Contest Entry Discussion

[mlouisdixon]

If you're looking to participate in an online writing group, you might be interested in www.zoetrope.com. The Horror Library has an office there where people can post and critique each other's stories. To join, simply sign up on Zoetrope.com, do an "Office Search" and look for "The Horror Library". Ask for an invitation to the office and R.J. Cavender will get you in.

MLD

[TerryE]

So I could post a story for critiques now, if I wished to? That might be kind of fun, actually.

I attended a workshop several years ago, and afterwards most of the participants stayed together in a Yahoo group to critique each other's work. The person who set it up made a schedule of one story per month, and created the random order for us to submit stories for critique. That was a closed system, so a lot less danger of plagarism there. Unfortunately everyone kind of drifted away after a year or so.

I'm sure that Dan is too busy to moderate such a group here, and there might be an issue as to whether Cemetery Dance as a publisher should be involved without it being a contest. But if someone has the savvy to set it up, hey I'd be interested in joining.

[peteOcha]

From what I recall, he wrote a rough draft of Misery which he intended to be a short story. The desk was where Rudyard Kipling wrote--and died.

MLD

Yeah! That's who it was. It was starting to bug me that I couldn't remember the name.

[mlouisdixon]

The hotel lobby desk was when he was on vacation somewhere, England I think. Some other famous author had used i before, don't remember who it was though.

From what I recall, he wrote a rough draft of Misery which he intended to be a short story. The desk was where Rudyard Kipling wrote--and died.

MLD

[peteOcha]

Ah, that makes more sense. For some reason I was remembering him doing a lot sitting at a hotel lobby desk.

The hotel lobby desk was when he was on vacation somewhere, England I think. Some other famous author had used i before, don't remember who it was though.

[ozmosis7]

So I could post a story for critiques now, if I wished to? That might be kind of fun, actually.

It appears so, but also take note of his statement about even unregistered users seeing it. That would likely make it unsellable. So you would just be posting free fiction for critiques sake.

[ozmosis7]

I had to disagree with what he said about a bad writer working hard to become a good writer. It was something along the lines of practice doesn't matter, if you're bad you're bad. I personally think with practice and hard work you can dramatically change your writing and even your ideas. They may be bad at first, but you learn what work's and what doesn't and you can polish ideas and make them better, add flavor and character to them.

I agree with that. I think it is more difficult with concepts, as I am not sure one can learn how to come up with an idea, but they can learn how to refine them.

[ozmosis7]

It wasn't one night, I believe he wrote in in 6 months.

Ah, that makes more sense. For some reason I was remembering him doing a lot sitting at a hotel lobby desk.

[mercuryval]

I've been enjoying reading all these stories.

Reading so many in such a short time has been valuable in helping me understand what an editor must go through when weeding through submissions. I'm quickly seeing what works and what doesn't, what makes a good story stand out, and what would make an editor want to stop reading after only a paragraph or two. I'm thinking of some of the stories I've submitted to different places in the past and cringing! It really helps me to put myself in the mindset of my readers rather than being self-indulgent in writing what only I might like to read or what only makes sense in my head. I've had a handful of stories published in amateur or semi-pro publications, but all the ones that have been accepted I wrote with a specific reader in mind.

[Draven Ames]

The Writer's corner is was for writers to share and receive advice from other writers. I think that includes critiquing other's work as well.

So I could post a story for critiques now, if I wished to? That might be kind of fun, actually.

[peteOcha]

I disagreed with some, after all, no two ends are achieved by the same path in a career. I've met very successful self-pubbed authors, and others that stuck to their guns for the traditional method. In the end, they are all successful. The part I disagree with the most is his evaluation of an a bad author. I think the craft of writing is rally two things. One, the ability to think of a good idea or concept, and two, the ability to tell it in a smooth way. I am not sure one can learn the gift of thinking of ideas, but you can always study to improve the second. That's what an education is, learning to refine a craft. In all though, he made some very good points about the craft of writing without just coming out and saying it. Instead, he told a story. The rabbit in the cage he describes is a great, great point. That of course is just my opinion though.

I had to disagree with what he said about a bad writer working hard to become a good writer. It was something along the lines of practice doesn't matter, if you're bad you're bad. I personally think with practice and hard work you can dramatically change your writing and even your ideas. They may be bad at first, but you learn what work's and what doesn't and you can polish ideas and make them better, add flavor and character to them.

[Randy D. Rubin]

Good morning gents and ladies, and thank you for the advice about Duotrope.com. I'll definitely check that out today. I'm usually up at this gosh-forsaken hour every day. The ideas slap me into consciousness around this time in the form of nightmares or scary dreams of one sort or another. I jot them down quickly and then make a pot of coffee. Now I include this forum in my morning rituals. Thanks again for the invaluable info, my brothers! (Poof! I'm invisible again.)

[peteOcha]

Whoa, whoa ... Dreamcatcher was written in one night? I knew that he did it longhand, and that he did so with a Waterman pen, but in one night? My hands clench at the thought.

It wasn't one night, I believe he wrote in in 6 months.

[Draven Ames]

Love Duotrope. More people need to help support it with donations.

[JJ Holden]

Okay. I'm going to dive in and do my voting this weekend. Looking forward to lots of reading.