Tuesdays with Story
Writer’s Mail
September 5, 2015

“Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.”
– Henry David Thoreau

 

Notes from September, 2015, Week 1

Lisa, Tebow Family Secret: I lost my notes so this is from memory. Jerry suggested causing some trouble for Izzy when she comes to Adam’s house. Pat noted some grammar issues, but found both chapters to be good. Pat also warned of giving the reader an ended that they want. Jerry thinks the discussion about Izzy’s mother should happen right away, not at the end.

Millie, 9/11 Poem: A couple of words removed to make the rhythm better. Also, a shorter form of a word I used in my last paragraph was changed. I explained that I wanted the last 2 lines in each stanza to rhyme. There was a lengthy discussion about Millie writing an epilogue at the end of her book.

Cindi, North Road: From what I remember, Pat suggested major edits to simplify story. I said something about CC making a gesture to express his feelings as oppose to him saying it in his head. Jerry (I believe), suggested she cut the last paragraph of a chapter.

Bob, End of Season, Poem: It was at this point of the meeting I had to leave, so I don’t know what was said. I’m sure everything was helpful to Bob.

Jerry, Killing Ham: The top suggestion for improving chapter 15 of Jerry Peterson’s novella, Killing Ham — and all agreed to it — is the need for a greater reaction of those on scene to the stink of the hog manure spill. “The methane, it makes it impossible to breathe,” Pat Edwards said.

Other Ins and Things

http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/content/writing-contests

 

WRITING CONTESTS

Wisconsin People & Ideas regularly publishes some of the best fiction and poetry from around the state, and now it’s your chance to make your mark on Wisconsin’s literary scene. Click on the appropriate category to enter your short stories and poems in our 2016 contests, which are currently accepting submissions via USPS and online from September 1 to December 1, 2015, and are open to all Wisconsin residents and students age 18 and older. Send in your best works of poetry and fiction to win up to $500 and other prizes along with publication in Wisconsin People & Ideas, a slot at the 2016 contest reading at the Wisconsin Book Festival in Madison, even a one-week residency at the lovely Shake Rag Alley School for Arts and Crafts in Mineral Point.

Visit our Fiction Contest Page and Poetry Contest Page for prize details and complete contest rules and submission guidelines before you send in your works via USPS or through our online submission page. These contests are brought to you by the Wisconsin Academy with support from our contest sponsors below. We thank them for their support!

This is a link with step-by-step instructions for self-publishing your book on Kindle. It’s so easy, Millie can do it!

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/about#how-it-works-authors

Submit your book

Review the submissions check-list and start by entering your book title and cover, catchy one-liner and other information. At the time of submission, you will be asked to review and accept the Submission & Publishing Agreement. We’ll take 1-2 business days to review your submission — a little longer if we have a ton — and send you an email once it’s approved for launch.

Get ready

Plan how you’re going to let your fans and network know that you’re putting your book up for a publishing contract. Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and email lists you have accumulated over the years are great places to start.

Launch it!

Your approval email will include a preview link so you can see exactly what everyone else will see. We’ll also tell you the exact launch date for your Kindle Scout campaign. All campaigns last 30 days. The more nominations your book receives the more likely it will get the attention of our Kindle Scout team and be selected for publication.

Published!

At the end of your Kindle Scout campaign we will send you an email to let you know if your book has been selected for publication. We will do another internal review to ensure your book is ready for print. If published, everyone who nominated the book will receive an early, free copy and be invited to leave reviews.

Thanks to Pat for that information.

 

The first word . . .

“In words as fashions the same rule will hold, / Alike fantastic if too new or old; / Be not the first by whom the new are tried, / Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” – Alexander Pope (1688-1744), poet

Great advice for writers . . .

This is from the online short story magazine On The Premises, several of its guidelines for stories it will consider in the contests it sponsors. Consider these as guidelines for everything you and I write:

– Your story should contain NO spelling, grammar, formatting, or other syntax errors, unless your story convinces us you made those errors for artistic effect. And please watch for spelling errors that spell-checkers never catch! (Dew ewe sea watt eye mien?) Reading your story out loud, slowly, is a great way to find such errors. Having someone else read it aloud to you is even better.

– We prefer standard American manuscript formatting (double-spaced text, 12-point font, one-inch margins, etc.).

– Your story should be CREATIVE. Whether your story is set in the real world or a sci-fi/fantasy/speculative one is not the point. The point is, how many times have we read (or seen in movies/television) stories similar to yours, in any genre?

– Your story should be COMPELLING. Make us care about your story and the characters in it. Grab our attention at the beginning and don’t let go until the end.

– Your story should be WELL-CRAFTED. More than anything else, that means every word is chosen with great care. It also means there isn’t one unnecessary word or idea in your story. The parts of your story form a perfect whole.

– Your story should not rely on extremely graphic depictions of anything – sex, violence, gore, stuffed animals, anything – to accomplish its goal(s). We think “shocking” usually means “boring.”

Finally, some generic advice: Marc Raibert, an expert on technical writing, says, “Almost all good writing starts out bad,” and, “Good writing is bad writing that was rewritten.” We couldn’t agree more. So free yourself from the prison of high expectations and write an awful first draft. Then rewrite it, get it critiqued, and repeat the process.

 

Great phrase . . .

Courtesy of Word Spy reader Mark Worden:

social bankruptcy
Meaning: (noun) The condition of being so overwhelmed by social media that the only solution is to close all one’s accounts.

Examples:
“During the event, a film called ‘Social Bankruptcy’ showcased what life would be like without social media, and how it affects individuals. Social media is everywhere, and it’s unavoidable, having become a communication tool for the majority of society.”
– Melissa Chandler, Social networking vs. handwritten letters to remain connected, The Commuter, March 9, 2015

“It’s the modern way of the world and everyone loves it. …well, not everyone. In a new clip from Portlandia Carrie has had it and decides to go off the grid and to declare social bankruptcy.
– Melissa Locker, Watch Carrie declare social bankruptcy on Portlandia, IFC, March 11, 2014

“It took a while to accept it, but eventually I realized I had to declare social bankruptcy. I’d gone too far down a path that wasn’t working. I could see that it was time to get off that path entirely.
– Steve Pavlina, Social Bankruptcy, StevePavlina.com, January 26, 2012

Earliest:
“As for what to actually do to get out of your oh-so-social bankruptcy-in-progress, you’ve got two options.”
– Naomi Dunford, IttyBiz Confessional: Help! I’m trapped in social media and I feel like I can’t get out!, IttyBiz, October 19, 2011

 

The last word . . .

“Dreams heed no borders, the eyes need no visas. With eyes shut I walk across the line in time. All the time.”
– Gulzar (1934- ), poet, lyricist, and film director

 

Coming Soon…

Who’s up next . . 

September 8: Warlocks and Monsters

September 15: Lisa McDougal (chapter 38, 39 Tebow Family Secret), Millie Mader (epilogue, Life on Hold), Kashmira Sheth & Amit Trivedi (chapter, novel), Mo Bebow-Reinhard (???), Bob Kralapp (???), and Jerry Peterson (chapters 17-20, Killing Ham).

September 22: Dungeons and Dragons

September 29: Fifth Tuesday!

October 6: Pat Edwards (???), Cindi Dyke (chapter, North Road), Kashmira Sheth & Amit Trivedi (chapter, novel), Judith McNeil (short story, part 2, Walking In), and Bob Kralapp (???).

 

Writers Mail editor . . .

Lisa McDougal-Pederson is our editor for September. You have some good stuff you’d like to share with our colleagues? E-mail it to Lisa.