Hopefully, you are familiar with the term "jumping the shark". But if you aren't, according to Wikipedia "jumping the shark" is a colloquialism used by TV critics and fans to denote the point in a television program's history where the plot spins off into absurd story lines or unlikely characterizations.
The phrase originates from a Happy Days episode in 1977 when Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis, but the phrase was coined later by Sean J. Connelly in 1985. Jon Hein, who created the website jumptheshark.com explains it as "a defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill."
Hein's website listed 18 categories that fans used to identify shows that had "jumped the shark", including 1) Same character, different actor 2) death of a key cast member 3) Moving the main setting and 4) birth of a baby on the show.
Recently, I've become aware that it isn't just television shows that jump the shark. Speculative fiction has its fair share of shark jumping as well.
For example, I consider a piece of fantasy to have jumped the shark when it suddenly throws me down Alice's rabbit hole without any warning. A fantasy series I am currently reading has just done that very thing. The first two books went along swimmingly, with two worlds (one magical, one not) that co-exist alongside one another with portals in between. The two worlds are in conflict with one another and each has a distinct culture, people, and history, all very well explained.
Now, I am reading book three and suddenly the MC enters a third world, a dream world full of mad-hatter type characters, no day and night, deformed people without names, and buildings that are inexplicably larger on the inside than the outside. The story, so far traditional fantasy, has now become surreal fantasy, something I don't generally read or enjoy, and I feel gyped. I want to toss the book, except I paid good money for it, and I keep reading, hoping this is some kind of glitch and soon we'll get back to the "real" story. And this isn't the first series to do this too me. It seems to be a current trend.
I'd list this as item #1 on my fiction "Jump the Shark" list.
1. Going Wonderland
What events constitute "jumping the shark" for you in fiction.
Feel free to mention specific books and events, as I'm going to try and collect a list.
The phrase originates from a Happy Days episode in 1977 when Fonzie jumped over a shark on water skis, but the phrase was coined later by Sean J. Connelly in 1985. Jon Hein, who created the website jumptheshark.com explains it as "a defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill."
Hein's website listed 18 categories that fans used to identify shows that had "jumped the shark", including 1) Same character, different actor 2) death of a key cast member 3) Moving the main setting and 4) birth of a baby on the show.
Recently, I've become aware that it isn't just television shows that jump the shark. Speculative fiction has its fair share of shark jumping as well.
For example, I consider a piece of fantasy to have jumped the shark when it suddenly throws me down Alice's rabbit hole without any warning. A fantasy series I am currently reading has just done that very thing. The first two books went along swimmingly, with two worlds (one magical, one not) that co-exist alongside one another with portals in between. The two worlds are in conflict with one another and each has a distinct culture, people, and history, all very well explained.
Now, I am reading book three and suddenly the MC enters a third world, a dream world full of mad-hatter type characters, no day and night, deformed people without names, and buildings that are inexplicably larger on the inside than the outside. The story, so far traditional fantasy, has now become surreal fantasy, something I don't generally read or enjoy, and I feel gyped. I want to toss the book, except I paid good money for it, and I keep reading, hoping this is some kind of glitch and soon we'll get back to the "real" story. And this isn't the first series to do this too me. It seems to be a current trend.
I'd list this as item #1 on my fiction "Jump the Shark" list.
1. Going Wonderland
What events constitute "jumping the shark" for you in fiction.
Feel free to mention specific books and events, as I'm going to try and collect a list.
With apologies for the delay, I can now confirm that the 2009, Meager Puddle of Limelight Award for Best Opening Line goes to…
Eileen Watkins 
Here’s a list of the ten finalists in descending order (In the case of a tie, I used the qualifying votes to decide which came higher).
1: Without meaning to, Camilla Torres had picked a good place to die.
E F Watkins
2: Every morning I ask myself the same question: would I be happier now if I'd never sailed off the edge of the world?
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
maeve_the_red
3: There wasn't enough L'Oreal on the planet to cover her white trash roots.
Chris Redding
4: Clinton Folk stood in the doorway of the Theatre of Curious Acts and looked out at the end of the world. catephoenix
5: Max woke up inside his kennel, unplugged his tail from the wall, and ran an automatic systems check. cloudscudding
6: You know how some women can get any man into trouble just by walking into a bar? jakobdrud
7: Some say the dead don't care, but they do. alaneer
8: A dead girl invited Matthias to dinner. cloudscudding
9: George Lasenius shipped me to Mars in a lead crate. jakobdrud
10: Even hiding under my bed, armed and silent in the darkness, Cupid got me; I never even saw him coming. jdawson001
Congratulations to the top three, I’ll be in touch with your interview questions soon, and a hat tip to all the other finalists, in particular cloudscudding and jakobdrud who both had two opening lines in the last ten.
Thanks again to everyone who took part and/or voted.
I hope you had fun. We'll do it again next year.
- Mood:
bouncy
Today is all about me because it is my 41st birthday.
I am not telling you this so you can shower me with virtual snowflake cookies, or applaud, or send me chocolate (though I would never turn away chocolate).
I am stating it simply because I am proud of me and the years I have accrued. I'm glad I am. I have stood the test of time.
And in celebration, I thought it might be fun to list ten facts about Ripley Patton you won't find anywhere else.
1) I would trade my left kidney for a well-cooked steak.
2) I did not get my drivers license until I was 30.
3) I once rescued a ferret that had fallen three stories down a duct, and was trapped in the furnace.
4) I have a bullet wound scar on my left breast.
5) I play a mean game of Rook.
6) I have titanium plates and pins in my left arm, but I don't set off metal detectors.
7) I love to grow roses, and they love to grow for me.
8) I have climbed Pike's Peak and descended it in one day.
9) I love cemeteries, especially at night.
10) I have vowed never to avoid anything out of fear alone. I made this vow when I was fifteen, and it has served me well.
I am not telling you this so you can shower me with virtual snowflake cookies, or applaud, or send me chocolate (though I would never turn away chocolate).
I am stating it simply because I am proud of me and the years I have accrued. I'm glad I am. I have stood the test of time.
And in celebration, I thought it might be fun to list ten facts about Ripley Patton you won't find anywhere else.
1) I would trade my left kidney for a well-cooked steak.
2) I did not get my drivers license until I was 30.
