Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

Also, it's good to learn how to write and edit to deadline.

I'm frustrated, because I have a story basically ready to go, but I'm afraid it's thematically wrong for the contest. Unfortunately, I may have to submit it anyways, because it's what I've got. Hoping to finish something else before then.

You and me both, Rebecca. But it's either submit what I have or skip this quarter.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I'm frustrated, because I have a story basically ready to go, but I'm afraid it's thematically wrong for the contest. Unfortunately, I may have to submit it anyways, because it's what I've got. Hoping to finish something else before then.

I got an honorable mention for a story I hammered out the week before the deadline. It can be done...

Well, I finished my Q1 entry yesterday on Turkey-day. It's amazing what a couple extra hours will get you. I've started circulating it with my usual readers for their opinions. Now I have time in the holidays to work on other stories in the works.

Whew.

I think I'm finally finished with mine. After reading two of the anthologies, XXVI and XXVII, I still can't say whether mine is a fit or not. What I *can* say is that I really like this story and even if it doesn't net anything here, I'm fairly sure it'll find a home somewhere.

Now I'm off to catch up on all the posts that's been made to the forum since the last time I've been here to catch up.

Goodness gracious it's quiet around here. Is everyone writing? Or still eating turkey?

I've been a busy little gator, and believe my Q1 is pretty much done. I'll probably do a bit of final polishing/proofing, then submit it--unless I decide to risk sending it somewhere else first. I probably won't do that.

Not sure about the basic story/premise of this one. I think it might be even dodgier than some of my others, but I guess we'll see.

just checking to see if i've got the dates right

Q1 January 1
Q2 April 1
Q3 July 1
Q4 October 1

they are the quarters right?

so all i've got to do is remember those dates and i won't miss a quarter right?

I'm afraid you're off by one. If you wait to the last minute, you'll be past the last minute.

Q1 Deadline December 31
Q2 Deadline March 31
Q3 Deadline June 30
Q4 Deadline September 30

thank you for correcting me.

and yeah, i was thinking of them as contest deadlines. seems, i just have another month to finish my entry for this quarter. i'm just 3k words in with this one. can already stand on its own but would like to go deeper with the story. i'd like to write a longer story this time.

I haven't submitted mine yet because if I do, that's when I'll think of something I need to change about it. It's finished and polished to the best of my ability, but since I still have a few weeks to run it past my crit group for feedback, I think I'll hold onto it a little longer. We only can read five pages and we only meet once a week, so it won't all get critted, but I've already had one other reader's suggestions to consider. Mine ran around 7000 words this time.

I wrote something that I thought would be good for WotF. Then, I write something better. Then I rewrite one story and think that's good, too.

But, the one I may go with is the one which has a personal rejection from Redstone. Could be good for me.

Goodness gracious it's quiet around here. Is everyone writing? Or still eating turkey?

In my case, I'm polishing up my UML comic strip to get it ready for Kindle publication. It's very graphics intensive, so it takes a lot of trial-and-error to get it looking right.

I think I'm on the last edit, or close. I followed instructions to get the Table of Contents in place, or so I thought, but it's not showing up.

In my case, I'm polishing up my UML comic strip to get it ready for Kindle publication. It's very graphics intensive, so it takes a lot of trial-and-error to get it looking right.

You draw too??

In my case, I'm polishing up my UML comic strip to get it ready for Kindle publication. It's very graphics intensive, so it takes a lot of trial-and-error to get it looking right.

You draw too??

Just stick figures. But that's all I need for UML.

I'm frustrated, because I have a story basically ready to go, but I'm afraid it's thematically wrong for the contest. Unfortunately, I may have to submit it anyways, because it's what I've got. Hoping to finish something else before then.

I'm in that same place, plus the late entrance of my speculative element. Though at this point I'm wavering between Q1 or e-publishing the story, so I don't think I've much to lose by entering it.

