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Um... hello
Linnea Ren
Posted: Saturday, January 4, 2014 4:20 PM

Hey, my name is Sarah, though I go by Linnea Ren in the writing community. Linnea is my middle name, and it's a type of flower, as is Ren, so I decided to make it my penname. 

 

 

I'm a young writer, 19, who writes almost every genre. While I have about 20 books in progress, I'm only really working on three or four at the moment. I have five finished and two in revision. The one I'm putting all my focus on at the moment is a urban fantasy (I think) called The First Nine. It follows three teens living in a small fictional town in Colorado as they got thrown into a world of demons, magic, and immortality. I'm working on the third draft and once I'm done (two chapters from the end) I'll be putting it up here for critiques and advice!

 

 

I worked as an editor for a small publishing company for about two years, so I've been trained to look for things editors look for, and I actually really enjoy it. Granted, with college and my own work, I don't have a lot of time since it takes a lot of energy. Still, if anyone has anything they want looked at, I'll be happy to when I have time. Don't be afraid to send me a message! I love meeting people even if I can be really shy at times. 

 

 

I can't wait to get to know this community better!

 

 

--edited by Linnea Ren on 1/4/2014, 5:32 PM--


Lucy Silag
Posted: Sunday, January 5, 2014 1:12 PM
Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356


Hi Linnea! Welcome to Book Country. Your writing achievements and ambitions are truly amazing. You go, writer!

 

About to send you a connection request. Keep in touch if you need us to point you in the direction of specific resources, and I will send you some basic tools for getting started.

 

Your UF sounds awesome!

 

Lucy Silag

Book Country Community and Engagement Manager


Linnea Ren
Posted: Sunday, January 5, 2014 2:17 PM

Thank you Lucy! I'm very excited to be here. I had a great role model growing up so writing has just always been a part of my life. 

 

Again, thank you. This site can be rather confusing at times. Though, I'm not sure if it's just me, but I don't seem to be receiving connection requests. I'll be sure to keep a look out anyway!

 

Ah, I keep thanking you. You're being so kind. I'll be putting up my UF probably tomorrow if I can get my act together and finish the chapter. I'm excited to see what people think of it. 

--edited by Linnea Ren on 1/5/2014, 2:17 PM--


TheresaReel
Posted: Sunday, January 5, 2014 4:56 PM
Joined: 10/7/2013
Posts: 65


Hi.  Any editing tips?  I am at the point where I have to edit, but I have no idea of how to do it.
Linnea Ren
Posted: Sunday, January 5, 2014 5:08 PM

@TheresaReel

 

Editing for yourself? Well, I've always considered it revising, rather than editing, but my advice is to take a step back. If the first draft is fully finish, put it away for at least a month. I don't go to revise till a year after, but a month should be good. This way you can take a deep breath and look at your work without being so close to it. It'll allow you to see all the things you don't like.

 

 

It also helps if you have someone who will be honest with you read it and tell you what they think. Their comments can give you a good place to start.

 

 

If you're editing someone else's work, then just say what you see. How does it make you feel and why? What would you like to see? Stuff like that. Copy editing, working through commas and grammar and stuff like that is a skill that takes a ton of studying. I'm not good at it. That, in my opinion, can be saved for an actual editor. 

 

 

Is that what you were looking for? Also, hi, it's nice to meet you

--edited by Linnea Ren on 1/5/2014, 5:18 PM--


TheresaReel
Posted: Monday, January 6, 2014 5:56 PM
Joined: 10/7/2013
Posts: 65


I need all the advice I can get.  There is a program in my state called Year of the Book.  They offer some low cost workshops on editing, but they don't take place until May.  I think my biggest concern is number of words.  I only have about 53,000.  I've been told that's low.  I know I am guilty of "padding" just to have more words.  That's my big fear; that after editing, I'll be left with nothing!