3) I once rescued a ferret that had fallen three stories down a duct, and was trapped in the furnace.
4) I have a bullet wound scar on my left breast.
5) I play a mean game of Rook.
6) I have titanium plates and pins in my left arm, but I don't set off metal detectors.
7) I love to grow roses, and they love to grow for me.
8) I have climbed Pike's Peak and descended it in one day.
9) I love cemeteries, especially at night.
10) I have vowed never to avoid anything out of fear alone. I made this vow when I was fifteen, and it has served me well.
I’ve read (and listened to) a lot of great books this year. If I had to pick a favorite, I’d choose Bernard Cornwell’s, Lords of the North, the third book in his Saxon series.
Here’s the book blurb:
The Lords of the North begins soon after the events described in The Pale Horseman. Uhtred, having helped Alfred secure Wessex as an independent Saxon kingdom, returns north in an attempt to find his stepsister. Instead he discovers chaos, civil war and treachery in Northumbria. He takes the side of Guthred, once a slave and now a man who would be king, and in return expects Guthred's help in capturing Dunholm, the lair of the dark Viking lord, Kjartan. There is [fencing, fighting,] betrayal, romance [possibly true love] and war, and all of it, as usual, based on real events.
I’ve always liked historical fiction and there’s something about the way Mr. Cornwell contrives to make his poor characters suffer (usually by making them long for something they can never get) that I find irresistible, as anyone who’s enjoyed his Sharpe or Starbuck Chronicles novels will agree.
I'm sure there are those who don't care for his work, and I'm the first to admit that Mr. Cornwell loves his adverbs, but so what? The man writes compelling stories that keep you coming back for more, and that should be good enough for everyone, don't you think?
The next Uhtred novel, The Burning Land, comes out in the US next month.
I’m already excited about reading it. I thoroughly recommend the whole series.
How about you?
What’s the best book you’ve read this year?
Here’s the book blurb:
The Lords of the North begins soon after the events described in The Pale Horseman. Uhtred, having helped Alfred secure Wessex as an independent Saxon kingdom, returns north in an attempt to find his stepsister. Instead he discovers chaos, civil war and treachery in Northumbria. He takes the side of Guthred, once a slave and now a man who would be king, and in return expects Guthred's help in capturing Dunholm, the lair of the dark Viking lord, Kjartan. There is [fencing, fighting,] betrayal, romance [possibly true love] and war, and all of it, as usual, based on real events.
I’ve always liked historical fiction and there’s something about the way Mr. Cornwell contrives to make his poor characters suffer (usually by making them long for something they can never get) that I find irresistible, as anyone who’s enjoyed his Sharpe or Starbuck Chronicles novels will agree.
I'm sure there are those who don't care for his work, and I'm the first to admit that Mr. Cornwell loves his adverbs, but so what? The man writes compelling stories that keep you coming back for more, and that should be good enough for everyone, don't you think?
The next Uhtred novel, The Burning Land, comes out in the US next month.
I’m already excited about reading it. I thoroughly recommend the whole series.
How about you?
What’s the best book you’ve read this year?
- Mood:
content
Something is bothering me. Something is bothering me a lot. So, I thought I would put it out to the LJ community, which always helps me process things.
In the last couple of days, I have had the occasion to visit several websites purporting to be journals or magazines of speculative fiction. What bothers me is that the content on the websites themselves is editorially shoddy. It doesn't look as though the editors can write, let alone edit their own words, or anyone else's.
On the first website, the "editorial" article had eight grammar and punctuation errors in two paragraphs. This was not complex writing, and the mistakes were not obscure. They were very basic rules of writing that I would expect most school-age children to know.
On the second website things weren't quite as bad, but there were numerous mistakes throughout the website, and they were basic as well. I came away from both sites knowing that I probably would not submit anything to them. How could I expect someone to edit, proof, and present my writing in a professional manner when their website has so little attention to detail?
Now, before everyone grabs their guns and starts shooting- I know that I am not perfect. One could probably comb this very post and find mistakes. No doubt, if you went through all my posts, you would learn my writerly weaknesses. Yes, I have an issue with commas. I put them where, they don't, go and I leave them out where they should. I am working on this. I am not perfect, but I have perfectionist leanings when it comes to my writing.
But I am a writer, NOT an editor. I proof my work and run it through a critique group, but ultimately, I very much count on an editor to polish the final product into perfection for publication.
I appreciate what editors do, and I expect them to be as gloriously anal with their web content as I hope they will be with my fiction. If they aren't, I have no choice but to conclude that they aren't really editors. They may be writers, or fans, or garbage disposal repairmen posing as editors, but they aren't editors.
What do you do when you encounter a "writing" website with shoddy, poorly edited content?
Do you click another tab and never look back?
Do you try to point out some of the errors in hopes of improving the site?
Do you submit there anyway?
Does it bother you at all, or am I an anomoly in this?
In the last couple of days, I have had the occasion to visit several websites purporting to be journals or magazines of speculative fiction. What bothers me is that the content on the websites themselves is editorially shoddy. It doesn't look as though the editors can write, let alone edit their own words, or anyone else's.
On the first website, the "editorial" article had eight grammar and punctuation errors in two paragraphs. This was not complex writing, and the mistakes were not obscure. They were very basic rules of writing that I would expect most school-age children to know.
On the second website things weren't quite as bad, but there were numerous mistakes throughout the website, and they were basic as well. I came away from both sites knowing that I probably would not submit anything to them. How could I expect someone to edit, proof, and present my writing in a professional manner when their website has so little attention to detail?
Now, before everyone grabs their guns and starts shooting- I know that I am not perfect. One could probably comb this very post and find mistakes. No doubt, if you went through all my posts, you would learn my writerly weaknesses. Yes, I have an issue with commas. I put them where, they don't, go and I leave them out where they should. I am working on this. I am not perfect, but I have perfectionist leanings when it comes to my writing.
But I am a writer, NOT an editor. I proof my work and run it through a critique group, but ultimately, I very much count on an editor to polish the final product into perfection for publication.
I appreciate what editors do, and I expect them to be as gloriously anal with their web content as I hope they will be with my fiction. If they aren't, I have no choice but to conclude that they aren't really editors. They may be writers, or fans, or garbage disposal repairmen posing as editors, but they aren't editors.
What do you do when you encounter a "writing" website with shoddy, poorly edited content?
