The firmest kind of deadline, I think, is a birthday. If you fail to provide a promised physical present - say, a bar of chocolate - by a person's birthday, the assumption is that you forgot or didn't care. Fora non-physical presents this is even more so; bank holidays and empty bank accounts make rather flimsier excuses.
I like writing stories for people - you really can't get a more personal gift - and quite often you can persuade the birthday boy or girl to give you some prompts too, to help inspiration flow. I emailed someone a birthday fic today, which was pretty deadline-tight. I planned it while falling asleep on tuesday night, wrote it yesterday, and proofread it before work this morning.
I can do deadlines. Evidence suggests I need them, if we're honest. Some writers utterly fail at deadlines, which isn't the end of the world (though may result in having to return an advance - about the only time that might happen). I've heard people claim it's an 'artiste' thing - creativity just doesn't work like that - but to be honest, it's just a personal thing. Some people work well to deadlines, some people don't. The problem is when the latter is mistaken for the former; if you can't make deadlines, don't commit to them.
Two things that really helped me were doing an English degree (missed deadlines = failure), and editing the creative writing magazine. After two years of the latter, I was glad not to be the nagging one any more. Our fresher's fayre magazine was a week away from printing one year and consisted, at that point, of two poems. Nagging annoys people, going to print without a regular feature annoys people, putting a magazine out eight weeks late annoys people. Editors have deadlines too, and I've definitely learnt to respect that.
On the other hand, I'm aware that there are a lot of instances where I don't want to do deadlines. It's one reason I'm determined to finish a minimum of the first two books of Greenhelm before I even start submitting it anywhere, and considering my propensity for retcons when later plot demands, I know the sensible thing to do is wait until all three are finished. This may take some time.
For now, I've pledged myself to mini_nanowrimo. I've tried the proper NaNo a couple of times, and I've always had other commitments get in the way (essays with deadlines of their own, for example). Mini NaNo has a much lower wordcount (I've pledged a 100 a day), but the thrust is towards doing it daily, rather than the total words. I could write 3100 words in an evening, and frequently have, but considering I sometimes go for months at a time without putting a word down on paper or screen, I'm quite nervous about the dedication required to write every single day. Luckily, unlike NaNo, I don't have to stick to a single project, so when I get stuck on one project I can at least spit out a random drabble. I've never had writer's block - knock on wood - but I suffer from terrible writer's laziness, where I'd rather sit and read or watch TV and let other people be creative for me. Luckily this is about commitment, not creativity!
Asylum has come back from Electric Spec. I'm expecting a response from Aesthetica tomorrow regarding the competition. Well, they gave the impression they'll respond to everyone, but if I don't get an email I think I know the result! I'm going to retire Asylum for a bit, since genre-wise it's such an odd fish, and it's probably the oldest piece I'm submitting. I now have a big enough 'stable' of short fiction that putting one aside for a while isn't as threatening.
Expect a big change to the website tomorrow too (been waiting for the Aesthetica response). New layout time!
Thursday, October 30
Sunday, October 12
'Under Your Skin' submitted!
Dear Editors
I am submitting my novella 'Under His Skin' for your consideration. It is a gay paranormal romance, complete at 18,200 words. Since it is divided into two parts and an epilogue I have not been able to provide you with the requested chapters, but I have attached an extract that I feel is the equivilent.
'Under His Skin' follows an artist, Barnabas, who rescues a stranger from a storm and nurses him back to health. The stranger is revealed to be a selkie, which Barnabas reacts badly to and refuses to continue their burgeoning reltionship. The selkie eventually proves his love for Barnabas by chosing him over his seal skin.
My previous publication credits include a short story in Diorama Comics Hallowe'en Anthology and several pieces in my university's creative writing magazine.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours,
Natalie Kingston
So, yep, I've submitted the selkie story. Went through Redlines and Deadlines advice on cover letters, which didn't really help me! They posted on reccomendations, and encouraged people to submit potential cover letters, not a single one of which actually conformed with their reccomendations. Most of them had several paragraphs of blurb, and though the editors were suggesting they should be cut, none of them really came back to the original point that it should only be a few sentences.
Anyway, since the selkie story is 18000 words, I figured I might as well go for the short blurb. The rest was fairly easy; it's much the same as a short story submission. The difficulty on finding cover letter advice for longer pieces is a real pain; searching for query letters works a bit better, but most of that isn't relevant to somewhere like Ellora's Cave. I think I've muddled out a compromise, and at least it's not too long!
I was going to post about suspension of disbelief, but I've been distracted by the burning need to buy 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'. This weekend introduced me to the fact that I was apparently wrong about Dolly Parton. Honestly, that's why I submitted the selkie story today; save myself from a thinking post. I just spent three hours writing and rewriting that cover letter instead.
I am submitting my novella 'Under His Skin' for your consideration. It is a gay paranormal romance, complete at 18,200 words. Since it is divided into two parts and an epilogue I have not been able to provide you with the requested chapters, but I have attached an extract that I feel is the equivilent.
