Friends – Activity – Margaret J Evans

Libby replied 7 years, 3 months ago

Sorry to hear this, Ath. Afraid I don’t know anything about Hal Duncan. I suppose that if you submit your MS to the agent at some later date, you can tell them you’d applied to meet them at York and that would catch their attention favourably.
- Squidge replied 7 years, 3 months ago
  
  Hal Duncan? Think he’s the Scottish bloke. Talks nineteen to the dozen in his sessions, but knows his stuff. Can come over a bit abrasive, and I can’t remember what he writes himself. I have a feeling it’s a bit quirky, so you might be OK with him for your non-genre stuff…?
  - Squidge replied 7 years, 3 months ago
    
    Yep, just had a look at his website and it is the chap I remember. His how to write a sentence session was brilliant.
  - Sandra replied 7 years, 3 months ago
    
    I had a session with Hal Duncan 2/3 years back. Not easy because he knew nothing about my genre. While his sessions were hi-speed and he promised notes (because taking them was impossible), they never materialised. I can’t find my feed-back sheet but though what little he did say was useful.
    
    Bummer though, big time, for you.
    
    My review of Vellum…[Read more]
- GippsGirl replied 7 years, 3 months ago
  
  That is frustrating, Athers, especially as your other options are now limited and less appealing. I did a sentence structure workshop with Hal Duncan at York years ago. I’m afraid to say I got bored because he was being too methodical (my flaw probably, not his), but that’s not to say he wouldn’t be a good fit as a Book Doctor. Looking at his w…[Read more]
  - Debi Alper replied 7 years, 3 months ago
    
    Heyoop. Just seen I’ve been name-checked here. I do check the Den regularly but missed this. Sounds like you’ve sorted something out, At hers. Bummer though. Hope you’re not regretting coming to York. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you there.
Athelstone replied 7 years, 3 months ago

Ah well, thanks all – just letting off steam. The chance to actually get read by an agent and then meet them is very different from submitting into the dark and if things go wrong it shouldn’t be just a logistical exercise to ‘fix something up’ for the unlucky delegate. I’ve seen similar things happen in previous years and the outcome is never…[Read more]
- Athelstone replied 7 years, 3 months ago
  
  And the decision I made is to have a chat with a book doctor who I trust to tell me if I’m being boring, or brilliant, engaging or execrable. I’ve done a bit of research (which is a posh spin on ‘checked the internet’) about Hal Duncan. Seems to be a very fine writer and all-round star, but I’ll stick with my choice.
  - Janette replied 7 years, 2 months ago
    
    Oh no, Athers, I’d seen that one or two might have been cancelled and it sucks that one was ‘the one’ of yours. I haven’t heard anything, so presume mine are okay, but that doesn’t help you. Nor does having to pick from the remaining places available so late in the day. I really hope you get something out of coming to York and as mentioned above,…[Read more]
    - Athelstone replied 7 years, 2 months ago
      
      Look forward to that, Janette!
      - John T replied 7 years, 2 months ago
        
        The same thing happened to me, Ath. The replacement agent I’ve found I don’t know at all, but she looks quite interesting.
      - Athelstone replied 7 years, 2 months ago
        
        I had something of a false start with my WIP. After getting 40K plus into it, I’ve restarted with a new MC (wildly different character) and a change from past to present tense. The net result is that I’m way behind where I intended to be for York. I’ve decided that if I can’t get an agent who’s a good match then I’ll try a book doctor.
      - John T replied 7 years, 2 months ago
        
        I know all about changing tense, having changed a whole novel from first person present to third person past (and still not getting it published). One possibility at york is to go for an editor. I had a brilliant session with a commissioning editor: I didn’t expect or get a deal, but she helped me pick out underlying themes in the book. One of the…[Read more]

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