Do you click another tab and never look back?
Do you try to point out some of the errors in hopes of improving the site?
Do you submit there anyway?
Does it bother you at all, or am I an anomoly in this?
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who took part and/or voted in the competition for the 2009 Meager Puddle of Limelight Award for Best Opening Line. The votes are in, but I'm afraid the winning entry was submitted anonymously.
Have you seen this contestant?
Rest assured, the staff here at Puddles (HQ), are conducting a frantic investigation to discover the mystery winner's identity. As soon as I have the details, I'll make a formal announcement. Hopefully later today.
UPDATE:
YAY! Our mysterious winner has come forward. I'll make a formal announcement of the top ten places tomorrow (Wednesday)
- Mood:
excited
I am thrilled to announce that my 10,000 word short(?) story "Over the Rim" is now out and live and available in PDF form in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine magical issue #42. I am excited on so many counts for its release.
One, Over the Rim, is a personal favorite of mine, and had "almost" been accepted numerous times. I am so thankful to ASIM for being willing to work with such a behemoth story that also happens to contain two behemoths as main characters.
Two, It is issue #42 folks! The issue that is, without a doubt, the answer to LIfe, the Universe, and Everything.
And Third, the cover illustration of the magazine comes straight out of Over the Rim. Check it out!
To whet your appetite, this story was inspired by a sign at Crater Lake National Park in Southeastern Oregon. The sign said (and I kid you not).
Please keep animals leashed at all times.
Pets have been known to vanish over the rim.
One, Over the Rim, is a personal favorite of mine, and had "almost" been accepted numerous times. I am so thankful to ASIM for being willing to work with such a behemoth story that also happens to contain two behemoths as main characters.
Two, It is issue #42 folks! The issue that is, without a doubt, the answer to LIfe, the Universe, and Everything.
And Third, the cover illustration of the magazine comes straight out of Over the Rim. Check it out!
To whet your appetite, this story was inspired by a sign at Crater Lake National Park in Southeastern Oregon. The sign said (and I kid you not).
Please keep animals leashed at all times.
Pets have been known to vanish over the rim.
I know I always say you shouldn’t knock other writers, but sometimes, you just have to make an exception.
It seems wherever I look these days, there’s someone or other going on about how great that Shakespeare bloke is. Well I’m sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, the guy’s a shameless hack, stealing other people’s ideas and passing them off as his own work.
He tries to hide it by setting all his stories back in the olden days, but he doesn’t fool me for a moment. That so called ‘classic’ Romeo and Juliet? It’s just West Side Story without the singing, and anyone who’s ever seen The Lion King knows where he got the idea for Hamlet. Frankly, I’m surprised Disney hasn’t sued the guy.
And another thing; what’s with all the funny-sounding words and talking in rhymes? Talk about stuck in the past. Dr. Suess was doing that forty years ago.
People go on and on about how everything Shakespeare writes is great, but I’m not joining in. I’ll grant you, that Henry V thing was quite good, but Henries I thru IV must have gone straight to DVD ‘cause I never saw so much as a movie trailer for any of ‘em, did you? Maybe he was doing a George Lucas and made episode five first, but I doubt it.
Speaking of George Lucas, people thought he was a bit cheeky naming a character after his dog, Indiana, but at least he never gave named a lead character after himself, like a certain person did in Shakespeare in Love.
It’s possible that Shakespeare used to be good, but he sold out a long time ago. These days it’s all about sponsorship and product placement. Have you read the script for Macbeth? You just know there’ll be a commercial break around that ‘Out out damn spot’, line. If you think that’s bad, wait till you see who he’s got lined up to sponsor Othello. What’s he gonna call his next script? Monopoly?
Why do people let him get away with it? That’s what I wanna know. In Barnes & Noble the other day, I overheard a sales clerk telling some customers that Antony and Cleopatra was Shakespeare’s own creation. Lucky I was there to set him straight. I’m a bit of a history buff, and I know for a fact that story’s based on two real people who lived back in Roman times (the one between yore and the good old days). What a rip off! He didn’t even bother to change their names!
Still, good luck to the guy. Why should Bill Shakespeare care what I think? He’s sitting in his Hollywood mansion, soaking up the praise and counting his money, right?
He’s probably already working on his next blockbuster. With all this global warming fuss going on, I expect it’ll be some kind of disaster movie, like Storm or Hurricane or Blizzard, just you wait and see.
So my question for today is: Just who does that Shakespeare bloke think he is?
It seems wherever I look these days, there’s someone or other going on about how great that Shakespeare bloke is. Well I’m sorry, but as far as I’m concerned, the guy’s a shameless hack, stealing other people’s ideas and passing them off as his own work.
He tries to hide it by setting all his stories back in the olden days, but he doesn’t fool me for a moment. That so called ‘classic’ Romeo and Juliet? It’s just West Side Story without the singing, and anyone who’s ever seen The Lion King knows where he got the idea for Hamlet. Frankly, I’m surprised Disney hasn’t sued the guy.
And another thing; what’s with all the funny-sounding words and talking in rhymes? Talk about stuck in the past. Dr. Suess was doing that forty years ago.
People go on and on about how everything Shakespeare writes is great, but I’m not joining in. I’ll grant you, that Henry V thing was quite good, but Henries I thru IV must have gone straight to DVD ‘cause I never saw so much as a movie trailer for any of ‘em, did you? Maybe he was doing a George Lucas and made episode five first, but I doubt it.
Speaking of George Lucas, people thought he was a bit cheeky naming a character after his dog, Indiana, but at least he never gave named a lead character after himself, like a certain person did in Shakespeare in Love.
It’s possible that Shakespeare used to be good, but he sold out a long time ago. These days it’s all about sponsorship and product placement. Have you read the script for Macbeth? You just know there’ll be a commercial break around that ‘Out out damn spot’, line. If you think that’s bad, wait till you see who he’s got lined up to sponsor Othello. What’s he gonna call his next script? Monopoly?
Why do people let him get away with it? That’s what I wanna know. In Barnes & Noble the other day, I overheard a sales clerk telling some customers that Antony and Cleopatra was Shakespeare’s own creation. Lucky I was there to set him straight. I’m a bit of a history buff, and I know for a fact that story’s based on two real people who lived back in Roman times (the one between yore and the good old days). What a rip off! He didn’t even bother to change their names!
