Tag: Publishing

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 34 the one with the practice flash

Week 34! I did get a new story out this week (A Measure of Sorrow) along with two others I sent back out the door.

Next month, I will participate in a flash fiction challenge where they send out a prompt based on genre, location, and an object. This starts at midnight on a Friday and you have until midnight on Sunday to turn in your story.

Yeah. Crazy.

So crazy, I thought maybe I should train for it. Back in the day, in the Army, we had a saying: Train as you fight. Why not apply that to this situation?

My goal on Friday was to dash off a flash fiction piece in a day. I used the examples on the site, only I made three separate lists, so I wouldn’t go into any story with preconceived notions. I mixed up the selections using a random number generator.

What was my first assignment?

Romantic Comedy / A drug rehab center / a glass eye

Yes. Because nothing says romance or comedy like drug addiction. But … I did it. I had a story by the end of Friday. I’m not certain it’s something I’ll ever send out. I am fairly certain it’s offensive (see “glass eye” above), but it was a blast to write and reassuring.

I may come in last, but I feel pretty certain I can write a story for the challenge (albeit an offensive one).

Writing:

  • Practice Flash Fiction ~ 1,000 words

Submissions:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies
  • A Measure of Sorrow
  • Alliance ~ Yep, sent it right back out again

Rejections:

  • Alliance

Acceptances:

  • None

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 33 the one with the concussion

Week 33! I got my write one in early this week. A good thing since the rest of the week was consumed by a concussion, my daughter’s, not mine. She’s recovering quickly and only has the smallest of headaches this morning.

Also this week, I revised one of my draft stories for submission, so this coming week I can send out something new along with a story that’s been making the rounds already. I have a backlog of stories (more than I realized) that I’d like to get all dressed up and sent out the door.

Writing:

  • Ghost in the Coffee Machine ~ 3,800 words. This may be my silliest title ever.

Submissions:

  • The Secret Life of Sleeping Beauty (audio market)
  • The Short Sweet Life of My Invisible Prom Date

Rejections:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies
  • The Short Sweet Life of My Invisible Prom Date

Acceptances:

  • None

Ten day challenge day 9: the story behind the story

10 Day Write Blog Challenge button200

I didn’t plan day #9 like this, but it worked out just fine. Today’s prompt:

Post either a setting or character profile from your latest fiction project, a chapter summary of your non-fiction book, or a discussion of the theme or object inspiring a poem, article, or other writing project.

So … I’m still a little amazed that Kazka Press accepted The Girl with the Piccolo. It’s … uh … whimsical? I don’t know. Anyway, they did, and there it is. I started down the path of this story with a prompt from The Writer’s Regimen, which was, in part:

Try creating a character whose occupation is one that you are not familiar with and do some research as to what knowledge and skills he or she would need to fill that position.

Why I tried searching on jobs that involved noise, I’m not certain, but I came across listings for jobs in the United Kingdom for noise officers. I remember thinking, sure, we have people who clean up trash, purify water, and so on. What if you had to clean up noise?

Probably because I’m former military, officer = army, and my mind went off in that direction. The rest of it? You got me. I do know this. The following phrase popped into my head at one point:

Everyone always underestimates the girl with the piccolo.

There you go. That was enough character/conflict for me to take the idea and run with it for about 1,000 words. The story begins with:

No one thinks about the empty note casings after the nightly revelry. Someone has to pick them up, right? That I spent four grueling years at the Acoustic Academy at Stormy Point for the privilege is something I try not to think about.

You can read the rest here.

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 32 the one with the story at Kazka Press

Week 32! I was speedy this week and finished my write 1 story on Wednesday. I played around with another, slightly longer, idea that I hope will shape up into my write 1 for this coming week.

I also need to do some revision and shape a few more stories for submission. Mainly because I’m running out. Everything is all tied up in as many submissions as possible. I need to get some “new blood” out there, so to speak. I would also like to finish out the blogging challenge as well (just two to go–I can do that, can’t I?)

Writing:

  • Incriminating Evidence ~ 1,000 words.

Submissions:

  • Alliance

Rejections:

  • The Secret Life of Sleeping Beauty (audio market). Nice rejection with an invitation to submit other stories.

Acceptances:

  • None

Published:

Ten day challenge day 7: tools of the trade

10 Day Write Blog Challenge button200

Today’s prompt:

Post a techie-type blog previewing the software or technical tools you use for writing – don’t forget about your organisation approach, backups of your files, and reference tools etc. If you have lots, choose one tool you can’t live without, and profile that. Don’t forget links, and screenshots.

The more I write, the more I find the whiz-bang techno tools less useful. While they might be helpful for some writers, to me they always have that whiff of “magic bullet/secret handshake” about them (not that you can smell either of those things). What I mean is this: It’s that promise that if only you use this software/method/whatever, then–and only then–will you achieve your publishing dreams.

But the more I write, the more I find I simply need this:

Paper and pen–cat optional, but highly recommended.

That would be paper and pen, word processor when I can’t keep up with my thoughts. That being said, I am not averse to technology when it comes to writing and submitting. Tools I use:

Dropbox

Love, love Dropbox. File backup, file access, file sharing.

