Discussion: Q2, Volume 36

All my ideas-in-waiting are more novel length projects. 🙁

This is a problem I keep hitting. I'm surprised my Q4 even got a HM, I tried to squeeze a novel into a short story. It's what I'm up against now.

All my ideas-in-waiting are more novel length projects.

You could write one of those nlp's into existence. The first 17,000 words or less might be good enough to get a win.
At the very least you will have started something new.

Perhaps looking at the overall character arc and narrowing it to the strongest development might help keep the story well below 17k? A basic character arc of conflict, agency, consequence, and resolution. If there's good room left, and the story needs to, it should be much easier to fill up after the story's skeleton is solid. It's a tip I picked up from my crit group and has helped keep shorts short but also helped in making them longer when they need to be without going into the novelette length.

Thanks, you are right, my mind is stuck on that story.
I think you are right about reading some some new short stories to get in the mindset.
Good Luck on your edits!

(Speaking of which, am I wrong in thinking that one Patrick Rothfuss might have had success with a piece of a novel in the past?)

I believe NAME OF THE WIND started as his winning short story entry for WotF.

I took the first chapter of my first attempt at a novel and turned it into an HM. It is over 65,000 words as of today.
With the world built I have the option to write a series of books. So get that novel started, the beginning might be good enough to get you some recognition.

I took the first chapter of my first attempt at a novel and turned it into an HM. It is over 65,000 words as of today.
With the world built I have the option to write a series of books. So get that novel started, the beginning might be good enough to get you some recognition.

Good Plan storysinger! I will try that

An idea for Q2 hit me today.
Now, I can't sleep for thinking about it.

An idea for Q2 hit me today.
Now, I can't sleep for thinking about it.

I've been there. Not tonight--tonight is the regular, baby induced partial insomnia--but I've definitely been there.

An idea for Q2 hit me today.
Now, I can't sleep for thinking about it.

That's when you get you sleepy self out of bed, make a cup of strong tea or coffee, AND GET TO WORK!!!

It was a looong night. I hashed out half the plot.
I might make a sprint out of it like I did last Q1, but start two months before the deadline instead of 2 days.

It was a looong night. I hashed out half the plot.
I might make a sprint out of it like I did last Q1, but start two months before the deadline instead of 2 days.

YAAASSSSS!!! That's what I'm talkin about.

start two months before the deadline instead of 2 days.

I'm with you on that one. I think the earliest submission for me was with one day to spare.

I have a story I could finish with minimal effort but I'm in no hurry.

I'm reading a book by Algis Budry to expand my level of ability.

I'm reading a book by Algis Budry to expand my level of ability.

I think I'm next on the waiting list to read his book.

I'm working on the climax of my story and I'm hoping to be done with this draft by the end of this weekend. It's not long but not as short as my last one either. Hopefully I can get another story written before the end of the quarter to have 2 to choose from.

start two months before the deadline instead of 2 days.

I'm with you on that one. I think the earliest submission for me was with one day to spare.

I have a story I could finish with minimal effort but I'm in no hurry.

I'm reading a book by Algis Budry to expand my level of ability.

What? People are actually taking my advice and upping their game? Keep an eye on Julia and Storysinger, folks.

"You have to be before you can do, and do before you can have." --Zig Ziglar

Congrats on doing the work, guys. That makes all the difference.

~Moon~

Just submitted! A special thank you to Becky, Dustin, Ellie, Mike, Glenn, Sabine, Ryan, and Nate - your crits were incredibly helpful!

I finished the first draft of my book yesterday which means I'm desperate to distract myself during the rest period. If anyone needs crits on their Q2 entry (or anything else) send me a PM. Two months left!

I finished the first draft of my book yesterday which means I'm desperate to distract myself during the rest period.

Good job, mon ami! Way to go.

I wish I could say the same, but I am cursed to be an overachiever and presently have three such novels in the flames. Takes so much longer that way.
Also halfway through Q3 story. Some would say I don't know how to focus. But, hey, at least I am writing.

I finished the first draft of my book yesterday which means I'm desperate to distract myself during the rest period. If anyone needs crits on their Q2 entry (or anything else) send me a PM. Two months left!

Congrats! It's always a really great feeling to finish a draft. Sense of accomplishment.

I finished the first draft of my book yesterday.

I reckon completion of a novel is always worth a round of applause. Well done.

I finished the first draft of my book yesterday

Quite an accomplishment. I'm working hard to reach that point and with more days like yesterday I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm in the Pending Edit stage of my Q2 entry, which is the stage where I put it aside, ignore it for a few weeks, and then work on my novel draft instead. That's going fairly well at the moment, insofar as I haven't stared at it and yet been compelled to stab myself in the eyes with my pen, which I consider a good sign...

My plan is to return to revising my Q2 draft at the beginning of March. In the meantime, I have a good idea of what my Q3 is going to be, and I'm putting together notes for it.

I finished the story I was writing for Q2. After reading it I think it may not be a good fit for wotf.
However it seems to fit the guidelines for another contest so I will be submitting it there.
I'm confident I'll have something more suitable for the contest in plenty of time. Write on.

Okay, we've got one month left. Time for me to kick things back into gear; I've been taking it slow the last month, and made very little progress as a result. Worst comes to worst, I can try my hand at last-minute flash or something (I'm a wee bit stuck on all my current projects).

Okay, we've got one month left. Time for me to kick things back into gear; I've been taking it slow the last month, and made very little progress as a result. Worst comes to worst, I can try my hand at last-minute flash or something (I'm a wee bit stuck on all my current projects).

Make a nice cup-o-tea

Read a few short stories in the same genre which you want to write
Take a deep breath
Let it out
Start tapping on that keyboard

Yeah, I know. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Once you start typing though, it tends to flow.

It's a good idea to have some flash pieces written you can expand in a hurry when a quarter deadline looms and you've had a bad month. My winner began as just one page, an intro I had written six months before, with no idea where it was going and I had tucked it in a drawer. In 36 hours, I expanded it into a 6100 word story and pushed submit at 11:56 pm on the last day of the last quarter. And it won. You can do this. Never miss a quarter, because you never know what will get a hit and make you shout, "FISH ON!"

But if you don't have a lure in the water, one thing is for certain. You will not catch a fish.

Fortune favor the diligent,

~Moon~

Cutting it close at this point. 2300 words in.

Cutting it close at this point. 2300 words in.

You still have 3 weeks and 4 days. Esssssspresssssssooooooooo!