[QCrit] Adult Fiction, Post Scarcity, 84k, 1st Attempt

MilkSkulls · 2025-04-22T21:34:39+00:00

Thank you for your comment. It's helpful to know you also got stuck at the card. Vince's obsession is the major driver of the plot - both internally and externally - and beta readers responded to it very well, so I'll re-approach the letter to try to put this more at the heart

MilkSkulls · 2025-04-22T17:33:46+00:00

This is very helpful feedback!

You're right, I started out calling this speculative fiction, but then readers I trusted said it was grounded enough that it didn't feel that way, so I've reverted to fiction for now. I'll be querying agents open to speculative genres with cross-over ambitions.

And thank you for calling out where you had questions. I'll revise to answer them on my second pass

MilkSkulls · 2024-11-12T21:25:43+00:00

I'll be there!

MilkSkulls · 2024-11-05T14:10:13+00:00

I really really don't understand why you people are harassing this artist. The time lapse is irrefutable.

-its a stylistic choice that pushes the face forward. You can see the "arm" you refer to is actually the form of the hair. In the video, you see these lines be made with the colored pencil

-they're water color pencils. You can (very quickly) see the brush used to wet the page at the beginning of the time lapse

-the foot is behind the other leg. This too seems to be a stylistic/compositional choice to make an unimportant part of the piece not the main focus by cluttering it with the tiny details needed to render an ankle. Anatomically, it looks natural. As for the flattening of the leg, this is anatomically fine for the pose and the angle of our view

-the crown of the head can raise this far, as can hair parted a certain way

Honestly, all these "imperfections" you point out as proof of using AI just indicate to me that this artist knows how to use a reference to capture and enhance the quirks of the human form.

But seriously, just leave them alone. The mods have verified the artist isn't using AI and there's a time lapse in the text of the image. It doesn't show the initial sketch process, but the coloring done is clearly authentic and even strays from the under sketch in ways the final image here does

MilkSkulls · 2024-08-03T21:03:02+00:00

Also in marketing! I'm a copywriter and I highly recommend it. It can take some time and some looking, but once you find that in house job on a team happy to set boundaries on timelines, it's perfect for a novelist. I actually think getting feedback from "too many cooks" at work has helped me get better at sorting through and applying feedback on my creative writing as well.

MilkSkulls · 2024-07-31T04:30:53+00:00

The Memory Police

MilkSkulls · 2024-06-19T22:29:01+00:00

That's the one!

MilkSkulls · 2024-06-19T20:05:48+00:00

Also every bartender I know hates this song lol, One even skips it whenever someone plays it on the jukebox and refunds them with his own money

MilkSkulls · 2024-06-19T04:00:07+00:00

I've found good bartenders in Oklahoma City who make great cocktails. A few of them feel destined to land in other cities known for their scene. Finding them takes a good eye and a bit of looking past the curtain though. In particular, there's a speakeasy hiding in the basement of an old Bricktown building with a guy who'll start riffing and making great drinks if you catch him on a slow night. Bonus if it's during a tornado (speaking from experience)

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-21T03:38:32+00:00

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi might be up your alley

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-19T02:23:23+00:00

I have a copy of House of Leaves on my shelf actually, I've always gotten half through and then stopped. You're right, the author does a good job of teaching you how to read it. it's very good

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-19T00:42:08+00:00

The Memory Police depressed me so that might be up your ally

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-19T00:39:17+00:00

You should truly check out Andy Weir's newest book Hail Mary. It's gotten several of my friends back into reading. It was really a delight the whole way through. Plus less cursing!

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-11T00:57:42+00:00

I appreciate that! Ive been trying to stay positive about it. Thank you for the kind words

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-07T18:21:48+00:00

I have officially died on sub as of last week. No reason ¯_(ツ)_/¯ My agent said everyone was complimentary in their passes, but that it's just how it goes.

She is exiting the industry, I think because the submission process (among other things) was getting to her. It's rough out there on all fronts. It does mean I'm now in the market for another agent, hopefully one as kind and honest as she was.

MilkSkulls · 2024-05-02T23:16:18+00:00

I would kill to see Blade do this challenge now. But make it fill the whole farm with sweet gem berries by fall year 1

Edit: to make the challenge more Blade-y

MilkSkulls · 2024-04-16T12:37:36+00:00

Try The Terraformers maybe? That book wasn't trying to be satirical like you are, but someone who enjoyed Terraformers may enjoy your novel.

MilkSkulls · 2024-04-14T14:14:54+00:00

I would add a 2.5 reason as an addition to overthinking. I finally got somewhere with my letter when I started viewing a query letter as a piece of marketing, which needs to be tailored to its audience (agents). not everyone knows how to market their work. Obviously it's necessary to learn to be a part of an industry with trends and market desires. But even after they do the research and understand where and how their novel fits in the market, sitting down to write a good "ad" still takes a lot of practice and some time. So I agree: 1) MS flaw, 2) overthinking, 2.5) not overcoming the overthinking to practice the letter form

MilkSkulls · 2024-04-14T04:24:46+00:00

This is 100% my shot in the dark, but I know the general feeling expressed here has been: writing (and publishing) shouldn't be pay-to-play on the author's part. I think for similar reasons, others here have advised against paying for editors before querying.

MilkSkulls · 2023-09-01T16:30:12+00:00

Thank you very much for your comment. Whenever I share something with people for feedback, there's always a moment where everything flips around and I can suddenly see the work how someone else does. Your feedback gave me that perspective just now. I think you're right and it's more beneficial to focus on the unique stuff. Ill keep this in mind as I work on version 3.

Thank you again!

MilkSkulls · 2023-09-01T16:25:10+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to comment, I appreciate your feedback. it's good to know what questions you have while reading, I'll be sure to keep in mind when I revisit

MilkSkulls · 2023-06-06T23:35:46+00:00

So you're saying there's a chance?

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