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Happy News
Dec. 7th, 2007 11:15 amI received word that my story, Tale-Maker; Tale-Spinner, received an Honorable Mention placement in the 4th Quarter 2007 of Writers of the Future contest. I'd like to do much better than that, but I suppose I'll be happy with anything other than "not placed." Which Honorable Mention is only one step further than. Next goal is a semi-finalist, which I hear receives a critique. This is the second time I got better than "not placed." I guess the Honorable Mention title is the new title for the former "quarter-finalist." Funny thing is, that the other story, Willful Steel, that placed as a quarter-finalist, has so far garnered 5 rejections. It's now on hold at a market and I'm still waiting to hear on that one. So I'm not sure this is such a big whoop-tee-do. But I'll take it anyway as encouraging.
I've been realizing lately that my stories are just "okay." I think the writing is good enough, technically. Characters could probably use a little more work here and there to keep from being too classic to stand out much in the pack. But I think the real problem may be in the conflict. I've been reading some good advice this morning, there was so much I haven't finished it all yet, but it deals with the climax of the story and the "black moment" (that's stolen from someone's journal, and I'd give credit here but without going through the jillions of pages I've been reading I can't recall who exactly said it first, ... but check out the Electric Spec editor blog for the reference) where the protagonist has to come to the dead end of the street, the gully of despair, have everything wrenched away and been dragged down to the bottom of his/her soul before all is saved at the last minute and the goal is reached. Without the black moment, the reader might say oh so what, which is the black kiss of death to a story. I can honestly say I'm sure I haven't sufficiently taxed my characters enough. And now I'm all jazzed to go through my stories and see if I can do so.
So color me stoopid. I've wanted to submit a story to this market that has a Dec. 15 deadline. I haven't even started the story yet. That leaves me a week. Do I *really* believe I'll finish, let alone even start this story by then? No. But I won't admit it. I keep thinking I'll find time or I'll find the opening and I'll get it done. I need to just own up and get real.
Is your shopping done? (see how scattered Christmas makes me? I have wayyy too many things on my mind.)
I've been realizing lately that my stories are just "okay." I think the writing is good enough, technically. Characters could probably use a little more work here and there to keep from being too classic to stand out much in the pack. But I think the real problem may be in the conflict. I've been reading some good advice this morning, there was so much I haven't finished it all yet, but it deals with the climax of the story and the "black moment" (that's stolen from someone's journal, and I'd give credit here but without going through the jillions of pages I've been reading I can't recall who exactly said it first, ... but check out the Electric Spec editor blog for the reference) where the protagonist has to come to the dead end of the street, the gully of despair, have everything wrenched away and been dragged down to the bottom of his/her soul before all is saved at the last minute and the goal is reached. Without the black moment, the reader might say oh so what, which is the black kiss of death to a story. I can honestly say I'm sure I haven't sufficiently taxed my characters enough. And now I'm all jazzed to go through my stories and see if I can do so.
So color me stoopid. I've wanted to submit a story to this market that has a Dec. 15 deadline. I haven't even started the story yet. That leaves me a week. Do I *really* believe I'll finish, let alone even start this story by then? No. But I won't admit it. I keep thinking I'll find time or I'll find the opening and I'll get it done. I need to just own up and get real.
Is your shopping done? (see how scattered Christmas makes me? I have wayyy too many things on my mind.)
