Comments on: Don’t Be a Pageant Mom http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/ Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:07:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: sydney http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-908 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:12:08 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-908 my daughter dose pageant but there always going to be up to here . i will never force her to a pageant . my daughter loves it she even say so . if you dont like pageants well thats your opinion .we pageant moms do like pageant and you should not be rude if you never been to one .

]]> By: bets http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-812 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:17:45 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-812 Both writers and hobbyists write lots of darlings.

Real writers know which ones actually fit in this story.

I smother my emotions about this by keeping an outtakes file for every story and book.

]]> By: Lars http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-794 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:21:30 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-794 I am going to defend the killing of darlings. As I understand it, the advice boils down to “be objective about your work.” The advice was given to me in the context of a group brainstorming; i.e., don’t defend ideas just because you came up with them, look for the best ones, period. Which is a bit different than not being a pageant mom — forcing your ideas to look and act in ways that are both premature and disturbingly inappropriate.

]]> By: denniscass http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-793 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:28:39 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-793 Moonrat’s word count discussion has been excellent, but this post was triggered by a radio interview I heard with smart, talented (and established) author who trotted out that lazy darling-killing nonsense.

]]> By: mapelba http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-789 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:08:54 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-789 I’m not sure I’m qualified to be in complete control.

]]> By: JES http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-788 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:53:14 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-788 Hmm. Was this triggered by the wordcount discussion over at Moonrat’s place? Whether or not they’re darlings and whether or not you’re killing them, all those baroque little curlicues aren’t a bad place to start looking if you have to cut down the words.

OTOH, take “baroque little curlicues” for an example: is THAT a darling? if you make it just “curlicues” is it “better”? if you change it completely to “little touches”?

Agree with Arika. Love the pageant-mom analogy!

]]> By: Arika http://denniscass.com/2009/06/09/dont-be-a-pageant-mom/#comment-785 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:50:12 +0000 http://denniscass.com/?p=1254#comment-785 This is such a great metaphor. I’m glad you didn’t kill it.

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