The W1S1 Short Fiction Check-in Lounge and Bar

[Nathaniel Katz]

I seem to have landed in an awkward position. A friend came up to me and told me that his girlfriend - who I've never met - has written a story, and wouldn't it be great if I read it and helped her get it published? Not seing a way to get out of this, I very, very hesitantly agreed. I now have a hundred page novella sitting in my email by a first time author. The story's not in a genre I read. I'm really not sure how to proceed here. I'm guessing that this person does not want me to go through line by line - and I don't have the time nor inclination to do it - but what am I supposed to say? And how do I explain that the odds of a first work, let alone a first novella length work, are rather low?

[Lillie]

Say that it's not your genre, so you can't give much useful advice and although it seems like a good premise/well written/interesting (which ever seems the most relevant), like all stories it needs some work before it would be ready for publication.

Say that she needs to join a critique group where outsiders can help her polish it.
Tell her that there are online critique groups where she can post her work and get help.
Critique circle is Ok.

Then let someone else deal with it.

When it comes to publication just point her at Duotrope and say its what you use.

Good luck. Rather you than me.

[shelleyo]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Someone used the word 'oleaginousness'.
That made me laugh.
I could neither spell it nor say it. And I'm a bit vague about what it means.

I'm not sure if he meant it by its "over-earnest" or "oily" definition, since it's the same guy who thought what I considered a little sensuality in the kitchen was pure sleaze.

He confirmed my thoughts, though. Anyone who drops that word in the same argument where he uses the word "sleazy" is trying too hard to draw attention to himself. Look how smart I am! I know big words! He also used, spelled this way, glutionous, which I'm pretty sure isn't an actual word. He may have meant glutinous, sticky, which lead me to believe he could have said "oily" just as easily as oleaginousness.

He's also posted 3 times talking about his opinion. He's an extremely intelligent academic, and a technical writer, and by god he wants to make sure everyone knows it. So, yeah.

Originally Posted by zanzjan

I'm feeling a little dented by a less-than-glowing comment I ran across about my new story that's currently out. I need to just learn never to read comments.

Aw, don't feel dented. Everybody can't like everything. Many more people probably love it, it just seems the naysayers are always more vocal for some reason.

Shelley

[Lillie]

Shelley, I think I read something of yours last night. MOD, on Brain Harvest?

I liked it. There was a good understanding of people who do that stuff, taken to it's logical conclusion.
Some great images in there.

[shelleyo]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Shelley, I think I read something of yours last night. MOD, on Brain Harvest?

I liked it. There was a good understanding of people who do that stuff, taken to it's logical conclusion.
Some great images in there.

Thanks!

One of my favorite stories on Brain Harvest is "Today's Fish is a Very Fine Fish." I enjoy a lot of what's published there, with a few that I don't get at all. This story, though, is the one that made me want one of mine to appear there. Amazing what can be done in 750 words or less.


@Nathan

Lillie's advice is good. Next time someone asks say, "I'm struggling to get my own work published, so there's not much I can do to help anyone else. But thanks for thinking of me! Have her try Duotrope."

Even if that's not true, it's an easy out. Many friendships won't stand up to honesty about the work, so it's a bad spot to be in.

Shelley

[Sagana]

Is there some way I can get an app for my PC that will let me get the Clarkesworld sub? I'm so disappointed I can't get it on my Ipad. I thought it would work on the Kindle app on the Ipad, but no go. but on the pc would work and I'd like to help the cause.

I really liked Apology. From the pov of someone married over 30 years, I have to say it seemed very spot on for an old married couple - familiarity and yet a bit of spice.

I certainly don't agree with the 'sleaze' reviewer, but then he seems to have a thing about PDA, and is using your story to try to make his point relevant (ha) :p. With that 'rate this story' thing, seems like the site is asking for that kind of comment. I don't believe I care for the format.

[Lillie]

Originally Posted by shelleyo

One of my favorite stories on Brain Harvest is "Today's Fish is a Very Fine Fish." I enjoy a lot of what's published there, with a few that I don't get at all. This story, though, is the one that made me want one of mine to appear there. Amazing what can be done in 750 words or less.

Thanks. That was a fine fish indeed. Great story.

I think Brain Harvest might be getting one of my things.

[faerydancer]

Hey everyone! Can I hang out here? Not sure how firmly I can commit to the W1S1 quest, but I'd like to try! I'm currently reworking some old stories to get them into shape for submission. I also have a new short in the works inspired by a prompt in the May flash fiction challenge.

Other than that, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Good to be amongst so many people with the same goals. =)

[GreenRoom]

Originally Posted by faerydancer

Hey everyone! Can I hang out here? Not sure how firmly I can commit to the W1S1 quest, but I'd like to try! I'm currently reworking some old stories to get them into shape for submission. I also have a new short in the works inspired by a prompt in the May flash fiction challenge.

Other than that, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Good to be amongst so many people with the same goals. =)

Welcome! The more the merrier. ( I beat Izz!! I'm sure he'll be along to welcome you soon enough.)

And the good thing about W1S1 is that it's a goal, not a prison sentence. Get what you can done, and enjoy the ride.

[Sagana]

Welcome faerydancer!

And Green that's a great line (goal, not prison sentence)

[Izz]

Originally Posted by Sagana

Is there some way I can get an app for my PC that will let me get the Clarkesworld sub? I'm so disappointed I can't get it on my Ipad. I thought it would work on the Kindle app on the Ipad, but no go. but on the pc would work and I'd like to help the cause.

There's a Kindle for PC app. Not sure if it'll work any better than the Kindle for iPad app, though.

