(Warning… the following post contains excessive use of the word “critique”… Viewer discretion is advised.) I think I may have mentioned it but three weeks ago I joined critters.org (www.critters.org) an online critique group. The premise of the site is simple: you critique other’s work and get credits for the critiques and, in turn, you can submit your work to be critiqued. Sounds simple enough, right? In fact, it is simple; the site sends you three selections to critique every week and all you have to do to stay a member in good standing is keep up a 75% critique ratio (3 critiques completed every 4 weeks). Members are also asked to keep the critiques professional and are advised to […]
Read moreCategory: Irreverent Muse
Keeping it Real
I was recently reminded about the importance of keeping the continuity of the story in mind when I write. You may think I’m referring to the actual timeline of the story, the characters and their relationships with each other and so on. While those things are all important, they are not what I’m talking about in this case. Let me tell a short story to explain. You picked up a new story and are busy reading it. The story takes place in the distant past, say during the height of the Roman Empire. The characters are doing their thing, you can almost visualize the city and see the mayhem. Then, out of the blue, the author refers to a Porsche. It […]
Read moreWorld Fantasy Convention is coming fast!
I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I am going to the World Fantasy Convention. After all, it’s not every day (or even every year) that something like the WFC comes to your local city. I have to admit, I have BIG hopes for this convention. I want to meet several of the authors I admire, get in front of publishers to pitch my book and maybe even talk to an agent or two. Oh yeah, and I’m hoping to make some more friends in the writing industry. That’s a lot for four days, don’t you think? Still, I know to be successful, I need to know people. I need to be willing to stand up and pitch my wares, so […]
Read moreRewrite or Edit? What is the right way to go?
It’s an interesting dilemma that I’ve been faced with the past while. When should I rewrite a story and when is an edit the correct choice? I’ve come to the conclusion that the choice should be entirely dependent on the the story itself. Having said that, I realize such an on-the-fence answer doesn’t really help to make the decision any easier. Here are some of the thoughts I’ve had when considering the topic. When I read the story, am I happy with all the major elements? (character, setting, plot, etc.) How many times has the story been rejected and did I get any useful feedback? Does the story fit any particular publisher’s requirements? Have I had anyone read the story (i.e. first […]
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