History Hunters Weekend Reports

[c.e.lawson]

Well, I sent off two stories to Fish Publishing a couple of days ago - one is a 4000 word short for the Fish/HNS short story comp, and the other is a 300 word short short about two of my characters from my Sparta novel in progress. We hear results on Sept 30, but I think the long list and short lists come out before that.

I'd like to thank a few AWers who were instrumental in helping me with my Gettysburg piece that's going to Fish/HNS - Puma, Cav Guy, pdr, Haggis, dolores haze, brokenfingers, and girlyswot gave me great feedback as my story went through many transformations, growing from a 100 word drabble. Wow, it really took a village this time!

Is anyone else in this comp so I can keep my fingers crossed with you? pdr, did you send your 300 word story?

c.e.

[euclid]

Originally Posted by san_remo_ave

Here it is --a thread for our weekly writing goals and accomplishments, as suggested by our very own c.e.lawson and shamelessly spun off of a similar thread...

Hey, put me in here. I use my signature to record progress (on WIP2) and my main target (October 1). I'm not sure I can break my target up into smaller pieces, but I'm willing to try. I have to have those awards !!

I find I can't get much work done at the weekends or on holiday. We went to Scotland for 6 days (just back last Thursday night). Why Scotland? So that I could buy lots of stamps for SAE's for queries. I counted the days until I could get back to work.

Somebody said they cancelled Deadwood. Sorry to hear that. Great series, great realism. Beats the socks off those old fashioned westerns. The problem we had with Deadwood was picking up the dialogue -- hearing it and/or understanding it. Quite difficult if you're from Europe.

For this weekend, I want to sort out a major wrinkle in the plot. It's been annoying me for a while now. Doesn't quite make sense, needs thought, must concentrate...Now where did I put my pencil?

Also planning a new thread...on 1939-42 Berlin.

[san_remo_ave]

Originally Posted by c.e.lawson

Well, I sent off two stories to Fish Publishing a couple of days ago - one is a 4000 word short for the Fish/HNS short story comp, and the other is a 300 word short short about two of my characters from my Sparta novel in progress. We hear results on Sept 30, but I think the long list and short lists come out before that.

Congratulations, c.e. on finishing and submitting. Good luck on those contests --I didn't get to see the short short, but I did see an earlier version of your Gettysburg story and it was just awesome.

Here's a little something for you to commemorate your contest submissions!

[san_remo_ave]

Originally Posted by euclid

Hey, put me in here. I use my signature to record progress (on WIP2) and my main target (October 1). I'm not sure I can break my target up into smaller pieces, but I'm willing to try. I have to have those awards !!

Hi euclid and welcome! Delighted to have you join us! I think it's fun and motivational to share and celebrate all of the small successes along the way.

Originally Posted by euclid

For this weekend, I want to sort out a major wrinkle in the plot. It's been annoying me for a while now. Doesn't quite make sense, needs thought, must concentrate...Now where did I put my pencil?

Be sure to let us know how you're doing and check back for the weekend progress medal!

[euclid]

Originally Posted by san_remo_ave

Be sure to let us know how you're doing and check back for the weekend progress medal!

Major plot wrinkle sorted (simplified). This resulted in a fairly major rewrite of chapters 1-5 and 9-21. I lost about 400 words along the way and wrote about 400 new ones, so back to where I was, word-count-wise.

Also cut the grass (it was up around my ankles again!)

Target for next week: 8,000 words.

[euclid]

Originally Posted by c.e.lawson

Well, I sent off two stories to Fish Publishing

Hi c.e., I submitted stories to Fish over several years (1996-2000 ish) and was disappointed. They like the sort of "serious" stories that I can't write. I sent in some humorous stories one year and these were rejected. The year after that, I sent in some more serious stuff and they decided to do an anthology of humorous stuff. So I gave up. I do admire the competition, though. It seems to make money.

Good luck with your submissions. Let us know if you get shortlisted and/or win something.

[c.e.lawson]

Thank you for my submission medal, san_remo_ave. Now I just have to figure out how to get it in my sig! (I think I need to put it in my own folder, then use the signature picture function, right?)

And thanks for your encouragement, Euclid. I've only sent one other story to Fish, and that was to last year's Short Story comp. I long listed, and I was happy about that, because my story was very short - under 900 words! Goodness, I'd be so absolutely thrilled to shortlist with this one, but I'm taking a risk with this story as it starts out in first person present tense, which I know some people just can't stand. Plus, that's the first time I've written anything in that tense. But it is plenty serious! Maybe they'll be looking for serious this year. I know what you mean - it seems that most of their short, drabble type comps have humorous pieces as winners. (And sometimes I don't even understand them! )
You have an enviable sense of humor, though. I have a really tough time writing humor, so my hat is off to you. Good luck with your WIP. You have a great word count target for next week - 8000 words! Get to it!

c.e.

[san_remo_ave]

Originally Posted by c.e.lawson

Thank you for my submission medal, san_remo_ave. Now I just have to figure out how to get it in my sig! (I think I need to put it in my own folder, then use the signature picture function, right?)

Just right click on the image and copy the address (or link). For your medal it is:

http://bp3.blogger.com/_TGYx4p304xI/...submission.GIF

(Right click and copy the address/link of the above. Don't copy the text because it's getting chopped when the system automatically turns it into a hyperlink)

Now, go to your profile signature. There should be a button to "insert image". Paste this address to there and you should be ready to go. No need to save it elsewhere.

