Set Call For Mr. Eastwood. Will Mr. Eastwood Please Report To The Set.

The Good:
I think I'm starting to get a handle on the problems I've been having. File it under "The more I learn about writing, the more I discover that I know practically nothing about writing." Thanks to everyone who helped me hash out what was wrong. Now comes the hard part: putting all the new stuff I've figured out into practice.

The Bad:
The next reviewer/critter/reader/person waiting for a bus to Poughkeepsie who says: "You should not write in first person because first-person sounds pretentious and off-putting and no editors like first person and it is too hard to write in and besides third-person is industry standard so you need to change this story to third person right now!" is going to get their spleen removed with a dull spork.

I'm just sayin'.

If you've got a legitimate reason why you think I should change from first to third person, then fine, explain it to me and we can talk. But don't send me a review/crit telling me to switch just because. I realize most editors and readers prefer third person, and I'm well aware that third is easier to write in, despite appearances to the contrary. If I chose first-person I have a perfectly good reason.

The Ugly:
I'm really racking up the rejections this month. I'm well into double digits and there's still a whole week left. Urg. This is the danger of having several stories out on submission. Sometimes they all get rejected at once.

There will be more content later today or tomorrow, including my thoughts on the latest Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network meeting, sleeping in a new bed, and moving.

In Peace
Michael

Set Call For Mr. Eastwood. Will Mr. Eastwood Please Report To The Set.

The Good:
I think I'm starting to get a handle on the problems I've been having. File it under "The more I learn about writing, the more I discover that I know practically nothing about writing." Thanks to everyone who helped me hash out what was wrong. Now comes the hard part: putting all the new stuff I've figured out into practice.

The Bad:
The next reviewer/critter/reader/person waiting for a bus to Poughkeepsie who says: "You should not write in first person because first-person sounds pretentious and off-putting and no editors like first person and it is too hard to write in and besides third-person is industry standard so you need to change this story to third person right now!" is going to get their spleen removed with a dull spork.

I'm just sayin'.

If you've got a legitimate reason why you think I should change from first to third person, then fine, explain it to me and we can talk. But don't send me a review/crit telling me to switch just because. I realize most editors and readers prefer third person, and I'm well aware that third is easier to write in, despite appearances to the contrary. If I chose first-person I have a perfectly good reason.

The Ugly:
I'm really racking up the rejections this month. I'm well into double digits and there's still a whole week left. Urg. This is the danger of having several stories out on submission. Sometimes they all get rejected at once.

There will be more content later today or tomorrow, including my thoughts on the latest Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network meeting, sleeping in a new bed, and moving.

In Peace
Michael

Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network Meeting 6/24/2006

Saturday morning I jumped on the bus and ventured into the Uptown area of Minneapolis for the TCSFWN meeting (gods, we need a shorter name!) I arrived early, as usual, and was greeted by another member who also arrived early. We both purchased drinks and food (we meet in the Lund's Grocery Store community room) then settled in to wait for the others. We chatted amiably about the SF&F writing scene in the Twin Cities, and then we both did some work while we waited. I brought my laptop along and managed to write about 300 words on the Red Riding Hood in space story.

Once the meeting started, we did introductions around the table and talked about the F&SF submission bomb (hilarymoonmurph and wordswoman are both planning to take part). We talked about the group t-shirt that is being designed, hopefully to be ready by CONvergence, and then we talked about what we are doing for our group reading and our "Meet the TCSFWN" panel at the con.

I read "Fetch" to the group. No one ran screaming from the room with blood coming out of their eyes, so I'm assuming it was liked well enough. wordswoman did a have one small suggestion, which I plan to look at.

wordswoman read from her WiP novel. I have prose envy. Seriously.

At this point the regular meeting was finished, so we took a fifteen minute break and then the writers critique group started. I sat in this time, because I've been thinking for some time that I need to join a face-to-face group.

After listening in and watching the group in action, I must say that I'm very interested in this group. It was well run. The critters were respectful to the work they critiqued (and sometimes disagreed wildly about things with each other) and the people receiving the crits sat quietly through the process and made notes, explaining and clarifying when called upon to do so.

One thing I think that will make this group work is that it has members at different levels of skill, but the gap between skills in the group is not too large.

There are some people who have made short fiction pro sales, some people who have made only semi-pro sales, and some people who have made no sales. There are people who have been at this for a number of years and people who are just starting out. There are people who have been to Clarion and Odyssey, people who have done workshops at Wiscon and Minicon, people who are or have been members of OWW and Critters, people who have been part of other writers groups, people who have some college courses in fiction, and people who are experienced readers of the genre.

One thing they all have in common is that they are serious about the work and the words.

All in all I think the group is a good mix.

I was impressed and I think I want to take part in the group, if I can make the time commitment.

Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network Meeting 6/24/2006

Saturday morning I jumped on the bus and ventured into the Uptown area of Minneapolis for the TCSFWN meeting (gods, we need a shorter name!) I arrived early, as usual, and was greeted by another member who also arrived early. We both purchased drinks and food (we meet in the Lund's Grocery Store community room) then settled in to wait for the others. We chatted amiably about the SF&F writing scene in the Twin Cities, and then we both did some work while we waited. I brought my laptop along and managed to write about 300 words on the Red Riding Hood in space story.

Once the meeting started, we did introductions around the table and talked about the F&SF submission bomb (hilarymoonmurph and wordswoman are both planning to take part). We talked about the group t-shirt that is being designed, hopefully to be ready by CONvergence, and then we talked about what we are doing for our group reading and our "Meet the TCSFWN" panel at the con.

I read "Fetch" to the group. No one ran screaming from the room with blood coming out of their eyes, so I'm assuming it was liked well enough. wordswoman did a have one small suggestion, which I plan to look at.

wordswoman read from her WiP novel. I have prose envy. Seriously.

At this point the regular meeting was finished, so we took a fifteen minute break and then the writers critique group started. I sat in this time, because I've been thinking for some time that I need to join a face-to-face group.

After listening in and watching the group in action, I must say that I'm very interested in this group. It was well run. The critters were respectful to the work they critiqued (and sometimes disagreed wildly about things with each other) and the people receiving the crits sat quietly through the process and made notes, explaining and clarifying when called upon to do so.

One thing I think that will make this group work is that it has members at different levels of skill, but the gap between skills in the group is not too large.

There are some people who have made short fiction pro sales, some people who have made only semi-pro sales, and some people who have made no sales. There are people who have been at this for a number of years and people who are just starting out. There are people who have been to Clarion and Odyssey, people who have done workshops at Wiscon and Minicon, people who are or have been members of OWW and Critters, people who have been part of other writers groups, people who have some college courses in fiction, and people who are experienced readers of the genre.

One thing they all have in common is that they are serious about the work and the words.

All in all I think the group is a good mix.

I was impressed and I think I want to take part in the group, if I can make the time commitment.