submission he rejected outright, and the fifth, and I thought, Am I a one-story writer? I went back to Ender's Game and tried to analyze why it worked. Then, deliberately imitating myself, I wrote “Mikal's Songbird.” Ben bought it, and it received favorable mentions. I was afraid then that I had consigned myself to writing stories about children in jeopardy. But in fact I was writing character stories rather than idea stories. And THAT was how I built a career, not by self-imitation, and not by following editorial suggestions.

I did get wise counsel from David Hartwell on my novel Wyrms, but that was on a book that was already under contract, and it was story feedback, not style. I got wise counsel from Beth Meacham, too, on various books over the years — but again, only on books that were under contract. I also received appallingly stupid advice from the editor of my novel Saints, which temporarily destroyed the book's marketability; after that, I was allowed to go back to my original structure and save the book — now it's one of my best.

Editors don't know more than you about your story. They especially don't know why they decide to accept or reject stories. YOU have to know what your story needs to be, and take only advice that you believe in.

Your best counselor on a story nobody bought is TIME. Let some time pass and then reread the story. Don't even think about why it Didn't Work. Instead, think about what DOES work, and then write it again, a complete rewrite, keeping nothing from the previous draft. Find the right protagonist and begin at the beginning — the point where the protagonist first gets involved with the events of the story. Be inventive — the failed first draft no longer exists, so you're not bound by any of your earlier decisions. THAT is how you resurrect a good idea you did not succeed with on your first try.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

My morning view. Coffee, book indulgence, and a perfect spring morning. The birds are singing, a hawk flew overhead, chased away by smaller birds. Kids soccer the next block over and an airplane passes overhead.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

900 words this morning. The story is finding its voice. Happy to be back with my characters. Excited to go in this journey with them.
#amwriting
#writeon
@peetscoffee Your lattes are fueling my next novel

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

New writing focus location for a new location: Peet’s coffee. It’s the closest to preschool and the house. Next novel will be written here! Oatmilk latte is fire.
#amwriting
#writeon
#writer

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

@NatashaCL7 The choice is yours, want to be a bit Brit, it’s grey. American all the way, use that “a”.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

While drafting book two I realized I’m POV hopping, going from first to third and back…I like both when I use them. Has this ever been done intentionally in the same book? How? Can I? First drafts are wild beasts. I’ll tame her later. 40+ pages #amwriting #justwrite

[Morgan Wright 💎 @byMorganWright]

Accurate💀🤷‍♀️🤣

[Morgan Wright 💎 @byMorganWright]

This is so accurate💀🤣

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

Excuse me while I go create a fake genealogy for my characters to later synthesize with my personal historic one for a novel in the early planning stages! #amwriting #downtherabbithole

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

Before I could write this morning, I had to do some explication of the pledge of allegiance and the alternative one in my alt future novel as a nine year old character so she could have a coherent conversation about it with her male guardian. #amwriting #writerslife

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

@HJamesWrites It’s all a part of me….

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

Last novel I wrote during my MFA - craft was fresh in my mind. I’ve given birth twice since then, and nursed for over 5 years. My brain is fried. Thank god I left notes in my books telling me what pages the info I need is on.

[Tina Morris @tinarazz]

I’ve found the rabbit hole of inspiration for my new novel! This is the fun stuff! Putting into a cohesive story? That’s hard work BUT so rewarding!

#amwriting #downtherabbithole #magic #Salem #witches #genealogy #books