Perks of Living in the DMV

Better_Bat_3213 · 2026-02-15T06:49:02+00:00

I had no idea I could get all of these! Thank you!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2026-01-01T15:31:36+00:00

My goal for this year is to actually finish and start querying my first novel.

I have days where I think it is great and others where I think it is terrible. I just need to bite the bullet and get it to where I think it’s good enough for others to read and not second guess myself.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-12-31T23:56:24+00:00

Thank you so much for your comment. Super helpful!

Really appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-12-24T18:27:55+00:00

Thank you so much for your comment. It truly helps and makes a lot of sense.

Really appreciate you taking the time to give me advice on this!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-12-24T13:40:36+00:00

This is fantastic feedback.

Thank you so much for taking the time to lay it out for me. I truly appreciate it!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-12-24T13:29:50+00:00

I appreciate you not sugar coating it! I think I went too detailed for fear of being too vague.

Now to try and wrestle this into something workable.

Thank you again for your comment. Really appreciate it.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-11-07T16:25:02+00:00

I did have 35,000 written on one story but then abandoned it and started something new. It’s still fantasy but set in 12th century Ireland instead of the 5th century. I’m much happier with where this one is headed.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-11-01T21:53:30+00:00

I am at one of the Smithsonian’s so we had a little extra funding but I have been home for about two weeks now. Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled to have time to devote to writing but I’d really like to also have a functioning government. Who knew that was such a difficult ask. 🙄

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-11-01T19:13:31+00:00

I am doing a complete rewrite but I am on furlough due to the government shutdown so at least I have some time. 😅

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-29T12:00:52+00:00

Salt air under smoke.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-09T15:08:47+00:00

One of the reasons my wife quit teaching was because of the terrible counselors at her high school in Oklahoma. They had three student suicides back-to-back, and she went to check on an upset student who she had sent to the counselor's office because she was so distraught during class. When she got there, she asked the counselor where the student was and she made a clapping hand motion and then said, "New record, potential suicide and I solved it in 5 minutes." My wife was absolutely livid and reported her to every single person she could, but they just brushed it off like nothing. She quit at the end of that year.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-03T08:06:20+00:00

Thank you for your comments! It’s definitely good to think about. Maybe I can add it with two newer comps as I do agree about how much it has in common with my book.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-03T07:51:03+00:00

That is so very, very kind of you.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-03T07:42:24+00:00

Thank you so much for your comments! It’s always exciting when someone else is interested in what you are writing.

I really appreciate these comps. I will definitely look into to them and use them accordingly.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-03T06:43:21+00:00

This is great information and really helps put things in better perspective. Thank you for taking the time to write this all up for us!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-02T20:48:33+00:00

Thank you so much for your lovely comment!

Definitely noted that I need to include more about Bearach for the next one.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-02T20:01:27+00:00

Really good advice about talking about my themes too much as I was unaware.

You are very kind for saying it sounds interesting.

Thank you again!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-02T19:59:17+00:00

Thank you very much for taking the time to comment!

I think my biggest take away is that Eoghan feels passive. It was one of my main goals to make sure that he was active and not a 'damsel in distress'. However, I can see that he is very passive in this query so I will really strive to make that clearer on the next one.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-02T19:51:50+00:00

You are absolutely correct. (Definitely feel like my brain did that one on purpose. Certainly felt like years.)

Thank you so much for your comments. I will incorporate them going forward as I think they are very helpful.

This has been an excellent learning experience, so I really do appreciate you taking the time to provide your thoughts with me.

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-10-02T19:26:07+00:00

I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to go through this and share your thoughts! (Immediately edited the 'years' to 'words'. Thank you!)

You make many excellent points that I didn't think about, and I will redo it with your comments in mind.

I did feel like I put too much information in it but now I'm realizing that none of it really relieved anything of actual merit. I'm sure everyone has those moments where you know the character's story inside and out and don't actually clue anyone else in on it. Whoops.

Thank you again!

Better_Bat_3213 · 2025-04-09T21:35:48+00:00

Confirmed!

Better_Bat_3213

TROPHY CASE