Still, good luck to the guy. Why should Bill Shakespeare care what I think? He’s sitting in his Hollywood mansion, soaking up the praise and counting his money, right?
He’s probably already working on his next blockbuster. With all this global warming fuss going on, I expect it’ll be some kind of disaster movie, like Storm or Hurricane or Blizzard, just you wait and see.
So my question for today is: Just who does that Shakespeare bloke think he is?
- Mood:
silly
Just to clarify, this isn't about appreciating rotten agents (who don't deserve their own special day), it's about how seeing all these delightful, inspiring posts from so many of my author friends reminds me how much I would like to be able to join in.
NOTE TO SELF:
Get representation from a great literary agent for Waking up Jack Thunder before December 11 2010.
There. I feel better already. Time to get back to work
- Mood:
determined
Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:
Seeking that Rare, Shy, Flightless Bird: The New Zealand [or Australian] Dark Fiction Writer
[
rippatton ’s looking for contacts to give her friends at www.scaryminds.com. Can you help?] Self-editing One Step at a Time: Read Your Manuscript Aloud (Patricia Stoltey)
I’m a writer (but I’m not going to tell my neighbor) (Jon’s ‘Pick of the week’)
jmeadows Stop – Drama Time
jimhines What is a Good Market?
ken_schneyer What Is a Story?
marshallpayne (Novel) Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy: Part 1 of 2 (Pimp my novel)
courtesy of
stillnotbored The Levels of Deep POV
meredith_wood distillation of drama
marycatelli Writing in Voice
meredith_wood What the Rest of Us Get Paid
wendigomountain A classic conundrum: why Scrooge still works as a protagonist
karen_w_newton Ask the Editor: Tips for self-editing burnout (Kathryn Craft)
Respect Yourself: Newbies and Getting Paid cathschaffstump
If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time). Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share.
- Mood:
creative
I got an e-mail yesteday from a guy named Jeff Ritchie. Here's what it said:
I'm the webmaster, reviewer, and coffee maker for www.scaryminds.com, the net's only site dedicated to the exploration of Down Under horror, and we would love to get something happening for Kiwi writers. Unfortunately, we can't find web links, publications, or anything else from across the ditch.
Just wondering if you would have some links etc to help us out here.
Cheers,
Jeff
So, I told him I'd put the call out in all my various venues and haunts. If you are a New Zealand writer of dark fiction or horror , feel free to PM me with info, or comment with links below, or e-mail scaryminds directly, though it might help to mention my name and this post so he knows how you got there.
I suppose if you're an Aussie you can crash the party too:)
I'm the webmaster, reviewer, and coffee maker for www.scaryminds.com, the net's only site dedicated to the exploration of Down Under horror, and we would love to get something happening for Kiwi writers. Unfortunately, we can't find web links, publications, or anything else from across the ditch.
Just wondering if you would have some links etc to help us out here.
Cheers,
Jeff
So, I told him I'd put the call out in all my various venues and haunts. If you are a New Zealand writer of dark fiction or horror , feel free to PM me with info, or comment with links below, or e-mail scaryminds directly, though it might help to mention my name and this post so he knows how you got there.
I suppose if you're an Aussie you can crash the party too:)
If the 200+ LJ notifications I found in my inbox this morning are anything to go by, I'd say those good folks down in the LJ engine room have found a way to relieve the 'Comment Constipation' problem we've been experiencing.
I imagine working at that kind of a job is a bit like being a weather forecaster: When you get it right nobody remembers, but when you get it wrong they never let you forget.
Well done to them all, I say, and thanks for all those times you keep things running so smoothly that we don't even notice you're there.
Here's to you, Oompa-Loompas of LJ. You're all stars in my book.
I imagine working at that kind of a job is a bit like being a weather forecaster: When you get it right nobody remembers, but when you get it wrong they never let you forget.
Well done to them all, I say, and thanks for all those times you keep things running so smoothly that we don't even notice you're there.
Here's to you, Oompa-Loompas of LJ. You're all stars in my book.
- Mood:
grateful
Over at RedRoom they are having a "winter" themed blog contest. Here is my offering:
You might be in the throes of winter right now, but I am not. Actually, half the world isn't experiencing winter right now because half the world is located in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer. But that is half the world "geographically speaking", not population wise, which is why, all over the internet, people are getting out snow shovels, and putting on their mittens, and drumming up "winter themed" blog events, without any regard for those of us who are seasonally challenged. Oh, I feel your crisp, subtle oppression like a snowflake on my cheek, and it isn't pretty.
Where is your global awareness? Your politically correct sensitivity? Where is the blog for the poor minority who must have Christmas dinner on the beach and go surfing afterwards? Have you no shame?
You want me to wax eloquent about the beauty of a, white, bone-chillingly cold winter in the middle of my sweaty, sunny summer? Okay. Fine! But I cannot participate in your biased, openly anti-Southern-hemispheric leanings. I will talk of winter, if you insist, but not of yours. I will talk of mine.
Winter comes once a year to New Zealand, in June. It rains a lot, and there is snow, but only in the mountains. You can play in the snow, if you are resolute in the belief that you run faster than an avalanche. Having seen a car full of tourist being dug out of an avalanche last winter, I forgo the snow play myself.
Winter is long and dark, and there is no Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or New Years to anticipate and break up the long grey days. There isn't even a 4th of July. There is only winter, and the endless prattering of the majority of the world about their wonderful, warm summer frolicking, without any consideration for the feelings of those less fortunate.
And then winter finally ends.
And the sun comes out at last.
And everyone in the world wants you to blog about winter, because obviously "they" are the center of the seasonal universe.
You might be in the throes of winter right now, but I am not. Actually, half the world isn't experiencing winter right now because half the world is located in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer. But that is half the world "geographically speaking", not population wise, which is why, all over the internet, people are getting out snow shovels, and putting on their mittens, and drumming up "winter themed" blog events, without any regard for those of us who are seasonally challenged. Oh, I feel your crisp, subtle oppression like a snowflake on my cheek, and it isn't pretty.
Where is your global awareness? Your politically correct sensitivity? Where is the blog for the poor minority who must have Christmas dinner on the beach and go surfing afterwards? Have you no shame?
You want me to wax eloquent about the beauty of a, white, bone-chillingly cold winter in the middle of my sweaty, sunny summer? Okay. Fine! But I cannot participate in your biased, openly anti-Southern-hemispheric leanings. I will talk of winter, if you insist, but not of yours. I will talk of mine.
Winter comes once a year to New Zealand, in June. It rains a lot, and there is snow, but only in the mountains. You can play in the snow, if you are resolute in the belief that you run faster than an avalanche. Having seen a car full of tourist being dug out of an avalanche last winter, I forgo the snow play myself.
Winter is long and dark, and there is no Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or New Years to anticipate and break up the long grey days. There isn't even a 4th of July. There is only winter, and the endless prattering of the majority of the world about their wonderful, warm summer frolicking, without any consideration for the feelings of those less fortunate.
And then winter finally ends.
And the sun comes out at last.
And everyone in the world wants you to blog about winter, because obviously "they" are the center of the seasonal universe.
I never really gave it a lot of thought before, but lately, I've come to realize that most of what I write is some form of science-fiction. To date I've completed (and by 'completed' I mean I've at least finished the first draft) three medieval sci-fi novels, a contemporary sci-fi thiller, and a contemporary urban fantasy.
This wasn't a conscious decision, but even though I have plenty of ideas (including several outlines) for full-length projects in other genres, somehow, when it's time to select a new WIP, I always find myself choosing the science fiction project over the rest.
I find this surprising because my reading habits simply don't match. Don't get me wrong, I love me some good science fiction - especially short stories, and as a teenager I read hundreds of science fiction books, but most of what I read now is historical fiction (anything from Conn Iggulden's Emperor series, set in ancient Rome, to Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles, set in the time of America's civil war); fantasy books, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series or Dean Koontz's Brother Odd; and a few mainstream thrillers.
Now, I know we're supposed to write what we read, but somehow, my writing brain didn't get the message.
I'm not too worried about Waking up Jack Thunder, which I would hope will find it's way onto the mainstream shelves, even though there's a sci-fi element to it. However, since I've decided to get back to work on my medieval sci-fi novels (I set them aside a couple of years when I realized they weren't going anywhere until I learned a heck of a lot more than I then knew about this writing thing), I really need to change my reading habits, or at least, add a new genre to them.
How about you?
What's your favorite genre to write in? Do your reading habits match?
This wasn't a conscious decision, but even though I have plenty of ideas (including several outlines) for full-length projects in other genres, somehow, when it's time to select a new WIP, I always find myself choosing the science fiction project over the rest.
I find this surprising because my reading habits simply don't match. Don't get me wrong, I love me some good science fiction - especially short stories, and as a teenager I read hundreds of science fiction books, but most of what I read now is historical fiction (anything from Conn Iggulden's Emperor series, set in ancient Rome, to Bernard Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles, set in the time of America's civil war); fantasy books, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series or Dean Koontz's Brother Odd; and a few mainstream thrillers.
Now, I know we're supposed to write what we read, but somehow, my writing brain didn't get the message.
I'm not too worried about Waking up Jack Thunder, which I would hope will find it's way onto the mainstream shelves, even though there's a sci-fi element to it. However, since I've decided to get back to work on my medieval sci-fi novels (I set them aside a couple of years when I realized they weren't going anywhere until I learned a heck of a lot more than I then knew about this writing thing), I really need to change my reading habits, or at least, add a new genre to them.
How about you?
What's your favorite genre to write in? Do your reading habits match?
- Mood:
surprised
I believe your writer’s website is (or should be) the center piece of your internet presence. The crown jewel at the center of your online web. All outside links should lead to your homepage. Anytime you sell a story, or publish a book, that web address should be included in the ‘About the author’ para, and a corresponding link to your latest writerly triumph posted on your site.
I like to think of it as a kind of online gallery. At the click of a button, folks from all around the world can pop in to find out about you and your writing, watch your book trailers, listen to podcasts etc, as well as follow links to your online stories and places which sell your work (at least they can if you have them).
Why then, do I think it’s NOT a good idea to have your blog there (or at least, only there)?
Because, from a strictly self-promotional point of view, there are two types of people in the world: those who’ve at least heard of you, and those who aren’t even aware you exist.
What about that mirrored site thingy? Can’t I use that?
Sure. In this technological age, it’s possible to duplicate your journal entries on several blog sites at once, including your own website, but there’s so much more to an online presence than just being there. You still need to be ‘Active in the community’, as it were, otherwise your blog is only reaching that pool of folks who’ve already heard of you, and that’s a tiny pond compared to the ocean of people who haven’t.
To me, your website is really for people who at the very least, know your name. Your blog, on the other hand, is for everyone, and that’s why it doesn’t belong on your site. It belongs out there in big wide world, where it has more opportunities to add to that list of people who know your name. It's there to let people know you exist, that you’re an interesting person, and yes, that you happen to be a writer.
From a self-promotional point of view, your never-ending goal is to increase the number of people who’ve at least heard of you, because some of those folks will remember your name when they see it on the spine of a book, or the index of a magazine, and if you’ve done your self-promotion well, and your work appeals to them, a teeny-tiny percentage of those folks will make a purchase which they would not otherwise have made.
[Edited after discussion withjimhines and saetter]
That’s why, when I update my site in the New Year, I may well mirror this journal there (if I can figure out how to do it), but I'll still think of them as seperate entities.
How about you?
Do you think a writer’s blog should be separate from his/her website?
I like to think of it as a kind of online gallery. At the click of a button, folks from all around the world can pop in to find out about you and your writing, watch your book trailers, listen to podcasts etc, as well as follow links to your online stories and places which sell your work (at least they can if you have them).
Why then, do I think it’s NOT a good idea to have your blog there (or at least, only there)?
Because, from a strictly self-promotional point of view, there are two types of people in the world: those who’ve at least heard of you, and those who aren’t even aware you exist.
What about that mirrored site thingy? Can’t I use that?
Sure. In this technological age, it’s possible to duplicate your journal entries on several blog sites at once, including your own website, but there’s so much more to an online presence than just being there. You still need to be ‘Active in the community’, as it were, otherwise your blog is only reaching that pool of folks who’ve already heard of you, and that’s a tiny pond compared to the ocean of people who haven’t.