Duotrope

I know a great many writers were upset when Duotrope went to a pay-model (you know, in order to stay in business, pay their staff, minor things like that). I decided that it provides more than enough services to be worth the subscription fee.

Text-to-speech

I don’t have a link to this one since this is something you’ll need to play around with, and what you end up choosing (if you do) depends on the OS/software/technology you have. But! I highly recommend some sort of text-to-speech program, either on an e-reader, your PC, or both.

This is how I proof stories and queries and such that I send out. True, you won’t hear the difference between there and their, but did you leave the “l” out of public? You’ll hear that. Worth the price right there.

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 20 the one with an accidental novel

Week 20! This is the week I hang my head in shame. Did I stop writing? No, quite the contrary. This is the week I admit that what I have on my hands is a novel. Worse, it’s a very strange novel.

Yes, I know. I’m not sure I can truly count it as a “write 1” but there you go. I mean, what am I going to do? Not write? Given the choice, I will always go with the writing.

Writing:

  • Pansy~ 7,200 words.

Rejections:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies ~ I don’t have the official status yet, but I know the outcome. It made the “long list” (top fifty) in the Women On Writing Flash Fiction contest, but not the top ten (which includes publication). That is made any sort of list at all is nothing short of amazing. You’ll see below why I’m counting it here.

Submissions:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies ~ there was another contest where I wanted to submit it. This worked out rather neatly.

Acceptances:

  • None

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 19 the one with a revised novel

Week 19! What a week. A software release at work (this is no small thing) and revisions on Speechless. Plus, I managed to write a short story and submit two.

I credit this to my participation in Write 1/Sub 1. Sure, the accountability factor helps. But it’s more than that.

In a way, the slow and steady writing is a lot like exercise. When you need to give it your all and run the race as fast as you can, you’re in shape for it. While I’m looking forward to relaxing and filling the creative well (so to speak), I don’t feel burnt out from this round of revisions.

Writing:

  • Sunset~ 1,200 words.
  • Revisions on Speechless, edits up to the end. As tempting as it was to rush, I kept a steady pace. I ended up adding about 8,000 words to the story (this is a good thing) and I’m pleased. I’m also looking forward to relaxing a bit.

Rejections:

  • Just a Matter of Time ~ not surprised, it was a long shot.

Submissions:

  • Filling the Space
  • The Patron Saint of Lost Things

Acceptances:

  • None

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 18 the with … wait, is that a sale?

Week 18! With a little luck, this week, we’ll have some sunshine, and warmer temperatures, and maybe spring. Crazier things have happened.

My brain is totally into the revision of Speechless, so the 1,000 words I managed were a little rough. But … I managed them, and that’s the main thing. Plus, I had some good and surprising news this week as well. Keep reading to find out.

Writing:

  • Vigil ~ 1,000 words.
  • Revisions on Speechless, edits up to chapter fifteen. With all the changes, I’ve added ~5,000 words so far. I’m hoping to be done this week. I wanted to be done this weekend, but better slow and steady than rushed and sloppy.

Rejections:

  • Filling the Space ~ uh, this one went off into the ether, I think. I don’t know. Anyway, it will be the sub 1 for this week.

Submissions:

  • The Burden of So Many Roses ~ to a reprint market.

Acceptances:

  • Elvis Has Left the Building ~ I sold this to Untreed Reads and it will come out as its own little e-book. From what I’ve seen/heard, they have fabulous distribution and editing/proofing. This was an older story that I still thought I should/could send out, so I’m pleased to have found a home for it.

Other:

  • Pitch contest: I’m a finalist in the pitch contest I entered a few weeks back. 

Coming soon: Unidentified Funny Objects 2!

Photo-mainComing soon (as in September 2013) another volume of funny science fiction and fantasy stories will hit the shelves.

Want to know more? Head on over to the Kickstarter project page to see who is headlining this year’s anthology and all the bonuses for helping to support its launch.

If you’re a writer with a funny speculative fiction story, check out the guidelines here.

I was thrilled to be involved with the first anthology. Will I submit again? I might. I have a story I think might fit. At the moment, I can’t decide if it’s humorous or merely crazy. With my stories, it can be hard to tell.

 

Write 1/Sub 1 check in: week 9, the one with the even weirder prom date

Week 9! I worked on a longer story this week. (Novelette? Novella? Only time and word count will tell.) I was a little worried because I knew I couldn’t finish it during the week, but still needed my write 1. But Friday afternoon, while I was driving home in rush hour traffic, an idea hit me (kind of felt like that, too).

I made it home with the idea still in my head, jotted down what I needed to, and then wrote it up yesterday. This is how The Short, Sweet Life of My Invisible Prom Date was born. It includes the line:

Now, it probably doesn’t surprise you that there isn’t a patron saint of prom.

Writing:

  • The Short, Sweet Life of My Invisible Prom Date, ~ 1,600 words
  • Untitled something-or-other, ~ 3,000 words, in progress
  • Breaking the Unwritten Rules in Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction assignment: 250 words class assignment

Rejections:

None this week. However, my submission tracker tells me I should be getting some soon. 

Submissions:

  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies AKA the neck tattoo story. I’m not sure about this one, or its pretentious title, so I tossed it into a flash fiction contest. We’ll see what happens. 

Acceptances:

  • None

Published: