A Magazine Tryout
This isn’t directly related to my previous post, or to any posts out there on the net about the death of the short story market in speculative fiction. Just so you know. I’ve recently started submitting my work again. I’ve been in a rut for a while as far as submitting goes. I was doing The World in the Satin Bag (which you can find all the links to the semi-edited, experimental form on the right hand side), and that was all I was doing. I didn’t do much other writing. But I’m writing other stuff now. Yes, I am still working on The Spellweaver of Dern, the sequel to The World in the Satin Bag. I really hate that word ‘sequel’ in reference to WISB though. I think I’ll simply call it the ‘other half to an epic’. In any case, I am working on it. Mostly my brain is milling it around in my head. I want to have a better idea of what happens this time around so I can keep focus. I also need to go back to WISB and find all the plot points that I need to close up and figure out if I can do that in one novel or if I will have to do a third. In essence, I know what is ‘going’ to happen in the beginning, but not beyond that.So, I’m writing other stuff, and I have two submissions out as you can see on the side there. In submitting, however, I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I recently subscribed to Analog, and have bought the most recent issues of Neo-Opsis, Shimmer, Andromeda Spaceways, ON Spec, and Apex to give them a try (since I am not familiar with any of them on a personal basis). Analog I expect to like again since I have some 20 years or so worth of back issues going as far back as the early 60’s. I was subscribed once before but when my cancer hit I didn’t have much energy to do anything other than sleep. The others are basically testers. I have high hopes for Shimmer, since I’ve read it is good, and Neo-Opsis sounds interesting. I’ve seen a lot of stuff about Andromeda Spaceways and ON Spec, but Apex I’m somewhat unfamiliar with, though it looks to be of quality.What other magazines are there that I should be reading though? I wanted to test out F&SF and Asimov’s, but their stupid site is so hard to navigate I couldn’t seem to find a place to order the current issue direct in print format. I have problems reading on the computer–real reading I mean. I know I can print stuff out, but I would rather have a real copy in my hands.But what other magazines are out there? What are you reading? What do you recommend? I want to broaden my horizons here and find some new reading experiences in short fiction! (Doesn’t matter if it’s not in the USA. UK, AU, wherever, it’s fine)
A Note: On My Writing
Anyone paying attention to the little bit of text over there that says how much I’m writing will notice it has been at zero for November for a while. Just to let you all know, I am writing. It’s not quite as much as I was writing in October, but I am writing something. I just haven’t had a moment to calculate what I’ve written and put it up as I’ve been incredibly busy. Besides, it’s not much writing really. I’ve been swamped with essays and such the last couple weeks, not to mention reading, and as such my writing has taken a little side step. However, I have 100 pages written for The Lies of Venicia (a.k.a. The White), I’ve edited two short stories into final drafts, and submitted one of them to Writers of the Future. The second will be going out tomorrow to Analog. Wish me luck in that. I like both stories–one is adventure/fantasy and the other is semi-dark SF. But, yes, I am writing! (Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this)
A Synopsis, Sorta…
I thought it would be nice to share a synopsis, or at least a first draft synopsis, with all you out there for the book I am currently working on. Just a note though, things could change a little, but for the most part the story will be as follows: The White (Draft Title) or The Lies of Venicia (Secondary Draft Title) or To Lie on Actaeon (Third Draft Title) or I Have No Clue What the Final Name Will Be (My Mind’s Title) Alan is a pilot on Actaeon, a backwater world colonized by humans long ago and abandoned by most of the human empire because of a mysterious entity known as the White. He leads of life of simplicity, roaming the wide stretches of unoccupied land transporting goods for Venicia, a city ruled by a class of Elders whose wisdom is trusted without question. When his world is suddenly turned upside down and all that he once loved begins to crumble he must set out to find the answers he needs to protect Aptus and ultimately Actaeon from falling into darkness…Eileen is a computer genius, a coder with surprising talents working for Stalworth Tech in Aptus on Actaeon. She hates her job and despite her large paycheck she’s tired of life in Aptus. Then a strange package arrives with her name on it and a remarkable data chip inside. But the data may prove to be more than she ever expected. It could very well solve all of Actaeon’s problems or bring down the might of an entire empire on the inhabitants of the planet…Carl is an interstellar pilot specializing in the transport of primarily illegal goods for anyone willing to pay him a decent price. Despite his better judgment he agrees to take on a job from Aptus. But the job wreaks of secrets even he is unwilling to ignore and he soon finds himself woven into a political conspiracy that threatens to destroy the human empire… So, there you have it. What do you think?
Chapter Outlining, Your Thoughts?
I’ve never really done outlining of any sort before. Originally it was because when I tried to do it I lost all interest in the story and stopped. Now, I don’t outline because I’m afraid of it. A lot of my ideas never come into my head in their full form. I have an idea for something, start it up, and go with it.Lately I’ve been having problems though and am trying to do the whole outline thing, at least to the extent that I know the general direction of the story. But outlining is not nearly as easy as I thought. Basically this is what is going on:A long while ago I started a strange SF horror story called “The White”. The title is only temporary, in fact I’m thinking of the changing it to “The Lies of Venicia”, since that has more to do with what is going on anyway. Well, I put the story aside, unfinished, a long time ago for some reason or another and just came back to it and realized how much I really liked the idea (a human colony in another star system that has been turned into a backwater because of the violent reaction of a mysterious alien entity known as the White). So I sat down and tried to think of what i could do with ti. I didn’t want to write another novel from the perspective of one person. Part of this is because I think in the case of this story one POV would really make all the horror and psychological issues feel old. I didn’t want that. So I added a second POV taken from someone in a place that, more or less, is not really involved in the second plotline, not directly at least. Same planet, different city. Things were going okay, rather swiftly. Then suddenly, I wanted another POV. It popped into my head that I have two people from opposite spectrums living on the same planet, but I didn’t have someone from the other spectrum–off planet.But I have a dilemma here. Outlining is proving…difficult. I’m not sure where to go with the story and when I write something down, I realize, I don’t like the way that is going and just write something else other than what the outline intended.So, what do you guys do when it comes to outlining? I want to hear your thoughts!