To me, your website is really for people who at the very least, know your name. Your blog, on the other hand, is for everyone, and that’s why it doesn’t belong on your site. It belongs out there in big wide world, where it has more opportunities to add to that list of people who know your name. It's there to let people know you exist, that you’re an interesting person, and yes, that you happen to be a writer.
From a self-promotional point of view, your never-ending goal is to increase the number of people who’ve at least heard of you, because some of those folks will remember your name when they see it on the spine of a book, or the index of a magazine, and if you’ve done your self-promotion well, and your work appeals to them, a teeny-tiny percentage of those folks will make a purchase which they would not otherwise have made.
[Edited after discussion with
jimhines and saetter] That’s why, when I update my site in the New Year, I may well mirror this journal there (if I can figure out how to do it), but I'll still think of them as seperate entities.
How about you?
Do you think a writer’s blog should be separate from his/her website?
- Mood: creative
Opportunities are great, right? Well, as my wise thirteen-year-old son recently advised me, "Not every opportunity is the right opportunity."
Since I've become a writer, opportunities seem to crop up around every corner. I get asked to critique people's novels or stories on a regular basis. I've seen pleas for editorial help on numerous semipro-zines, and I think "I could totally do that." I've been asked to read slush for publishers. I've been paid to do copy editing. I've been solicited to write reviews. And almost every one of these things has been horribly tempting, and I've ultimately turned every one of them down because none of them is writing fiction.
There are a lot of things you will have the opportunity to do on your way to becoming a writer. But be warned, those very things may end up being what you do on your way to NOT becoming a writer.
Here is a list of opportunities I would advise new writers to avoid. If ultimately, you realize you don't want to be a writer, then every one of these is certainly a viable option, Let me add that I am well aware that some very fine people do one (or two) of the things on this list, AND they still manage to write some damn good fiction. Some of them are even my good friends. But I think even those people will admit that time spent on these "opportunities" is time spent NOT writing.
1) EDITING - I have known new writers, writers without a publication to their names, that were asked to edit fairly major publications. As flattering as that must be, I believe it is a killer to the development of a new writer. Editing is a very different process than writing. I respect editors immensely. I appreciate what they do. But editing is extremely time consuming, and it is not writing. I think many writers enter the editing profession because it pays more securely, and they hope to learn something about the writing process. The fact remains that every minute spent "weeding" someone else's work is a minute you aren't creating your own.
2) PUBLISHING - Publishing a print anthology, or a zine on-line, or even starting your own publishing company (all of which various writer friends of mine have done) is a noble endeavor. Many writers are driven to it by a passion to see good stories find homes, or to see their own stories find homes. I am in awe of those who choose these opportunities, but again, publishing is not writing. Publishing well takes a huge amount of time, resources and energy- all of which will not go toward personal writing. Publishing is a career, not just a job, and careers tend to be all-consuming. When others are relying on you to put their work forth, and you are doing it professionally, that is going to have to be your priority over your own work.
3) DESIGNING WEBSITES - I hate to even add this to the list, as my dear friend and wonderful writer, Angel McCoy, is at this moment helping me design my author website, and she had done volunteer website design for for writers organizations, as well as designing the Wily Website. But Angel is an exception to the rule, because she is some kind of supernatural being (as evidenced by her name). I am not, and in all likelihood, neither are you. If designing websites is something you are good at, by all means, take that career path and enjoy it. But it isn't writing, and you won't produce stories, or increase your writing craft by doing it.
4) WRITING REVIEWS - I have been asked to write reviews, both for a review website and for individual writer friends, and I was sorely tempted. After all, writing reviews is a form of writing. Reviewing also holds a position of authority or power from which a person can say that something is "quality" or not (though I'm not always sure what qualifies them to do so). But writing reviews is not writing fiction. In fact, reviewers wouldn't even exist, or have anything to do, if someone wasn't out there writing fiction instead of writing reviews. And I'm not sure how noble it is to be critical of something one has not proven the ability to do one's self. I'd much rather write stories and let other people praise or dissect them.
5) READING SLUSH - I have to admit, I have done this one. Early on in my writing career, I volunteered to read slush for a small publisher. It was the biggest waste of time in my life- ever! But, it did boost my confidence in my writing considerably, because you have no idea what absolute drivel is being submitted to publishing houses until you have to wade through it in knee-high boots. I had this dream that I would discover something wonderful, and I would be the first one to read it, to see the glimmer of genius before even an editor did. I read slush for approximately a year. Not only did I never see a gem, I never saw anything of the slightest quality. If you want to discover good writing, go make some. That's what I learned.
Every one of these opportunities has cropped up for me at some point in my writing career. I have a feeling this is a common reality. Whenever I am tempted by a chance to do something new I ask myself this simple question, "Will it further my fiction writing?" It is that simple. I have to avoid all the feelings of flattery, or the thoughts of money, or that I don't want to disappoint people, or that the chance may never come again. It probably will come again, and I'll have to say "no" again, but it gets a little easier every time, because I am being true to my passion. As a result my fiction is thriving.
Sadly, my career as an editor/publisher/website design/reviewing/slush reader is going down the toilet. But I'm okay with that.
First the reminders:
SAFE FYB week (share a favorite entry from your blog week) ends on Tuesday. If you have a favorite post from your journal post that you'd like to share, let me know the title and link and I'll add it to the ones already there.
The Meager Puddle of Light Award for Best Opening Line.
Voting is underway. If you'd like to pick your favorite from the ten finalists, please follow the link.
"And what about the 'Woot!'?" you ask.
Well, a few people have told me I should think about turning my series on The Fine Art of Self-Promotion into a presentation. I decided that might be fun, so I put out a couple of feelers. Yesterday, I got an email from those nice folks at the GLVWG (a PA-based writing group), asking if I'd like to come and speak to their group next November.
It's not a story or book sale, but it's definitely good for a 'Woot!' in my book
SAFE FYB week (share a favorite entry from your blog week) ends on Tuesday. If you have a favorite post from your journal post that you'd like to share, let me know the title and link and I'll add it to the ones already there.
The Meager Puddle of Light Award for Best Opening Line.
Voting is underway. If you'd like to pick your favorite from the ten finalists, please follow the link.
"And what about the 'Woot!'?" you ask.
Well, a few people have told me I should think about turning my series on The Fine Art of Self-Promotion into a presentation. I decided that might be fun, so I put out a couple of feelers. Yesterday, I got an email from those nice folks at the GLVWG (a PA-based writing group), asking if I'd like to come and speak to their group next November.
