Writing, like dancing, is all about the technique.
Your work will be judged on how clean and precise your manuscript is executed.
Star quality?
There are a few transferable requirements that will wow the judges - the literary agent of your dreams:
Swing dance showmanship consists of presentation, creativity, costumes, and difficulty, so does writing
Presentation Double line spacing and 12 point Times New Roman is the classic
Indenting for speech and new paragraphs, but not at the start of each chapter.
Creativity Take a basic storyline, one of the seven (J) will do, but craft a great idea
Use a fresh and engaging voice, one that is a perfect fit for its genre.
Costume Almost a stretch, but not – the costume is YOU!
Professional, well-informed, and fascinating YOU, on the top of your platform
Difficulty Competent in spelling, grammar and storytelling?
Well paced and lean?
Perfect for the pigeon-hole but unique?
A powerful hook pitched in one or two sentences?
HOW WILL YOU SCORE IN THE COMPETITION?
Thanks to Nicola Morgan and to Swing Dance judges everywhere for their inspiration. :)
Thanks to Nicola Morgan and to Swing Dance judges everywhere for their inspiration. :)
Great post--I love the anaolgy! I'll definitely keep these four things in mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminders. I have a writer friend who is a swing dancer and he uses music/dancing analogies all the time. And he always makes sense.
ReplyDeleteHi GE
ReplyDelete*grins The advice on costume was the one that had me in stitches ;)
Hi Diana
I live in awe of swing dancers. Music and dance analogies work well because, along with writing, these are true arts :)
Great post Elaine! These are all things to remember and sometimes we get so caught up in the writing that we let the details slip through the cracks.
ReplyDeleteHi Lindsay
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
Finding the balance of exciting, sparkly, unique and perfect for the pigeon-hole is very difficult.
I'm catching up on blogs today. Very creative analogy!
ReplyDelete