@daedalus
Active 3 weeks, 1 day ago-
Thea replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Oops, a bit late to this:
@Hilary – So glad to hear that the launch went well. Congratulations!
@Stevie – well done on your listing!
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JaneShuff posted an update 7 years, 4 months ago
Has anybody ever had to write a long synopsis – 3 to 10 pages? If so, any tips?
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If it was me? I’d set out to write a one-page synopsis.
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To be less flippant, though… you could probably give a bit more detail to character arcs
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I’ve done a shortish one page version but this press asks specifically for a 3 to 10 page version so I think they want a bit more detail. I’ve started writing a summary of each chapter to see where that gets me but it will still be on the shorter side.
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Sorry just seen your second reply. Yes, I think you’re right. Character arcs. And funnily enough, I don’t have too much of a problem keeping my synopses short these days.
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Maybe put in the subplot(s), assuming you haven’t done this with a shorter synopsis? And anything else which is important to you such as themes, settings, similarities/differences between main characters. Ten pages is a lot so I’m wondering what they want which wouldn’t be in a standard synopsis.
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I was asked for a chapter by chapter breakdown once. With secondary characters plotted too…
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I can’t help feeling it’s so they can unerstand the book without the bother of actually reading any of it.
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“I can’t help feeling it’s so they can unerstand the book without the bother of actually reading any of it” – I’m sure you’re right. But perhaps also to get a feel for how much you understand your own book, in terms of thinking about it structurally and thematically
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The wall is doing that thing again when it says there have been seven replies to this comment but is only showing me one. Anyone have any idea how to view the whole conversation?
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There should be an eye icon with a “show all n comments” link after the initial post, but some kind of bug is stopping it appearing reliably. No ideas I’m afraid.
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Is it a browser thing? I see the ‘show all comments’ thing.
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I’m seeing it now. I suspect it’s intermittent, especially on my browser
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Revenge of the vowel-challenged, perhaps.
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Out of curiousity, which press is that? (only if you don’t mind sharing)
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*curiosity
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I don’t mind sharing at all. In fact I’d be interested in hvaing a separate group/thread on the Forum for people to share their experiences of the Indie Presses and Imprints that you can submit direct to. I bought the Indie Press Guide from Mxlexia which is useful but personal experiences are always better. Anyway the imprint wanting the long,…[Read more]
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Oh, interesting! I hadn’t heard of them. Out of interest, are you also planning to submit to agents? Or going purely down the indie route? I agree a dedicated thread for indie processes might be a good idea, to get lots of info all in one place.
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I’m going purely down the Indie Route @philippaeast. I’m staying with my agent but she’s happy for me to try and sell this to an Indie myself as suggested by Raine and Debi. Speculative fiction is apparently a bit of a hard sell…
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I was wondering what happened in the end with your agent and that book @janeshuff – that sounds like a brilliant plan. You get to keep the agent relationship and also your (wonderful) book has its chance, independent of that. I do love all he options open to writers these days, even if publishing is so much harder in others. Good luck!!
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*in other ways
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Thanks @kazg.
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RichardB posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoVisiting EmmaD’s blog last night for the first time in a while, I found a delightful phrase that could be the motto for this group, though it’s actually from Jenn Ashworth rather than Emma herself. Anyway, I love it.
No word count boot camp, no productivity porn.-
hah hah! Love it. I also love Jenn Ashworth, for the record, so love that it’s her phrase. Good point, I haven’t browsed EmmaD’s blog for a while either…
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KazG replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Hooray Stevie! Congratulations!
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JaneShuff posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoI’ve had a few days off as we went to London to see children and grandchildren as far as Mr Janeshuff was concerned although I’d organised two surprise birthday celebrations for him as well. We’re back now after a wonderful but exhausting time and I’m hoping to restart tomorrow. I’ve spent the best part of a month planning this WIP and after only…[Read more]
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Great work on making a start, even if it went in a different direction! I think there must be something about trusting your instincts on this though? Sounds like a good plan to take a step back and relax and switch to something else for a while to allow your brain a chance to catch up with your muse!
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I agree with Philippa, @janeshuff.
Sounds like you’ve achieved a lot with the writing, what with family celebrations as well.-
It’s exciting when things veer off plan, especially when there’s energy in the veering, rather than just a ‘I’ve lost momentum and don’t know where to go now’ type of thing. I would listen to it if I were you @janeshuff. Might, just might be something great bubbling up from your subconscious? An early Xmas gift perhaps??
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How right you all are. It is exciting. The new ideas are much better. It’s all part of the process. I have been trying to keep a diary this time so I can remind myself next time how tortuous the process of coming up with and writing a new WIP is. I have let the diary slip because of everything else, but must get back to it.
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Libby started the topic Winchester Writers' Festival in the forum Competitions, Open calls and Writing Opportunities 7 years, 4 months ago
I’m on the mailing list for Winchester festival news. The programme for Winchester 14-16 June 2019 will be out, as usual, in February. http://www.writersfestival.co.uk
They have two new scholarships – info on website. However they’re not running any competitions in 2019:
“Our writing competitions have been a popular addition to the Festival for many…[Read more]
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Raine posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoI’ve a few NoMo days (xmas, health, rubbish stuff), but managed to edit two chapters yesterday and transcribe them today. I am checking my % cut after each chapter, and making a graph. Yes I know. I’m a scientist, don’t @ me, as they say. It’s actually really encouraging, as well as being pretty…
Hoping for two more chapters edited this pm
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Xmas is not not conducive to writing, Raine, except Christmas cards but it sounds as though you are doing well.