It's not a story or book sale, but it's definitely good for a 'Woot!' in my book
- Mood:
jubilant
If you’re anything like me, some of the simple things about writing, which seem obvious now, were once an enigma. For example; I didn’t have a clue about basic formatting when I started. Several years back, I spent many, unhappy, hours editing two, novel-length, manuscripts after I learned about double-spacing.
Had I the sense to seek out a good writing group when I started, I might have avoided some of the classic errors made in the first 'draft' of my novel, Fur-Face, which included just about every rookie mistake on the technical, storytelling, and grammar ‘How to write wrong’ lists.
That said, no matter where you are in your writerly career, I believe you can benefit from belonging to a good writing/critique group.
Take the GSHW for example. New writers – at least, new writers who are prepared to accept that they don’t know half as much as they think they know – can learn the most fundamental ‘tricks’ of the trade from the group’s more experienced members, who, in turn, learn some of the finer skills of the craft from better writers in the organization and the many guest speakers who appear at our meetings throughout the year.
But it’s not just about improving our skills. On-line groups are fantastic, but, for me at least, they can’t hold a candle to a good in-person one. It’s a wonderful thing to walk into a room full of like-minded people and know that you’re not the only one who spends hour after hour typing out stories which no one but your long-suffering spouse may ever read.
Of course, you have to do your bit too. You don’t have to be a good writer to make a positive difference to a writing group. You never know how much a friendly greeting or a word of encouragement can mean to someone who’s wondering if he/she will ever see their name in print and on the verge of giving up.
Whether on-line or in-person, a good writing group gives you a sense of belonging, a feeling that, wherever you are on your journey, however far you still have to go, you’re at least heading in the right direction, and the path ahead is well-lit, well-trodden, and lined with folks prepared to help you along.
Writing is by nature a solitary business, but that doesn’t mean we have to do it alone.
How about you?
Do you belong to a writing group?
What do you get out of it?
- Mood:
contemplative
Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last week:
I’m not the only one…
lisa_schroeder Should You Query During the Holiday? (Writer Unboxed)
Writer’s Block
arhyalon [Flash Me Magazine is running their next flash fiction bootcamp soon]
jdawson [Rejection] Get Used to it
writertracy When People Hate You – And they will (Jon’s fave this week)
peadarog Writerly thinks: The Sacred Lie
lonfiction It isn’t good, just because it’s bad
seanan_mcguire Do You Use Goals?
jl_johnson Curing the Invisible Writer
rippatton third-person people marycatelli
If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time). Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share.
- Mood: bouncy
Today I was reading the blog over at Strange Weird and Wonderful Magazine, and the editor was expressing alarm over all the drab and uncreative titles writers use for the stories they send him. The stories may even be fabulous, but their titles suck.
He argues that the title of a short story is even more crucial than the all-important first sentence, because it is the title that will engage a reader enough to even bother with your first sentence. I think, with stories published on the internet, this becomes even more of a factor, as the title is often what a reader clicks on to access the body of the story.
Now, this blog peaked my interest for several reasons. First, one of my favorite aspects of writing is coming up with creative titles. And I'm good at. The NYC agent who stalked me based on my on-line publications said that she LOVED my titles, and that was one thing that drew her to my writing in the first place.
I think coming up with a title for a story, is much like coming up with a title for a piece of visual art, or a creative photograph. Here are some principles I use.
1) The title itself should tell a story. It must hint of a mystery, or cause the reader to ask an internal question that can only be answered by reading the story. My story titled "Sister of the Benevolent Gods" has this story aspect to it. The title causes a cascade of questions in a reader's mind such as "Who is the sister of these gods? Why isn't she a god too? Who are these benevolent gods, and why does she identify them as such so specifically?" These questions can only be answered by reading more.
2) The title should be as unique as you can make it, and still fit the story. I tend to use very unique titles, so I was somewhat surprised to find a Google Alert for a novel titled The Moth Collector's Daughter, which is one of the titles of my recent flash magical realism piece. However, when I followed the link, the author had used that as a working title, but actually changed the published title to something else. I was relieved. Having a unique title will insure that your story is the one people will find when they are looking on-line, in a book store, or at library.
3) The title should encapsulate the larger tones and themes of the story, if possible. This means you often shouldn't finalize the title until the story is complete and you know what the overarching theme is. For example, my fantasy story about the origins of a fire witch is titled "Heart of the Salamander". I could have called it "Origins of a Fire Witch" because that is an event in the story, but the deeper theme of the story is the "ignition" of the main characters heart; how she changes from trying to please others, to realizing she must live for herself.
4) The title should not spoil the story. Your title should not need a spoiler alert, or give away the ending of your story.
5) A one word title is rarely a good title. "The" does not count as a second word.
6) Good titles often come from within the story itself. A great piece of dialogue or a sweet turn of phrase from the text of your story can often be the most powerful title. When the reader comes to that exact replica of your title in the story, it gives them an "ah-ha" moment, a sense of the parts fitting together to make a beautiful whole.
7) Alliteration can work in a title. You don't want to go overboard on this or you can start sounding like a children's author or a bad poet, but it can lend some music to your title. For example, I have a literary story titled "The Comfort of Cabbages", and another one titled "Coffins at Costco." Apparently, I have a thing for the letter C.
8) Unusual words, or an unusual combination of words, can result in a good title. Using words people don't often hear and encounter or putting words together that seem juxtaposed is a great way to gain the attention of your reader. Just be sure it isn't a gimmick. The words you use should actually have something to do with the story, not leave your reader wondering "What was that?" A good example of this is my flash story "Traveling by Petroglyph". Many people have commented on how much they liked that unusual combination and what questions it brought to mind.
9) A longer title should have rhythm or meter to make it sing. Composing a longer title is often like creating a poem or the line of a song lyric. It should have rhythm and meter, and slip off the tongue easily so that a reader will enjoy saying it, and also remember it. A good example of this is my novel title "The Absolute Ruin of Pauline Le Roux". It has almost a sing-songy element to it.
10) Don't be afraid to exchange your title for a better one. Just as with our tendency to have pet words and pet phrases, writers can get attached to a bad title and sink their whole story rather than change it. The editor of the blog I mentioned above writes about this very thing. He has been told to "butt out" by authors, or that their title is fine, or that their workshop buddies like it, so there. He proceeds to give some wonderful example of stories with great titles, and what they would be like if the author hadn't taken the time to craft a creative title for their creative work.