I've spent the weekend working on something fresh, but I think it's even less appropriate. After I'm done, I've one other possibility, though it will take some serious edits. On the plus side, I could expand it into a more reasonable length. I did some damage to it trying to pretend it was mean to be under 8K in length.

Not enough time, too much to do. Somewhere out there is my other life, the one where I don't have a family and can spend hours a day writing without any guilt.

Not enough time, too much to do. Somewhere out there is my other life, the one where I don't have a family and can spend hours a day writing without any guilt.

But that other life is sadded and lonelier. To quote Stephen King from On Writing:

It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn't in the middle of the room. Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around.

Not enough time, too much to do. Somewhere out there is my other life, the one where I don't have a family and can spend hours a day writing without any guilt.

But that other life is sadded and lonelier. To quote Stephen King from On Writing:

It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn't in the middle of the room. Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around.

Very true. And for me, it took having children and growing up a bit before I was really ready to write.

It doesn't mean I don't dream of a little cabin in the woods somewhere peaceful and devoid of interruption.

It doesn't mean I don't dream of a little cabin in the woods somewhere peaceful and devoid of interruption.

This is why the Universe made coffee shops, hotels and cruise ships. 😉 When I absolutely have to get something done, I head off-site. For a few hours, it's the coffee shop at the bottom of the hill. For a weekend, it's a hotel in the Disneyland area. And twice a year, it's 3-4 days on a cruise ship - a week if I can afford it.

Of course, I have a supportive husband and only one child, but seriously, getting away helps bunches. I don't know if this holds true for guys, too, but part of getting away means freedom from things like laundry, cooking, dishes, etc. Especially on a ship, having other people see to those needs for me really frees me up to write. Part of it is time and stress related, but part of it is reduction in cognitive load.

At home, there's always stuff to think about, decisions to be made, etc., and all of that uses up a good portion of my cognitive bandwidth. When I'm off-site, someone will feed me when I need it, make my bed, wash my dishes and the biggest decision I'll have to face is something on the order of "Do I want beef or pasta for dinner?" In the best case scenario, all I have to do is raise my head and make eye contact and someone will bring me a Diet Coke.
I can sleep as late as I want, write as late as I want, and I don't have to worry that the kid or the hubs might be feeling ignored. It's writing heaven, really.

To quote Stephen King from On Writing:

It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn't in the middle of the room. Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around.

Yup, I've got to disagree with Mr. King.

Families and more broadly, "other people" are trouble for most people.

Art on the otherhand is never intrinsically the cause of trouble, never brings unhappiness or stress or tedious toil. I think it was Satre or someone that said "Hell is Other People."

And if you're lonely, get a dog. Or even an alligator. Gators are are no trouble at all, honest.

At home, there's always stuff to think about, decisions to be made, etc., and all of that uses up a good portion of my cognitive bandwidth. When I'm off-site, someone will feed me when I need it, make my bed, wash my dishes and the biggest decision I'll have to face is something on the order of "Do I want beef or pasta for dinner?" In the best case scenario, all I have to do is raise my head and make eye contact and someone will bring me a Diet Coke.
I can sleep as late as I want, write as late as I want, and I don't have to worry that the kid or the hubs might be feeling ignored. It's writing heaven, really.

Same idea, just for a slightly more reclusive person. I like the idea of a cabin in the woods where someone leaves me a little basket of food at meal time, and I'm on my own the rest of the time. The idea of winning WotF is something of a family joke for me. I'm shy to the point that a week away from home full of intensive interaction is a little terrifying, and yet there is a small piece of me that thinks, ah, someplace where people actually want me to write.

We've been living in a state of very slow, largely DIY renovation in a very small house for months now. It's a challenge to sit down to work and not also be thinking about the uneven subfloor. Oh well. Onward.

Families and more broadly, "other people" are trouble for most people.

Uh-huh. Here's my own take on that: "People are why people like me like cats."