'Under His Skin' follows an artist, Barnabas, who rescues a stranger from a storm and nurses him back to health. The stranger is revealed to be a selkie, which Barnabas reacts badly to and refuses to continue their burgeoning reltionship. The selkie eventually proves his love for Barnabas by chosing him over his seal skin.
My previous publication credits include a short story in Diorama Comics Hallowe'en Anthology and several pieces in my university's creative writing magazine.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours,
Natalie Kingston
So, yep, I've submitted the selkie story. Went through Redlines and Deadlines advice on cover letters, which didn't really help me! They posted on reccomendations, and encouraged people to submit potential cover letters, not a single one of which actually conformed with their reccomendations. Most of them had several paragraphs of blurb, and though the editors were suggesting they should be cut, none of them really came back to the original point that it should only be a few sentences.
Anyway, since the selkie story is 18000 words, I figured I might as well go for the short blurb. The rest was fairly easy; it's much the same as a short story submission. The difficulty on finding cover letter advice for longer pieces is a real pain; searching for query letters works a bit better, but most of that isn't relevant to somewhere like Ellora's Cave. I think I've muddled out a compromise, and at least it's not too long!
I was going to post about suspension of disbelief, but I've been distracted by the burning need to buy 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'. This weekend introduced me to the fact that I was apparently wrong about Dolly Parton. Honestly, that's why I submitted the selkie story today; save myself from a thinking post. I just spent three hours writing and rewriting that cover letter instead.
Sunday, September 28
Submissions
Asylum came back from Ballista, so I've sent it on to Electric Spec. I've also tidied up a bit of flashfic (ghost story I've had sitting in my 'beginnings' folder for so long I'd forgotten it was actually complete, albiet a very very early draft) and submitted it to Flashquake.
I'm currently working on a 'real' horror (no supernatural element at all!) that I might submit to Black Static when it's done. It's a little bit Tell-Tale Heart, but instead of beating there's a buzzing, and our murderer isn't imagining it. It doesn't have a name yet, but I did have to stop what I was doing to complete an interrupted sentence (the danger of writing at work) with "cannabilistic maggots", so I'm having fun with it.
It's actually another plot I found in my Beginnings folder, which I was giving a clean out the other day. Most of the files in there are between five and ten years old. There's a lot of odd romance bits, with step-brothers falling for each other and circus performers called Jelly in polygamous relationships.
But anyway, I wanted some inspiration, and there was all sorts in there. To be honest, I might as well keep a 'concepts' folder, because most of the ideas that come to me aren't ready to be written yet, and it's very obvious from the two-or-three paragraph long files that fill that folder.
A Plague of goodwill is sweeping the blogosphere! K V Taylor loves my blog!
The rules go something like this:
1) Add the logo of your award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blogs.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
Most of the blogs I read are personal, so I don't quite feel comfortable nominating any of them. Those I do read, I don't actually know the writers of very well. So I'm sort of chickening out of part five on this (and at least one blog here has mentioned they won't be taking part in that element either).
Anyway, go read some blogs wot I luv!
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Romance novel snark. I don't even read (much) romance, and I'm addicted.
Redlines and Deadlines
The Ellora's Cave editors' blog.
Women of Mystery
Collection of female mystery and crime writers.
Writer Beware Blogs
A must read for anyone trying to get published.
Dear Author
Romance reviews (most of the big blogs I read are romance based solely because of SBTB linking me to them) and a lot of interesting posts of eBooks.
Inky Circus
Inkling's blog; hasn't updated in a while, which makes me sad because it's an awesome science ezine.
Cake Wrecks
It makes me laugh so hard it hurts.
Oh, and can't fail but to point you back towards KVTaylor again!
I'm currently working on a 'real' horror (no supernatural element at all!) that I might submit to Black Static when it's done. It's a little bit Tell-Tale Heart, but instead of beating there's a buzzing, and our murderer isn't imagining it. It doesn't have a name yet, but I did have to stop what I was doing to complete an interrupted sentence (the danger of writing at work) with "cannabilistic maggots", so I'm having fun with it.
It's actually another plot I found in my Beginnings folder, which I was giving a clean out the other day. Most of the files in there are between five and ten years old. There's a lot of odd romance bits, with step-brothers falling for each other and circus performers called Jelly in polygamous relationships.
But anyway, I wanted some inspiration, and there was all sorts in there. To be honest, I might as well keep a 'concepts' folder, because most of the ideas that come to me aren't ready to be written yet, and it's very obvious from the two-or-three paragraph long files that fill that folder.
A Plague of goodwill is sweeping the blogosphere! K V Taylor loves my blog!
The rules go something like this:
1) Add the logo of your award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blogs.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
Most of the blogs I read are personal, so I don't quite feel comfortable nominating any of them. Those I do read, I don't actually know the writers of very well. So I'm sort of chickening out of part five on this (and at least one blog here has mentioned they won't be taking part in that element either).
Anyway, go read some blogs wot I luv!
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Romance novel snark. I don't even read (much) romance, and I'm addicted.
