Mette Ivie Harrison, Children's writer, triathlete, marathons, Ironman, training, fitness, workouts, The Princess and the Hound, Mira, Mirror, The Monster In Me, The Hound and the Bear, Young Adult Books, Fantasy, Romance, yoga


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On Writing For many, many years, I had a hard time accepting any criticism about my writing. In fact, when I turned in papers to professors in college, I would never look at their comments because I was so terrified. One year, my husband found some of my old papers, still in unopened envelopes and realized the TRUTH! He was aghast! He insisted on reading them then and there, on the living room couch. I hid in our bedroom, pillow over my bed, occasionally shouting out at him, "What did they say?" whereupon he would deliver his rendition. When he was finished, I ran to get the papers, hurried out of our apartment to the trash incinerator, and threw the papers in. I've gotten better since then. A little better. I think. If you're going to be a writer you have to get used to accepting criticism not as an attack on you personally, but merely as a suggestion for how to write more serving the needs of your audience, whoever they are. Critiquing Service Now Available I am currently offering a critiquing service for writers who are wondering what editors are thinking, when they send those cryptic rejection letters that have only a few words written on them. I charge $50/hour for this service, but I read between 50-100 pages per hour. I do not read picture books, since I do not write picture books. I will read middle grade, young adult, and adult books of any genre, but of course, my specialties are fantasy and science fiction. WARNING! This is NOT an editing service. I will not make your manuscript cleaner. Quite the reverse. I think this will be most useful to those authors who think, as I did for several years before selling my first manuscript, that they are very close. I can get you closer. I will read beginning manuscripts, if you wish, but I think you might be better served by going to a critique group, having a friend who loves books read your manuscript, or simply going through the free material I have posted here on writing. Click the contact me link above to get more information Free Thoughts on Writing Here is my theory of romance. Here are my top 20 tips on revision. Here are 12 lessons in revision. Here are 7 tips on dialog. Here are my 20 universal rules of bad writing. Here is a letter to young writers. Here are some FAQ's for beginning writers on publishing. Here are some FAQ's for writers who are already published and may be wondering if and when they will ever be published again. Here are some thoughts on writing sequels , for those who are crazy enough to think it's easy and they can whip out a series in no time. Click here for some websites on writing. Click here for advice to parents and teachers on how to get kids to write. And even, eventually, to write better. Click here for books on writing. If you want to have a good laugh and make yourself feel better about your own writing, click here and see some of the worst things I've written. Or click here to read some of the stories I wrote very early in life. Here are some things I wrote that aren't half bad, mostly because I was trying to tell a story instead of show off how good I was with words. Click here here to read my rant on teaching kids to write "better" by using more colorful variations of the word "said." Return to home page

On Writing

For many, many years, I had a hard time accepting any criticism about my writing. In fact, when I turned in papers to professors in college, I would never look at their comments because I was so terrified.

One year, my husband found some of my old papers, still in unopened envelopes and realized the TRUTH! He was aghast! He insisted on reading them then and there, on the living room couch. I hid in our bedroom, pillow over my bed, occasionally shouting out at him, "What did they say?" whereupon he would deliver his rendition.

When he was finished, I ran to get the papers, hurried out of our apartment to the trash incinerator, and threw the papers in.

I've gotten better since then. A little better. I think.

If you're going to be a writer you have to get used to accepting criticism not as an attack on you personally, but merely as a suggestion for how to write more serving the needs of your audience, whoever they are.

Critiquing Service Now Available

I am currently offering a critiquing service for writers who are wondering what editors are thinking, when they send those cryptic rejection letters that have only a few words written on them. I charge $50/hour for this service, but I read between 50-100 pages per hour. I do not read picture books, since I do not write picture books. I will read middle grade, young adult, and adult books of any genre, but of course, my specialties are fantasy and science fiction.

WARNING! This is NOT an editing service. I will not make your manuscript cleaner. Quite the reverse.

I think this will be most useful to those authors who think, as I did for several years before selling my first manuscript, that they are very close. I can get you closer. I will read beginning manuscripts, if you wish, but I think you might be better served by going to a critique group, having a friend who loves books read your manuscript, or simply going through the free material I have posted here on writing.

Click the contact me link above to get more information

Free Thoughts on Writing

Here is my theory of romance.

Here are my top 20 tips on revision.

Here are 12 lessons in revision.

Here are 7 tips on dialog.

Here are my 20 universal rules of bad writing.

Here is a letter to young writers.

Here are some FAQ's for beginning writers on publishing.

Here are some FAQ's for writers who are already published and may be wondering if and when they will ever be published again.

Here are some thoughts on writing sequels , for those who are crazy enough to think it's easy and they can whip out a series in no time.

Click here for some websites on writing.

Click here for advice to parents and teachers on how to get kids to write. And even, eventually, to write better.

Click here for books on writing.

If you want to have a good laugh and make yourself feel better about your own writing, click here and see some of the worst things I've written. Or click here to read some of the stories I wrote very early in life. Here are some things I wrote that aren't half bad, mostly because I was trying to tell a story instead of show off how good I was with words.

Click here here to read my rant on teaching kids to write "better" by using more colorful variations of the word "said."

Return to home page