Comments on: Five More Common Mistakes of First-Time Authors (#16-20) http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/ How to write a superhero book, comic book or superhero novel and get it published Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:42:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Blonde Emo http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-99218 Blonde Emo Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-99218 Hah! I can't imagine my characters being Mary Sues. I'm not trying to brag or anything. More like the opposite: "This character could be me if I became a junkie, clinically depressed, hated by everyone I ever knew, and had a funny last name." Hah! I can’t imagine my characters being Mary Sues. I’m not trying to brag or anything. More like the opposite: “This character could be me if I became a junkie, clinically depressed, hated by everyone I ever knew, and had a funny last name.”

]]> By: esnipplee http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-69000 esnipplee Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:19:58 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-69000 16. i do have to name his species... i think... 17. i got 28. "Some definite Sue-like tendancies here. A little polishing might be in order to put original fiction and RPG characters back into the balance, especially if Kirking is involved. Fanfiction characters should probably have some work done. " 18. i did that a little. ... there. scraped the sentence. 19. as i said in another, the /secondary/ start is him waking up. the start is him having a pretty minor accident that turns out to cause the rest of the story. does that build enough tension? 20. i'll keep it in mind 16. i do have to name his species… i think…
17. i got 28. “Some definite Sue-like tendancies here. A little polishing might be in order to put original fiction and RPG characters back into the balance, especially if Kirking is involved. Fanfiction characters should probably have some work done. ”
18. i did that a little. … there. scraped the sentence.
19. as i said in another, the /secondary/ start is him waking up. the start is him having a pretty minor accident that turns out to cause the rest of the story. does that build enough tension?
20. i’ll keep it in mind

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51328 JLT Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:02:17 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51328 Ah, that's a good reason! That's why I wouldn't let any professionals see my "novel" in progress, only my friends and mom. I already told you how much help she turned out to be! ^-^ I bet that's what is too, even though I haven't a clue about marginal proposers. [EDITOR: A proposal that is nearly good enough to get accepted is marginal]. <br /> Also, I'm through. If we go any farther with this conversation, I'll get confused with the talk of business. <br /> Another thing, I simply want to entertain you guys with this <a href=http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.viewcustom&friendId=219306352&blogId=524577265&swapped=true rel="nofollow">blog I did on my Myspace</a>. It's purely entertainment and requires no reviews-- it does have a few mistakes but I don't care since it's just for fun. So check it out if you'd like to! If you like the Mario series, that is... Ah, that’s a good reason! That’s why I wouldn’t let any professionals see my “novel” in progress, only my friends and mom. I already told you how much help she turned out to be! ^-^
I bet that’s what is too, even though I haven’t a clue about marginal proposers. [EDITOR: A proposal that is nearly good enough to get accepted is marginal].

Also, I’m through. If we go any farther with this conversation, I’ll get confused with the talk of business.

Another thing, I simply want to entertain you guys with this blog I did on my Myspace. It’s purely entertainment and requires no reviews– it does have a few mistakes but I don’t care since it’s just for fun. So check it out if you’d like to! If you like the Mario series, that is…

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51258 B. Mac Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:39:43 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51258 "Especially if they don't tell you why you're horrible. You’ll never be able to improve because you weren't what they were looking for." Well, I think that becoming a successful writer usually requires the ability to self-edit without feedback from publishers/editors. Feedback is really helpful, particularly if the writer is inexperienced and/or raw, but the people that need it the most aren't polished enough to get on an editor's radar screen. <br /> I would imagine that it's pretty similar in the video game industry. Maybe even worse. A typical first comic book or novel probably costs a publisher somewhere in the low five figures. In contrast, I would suspect that most video game companies spend considerably more than $10,000 or $20,000 producing, distributing and marketing each game. I'd bet that creating a video game requires a much larger budget for specialized labor (like programmers). So I would imagine that comic book publishers could afford to be a bit more adventurous with marginal proposals than video game companies could be. “Especially if they don’t tell you why you’re horrible. You’ll never be able to improve because you weren’t what they were looking for.” Well, I think that becoming a successful writer usually requires the ability to self-edit without feedback from publishers/editors. Feedback is really helpful, particularly if the writer is inexperienced and/or raw, but the people that need it the most aren’t polished enough to get on an editor’s radar screen.

I would imagine that it’s pretty similar in the video game industry. Maybe even worse. A typical first comic book or novel probably costs a publisher somewhere in the low five figures. In contrast, I would suspect that most video game companies spend considerably more than $10,000 or $20,000 producing, distributing and marketing each game. I’d bet that creating a video game requires a much larger budget for specialized labor (like programmers). So I would imagine that comic book publishers could afford to be a bit more adventurous with marginal proposals than video game companies could be.

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51251 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:27:56 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51251 Oh and RB, I finished with a vengeance! Oh and RB, I finished with a vengeance!

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51250 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:25:35 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51250 Darn it, I forgot to delete Macs paragraph. Oh well lol Darn it, I forgot to delete Macs paragraph. Oh well lol

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51249 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 19:24:13 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51249 “Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get mad and act immature either way.” Unfortunately true. However, in my limited experience, the jobs in the field go to the people that react to adversity and unpleasantness with poise and an enthusiastic/cheerful attitude. I don’t think defensiveness is a helpful trait for a writer, particularly if (s)he is inexperienced and/or unpolished. Companies will accept more mistakes from an employee that has demonstrated a desire and capacity to improve. And the ability to get along with people, even those that can be difficult and/or prickly, is a major job skill in pretty much every field. Hey! Thats good for me! I'm one for people! I love people! (Not as much as I love candy though...>>) Im all for making friends and such. So I've got that part covered. And I see how you mean, an example would how the main character acted at the beginning of the Stepford Wives. How she was being fired and she kept a smile and her dignity as she left the job. Til she exploded in the elevator lol. Ah, I forget about that part of rushing and such. It would suck soooo bad though if everyone including teachers, professional people like you and everyone who cares said your portfolio was amazing and there were no drastic mistakes and then all of a sudden an editor or whatever just says your horrible and sends you on your way after like a second glance at not even half of your pics that you slaved over. That would be a terrible thing to happen to anyone. Especially if they dont tell you why your horrible. You'll never be able to improve because you werent what they were looking for. I've heard stories like that too. Awful really. But that was nice of what you did. ^^ Its always good to try to get on the friendly side of anyone, professional or not, thats why I like to make friends with everyone and not just business associates and such. I'll try the site though when I actually feel ready to show off any work to anyone other then friends. “Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get mad and act immature either way.” Unfortunately true. However, in my limited experience, the jobs in the field go to the people that react to adversity and unpleasantness with poise and an enthusiastic/cheerful attitude. I don’t think defensiveness is a helpful trait for a writer, particularly if (s)he is inexperienced and/or unpolished. Companies will accept more mistakes from an employee that has demonstrated a desire and capacity to improve. And the ability to get along with people, even those that can be difficult and/or prickly, is a major job skill in pretty much every field.

Hey! Thats good for me! I’m one for people! I love people! (Not as much as I love candy though…>>) Im all for making friends and such. So I’ve got that part covered. And I see how you mean, an example would how the main character acted at the beginning of the Stepford Wives. How she was being fired and she kept a smile and her dignity as she left the job. Til she exploded in the elevator lol.
Ah, I forget about that part of rushing and such. It would suck soooo bad though if everyone including teachers, professional people like you and everyone who cares said your portfolio was amazing and there were no drastic mistakes and then all of a sudden an editor or whatever just says your horrible and sends you on your way after like a second glance at not even half of your pics that you slaved over. That would be a terrible thing to happen to anyone. Especially if they dont tell you why your horrible. You’ll never be able to improve because you werent what they were looking for. I’ve heard stories like that too. Awful really.
But that was nice of what you did. ^^

Its always good to try to get on the friendly side of anyone, professional or not, thats why I like to make friends with everyone and not just business associates and such. I’ll try the site though when I actually feel ready to show off any work to anyone other then friends.

]]> By: Ragged Boy http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51227 Ragged Boy Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:04:23 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51227 JLT, I've responded to your comments on DeviantArt. JLT, I’ve responded to your comments on DeviantArt.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51207 B. Mac Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:32:16 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51207 "Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get mad and act immature either way." Unfortunately true. However, in my limited experience, the jobs in the field go to the people that react to adversity and unpleasantness with poise and an enthusiastic/cheerful attitude. I don't think defensiveness is a helpful trait for a writer, particularly if (s)he is inexperienced and/or unpolished. Companies will accept more mistakes from an employee that has demonstrated a desire and capacity to improve. And the ability to get along with people, even those that can be difficult and/or prickly, is a major job skill in pretty much every field. <br /> "Yeah, that would be wow, very harsh. But..if they can give something that can give the artist something to give them faith that they could get better and not just throw them out with a hump, then I’d say the editor did a good thing." Yeah, but it's very hard from a business standpoint. If you're looking at 100 or 150 applicants for 1-2 jobs, you'd have to divvy up most of your time for the 5-10 best applicants. There just isn't time to coach the candidates that aren't yet professionally polished. When I received 100+ applicants for my colorer position, it would have taken me nine hours to spend five minutes writing a personalized rejection letter for each one. That's ridiculous, particularly given how many of the artists clearly copy-pasted my name into the same letter they sent to every other art contractor they applied to. Of the 100 candidates, perhaps eight introduced their portfolio with a letter linking their strengths to my proposal. I gave each of them a personalized rejection and sent a form-letter to most everybody else. <br /> So, if you're looking for individualized attention, I would HIGHLY recommend demonstrating that you have given THEM individualized attention. For example, if you use LinkedIn to reach professionals, I think it's really important to develop a personal connection BEFORE you ask them to look at your portfolio. Otherwise, if the guy sees the portfolio and thinks "oh dear God, there's no way I could work with this guy," there is NO CHANCE he will give you anything but a form rejection. However, if he likes you, he will want you to succeed whether or not he's confident in your artistic ability. So he may care deeply enough about your success to offer you advice. “Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get mad and act immature either way.” Unfortunately true. However, in my limited experience, the jobs in the field go to the people that react to adversity and unpleasantness with poise and an enthusiastic/cheerful attitude. I don’t think defensiveness is a helpful trait for a writer, particularly if (s)he is inexperienced and/or unpolished. Companies will accept more mistakes from an employee that has demonstrated a desire and capacity to improve. And the ability to get along with people, even those that can be difficult and/or prickly, is a major job skill in pretty much every field.

“Yeah, that would be wow, very harsh. But..if they can give something that can give the artist something to give them faith that they could get better and not just throw them out with a hump, then I’d say the editor did a good thing.” Yeah, but it’s very hard from a business standpoint. If you’re looking at 100 or 150 applicants for 1-2 jobs, you’d have to divvy up most of your time for the 5-10 best applicants. There just isn’t time to coach the candidates that aren’t yet professionally polished. When I received 100+ applicants for my colorer position, it would have taken me nine hours to spend five minutes writing a personalized rejection letter for each one. That’s ridiculous, particularly given how many of the artists clearly copy-pasted my name into the same letter they sent to every other art contractor they applied to. Of the 100 candidates, perhaps eight introduced their portfolio with a letter linking their strengths to my proposal. I gave each of them a personalized rejection and sent a form-letter to most everybody else.

So, if you’re looking for individualized attention, I would HIGHLY recommend demonstrating that you have given THEM individualized attention. For example, if you use LinkedIn to reach professionals, I think it’s really important to develop a personal connection BEFORE you ask them to look at your portfolio. Otherwise, if the guy sees the portfolio and thinks “oh dear God, there’s no way I could work with this guy,” there is NO CHANCE he will give you anything but a form rejection. However, if he likes you, he will want you to succeed whether or not he’s confident in your artistic ability. So he may care deeply enough about your success to offer you advice.

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51191 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:15:55 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51191 @RB Oh and I looked at your pics and gave my opinions. And replied of course. @RB
Oh and I looked at your pics and gave my opinions. And replied of course.

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51190 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:15:08 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51190 @ Becca Hey! You made a funnie! The first one I've seen from a regular! xD I think Mac can tell the future..O.O Maybe I should ask him for the winning numbers to some lottery tickets lol. @ Becca
Hey! You made a funnie! The first one I’ve seen from a regular! xD
I think Mac can tell the future..O.O Maybe I should ask him for the winning numbers to some lottery tickets lol.

