Tags
cats as cannon fodder, milk bones, rejection Friday, revise and resubmit, the Dogginess, yes I'm weird so what?
Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve posted on a Friday, and therefore too long since I’ve done one of these. I’ll try to make up for it with an unusually long and special revise-and-resubmit from someone we all know and love, The Dogginess. She wanted to have her say, and I wasn’t left much of a choice in the matter.
Dear Human,
Thank you for sending me your work. I think it shows promise, and I have given you my thoughts below:
- I very much enjoyed the notion of milk bones hidden in the Kong toy. I think this is a theme you need to draw out: it deserves more time that its currently getting, and I’d like to see it much more often.
- The rope chew is an excellent device: it really gets your point across, and the 3-inch diameter one with woven cords and squeaky ball glued to the end was a truly inspired choice. A few more items like these scattered throughout this would really make things interesting.
- Walks. I can’t emphasize the importance of having at least one walk in every chapter. They’re vastly underrated for no reason that I can see, and they really tie a piece together in ways that defy explanation. Just trust me, and put in as many of them as you can.
- I know that fresh water twice a day and 4 cups of organic kibble is an old standby that seems to wind up in every halfway decent work, but I just want you to remember that it’s there for a reason. Don’t forget it.
- Cats. You can never have too many of them. Just make them a little more helpless, okay? There’s nothing a nice chase scene can’t improve.
- I really didn’t feel that the dog bed was as defined as it deserved to be. I’d like to see that emphasized more: really make it opulent.
- You have a real talent for scratching and ear-rubbing, but the tooth-brushing, nail-clipping, and generally any cleaning activities just don’t add anything to this piece. I think they need to go.
- Baths. Why? I can’t understand this choice. It seems like gratuitous misery, tacked on at random. What is it supposed to add?
- Stop it with the come, sit, stay nonsense. You’re adding unnecessary structure, and it’s getting in the way of things.
- And last but not least – I think this work would benefit immeasurably from the addition of a secondary character, a sidekick-type: I’m thinking Springer Spaniel, about three years old, mostly submissive, but always ready to play. What do you think?
I know this looks like a lot of work, but I think it will really improve things. I’d love to see a revised version, the sooner the better.And one last thing — I know cheese doesn’t seem like an appropriate choice here, but trust me: it is. Try it.
Sincerely,
The Dogginess
PS: When I say cats, I don’t mean as characters. You get that, right?
Tracey said:
lol! The Dogginess is tough, but I’m sure those revisions will improve things immensely. 🙂
ralfast said:
Oh that face! Nothing says, “We need to talk,” like Her Dogginess at her desk.
Jan O'Hara of Tartitude said:
Pretty hard to refuse an editor with such an endearing face. Even one who “publishes” at inopportune moments. 😉
Amy Bai said:
She’s demanding, but what am I going to do, right?
She eats my books if I don’t do what she says.
MessyMissy said:
bwahahahah. Her dogginess at it again. Love it. Can I also tell you that when we stopped by the let her out (per your request) the other night, I have never seen a dog run for the trees as fast as she did…. I started hollering before she got there, because I thought she was running away (cue Monty Python: “RUN AWAY!!!!”) from us. Nope, she was running to use the little bitches room. Can I say that on here??
kim said:
ahh, gotta love her dogginess! 😉