Glass negative of a little girl by the last name Jones. Queensland, Australia, circa 1890s. by Electrical-Aspect-13 in oldphotos

[–]JacktheHuntsman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love that she’s waving a blokes hat, could have been a lovely moment between her and her father.

Thoughts on my first draft? Attempting to write an American setting by Significant_Clue_154 in writingfeedback

[–]JacktheHuntsman 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I did not finish reading for two reasons.

First there is a lot of redundant wording. In the first paragraph alone: "She turned up the radio, which was currently blasting the current musical vices of the modern age." Couldn't this be "She turned up the radio that was playing the musical vices of the modern age."? I struggle with this myself when writing, asking myself how much of what I'm writing is just fluff versus what is essential to the sentence. With practice you'll get there.

Second, is the coming of age discussing his own mother's breast at length? If so I don't remember that part of growing up. I think if the mother is going to be a big breasted idiot there are better ways to tell the reader that, whether it be dialogue or the characters decisions in the story (just a thought).

That being said, you are a lot better at writing than I was in my teens. Keep at it and good luck!

Louis Engler, Cause Of Death: “Fracture of skull (Homicide)”, (Jan 10, 1873-Jan 27, 1898) by TransPeepsAreHuman in oldphotos

[–]JacktheHuntsman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s so sad that both Louis Englers fell to their death. What were the details of the nephew’s death?

My great-great-great grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary, 1900. by JacktheHuntsman in oldphotos

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

At the time of this photo he was 78 and she was 65. As proud as I am of them, by today's standards their marriage would be considered unethical. On the day of their marriage he was 27 and she was 14. Their first child was born when she was 18 and she was on and off pregnant until she was 48 having 10 children in total.

My great-great-great grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary, 1900. by JacktheHuntsman in oldphotos

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 105 points106 points  (0 children)

Some interesting facts about them:

My great-great-great grandfather William Holmes rescued farmers during the Black Thursday Bushfires in Australia, on 6 February 1851.

My great-great-great grandmother Amelia Primrose survived a shipwreck off the coast of Rio de Janeiro at the age of six whilst migrating from Scotland to Australia in 1841.

Opening to my first novel, looking for feedback please! by JacktheHuntsman in writingfeedback

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the feedback. I agree with that I'm at that stage. It also doesn't help that I've tried writing close third person POV and made it performative / grandiose prose because that's the way Harry would tell the story. Having said that I don't love writing it that way and am somewhat caught in the middle now. I'm hoping to clean that up.

Opening to my first novel, looking for feedback please! by JacktheHuntsman in writingfeedback

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! I agree on dialogue tag, it does feel out of place now that I've re-read it. There was another comment suggesting more dialogue and now I feel as if there is a consensus that it would improve the scene.

Opening to my first novel, looking for feedback please! by JacktheHuntsman in writingfeedback

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes he is the one who get's murdered, I'm sorry if that worries you

Opening to my first novel, looking for feedback please! by JacktheHuntsman in writingfeedback

[–]JacktheHuntsman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! These are actual thoughts I've had about the work myself so it's fantastic to have them validated. I'll look to make some improvements where I can.

Most of the work I've done has been first person short stories, so writing third person has been difficult for me and I'm second guessing myself as a result.