]]> By: JLT http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51189 JLT Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:12:13 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51189 @ Big Mac Woah now, I'm not up for profit and such! I'm a humble 'man' (I dont know If I can consider myself a man yet...even though I'm 19 and out of home in college...) who wants no money! Though I have charged for pictures before, I got 30 bucks to draw for my pastor just recently. However, I dont freelance anymore cause, well, I hate it. Annoying to me. But thats just me. I've been freelancing since middle school, back when I did nothing but 'trace' pictures for 10cents (not literally tracing, but the version of drawing a pic down to the nitty-gritty of detail, like copying an image about five times smaller of from a magazine or game guide, and blowing it up on computer paper than coloring and such. Ya gotta see the Pocahontas I did! Beautiful!!) They were perfectly good. I dont do that kind of tracing anymore though. I got out of that as quickly as I could. Heh, I'm post all my best normal-sized pics up from as far as I can remember, of course anyone here can simply find a link on this site from this thread if they ever want to see my past works and how far I've improved in my 'decided' choice of style in art. “Now if you go to a random person on DA whose art is less than mine or even the same, and say they’re not artists in your opinion, they may cuss you out, no matter how you type it.” Possibly. But if they asked for my opinion, I think that cussing me out for offering my opinion would be wildly silly and immature… If “could you give me your opinion” actually means “could you tell me how awesome I am?”, the question isn’t worth asking. Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get made and act immature either way. I've seen it in person! My friend would ask the negative friend of mines his opinion on his picture, (lets call him Sam) and Sam would tell him all the negative things about it, well me anyways. He'd come to me and tell me how awful my friend is at drawing. I cant say much cause everyone has their style. Unless its anime. Or DBZ -_- My friend would always get offended and try to defend his picture of whatever it may be and they'd get into a small disagreement. But it all depends on the person asking the question. I think I handled myself quite nicely with your reviews, even if I got only one, good thing on old Zach lol. True on that. I definitely had too, aye, my past isnt so great in the whole self-esteem subject... Yeah, that would be wow, very harsh. But..if they can give something that can give the artist something to give them faith that they could get better and not just throw them out with a hump, then I'd say the editor did a good thing. I though...I explained it right...I was giving you examples on Concept art and that If anything, I'm a concept artist for my maybe videogame. I mean, you basically said that in your mind, I'm not an artist but more of a guy who draws. Those pictures I gave you were nothing like you said concept art should be like. But hey, they helped make an awesome (to me) game! Not all concept art is at first glamorous and I'm quite sure those guys were professionals and those pics sucked, bad. But, they did what was needed to be done. They showed people how they saw the characters or landscapes, right? They wanted to see what needed to be changed, how should chip look and so on. So I'm a concept artist as well as an 'amateur' artist like the main majority of the world of good drawers. @ Big Mac

Woah now, I’m not up for profit and such! I’m a humble ‘man’ (I dont know If I can consider myself a man yet…even though I’m 19 and out of home in college…) who wants no money! Though I have charged for pictures before, I got 30 bucks to draw for my pastor just recently. However, I dont freelance anymore cause, well, I hate it. Annoying to me. But thats just me. I’ve been freelancing since middle school, back when I did nothing but ‘trace’ pictures for 10cents (not literally tracing, but the version of drawing a pic down to the nitty-gritty of detail, like copying an image about five times smaller of from a magazine or game guide, and blowing it up on computer paper than coloring and such. Ya gotta see the Pocahontas I did! Beautiful!!) They were perfectly good. I dont do that kind of tracing anymore though. I got out of that as quickly as I could.
Heh, I’m post all my best normal-sized pics up from as far as I can remember, of course anyone here can simply find a link on this site from this thread if they ever want to see my past works and how far I’ve improved in my ‘decided’ choice of style in art.

“Now if you go to a random person on DA whose art is less than mine or even the same, and say they’re not artists in your opinion, they may cuss you out, no matter how you type it.” Possibly. But if they asked for my opinion, I think that cussing me out for offering my opinion would be wildly silly and immature… If “could you give me your opinion” actually means “could you tell me how awesome I am?”, the question isn’t worth asking.

Hah ha, dont forget Mac, everyone has different personalities, they may get made and act immature either way. I’ve seen it in person! My friend would ask the negative friend of mines his opinion on his picture, (lets call him Sam) and Sam would tell him all the negative things about it, well me anyways. He’d come to me and tell me how awful my friend is at drawing. I cant say much cause everyone has their style. Unless its anime. Or DBZ -_- My friend would always get offended and try to defend his picture of whatever it may be and they’d get into a small disagreement. But it all depends on the person asking the question. I think I handled myself quite nicely with your reviews, even if I got only one, good thing on old Zach lol.
True on that. I definitely had too, aye, my past isnt so great in the whole self-esteem subject…
Yeah, that would be wow, very harsh. But..if they can give something that can give the artist something to give them faith that they could get better and not just throw them out with a hump, then I’d say the editor did a good thing.

