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The Windchime



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32 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 1225
Reviews: 32
Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:44 am
NerdBurga says...



She sat in bed, a place where she had not left for 2 days. Never had she felt this depressed or lonely. Every time she closed her eyes she would see his face. Every detail would be clear. His stubble that suited him so well, his thick brown hair, his beautiful green eyes. And she would remember him speak. She would sink into the sound of his voice, the voice that was as rich as dark chocolate.

There was this one particular memory, the memory of these two lovers meeting for the first time. She had been looking in the windows of a junk shop, curious to see what little treasures would be inside. A wind chime near the door of the shop lit up the air with it's metallic yet delicate clinking. A man inside the shop appeared on the other side of the window. Distracted, she looked up at him. It was the first time she had ever seen him, and had no idea in the slightest what an impact he would have on her later on.

But she no longer wanted to dwell on the past. Using every ounce of strength and determination, she slid out from the silk sheets of her bed and slid right down to the floor. It wasn't much, but that first move had given her hope that she really could move on. So she picked herself up off the floor and finally found herself in an upright position. She glanced at her desk and saw the small Chinese box. Inside would be two metallic balls painted with the symbols of ying and yang, and with bells hidden inside. She used them whenever she wanted to cheer up. The sound they made when the little bells started chiming was like nothing she had ever heard before, so they didn't remind her of anything. This meant she wouldn't get sentimental, and she would not think of any sad memories, she would be able to choose her thoughts. They helped her to be in control of her own mind.

So she went over to the little box. She picked up the two little balls inside and started to roll them around in the palm of her hand. Soon she would be happy and content. Just as she started to smile, something happened that had never happened before. The balls made her think of a memory. Those little bells that she had relied on sounded just like the sound of the wind chime that had been outside the junk shop. The shop where she met him. This memory was one that always brought tears to her eyes. As the last of her hope escaped her, she sunk to cold, dusty floor once more, not sure she would ever rise again.
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10 Reviews



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Points: 1061
Reviews: 10
Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:12 pm
Fantasydotcom says...



Hello NerdBurga,
Welcome to YWS, I'm Fantasy and I'm the person who has reviewed this work. The stuff in bold is what I've said, okay.


NerdBurga wrote:She sat in bed, a place where she had not left for 2 days. Never had she felt this depressed or lonely. Every time she closed her eyes she would see his face.Okay, you're tenses are a bit mixed up. you started off in present tense, and now its in past tense. Every detail would be clear. His stubble that suited him so well, his thick brown hair, his beautiful green eyes. And she would remember him speak. She would sink into the sound of his voice, the voice that was as rich as dark chocolate.Has this character got a name? It feels repetative with she she she.

There was this one particular memory, the memory of these two lovers meeting for the first timeMemory feels a bit too much. say it once prehaps? There was this one particular time, the memory of thise two lovers meeting for the first time?. She had been looking in the windows of a junk shop, curious to see what little treasures would be inside. A wind chime near the door of the shop lit up the air with it's metallic yet delicate clinkingAgain, you've mixd up your tenses.. A man inside the shop appeared on the other side of the window. Distracted, she looked up at him. It was the first time she had ever seen him, and had no idea in the slightest what an impact he would have on her later onThe narrative is changing here. Or is it just me? But it feels like you've started the story again from a different perpective. It no longer a memory, but a narrative. Maybe a new paragraph?.

But she no longer wanted to dwell on the past. Using every ounce of strength and determination, she slid out from the silk sheets of her bed and slid right down to the floor. It wasn't much, but that first move had given her hope that she really could move on. So she picked herself up off the floor and finally found herself in an upright position. new paragraph here: new topicShe glanced at her desk and saw the small Chinese box. Inside would be two metallic balls painted with the symbols of ying and yang, and with bells hidden inside. She used them whenever she wanted to cheer up. The sound they made when the little bells started chiming was 'were' instead of 'was' because its plural like nothing she had ever heard before, so they didn't remind her of anything. This meant she wouldn't get sentimental, and she would not think of any sad memories, she would be able to choose her thoughts. They helped her to be in control of her own mind. slightly confused here. How can bells have no sentimental meaning? Surely you'll now associate the bells with sadness?