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Nice work, @raine. That really sounds on track, despite the NoMo days (I’m having a NoMo Day today). I hope overall you aren’t finding the trimming too painful
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Ooh, graphs. What sort of graph? Yes I had a NoMo day yesterday too, but that’s ok. It’s that time of year after all. ANY progress is a great achievement, I’d say.
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Raine replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Well done @stevie! That’s great news, and now get that thing out to magazines – it’s clearly ready to be out in the world!!
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Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 4 months ago
Congratulations Stevie!
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Libby posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 4 months agoI’ve changed my profile pic to something less bot-like. These are the leaves of a whitebeam, one of my favourite trees. I was thinking of growth, hope, aspiration. You know, general upwardsness. Fingers crossed.
The past few days have been very slowmo/slowgo. Max of 1,000 words a day editing by hand when really I should accomplish 2,000 or at…[Read more]
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Thanks Libby, really glad you enjoyed it! I’m pleased Menzies’ personal characteristics come through.
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They certainly do. He looks pleasant in the photos. Incidentally I did wonder whether he’d broken his nose at some point!
I’m interested in the Ringway story too as I grew up near there but don’t know much about Ringway’s early history.
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Don’t be too hard on yourself about the word count. For me, getting the words right is far more important, and the added stress of targets is a distraction from that. Anyway, this is SloMo, right?
Yes, Daeds has a real talent for explaining tech stuff lucidly to the lay reader.-
Thanks @richardb. I agree with you. I’m not normally a word-count watcher. I was just feeling a bit bogged down so counted up to see if I’d achieved anything at all!
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Well done on moving forward with the editing, @libby. Each word edited, is a word closer to the end! (My midwife told me that about contractions, and I decided it made a good life mantra!!!)
Also – my neighbours have a big whitebeam over hanging out garden. When the leaves are first coming out in spring, that silvery white is just so lovely!…[Read more]
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Yes, and the leaves drop early so you’re stuck with them quite a long time @raine 🙁
Agree that contractions are good mantra for a lot of things!-
I think we should all cheer on ANY forward motion, painful and incremental included, especially at this time of year! And 1000 a day is high energy by my current standards, so well done @libby. And I too love your leaf pic.
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PS I also agree that the @daedalus signature style is a particular talent for making the (what I would find by default) boring, fascinating.
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Nice pic 🙂
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Sandra replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Excellent news Stevie; your writing deserves to be read more widely.
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John S Alty replied to the topic Writing Advice in the forum The Writers' Lifeboat 7 years, 5 months ago
I came across this piece of writing advice by Sol Stein which appeals to me:
“….be sure you don’t stop the story while describing. You are a storyteller, not an interior decorator.”
Probably a shot across the bows of so-called literary prose. King likes to emphasize this point too, but doesn’t do it quite as succinctly.
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Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Oh well done, Stevie! That is super news. And good point about still being able to submit elsewhere too! Here’s to a double whammy.
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Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Congratulations, Stevie!
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Elle replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Glad to hear the launch went well.
I would love to attend a Den meet-up.
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Philippa East posted an update in the group
December SloMo 7 years, 5 months agoUg. Today I feel like I’ve gone backwards in my editing process. I’ve put in my three hours, but most of that was spent unearthing problems in my “back-plot” (or lack thereof) that have now thrown the other plot threads out of whack.
I feel like I’ve discovered dry rot and woodworm in a house I’m trying to redecorate.
How much backstory…[Read more]-
I’m actually reducing the number of words in my WIP which had reached around 50,000 (guess why) and has now shrunk to about 30,000 – rapidly. Work on it has stopped while I think about my Room With A View entry (836 words right now), and I have to get a first chapter in some kind of shape for a writers’ w/e in January (If anybody has a moment…[Read more]
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Oh yuck to backstories! Hope you are feeling less yucky about it today @philippaeast. I don’t know. I don’t think we need to know everything about a secondary character’s past, as long as their character and story are ‘real’ to us. Apart from bits of their past that are relevant, obv. I figure I don’t know everything about a friend’s past, but I…[Read more]
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That is definitely an issue with launching into an unplanned story: the pain of squashing continuity errors, conflicts and missing detail. I think you can get away with quite a lot as long as there are no bugs. If your MC was two years old in the year 2000 but somehow was in favour of staying in the EEC in 1975 then you have some explaining. If…[Read more]
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Hah hah @raine, who said anything about secondary characters?! These are my main characters I’m talking about! But hopefully as @athelstone says, it’s about there not being obvious “bugs” in the writing. Yeah the issue I stumbled into was that, psychologically, a particular character arc made sense if certain events happened when her child was…[Read more]
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Philippa East replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
Den get together would be fab. I am in Lincolnshire, but I can travel to London easily
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Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
(not sure I want to meet the bots though)
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Hilary replied to the topic Short Story Publication/Competition in the forum Podium 7 years, 5 months ago
The launch was great, thanks! I enjoyed the reading – luckily I went first, so could then relax. It was great to meet some of the other writers too.
I love meeting other writers…
We need to have a Den get together… In RL, I mean. - Load More
