13 Things About Nathan Bransford
and his Largely Indispensible First Paragraph Challenge
1. Nathan is a literary agent with a few minutes on his hands...apparently.
2. He works for...or with Curtis Brown Ltd.
3. …in San Francisco
4. and likes bourbon and books.
5. …and creating sensational movements like the LIFPC.
6. Nathan writes his truth
I actually secretly think (I guess it's not a secret anymore) that this is a fairly good distinction between professional writers and for-fun writers. Professional writers are RUTHLESS with their own worlds and work. They will walk away from something or delete 150 pages faster than you can say Justin Bobby, and half the time they won't even really sweat it (the other half of the time they'll start the drinking and wonder why in the world anyone thinks writing is fun). Professional writers press the delete button because know they can do better. For-fun writers linger and linger in the same world or with the same characters and can't bear to start a new world or delete anything. And unless you press that delete button or start fresh or create a new world it's impossible to get better. ~~Nathan Bransford, October 18, 2007
6a. My first MS, unpublished as yet, is the first in a series. I love that world and will eventually go back to it. But, isn’t that the pull of story telling??? Loving the world only we can create. It’s special because I knew absolutely nothing about writing… *sigh* it's the worst ms I have completed and let me tell you, it's not going to be easy to fix.
7. Guideline One for the LIFPC: anyone may enter...One opening paragraph [3x]. Yup, that's pretty much it. Not so bad, is it??? Actually, that's the only guideline
8. Deadline: Thursday evening
9. Nathan Judges with the help of Good Girl Lit - wow, just visited their Blog. Vera Good.
10. Winner recieves a partial MS critique and a book of his/her choice from Nathan’s elustrious selection of authors. There are more but...jeez, I can't sit in front of my computer all day!
11. Runners-up will win a query critique [mucho greatness People!]
12. My first entry
The sheen of topaz liquid at the bottom of the glass moved with the trembling of her hand as she contemplated this new venture. Tipping back the shot glass, she gathered the last few drops of whiskey on her tongue. The burn she desired was absent as it coursed down her throat. ~~~The Storm, a work in progress
13. My second entry
I was partnered with Matt for a science project in my senior year of high school--the skinny boy who sat in the back and had been in my class for only a year. His hair was brown and curly--long enough to touch his forehead and fall over the tops of his ears. His eyes were hazel with a rim of green. When I'd tripped on Barbara's trombone case early that year, I'd landed at his feet. He hadn't helped me up but instead had looked directly into my eyes...and winked. ~~~short story...like, really short. A prompt, less than 2k. :D
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