So, now I have a few questions for you.
If you are a writer, do you find titling your stories and books a pleasure, or a frustrating task?
What is a favorite title of someone else's work? What do you like about it?
If you are a writer, what is a favorite title of a story you've written?
Finally, do you have a story whose title you hate, or one you just can't seem to name? If so, and you'd like me to have a crack at it, just leave a comment or PM me, and we'll see what I can come up with.
He argues that the title of a short story is even more crucial than the all-important first sentence, because it is the title that will engage a reader enough to even bother with your first sentence. I think, with stories published on the internet, this becomes even more of a factor, as the title is often what a reader clicks on to access the body of the story.
Now, this blog peaked my interest for several reasons. First, one of my favorite aspects of writing is coming up with creative titles. And I'm good at. The NYC agent who stalked me based on my on-line publications said that she LOVED my titles, and that was one thing that drew her to my writing in the first place.
I think coming up with a title for a story, is much like coming up with a title for a piece of visual art, or a creative photograph. Here are some principles I use.
1) The title itself should tell a story. It must hint of a mystery, or cause the reader to ask an internal question that can only be answered by reading the story. My story titled "Sister of the Benevolent Gods" has this story aspect to it. The title causes a cascade of questions in a reader's mind such as "Who is the sister of these gods? Why isn't she a god too? Who are these benevolent gods, and why does she identify them as such so specifically?" These questions can only be answered by reading more.
2) The title should be as unique as you can make it, and still fit the story. I tend to use very unique titles, so I was somewhat surprised to find a Google Alert for a novel titled The Moth Collector's Daughter, which is one of the titles of my recent flash magical realism piece. However, when I followed the link, the author had used that as a working title, but actually changed the published title to something else. I was relieved. Having a unique title will insure that your story is the one people will find when they are looking on-line, in a book store, or at library.
3) The title should encapsulate the larger tones and themes of the story, if possible. This means you often shouldn't finalize the title until the story is complete and you know what the overarching theme is. For example, my fantasy story about the origins of a fire witch is titled "Heart of the Salamander". I could have called it "Origins of a Fire Witch" because that is an event in the story, but the deeper theme of the story is the "ignition" of the main characters heart; how she changes from trying to please others, to realizing she must live for herself.
4) The title should not spoil the story. Your title should not need a spoiler alert, or give away the ending of your story.
5) A one word title is rarely a good title. "The" does not count as a second word.
6) Good titles often come from within the story itself. A great piece of dialogue or a sweet turn of phrase from the text of your story can often be the most powerful title. When the reader comes to that exact replica of your title in the story, it gives them an "ah-ha" moment, a sense of the parts fitting together to make a beautiful whole.
7) Alliteration can work in a title. You don't want to go overboard on this or you can start sounding like a children's author or a bad poet, but it can lend some music to your title. For example, I have a literary story titled "The Comfort of Cabbages", and another one titled "Coffins at Costco." Apparently, I have a thing for the letter C.
8) Unusual words, or an unusual combination of words, can result in a good title. Using words people don't often hear and encounter or putting words together that seem juxtaposed is a great way to gain the attention of your reader. Just be sure it isn't a gimmick. The words you use should actually have something to do with the story, not leave your reader wondering "What was that?" A good example of this is my flash story "Traveling by Petroglyph". Many people have commented on how much they liked that unusual combination and what questions it brought to mind.
9) A longer title should have rhythm or meter to make it sing. Composing a longer title is often like creating a poem or the line of a song lyric. It should have rhythm and meter, and slip off the tongue easily so that a reader will enjoy saying it, and also remember it. A good example of this is my novel title "The Absolute Ruin of Pauline Le Roux". It has almost a sing-songy element to it.
10) Don't be afraid to exchange your title for a better one. Just as with our tendency to have pet words and pet phrases, writers can get attached to a bad title and sink their whole story rather than change it. The editor of the blog I mentioned above writes about this very thing. He has been told to "butt out" by authors, or that their title is fine, or that their workshop buddies like it, so there. He proceeds to give some wonderful example of stories with great titles, and what they would be like if the author hadn't taken the time to craft a creative title for their creative work.
So, now I have a few questions for you.
If you are a writer, do you find titling your stories and books a pleasure, or a frustrating task?
What is a favorite title of someone else's work? What do you like about it?
If you are a writer, what is a favorite title of a story you've written?
Finally, do you have a story whose title you hate, or one you just can't seem to name? If so, and you'd like me to have a crack at it, just leave a comment or PM me, and we'll see what I can come up with.
Profile
- aka_shakti
- aka_shakti
Page Summary
- rippatton : When Fiction Jumps the Shark [+2]
- jongibbs : May I Have The Envelope Please? [+25]
- rippatton : Today Is All About Me! [+25]
- jongibbs : So what's the best book you've read this year? [+103]
- rippatton : Editors Who Aren't [+42]
- jongibbs : The Meager Puddle of Limelight Awards: Best Opening Line: Mystery Winner [+10]
- rippatton : Over The Rim in Issue #42 of ASIM [+17]
- jongibbs : Who does that Shakespeare bloke think he is? [+48]
- jongibbs : Rotten Agent Appreciation Day [+33]
- jongibbs : Interesting posts about writing – w/e December 11 2009 [+17]
- rippatton : Seeking That Rare, Shy, Flightless Bird: The New Zealand Dark Fiction Writer [+8]
- jongibbs : LJ 'Comment Constipation' & A Hat Tip to the Folks Who Work So Hard Behind the Scenes [+31]
- rippatton : Your Winter Ain't So Hot! [+9]
- jongibbs : What's your favorite genre to write in? Do your reading habits match? [+87]
- jongibbs : The Fine Art of Self-Promotion: Part Seven – Writers' websites (and why blogs don’t belong there) [+69]
- rippatton : Five Opportunities That Will Keep You From Writing [+20]
- jongibbs : Two reminders and a Woot! [+56]
- jongibbs : Writing Groups: Why we need them [+95]
- jongibbs : Interesting posts about writing – w/e December 04 2009 [+26]
- rippatton : Ten Tips for Improving Your Story Titles [+23]