So she went over to the little box. She picked up the two little balls inside and started to roll them around in the palm of her hand. Soon she would be happy and content. Just as she started to smile, something happened that had never happened before. The balls made her think of a memory. Those little bells that she had relied on sounded just like the sound of the wind chime that had been outside the junk shop. The shop where she met him. This memory was one that always brought tears to her eyes. As the last of her hope escaped her, she sunk to cold, dusty floor once more, not sure she would ever rise again. Aww...no you've made me feel really sorry for the character here. But it was a bit too rushed as i had to read it really slowly to get the sadness, because there are too many short sentences.


Okay,
Overall, I like the story. The idea of losing someone and then going through all the pain of trying to forget that special someone who has left your life is very clear in the story.
I do advise watching your tenses, and maybe giving more variation to your vocabulary and sentences structures. Also, be careful not to change narrative and point of view mid way, as it creates another story teller...unless you want to be like that (refer to Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones).
I said I like the story, but for some strange reason, I can see this story more like a poem. If you want to, try to structure it into a poem and it might be better like that. But that's my opinion and how I see this text.
Good luck with future writing and don't give up!

Fantasy
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529 Reviews



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Reviews: 529
Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:12 pm
xDudettex says...



Hey Nerdburga!

Since you reviewed my contest entry, I thought I'd return the favour :)

So, I agree with everything that Fantasy mentioned above. You have a nice little plot here and it has potential - it just needs a little editing to make it shine :)

where she had not left for 2 days.


'2' should be written as 'two'

She sat in bed, a place where she had not left for 2 days.


Okay, this is a good opening, but I'd suggest re-wording it to give it a better flow, e.g -

'Sitting up, she gazed around her room; she hadn't left her bed for two days.'

There was this one particular memory, the memory of these two lovers meeting for the first time


The start of this sentence doesn't sound right and I agree that using 'memory' twice is repetitive. Try something like -

'Her mind kept bringing up one memory; the first time the two lovers had met.'

She had been looking in the windows of a junk shop


I think 'in' would be better as 'through'

'She had been looking through the windows of a junk shop'

treasures would be inside.


Try - 'treasures were hidden inside' Using hidden evokes more of an image and lets the reader picture their own version of the junk shop. You don't have to use it though.

A wind chime near the door of the shop lit up the air


To make this past tense, you should add in 'had' before 'lit'

Distracted, she looked up at him.


'Distracted, she had looked up at him'

It was the first time she had ever seen him, and had no idea in the slightest what an impact he would have on her later on


This is worded a little awkwardly. Try something like -

'It was the first time she had ever seen him. No way could she have guessed what an effect he would have on her life.'

she slid out from the silk sheets of her bed and slid right down to the floor.


You use 'slid' here twice. I'd suggest either changing one of them for another word. Or you could cut the seond one out completely and write something like -

'she slid out from the silk sheets of her bed, not stopping until she felt the floor beneath her.'

So she picked herself up off the floor


'off' would be better as 'from'

'So she picked herself up from the floor'

and yang, and with bells hidden inside.


You could switch 'and' for 'both' but it's up to you.

'and yang, both with bells hidden inside.'

She used them whenever she wanted to cheer up.


'She used them whenever she wanted to cheer herself up.'

This meant she wouldn't get sentimental, and she would not think of any sad memories, she would be able to choose her thoughts. They helped her to be in control of her own mind.


I don't think you need all of this in the story. I'd only use this part -

'she would be able to choose her thoughts.'

Just as she started to smile, something happened that had never happened before.


This is a little hard to read with 'happened' used twice. Try re-wording it. Maybe something like -

'Just as she started to smile, something happened that had never occured before.'

or

'Just as she started to smile, something happened that never had before.'

Those little bells that she had relied on sounded just like the sound of the wind chime that had been outside the junk shop.


