progress report, thou shalt not use second-person?

Can we call them “no thank yous” rather than rejections?

Anyway, got a “no thank you” on the story I sent out a couple weeks ago. The editor was generous to offer his reasons, and said, “I liked much of the description in your story, but I rarely see a need for the second-person narration.”

Hmmm… really? Is second person not a valid narrative choice? I mean, I wouldn’t use it for every story, but I certainly feel it has its place. And I have to love this particular story in second person, versus what it would feel like in first or third. Maybe I’m wrong. (Anybody feel like taking a quick peek at a 4-page story?) It’s touchy though, because I know a lot of people don’t like it. But then, some people do, don’t they? Any thoughts?

progress report for the week of 11/16:

Let’s try not to let the “no thank you” detract us from what was actually a productive week.

Chapter 4 was born yesterday. It’s a Lexi chapter and she’s freaking hilarious in it. I think one of my favorite things about Lexi is her honesty, and the way she just owns herself, so that she can let these hilarious failures just roll right off of her back. And she needs to, since Danny and Hannah tend to poke fun a bit much. Anyway, chapter 4 was a blast to write and I’m so glad to have it in my novel!

A good bit of chapter 10 was born this week too, which I had to indulge myself and write because it’s one of those “when they fell in love” chapters, and I just can’t resist “when they fell in love” stories.

And if you could see how much of this novel is written, it would look like: chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 19. Yeah, okay, out of order much?

So with a pretty solid framework for chapter 4 and 10, and some random plumping elsewhere, I added about 2000 words to the novel this week. Better than last week!

I actually, finally, went and got my Virginia drivers license and plates! *cues confetti, lol!*

For this week:

– I’d like to walk three times, but it’s going to be pretty rainy… excuses…
– If I decide to stand by my second-person narration choice, then I’ll send that short story straight back out again. I already have somewhere else in mind for it.
– I have another short story (not in second person, lol!) that I’d like to get reacquainted with, now that I’m easing myself out of NaNoWriMo mode and into normal, everyday, writer mode.
– No specific chapter goals, since they quite obviously just come out as they please. I’ll gladly take another 2000 words this week. Sheesh, that sounds so tiny, considering some people (especially in NaNo month) are cranking out 2000 words or more each day. It’s looking like it’s going to be my average though, considering my current situation.

I’m telling you though, once I’m a big-name author, on contract ‘n stuff (we’re allowed to dream around here!), I’m totally getting a part-time nanny! 🙂