While I really love King's On Writing, I never liked the part where he said your desk should be off in a corner. One of the main reasons I transferred to Colorado last January was to have that cabin in the mountains, surrounded by trees. Sure I have to schlep down to Denver every day for the day job, but when I'm home it's inspiring--and I have my desk positioned so I can see the lovely views.

It's what my wife and I always wanted, a quiet place in the mountains with stacks of books, cats, and lots of tea.

As for my Q1 submission--I have a couple of stories ready, but I'm waiting to see how the one I'm working on right now turns out.

I'm thinking circles around myself here, so maybe someone can help...

A frequent comment on the piece I'm working on is that" it feels like the start of a much longer tale." Is this something to be concerned about? I do get compliments on the ending, but if it feels like the start of a novel but it's only a short story, is that a red flag of some sort?

I think I'm at that point where nothing I have seems exactly right for the contest.

Thanks!

Kary

I'm thinking circles around myself here, so maybe someone can help...

A frequent comment on the piece I'm working on is that" it feels like the start of a much longer tale." Is this something to be concerned about? I do get compliments on the ending, but if it feels like the start of a novel but it's only a short story, is that a red flag of some sort?

I think I'm at that point where nothing I have seems exactly right for the contest.

Thanks!

Kary

If it has an ending that gets compliments, send it in. Stop going around in circles. You're letting the critiques cause you to question your story sense. Trust your story sense, Luke... I mean Kary...

Trust your story sense, Luke... I mean Kary...

But with the blast shield down, I can't even see! How am I supposed to write?

Thank you, Martin. A giggle was just what I needed at this particular point in time.

Submitted mine last night. I can't start the next story if that one's still hanging over my head. Now I'm off to catch up at the other topics and to see who's still in the running on Q4.

I'd just like to add my little concern on King's On Writing: he makes some comment about purgatory being filled with Chicken Soup for the Soul and Romance books...

I kinda like romance books....you just have to pick the right ones just like any other book.

PS nobody's allowed to diss Chicken Soup it's one of the first places I published with!!

Congrats to all of you guys entered already for Q1. Good luck!

I'd just like to add my little concern on King's On Writing: he makes some comment about purgatory being filled with Chicken Soup for the Soul and Romance books...

I kinda like romance books....you just have to pick the right ones just like any other book.

PS nobody's allowed to diss Chicken Soup it's one of the first places I published with!!

Congrats to all of you guys entered already for Q1. Good luck!

My trajectory into SF went something like: My Book House ->Nancy Drew->Victoria Holt->Anne McCaffrey->Patricia McKillip

Even today, I like me some Diana Gabaldon. Diana Paxon and Judith Tarr integrate wonderful romances into quasi-historical settings.

And... *looks around to make sure we're alone*... I even have two favorite bodice rippers stashed away for those times when cotton candy escapism wish a dash of cayenne is just what the Dr. ordered.

I'd just like to add my little concern on King's On Writing: he makes some comment about purgatory being filled with Chicken Soup for the Soul and Romance books...

LOL. I've refrained from commenting on this thread because I'd just sound like a grinch or antisocial or something. But my writing life has improved considerably since my older kids have grown up and moved out, and my youngest finally became old enough to understand my weird obsessions. But the biggest improvement? Ditching my unsupportive-in-every way husband. I had sworn off relationships after that, but you know what happens when you swear you'll never do something again? Now there's a new man, but he's much better at writerly supportiveness.

Support is very important, I think. I probably would still be unsubmitted if it weren't for my husband constantly chanting, you can do it, in the background.

Which is why this forum is so great--even if someone doesn't get the support at home, they can get plenty here!

I agree, support is important. Writers already have low self confidence with writing, no need adding someone in the mix to always bring you down. Unless you don't have low self-confidence and that is a whole other problem....unless you're selling millions of copies of your books, of course.

And Kary!! Diana Gabaldon. Yes!!! That's all I can say. Her latest books are awesome too (book 7 in the Outlander series...not a single wasted word out of her usual 1,000 pages...wish I could say that about book 3 or 5).