I though…I explained it right…I was giving you examples on Concept art and that If anything, I’m a concept artist for my maybe videogame. I mean, you basically said that in your mind, I’m not an artist but more of a guy who draws. Those pictures I gave you were nothing like you said concept art should be like. But hey, they helped make an awesome (to me) game! Not all concept art is at first glamorous and I’m quite sure those guys were professionals and those pics sucked, bad. But, they did what was needed to be done. They showed people how they saw the characters or landscapes, right? They wanted to see what needed to be changed, how should chip look and so on. So I’m a concept artist as well as an ‘amateur’ artist like the main majority of the world of good drawers.

]]> By: Becca http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51158 Becca Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:04:25 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51158 Yeah, I'm in Pacific Time Zone and the SN clock is always an hour ahead. According to this, B.Mac just posted in the future. Yeah, I’m in Pacific Time Zone and the SN clock is always an hour ahead. According to this, B.Mac just posted in the future.

]]> By: B. Mac http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51156 B. Mac Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:38:45 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51156 "But to others I AM an artist." Well, if you can convince enough of them to pay you tens of thousands of dollars a year, then you can go pro. Please let me know when you do; I'm always eager to celebrate success stories in competitive fields. <br /> "Now if you go to a random person on DA whose art is less than mine or even the same, and say they're not artists in your opinion, they may cuss you out, no matter how you type it." Possibly. But if they asked for my opinion, I think that cussing me out for offering my opinion would be wildly silly and immature... If "could you give me your opinion" actually means "could you tell me how awesome I am?", the question isn't worth asking. <br /> Also, if they asked my opinion and are offended by my opinion, they probably need to grow a thicker skin. Most creative endeavors are very, very competitive. If "you're not there yet" makes an artist upset or angry, (s)he may react to a genuinely distasteful comment from an editor in an unprofessional manner. (IE: The possibly apocryphal editor that told an artist "I'd tell you to burn the portfolio, but the leather might be worth something"). In comic books, editors definitely tend to be cynical professionals that are perpetually strapped for time. Sometimes they get annoyed when they feel that someone way below their standards is using up the time they could be using on promising candidates. I'm not sure that it's like that in video games, but I couldn't rule it out. <br /> I have no idea what question(s) you'd like me to answer related to the Sonic paragraph, so I'll leave it at that. “But to others I AM an artist.” Well, if you can convince enough of them to pay you tens of thousands of dollars a year, then you can go pro. Please let me know when you do; I’m always eager to celebrate success stories in competitive fields.

“Now if you go to a random person on DA whose art is less than mine or even the same, and say they’re not artists in your opinion, they may cuss you out, no matter how you type it.” Possibly. But if they asked for my opinion, I think that cussing me out for offering my opinion would be wildly silly and immature… If “could you give me your opinion” actually means “could you tell me how awesome I am?”, the question isn’t worth asking.

Also, if they asked my opinion and are offended by my opinion, they probably need to grow a thicker skin. Most creative endeavors are very, very competitive. If “you’re not there yet” makes an artist upset or angry, (s)he may react to a genuinely distasteful comment from an editor in an unprofessional manner. (IE: The possibly apocryphal editor that told an artist “I’d tell you to burn the portfolio, but the leather might be worth something”). In comic books, editors definitely tend to be cynical professionals that are perpetually strapped for time. Sometimes they get annoyed when they feel that someone way below their standards is using up the time they could be using on promising candidates. I’m not sure that it’s like that in video games, but I couldn’t rule it out.

I have no idea what question(s) you’d like me to answer related to the Sonic paragraph, so I’ll leave it at that.

]]> By: Ragged Boy http://www.superheronation.com/2008/07/01/five-common-mistakes-of-first-time-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-51146 Ragged Boy Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:53:53 +0000 http://www.superheronation.com/?p=879#comment-51146 Hey! I'm in the Sunshine state, too! Anyways, I've replied to your reply. Hey! I’m in the Sunshine state, too! Anyways, I’ve replied to your reply.

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