Redlines and Deadlines
The Ellora's Cave editors' blog.
Women of Mystery
Collection of female mystery and crime writers.
Writer Beware Blogs
A must read for anyone trying to get published.
Dear Author
Romance reviews (most of the big blogs I read are romance based solely because of SBTB linking me to them) and a lot of interesting posts of eBooks.
Inky Circus
Inkling's blog; hasn't updated in a while, which makes me sad because it's an awesome science ezine.
Cake Wrecks
It makes me laugh so hard it hurts.
Oh, and can't fail but to point you back towards KVTaylor again!
Saturday, September 13
Festival at the Edge
I did promise a post about this, but in the end I wrote it up in my notebook rather than here, and promptly forgot about it. Since I've finished that notebook and I'm working my way through it (which publication did I write that flash fic for, I wonder?) I though I ought to finally post this!
FatE was an interesitng experience. The closes thing to it that I've done before is Dance Camp East, which has a very different feel. At DCE tends are arranged around fires and communal cooking is encouraged, whereas due to FatE's site fires and not allowed, and being significantly shorter there is less encouragement to get to know your neighbours. Camping on a grid system, the only people I got to know were the man who gave me a ride from the station and the other person he gave a lift to.
The 'village' was a separate field where the various food stalls, cider and ale tent, market stalls and central stage were. That was a nice place to hang out when there was nothing on and the food was delicious.
It was rare, actually, for there to be nothing on. Workshops and performances were well arranged, spread throughout multiple marquees across the site. I was concerned about the level of contribution that might be expected of me, but nothing was; one could easile spend the weekend floating from storyteller to storyteller. I did attend some workshops which were informal and friendly, and picked up a few strategies for learning and telling stories. I also drank quite a lot of cider and ate many friend plantains!
It was a good weekend, different to my expectations. While I would like to attend again I probably wouldn't go alone. Most people attended in groups of families and did not socialise much outisde of that. The lack of community saddened me a little, but in terms of organisation and content FatE definitely provided.
In related news, I'm hoping to go to a couple of Sheffield's Literary Festival's events, if I'm not at work.
FatE was an interesitng experience. The closes thing to it that I've done before is Dance Camp East, which has a very different feel. At DCE tends are arranged around fires and communal cooking is encouraged, whereas due to FatE's site fires and not allowed, and being significantly shorter there is less encouragement to get to know your neighbours. Camping on a grid system, the only people I got to know were the man who gave me a ride from the station and the other person he gave a lift to.
The 'village' was a separate field where the various food stalls, cider and ale tent, market stalls and central stage were. That was a nice place to hang out when there was nothing on and the food was delicious.
It was rare, actually, for there to be nothing on. Workshops and performances were well arranged, spread throughout multiple marquees across the site. I was concerned about the level of contribution that might be expected of me, but nothing was; one could easile spend the weekend floating from storyteller to storyteller. I did attend some workshops which were informal and friendly, and picked up a few strategies for learning and telling stories. I also drank quite a lot of cider and ate many friend plantains!
It was a good weekend, different to my expectations. While I would like to attend again I probably wouldn't go alone. Most people attended in groups of families and did not socialise much outisde of that. The lack of community saddened me a little, but in terms of organisation and content FatE definitely provided.
In related news, I'm hoping to go to a couple of Sheffield's Literary Festival's events, if I'm not at work.
Sunday, September 7
submission and a website update
I've submitted Pluvial (elderly man finds haunted watch) to Dark Recesses, since they sent me a personal rejection for Asylum and suggested I submit something else. Considering they had Asylum so long I forgot about it last time, I'm preparing to wave goodbye to Pluvial for a while!
I've stumbled across The Willows, who I really wish I had something for. If I wasn't working on another romance novella, I'd start on that now; I have two more short horrors in rough draft, but I don't think either could be editted to fit.
I've updated the website too, shock horror! A short piece I wrote deliberately for it, though it's going to end up in Word Salad and Art Chips anyway. I want to update the website with some regularly (or, at least, make sure it doesn't leave a visiter with the impression it's been abandoned), so I intend to write seasonal stories. The first is autumnal and - surprise surprise - it's a horror. Inspired by Hans Belmer's dolls, which are creepy enough on their own. And it's a pdf, because I felt like it. I might make little annual anthologies out of them, but we'll see.
Anyway: Porcelain
I've stumbled across The Willows, who I really wish I had something for. If I wasn't working on another romance novella, I'd start on that now; I have two more short horrors in rough draft, but I don't think either could be editted to fit.
I've updated the website too, shock horror! A short piece I wrote deliberately for it, though it's going to end up in Word Salad and Art Chips anyway. I want to update the website with some regularly (or, at least, make sure it doesn't leave a visiter with the impression it's been abandoned), so I intend to write seasonal stories. The first is autumnal and - surprise surprise - it's a horror. Inspired by Hans Belmer's dolls, which are creepy enough on their own. And it's a pdf, because I felt like it. I might make little annual anthologies out of them, but we'll see.
Anyway: Porcelain
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