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fxs60
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Has anyone else noticed the flying leaps being taken by G P Jackson's 'Fin and the Eye of de Soules“? It went from 19, possibly 20, to the top ten just the other day. The following day (yesterday) it dropped back to 20 and today has shot back to 10. I don't believe I've ever seen anything like it. Is it a kind of magic?
Self-expression is self-expression, rather than self-expression
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kazmojazz
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Quote: fxs60, Monday, 29 Aug 2011 14:13Has anyone else noticed the flying leaps being taken by G P Jackson's 'Fin and the Eye of de Soules“? It went from 19, possibly 20, to the top ten just the other day. The following day (yesterday) it dropped back to 20 and today has shot back to 10. I don't believe I've ever seen anything like it. Is it a kind of magic?  Wish I knew. Can't shift mine for love nor money  . Given up trying to understand the way it works. Destined to remain a mystery.
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LTMS1479CSP
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Amazing, isn't it? I've noticed that most of the TT don't have that many reviews. Not compared to mine. I've had some good reviews but I stick around 32-34 no matter what, even though I've got rid of some horrors. Beth, sorry yours has slipped. It stayed up there for ages. I was so pleased for you. You did it. That was some achievement. The good news is that someone recently (sorry not good at remembering names), who worked hard on her novel on YWO site has now got a contract with a publisher. She never got into the TT so there you go. It's good to get into the TT but all of us voting are only learners or at least unpublished in the traditional way. I find that encouraging. I do find the help offered here is great and so useful and I feel my writing has improved, so what is there to lose? Plus there are some really lovely people on here too - including me, naturally.
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kazmojazz
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Very true, Catherine. The charts are not the important thing. Must admit, I rather liked being up there or rather, my ego did. Knew it wouldn't last though. The best thing about this site, for me, has been learning something about writing. Since I knew absolutely nothing when I joined I'm incredibly grateful to those patient souls who taught me about POV, adverbs, cliches etc (not to mention the dreaded gerunds). It's also lovely to meet (albeit virtually) other writers, such as yourself. My family roll their eyes whenever I mention the 'w' word.
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LTMS1479CSP
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Quote: kazmojazz, Monday, 29 Aug 2011 21:00Very true, Catherine. The charts are not the important thing. Must admit, I rather liked being up there or rather, my ego did. Knew it wouldn't last though. The best thing about this site, for me, has been learning something about writing. Since I knew absolutely nothing when I joined I'm incredibly grateful to those patient souls who taught me about POV, adverbs, cliches etc (not to mention the dreaded gerunds). It's also lovely to meet (albeit virtually) other writers, such as yourself. My family roll their eyes whenever I mention the 'w' word.  Beth, you joined less than a year ago - you have done really, really well. I've been at it (writing that is - just incase anyone is tempted to make rude jokes!) for years and I've never made the TT. I take my hat off to you, and as so many people here have said to you, your story is excellent, so don't be down. Mind you, I can understand you feeling put out. We all have egos, even those who don't admit to it. Well, I've had a few sleepless nights lately - overactive brain though goodness knows what it's up to. It isn't making me a millionaire or anything. Anyway, I'm off to bed to read and lie awake for hours or dream about what I've read. Who know, maybe tomorrow you'll be back up in the TT. Hope so, fingers crossed.  Catherine x
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Sammy
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Quote: kazmojazz, Monday, 29 Aug 2011 21:00Very true, Catherine. The charts are not the important thing. Must admit, I rather liked being up there or rather, my ego did. Knew it wouldn't last though. The best thing about this site, for me, has been learning something about writing. Since I knew absolutely nothing when I joined I'm incredibly grateful to those patient souls who taught me about POV, adverbs, cliches etc (not to mention the dreaded gerunds). It's also lovely to meet (albeit virtually) other writers, such as yourself. My family roll their eyes whenever I mention the 'w' word.  Of course, it's nice for the old ego to get into the TT even if you don't stay there. But, like I've said before, many of the pieces that make the TT wouldn't make it out of the slush pile at an agents or publishers, because it's not what they're looking for. And many people who never made it into the TT have done very well. Even if you don't manage to hang on in the TT for a pro-crit, if you can keep your work hovering around in it for long enough you can still make the Bestseller chart - that's what happened to me with Burying Strangers - so you'll get a shot at the Book of the Year thing, if that floats your boat. But, yeah, the best thing you can get out of YWO is to knock your work into shape and then, as someone else said recently, submit, submit, submit. x
'Stay away from your potential. It's like your bank balance. There's never as much of it as you think.'
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kazmojazz
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Yes, Sammy. So true. I'm in no hurry to have a pro crit as the rest of the novel needs a LOT of work. Concentrating on trying to get that into some sort of shape at the mo. Can't imagine it being ready to submit any time soon but you never know. If I stopped faffing about on the MB and got on with writing it would help.
Congtatulations on having a bestseller, by the way.
And thanks, Catherine, for your lovely words. You are a sweetie.
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Mostar
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My book did the same - leapt up to the number 9 position after waffling around the 20 mark and then fell back to its natural position! Very hard to bear as it keeps me hoping it will do another phantom leap! However, I agree that the rest of my book isn't ready yet, so a professional crit is not what I'm aiming at, althought it's lovely to have the confidence-boost of a top ten position. I'm sure my "leap" was something to do with having received 2 x 5-stars in succession and then these were weighted down again by my normal 4.2ish. Probably also to do with whatever ratings others are getting in the 24-hour period when the chart positions are compiled. Anyway - mustn't fixate!
On turning fact into fiction: African Violet blogpost on Sue Howe's site: http://howesue.wordpress.com/
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SIODAI
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I was very very lucky to have got my pro crit from the 1st July TT. And, as many of the crits have been for others, mine pointed out what I need to do to improve my writing. It's what I was hoping for. Getting into the TT and staying there depends on so many unpredictable factors so don't be disheartened. But don't think your book has to be ready to submit if you do get a pro crit because, chances are, you'll be given advice and not asked for the rest of the manuscript.
Waking the Dragon
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