The Beginning of the End of Something or Other
Some quick blog notes. I’ve added a Shelfari Widget to my sidebar. It will show all the books I am currently reading. Right now it is quite a few, a bunch from the reading list. Also I have a friend who may be creating me a really cool new banner for the header of the site, which I am really excited about.That same person did a really cool fanart drawing of the attack on the assassins in Chapter Nineteen. Take a look!I like it because it is fanart for my novel. I’m sort of incapable of disliking it because it is quite cool looking. Fanart is of course welcome here :). In other news, we are drawing so near the end of this novel it is actually scaring me. I am curious how everyone else feels about finishing novels. This will actually be my first completed novel–albeit not necessarily the first novel that is perfect in any sense of the word. I’ve written a lot of novels and stopped. I think what is keeping me going on this is the fact that I have fans. There is something really fantastic when a fan tells you they love your work.Regardless, this is a scary thing. I realize that the story is not finished, since there are other books in the works, but my goodness, it’s like sending a child off to college or something of that nature. It’s strange that I feel this way. I suppose you could say I have become attached. The characters resonate with me. And they are all so very different and unique from each other–at least in my opinion. So, for the sake of random interest: Do any of you get a sort of fearful feeling when you are about to finish a work–regardless of length? How do you handle it? Tell me about it. I’d like to hear your stories of emotional attachment to, well, stories!
A List of Somewhat Important Facts
So I found this meme over at Lindsey’s blog. Sounded interesting and it will be an interesting insight into my little writing brain: 1. Do you outline? For the most part no. I don’t make long outlines like many writers do. I feel like doing so takes away all the magic of the story for me. I no longer want to tell that story because nothing is new. It’s all set in stone. 2. Do you write straight through a book, or do you sometimes tackle the scenes out of order? This really depends. If there is a scene that is eating at the inside of my brain I will write it down in advance. For the most part, however, I stick to writing straight through. It’s not very common that I take the other route. 3. Do you prefer writing with a pen or using a computer? Depends. When I’m in a massive writing groove and the words are coming out of me in droves, then I prefer to be on my computer because I can type a lot quicker than I can write. Sometimes, though, I find that writing by hand is so much more enjoyable. It all depends on my mood and what is going on in my head. My short story Death By Poking was done primarily by hand. Bits and pieces of WISB were too, though the majority is done on the computer because I have to put a lot of focus into it and do a lot of research here and there. 4. Do you prefer writing in first person or third? This is going to sound weird, but I hate first person, yet I write in it quite often. It’s a strange feeling. I think perhaps I am growing an appreciation for it, but it used to be where I actually despised first person novels. Now, I write and read in both. I still hate first person and tend to be turned off by short stories written in first, but I think my hatred for it comes from reading a lot of very dull stories told in first person. I personally like first person for humor because you can convey humorous situations through the character better. 5. Do you listen to music while you write? If so, do you create a playlist, listen randomly, or pick a single song that fits the book? Sometimes. Mostly I’ll listen to classical or orchestrated stuff (such as soundtracks and the like). When I’m really tired of music or my concentration is lacking I will listen to silence instead. I never really make playlists, not really anyway. I only have one playlist and it consists of all my classical and orchestrated stuff. Usually I just put my list on shuffle. 6. How do you come up with the perfect names for your characters? I used to use a program called EBoN (Everchanging Book of Names), which is fantastic for a few reasons. One, it comes with a library of thirty or so languages that it creates names from. Two, you can get new libraries from other users. And three, you can affect how it will create names by fiddling with the phonemes and the like.For the most part I sit in my chair and start speaking out names to myself until something grabs me. This is also how I started coming up with the language of my world as I started to notice in the names of places some very common aspects. Thus begins my endeavor to create a functioning language without going insane or screwing it up (which I already have twice and have had to fix). 7. When you’re writing, do you ever imagine your book as a television show or movie? Sort of. I don’t imagine it as a full show or movie, but I do imagine scenes as if they were playing like movies in my head. I like it that way because I tend to see nifty details I might otherwise be blind to. 8. Have you ever had a character insist on doing something you really didn’t want him/her to do? Who hasn’t? A story I wrote a while ago started off as two kids just sitting around doing kids stuff. I never expected that the secondary character would turn out to be the villian of the story. He went from being that sort of innocently evil child to a complete madman. It was wild. 9. Do you know how a book is going to end when you start it? Yes and no. I know where the characters will be and the very very very very last scene, but I have no idea how the characters are getting there, or if that future will be the same when I reach it. The story evolves as I go. 10. Where do you write? In bed, at work, at school, in my car (yes, while I’m driving, I have a digital recorder), and anywhere I can sit down and concentrate. I carry a little book for notes with me just about everywhere I go just in case I come up with something fascinating. 11. What do you do when you get writer’s block? Kill people. Not really literally, but sort of literally. I play computer games if I’m really in a slump or need to stimulate my creative juices. If feel sort of snagged and need to clean out my head I go read. Mostly it’s computer games. For me they do wonders. It’s completely mindless, it makes my brain reboot, and I don’t have to think too much while playing. 12. What size increments do you write in (either in terms of wordcount, or as a percentage of the book as a whole)? At any one time, not more than a thousand words (usually). Over the course of a day I can churn out 10,000 if I’m really into a story. Usually I get around 2,000 or 3,000 in a day.