Ok, a little explanation. I've been having a really hard time getting a connection with my new mac. Like one out of every 40 dial attempts would work. That was driving me nuts, so I wasn't having a very good blogging record. I did write a little bit offline to be posted when I was connected again. So here it is, several posts I've saved up from the last few days.
Mon, Feb 11, 10:40 PM
So here's the plan. The plan to pick myself up, dust myself off, and get this story published. I'm going to re-work the beginning to make sure it does a better job of "grabbing" the reader. Then I'll send it off to a different magazine. I am lucky that there are three magazines that publish science fiction short stories. At least there's a market out there for this stuff. I just have to write things so that they want to publish it.
In that vein, here's a list of potential new first lines for my story. Maybe one of them will catch the attention of an editor.
Sat, Feb 9, 8:41 PM
So I went to see the movie The Count of Monte Cristo it was enjoyable. I was really hoping for a little more swashbuckeling. I'm a total push-over for sword fights. Quarter-staff sparring too. Way, way cool. Pardon me while my mind wanders.
So anyway, there wasn't as much sword fighting in the movie as I'd hoped. Also, the previews showed an awesome move that never really happened in the movie. Well, it did, but it wasn't edited nearly as well as it had been in the trailer. That was disapointing. (It's always a little weird when my new-found knowledge of how film and TV really work intrudes on my enjoyment of the experience. Anyway, back to the movie itself.) It had some really funny lines and situations. I haven't read the book, so I don't know if they came from the novel or the screenplay writer.
At any rate, I identified with the guy running and jumping down the beach, celebrating his freedom from prison after like 13 years.... only to realize that he's not alone on this gorgeous stretch of beach. There's a bunch of people sitting around just watching him. That I can relate to - figuratively at least.
Fri, Feb 8, 11:00 PM
Ah, rejection letters. The things that keep writers in booze.
Yeah, that's the secret. That's why writers have such a reputation for being drunks. Rejection letters suck. Especially the form-letter kind. Which, of course, is the usual method.
No, mynovel didn't get rejected. And no, I haven't taken up drink (though, as I said at work today, I understand the sentiment).
My short story was rejected by a magazine. The form letter gives several reasons why it might not have been accepted for publication:
A) It's been done. The idea just isn't original.
B) It's not professional. Learn how to spell, fan-boy.
C) It was boring. Just didn't impress us more than the other 800 submissions this month.
I was talking with Sarah the other day and we were agreeing. Writing is like an addiction. Rejection letters are like a bad trip.
And no, I haven't taken up drugs either. It's a metaphor, ok? I mean, look at me. They say my writing sucks, and what do I do? I go write about it. The sign of a sick mind, I tell you.
Mon, Feb 11, 10:40 PM
So here's the plan. The plan to pick myself up, dust myself off, and get this story published. I'm going to re-work the beginning to make sure it does a better job of "grabbing" the reader. Then I'll send it off to a different magazine. I am lucky that there are three magazines that publish science fiction short stories. At least there's a market out there for this stuff. I just have to write things so that they want to publish it.
In that vein, here's a list of potential new first lines for my story. Maybe one of them will catch the attention of an editor.
- Henna's ample breasts heaved as she tried to catch her breath.
- The spaceship hung in space, silouetted against the stars. Empty space was all around.
- The really cool aliens ran faster and faster, trying to chase down the buxom blonde.
- Henna adjusted her skin-tight leather jumpsuit and pulled a huge gun from the holster on her thigh.
- Time travel's really cool. There's paradoxes and stuff.
- Henna had emptied three clips into the bastard, and he still wasn't dead. (hey waitaminute. that one's not bad)
Sat, Feb 9, 8:41 PM
So I went to see the movie The Count of Monte Cristo it was enjoyable. I was really hoping for a little more swashbuckeling. I'm a total push-over for sword fights. Quarter-staff sparring too. Way, way cool. Pardon me while my mind wanders.
So anyway, there wasn't as much sword fighting in the movie as I'd hoped. Also, the previews showed an awesome move that never really happened in the movie. Well, it did, but it wasn't edited nearly as well as it had been in the trailer. That was disapointing. (It's always a little weird when my new-found knowledge of how film and TV really work intrudes on my enjoyment of the experience. Anyway, back to the movie itself.) It had some really funny lines and situations. I haven't read the book, so I don't know if they came from the novel or the screenplay writer.
At any rate, I identified with the guy running and jumping down the beach, celebrating his freedom from prison after like 13 years.... only to realize that he's not alone on this gorgeous stretch of beach. There's a bunch of people sitting around just watching him. That I can relate to - figuratively at least.
Fri, Feb 8, 11:00 PM
Ah, rejection letters. The things that keep writers in booze.
Yeah, that's the secret. That's why writers have such a reputation for being drunks. Rejection letters suck. Especially the form-letter kind. Which, of course, is the usual method.
No, mynovel didn't get rejected. And no, I haven't taken up drink (though, as I said at work today, I understand the sentiment).
My short story was rejected by a magazine. The form letter gives several reasons why it might not have been accepted for publication:
A) It's been done. The idea just isn't original.
B) It's not professional. Learn how to spell, fan-boy.
C) It was boring. Just didn't impress us more than the other 800 submissions this month.
I was talking with Sarah the other day and we were agreeing. Writing is like an addiction. Rejection letters are like a bad trip.
And no, I haven't taken up drugs either. It's a metaphor, ok? I mean, look at me. They say my writing sucks, and what do I do? I go write about it. The sign of a sick mind, I tell you.
