Ask the Author: Casey Dorman
Answered Questions (6)
Casey Dorman
Thanks, Michael. That might be just what I'm looking for.
Casey
Casey
Casey Dorman
From other books (Catcher in the Rye and Special Topics in Calamity Physics), and looking at some of the books my high school age niece was reading in her AP English classes. I wanted to write something that would interest young adults who enjoyed literature. But then I also wanted to express some of my own feelings about growing old and my failures in life. So I wrote a book about a 19 years old female iconoclast searching for her father, who is an alcoholic writer at the nadir of his career. No sure who it will appeal to, if anyone.
Casey Dorman
I'm working on a novel, which has been a five-year project so far. I've completely revised parts of the plot, changed the location from Mexico to Vietnam, edited the entire novel at least 50 times so far and I know I am not done yet. Reviewers of the earlier versions agreed that some to the sentences were too long (especially early in the work) and one of the main characters was too objectionable to generate any empathy. I shortened sentences and rewrote the character. Still working. It's more or less of a literary novel, with more emphasis upon character than plot. I'm hoping for a reputable small press publisher for this one.
Casey Dorman
Read a lot. Find some favorite writers and try copying their voices. Find one that fits you, then later worry about developing a unique voice of your own. Also, learn more grammar and learn to enjoy editing to fix your grammatical mistakes. Most of all, don't be dissuaded by criticisms or rejections. Having a story or book accepted is rare… very rare. You will be able to paper your walls with rejections. And critics are often just plain mean and petty. That goes for those who post on Amazon or Goodreads as well as fellow writers to whom you submit your work. And everyone voices his or her criticisms with the voice of authority. Look for common criticisms and pay attention to those, disregard the hostility.
Casey Dorman
Being able to play with different ways to say things.
Casey Dorman
When it occurs in the middle of a work, I go back and begin editing, then by the time I am up to where I left off, I usually am back into the story.
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I changed the name to the more grammatically correct Authors' Review Exchange. This is something I want authors (plural) to take advantage ...more
Apr 05, 2021 10:09AM · flag