Originally Posted by faerydancer

Hey everyone! Can I hang out here? Not sure how firmly I can commit to the W1S1 quest, but I'd like to try! I'm currently reworking some old stories to get them into shape for submission. I also have a new short in the works inspired by a prompt in the May flash fiction challenge.

Other than that, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Good to be amongst so many people with the same goals. =)

Hi faerydancer. You sure can hang out here We've got a great bunch of writers already, and we're always looking for more. It's great to have you

Originally Posted by GreenRoom

Welcome! The more the merrier. ( I beat Izz!! I'm sure he'll be along to welcome you soon enough.)

And the good thing about W1S1 is that it's a goal, not a prison sentence. Get what you can done, and enjoy the ride.

I agree with Sagana, that's a great line! I may have to steal use politely request if i can borrow it at some stage

[soapdish]

Faerydancer. And welcome.

I'm not feeling creative enough to work on a new story today. At least not yet. I will push to do *something*, though. I've been slacking on writing the last few days.

On with coffee and edits!

[Lillie]

Welcome Faerydancer! It's good to have you here.

I'm doing final (I hope) edits on two stories. A flash thing from the challenge, and the infamous 'pig story'.

I think that the pig has finally found it's final form. I hate it with a passion and I'm going to send it to all the places that have ever rejected me.
As a punishment.

[CheG]

Well, the one short story I managed to write and submit is officially rejected...

[Lillie]

(((((((((CheG))))))))

Pick it up, pat it on its little head, and send it somewhere else.

And write a new one to send to the first place. Clearly they don't know greatness when they see it, so they need another opportunity.

[faerydancer]

Thanks for the warm welcome. =) I like the idea of this being a goal, not a prison sentence, too. We should feel motivated by it, not chained to it.

I'm not feeling creative enough to work on a new story today. At least not yet. I will push to do *something*, though. I've been slacking on writing the last few days.

On with coffee and edits!

Edits are better than nothing! That's what I'm doing too as of late. Especially since I wrote a bunch of stories at the end of last year and then never revised them.

[Izz]

Originally Posted by CheG

Well, the one short story I managed to write and submit is officially rejected...

As Lillie said, get it back out there. Do it quick, before you have a chance to decide not to (i always try to get stories back out into the world the same day they were rejected, unless they need major work).


Also, it's check-in time over at the blog.


And, as another aside, i was working on a story last night where i know how it's going to end, and most of how it'll get there. I found myself getting impatient ('c'mon, get to the end already') and had to keep checking myself not to rush ahead. This happens to me fairly often when i know where a story's going, and i often wonder whether that peculiar urge to rush comes through in my writing. Anybody else have this problem?

[GreenRoom]

Originally Posted by Izz

And, as another aside, i was working on a story last night where i know how it's going to end, and most of how it'll get there. I found myself getting impatient ('c'mon, get to the end already') and had to keep checking myself not to rush ahead. This happens to me fairly often when i know where a story's going, and i often wonder whether that peculiar urge to rush comes through in my writing. Anybody else have this problem?

I always know where a story is going before I start writing it (I do a lot of brainstorming in my head and in a word file before I start a story - though I've also now learned when to stop brainstorming and start writing, trusting I'll figure out the rest as I go along, and that the story will be better for it).

So while I don't have a firm outline to follow when I start writing, I do know where it starts, where it ends (though this has been known to change) and most of how to get there. And yet its amazing how the act of writing fleshes out so much more about it for me.

As to the end, when parts of the ending start yelling at me, I usually hit return a few times, type out what I need to, and then return to where I am in the story. If it still fits by the time I get to the end, I incorporate it. If it doesn't, it gets tossed. But it seems to keep me from the urge to rush.

[Lillie]

Two stories finished and submitted today.

One flash and one longer.

I realised while I was formatting the long one that I'd done it wrong on the flash
Not too much of a mistake, but still I'm kicking myself a bit.

I should see one back pretty quick as it's at Fantasy, (always got to try...) but today I'm clever. I sent it at 11.30 pm, so when it comes back it's not going to be another zero day rejection of Duotrope.

[GreenRoom]

Originally Posted by Lillie

I should see one back pretty quick as it's at Fantasy, (always got to try...) but today I'm clever. I sent it at 11.30 pm, so when it comes back it's not going to be another zero day rejection of Duotrope.

Way to work the system. Zero day rejections are disheartening!

I'm still at 0 rejections for the month. I'm getting a bad feeling mine are all going to cluster together towards the middle of this month for one nice big BANG.

Well, except for one that I really do expect back any second now. But then I'll be able to send it out again to a market that will - per duotropes current response times - return it to me right about the middle of the month. What fun!

[Lillie]

It must be horrible when they all cluster together! But fingers crossed there will be some good news along with the Rs.

[faerydancer]

Look at you all subbing up a storm! I sent out two older stories at the beginning of the month. Did some reworking/edits to clean them up further, but all the crits I've gotten have been mostly positive on them. Here's to hoping they don't suck and just haven't found the right homes yet!

Now to finish up the draft on a new story. I know, I can't believe it either.

[Izz]

Sub hard, peeps!

I'm a-going under for an hour or so. Be back then with wordage update.

[CheG]

I'll give it a shot! Thanks guys!

It's back to Duptrope I guess to see if anyone wants UF...

[GreenRoom]

Originally Posted by MattJ

Maybe next year, there should be a Write 1, sub 1 for Novels?

Write 1, Sub 1 for the year?

Originally Posted by Aggy B.

That would be totally awesome.

Later!

I'd also like some type of write 1 / sub 1 for novels. I've found this forum incredibly motivating for sticking with this challenge - and writing - so far this year, and would love something similar for longer works. It could be based on words and/or chapters as the goal, rather than completed stories.