This is only a suggestion, but I think you should add 'suddenly' after 'on' and get rid of 'the sound of'

'Those little bells that she had relied on suddenly sounded just like the wind chime that had been outside the junk shop.'

she sunk to cold


'she sunk to the cold'

not sure she would ever


'not sure if she would ever'

Overall impressions -

Like I said at the start of this review, this story has the potential to be great once edited.

The only thing I'd suggest is adding in a little more emotion and feeling so that the MC feels more realistic. Here for example -

Distracted, she had looked up at him.


You could add a sentence after this like - 'Her breath had caught and her heart had thudded into her ribs wildly.'

Also, we don't know why she's so sad. I get that the guy she met in the junk shop went on to be her boyfriend, but we don't know what happened after that. Did he leave her? Cheat on her? Die? We have no clue. I'd suggest adding in somewhere what happened to make the MC stay in bed for two days.

I hope this review helps and I didn't come across as harsh. I just want to see you make this story the best it can be :)

Thanks for the read!

xDudettex
'Stop wishing for the sunshine. Start living in the rain.' - Kids In Glass Houses.

'Would you destroy something perfect in order to make it beautiful?' - MCR artwork.
  





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32 Reviews



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Reviews: 32
Thu Feb 10, 2011 6:09 am
NerdBurga says...



These posts are really helpful, I am really learning how to improve. And no you didn't sound harsh :)
Thanks for your help guys
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Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:05 am
writerwithacause says...



Here are some corrections that I've made:


She sat in bed, a place that she had not left for 2 days. Never had she felt this depressed or lonely. Every time she closed her eyes she would see his face. Every detail would be clear: his stubble that suited him so well, his thick brown hair, his beautiful green eyes. And she would remember him speak. She would sink into the sound of his voice, the voice that was as rich as dark chocolate.

There was this one particular memory, the memory of these two lovers meeting for the first time. She had been looking at the windows of a junk shop, curious to see what little treasures would be inside. A wind chime near the door of the shop lit up the air with its metallic, yet delicate clinking. A man inside the shop appeared on the other side of the window. Distracted, she looked up at him. It was the first time she had ever seen him, and had no idea in the slightest what an impact he would have on her later on.

But she no longer wanted to dwell on the past. Using every ounce of strength and determination, she slid out from the silk sheets of her bed and slid right down to the floor. It wasn't much, but that first move had given her the hope that she really could move on. So she picked herself up off the floor and finally found herself in an upright position. She glanced at her desk and saw the small Chinese box. Inside there were two metallic balls painted with the symbols of ying and yang, and with bells hidden inside. She used them whenever she wanted to cheer up. The sound they made when the little bells started chiming was like nothing she had ever heard before, so they didn't remind her of anything. This meant she wouldn't get sentimental, and she would not think of any sad memories, she would be able to choose her thoughts. They helped her to be in control of her own mind.

So she went over to the little box. She picked up the two little balls inside and started to roll them around in the palm of her hand. Soon she would be happy and content. Just as she started to smile, something happened that had never happened before. The balls made her think of a memory. Those little bells that she had relied on sounded just like the sound of the wind chime that had been outside the junk shop. The shop where she met him. This memory was one that always used to bring tears to her eyes. As the last of her hope escaped her, she sunk to the cold, dusty floor once more, not sure whether she would ever rise again.


Overall, I enjoyed the feelings you've put into this piece of writing.
Julie, a sucker for romance, historical fashion, medieval fairs and blues music. Add photography and you already know me 50%. The rest of me you'll discover through my writings and my photos.

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Tue Feb 15, 2011 4:48 pm
92nida says...



It is a very nice story.. It is one of the greatest things a girl can face.. I don't know if you meant to oppose it
or your just portraying it! But it is like the signal to show that life is hard and not everyone is strong and how much tender hearts can be hurt with lame things that stop progress in life! If there is ever a sequel..i would love to see this little one more like you! A better motto in life!
  








There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum.
— Arthur C. Clarke