If you have any trouble, PM me. Thought I'd post the instructions in case anyone else wanted the how-to.

[euclid]

Originally Posted by c.e.lawson

I've only sent one other story to Fish, and that was to last year's Short Story comp. I long listed, and I was happy about that, because my story was very short - under 900 words!

Wow! That's awresome. I never ever met nobody before what done actually got listed by Fish. My stuff mostly gets rejected for stupid reasons - bad grammar and such. Go figure.

Any chance I could read your story (the one that starts in first person, present tense)?

[Doogs]

Slow progress this weekend - a combination of the late summer heat here in Texas and a general "blah" feeling that's turned my brain to mush. My goal for the rest of the long weekend is to push the story treatment through Chapter 5 (I'm on 3 right now).

[san_remo_ave]

Keep at it, Doogs! It's only 2 more to go!

My progress has been steady, but not as strong as I wanted, though I keep pushing. I'm at 6k which is the midpoint of the story. Hopefully when I get off AW in a minute I'll be able to focus while the hubby's out of the house and it's extra quiet.

[c.e.lawson]

Go Melissa! You can do it! *waves pom pom*

6K is awesome for one weekend!

It's so much easier for me to write in an empty house. I hope you get that last push you need to finish.

c.e.

[PastMidnight]

Well, I finished the synopsis, as I was hoping to by the start of this week. Well, finished it all except for the paragraph of denouement. I'm not set on how I want that very last scene to play out until I get the rest of it revised. I'm much happier with the novel than I was before. I realized that my characters motivations weren't that muddled; I just needed to clear up the rest of the plot to see the characters a bit more clearly. I hacked away and ended up simplifying the story rather than adding to. It's intended to be a humorous story, so I figured I can simplify the plot, motivations, etc., leaving the actions and dialogue to carry the overall tone. Uncomplicated characters, they are. Only one thing on their minds. Diamonds, of course.

So I'm hoping to perhaps get through a page by page revision of chapter 1 tonight and tomorrow. I'm thinking I can get through the first few pretty quickly, as I won't have many changes for there, so my goal for the week will be to revise the first 3 chapters.

[Puma]

Mission accomplished - the last of the three short story contest submissions I was after has been sent off. Next step - submit contemporary novel that needs a home to at least one contest and then, finally, I can start the re-write on my serious sci-fi novel.

Off the topic, but so far very favorable comments on my historical novel. Even a suggestion that I should write a sequel (maybe down the road.) There's a nice review on Amazon now from our state representative. And there's some interest in wholesale from a more major player, so keep your fingers crossed. Puma

[san_remo_ave]

Well, I didn't finish my story, but I've made it through two thirds, and wrote nearly 10k over the weekend, so I'm pleased with the results. I'll continue working on the remaining scenes this week and see if I can wrap it up next weekend.

[san_remo_ave]

Congratulations to everyone who finished their weekend goals!

For those of you who are collectors, here's something to commemorate your accomplishment!



and the image address:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TGYx4p304x...medal+8-31.JPG

[pdr]

I'm not into kerfuffles, prefer reticence.

However since you publically asked, c.e., of course I submitted my 300 word Fish. I don't have time to write and not submit. All the time I have is for work and writing. I have my own yearly goals and publishing plans and yes I have achieved most of them this year, some goals depend on editors and publishers liking my work but everything has been submitted and the website is up and so is the blog.

Look, I'm a writer. I write, I don't have time for anything else other than earning enough to pay the mortgage and get my 12 acres planted.

[euclid]

Came up a bit short, I'm afraid. I was hoping for +8,000, i.e. 70,000 words completed by tonight, made only 68,500. Spent a lot of time yesterday reproducing a map of Berlin 1939, like a giant jigsaw puzzle. I may make up the difference over the weekend.

I consider my wrist slapped.

[euclid]

Originally Posted by san_remo_ave

Congratulations to everyone who finished their weekend goals!

For those of you who are collectors, here's something to commemorate your accomplishment!



and the image address:

Does this count for weekend achievements:




And of course:

[donroc]

Well into the 2nd draft of my sequel.

[san_remo_ave]

Just finished the First Draft of my short story Coming Out (13,717 words)!!

Yippee!! That was my goal for this weekend, though I expected it to take me ALL weekend...

[san_remo_ave]

So, that means my NEW goal for the rest of this weekend is (I know --I'm a glutton for punishment!) is to update some character grids for a plotting workshop I'm taking this month. I decided to workshop Bet On Me because while I'm done with a very, very rough draft, I'm not totally satisfied with the characterization and hoping this will help me get it fixed.

[Puma]

On vacation - no goals except to see some historical sites. Lots of Great Lakes lighthouses and old mines. Puma

[Inarticulate Babbler]

Add me in. My goal is generally at least a page a night, but I'm hoping to start doubling that now that school is back in session.

My weekend goal is to end chapter two and work in a segway that makes the time and distance my protagonist and antagonist have to travel smooth.

Hey, start small, I guess.

[Doogs]

finished my novel treatment last night...want to revisit tonight to make sure everything flows right. Oh, and typing this on an iPhone is not fun!