Discussion: Q4 Volume 40

@pegeen Hi,

Writer Contest rule 1. "...All types of science fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy are welcome."

My first finalist was a magical realism story (A story based in our physical reality but with elements of fantasy.). I would add to the definition by saying that the fantasy element/s must be fundamental to the story.

Perhaps the rule should be rewritten for greater clarity as they are looking for genre fiction with a speculative element that is so integral to the story or milieu that its absence would unravel the story.

I think you're good. However, admin will chime in if I'm mistaken.

Have fun.

Posted by: @kent

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@pegeen Hi,

Writer Contest rule 1. "...All types of science fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy are welcome."

My first finalist was a magical realism story (A story based in our physical reality but with elements of fantasy.). I would add to the definition by saying that the fantasy element/s must be fundamental to the story.

Perhaps the rule should be rewritten for greater clarity as they are looking for genre fiction with a speculative element that is so integral to the story or milieu that its absence would unravel the story.

I think you're good. However, admin will chime in if I'm mistaken.

Thank you Prate Gabble. I was confused because the definition of magical realism is all over the place when I google it on the internet. Some say it's fantasy and some say it's realism. The fantasy element is fundamental to my story though apparent only to my main character. It affects other characters but they don't realize it. So I think I'm OK. This story is turning out very well, so I'm glad I can use it. Thank you for your feedback.

Posted by: @pegeen

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I was confused because the definition of magical realism is all over the place when I google it on the internet. Some say it's fantasy and some say it's realism.

I'm so confused over genre and sub-genres. Then there are POVs like 3rd person close where the MC doesn't need thoughts quoted, they are just like any other sentence. Augh. I'm also confused on grammar and -, --, ;, (), and when to use them. 

I need to study that more, but right now I'm focusing on writing new stories each quarter. 

Posted by: @pegeen

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The fantasy element is fundamental to my story though apparent only to my main character. It affects other characters but they don't realize it. So I think I'm OK. This story is turning out very well, so I'm glad I can use it. Thank you for your feedback.

I think this is the most important thing, that it's true, and fundamental. I recall Kary talking about a story where there was an implied speculative element, which turned out to not be one later in the story--so it wasn't actually speculative fiction, in the end. She loved that story, but had to disqualify it on that basis.

So long as your spec element is really spec, you'll be fine. And magical realism is definitely a form of fantasy, it's just much more grounded. I think that most of the arguments that it isn't fantasy at all stem from the fact that it isn't high fantasy, which is too narrow an idea of what fantasy is--and tonally, too, magical realism might land closer to sci-fi than fantasy at times, so the ideal reader for magical realism may differ from typical fantasy too (could argue that this, amongst other elements, is what separates it from urban fantasy). However, without its fantasy elements, it wouldn't be magical realism--it'd just be realism.

There are other genres that stumble over this kind of boundary too, like steampunk. It could be sci-fi, it could be fantasy. It's not exactly either. But just like magical realism, it definitely belongs in their company.

I tend to agree with the Brits: Fiction or Nonfiction. Fiction is a story with made-up elements. A character has a desire, people who help or hinder the attainment of the desire, obstacles between them and the desire, and an emotional journey from point A to point B while attempting to attain the desire.

Nonfiction is a lot different. A character has a desire, people who help or hinder the attainment of the desire, obstacles between them and the desire, and an emotional journey from point A to point B while attempting to attain the desire.

Okay, they're not different. But Fiction is an imagined story, whether the milieu is imagined or real, and Nonfiction is a story that actually happened in our real world.

The difference between Hard Science Fiction and Soft Science Fiction is the relative level of book learning one needs to execute the genre; more for HSF and less for SSF. I think stuff up and then decide how much I need to study.

Everything else is mixed. Example: I needed to know a lot about WWII fighter aircraft and various shipwrecks to complete my first finalist, a story with a decidedly fantastic element.

Have fun.

At the workshop I learned the difference between science fiction and science fantasy. Which is what I consider the difference between literary and spec.

Literary: Is a story that didn't happen - but could have.
Spec: Is a story that didn't happen - and could not have.

Science fiction: Is within the realm of science - ships traveling at sublight speed, visiting Mars, robots...
Science fantasy: has at least one impossible element.

I think Card's Alvin Maker would be magical realism. And Detective Pikachu. The real world goes on about its business like the magical elements within are perfectly normal. Maybe even superhero movies to a degree.

Posted by: @toddjones

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I need to study that more, but right now I'm focusing on writing new stories each quarter. 

 

Damn straight!

I haven't read a winner yet (in its submitted / winning form) that didn't contain multiple, small typos. Don't sweat the little stuff and just write a dang fine story.

Shakira - Try Everything (Official Video) - YouTube

I'm in for 4th quarter! I had a lot of fun writing this story! Thank you Wulf Pack for your helpful critiques!

Thought plotting was over, so I experimented with a few beginnings. The best one clarified the external goal and personal journey required to accomplish it.

(Mantra: I'm writing a short story, I'm writing a short story...)

Clarity identifies the darlings I can mark for death. (For thems what don't know this... *Swigs iced tea and leans back in rocking chair* ...darlings in writing are lovely bits of ornamentation from sentences to whole plotlines that flow from mind to fingers unbidden and perfect in every way but one; they don't belong in the story. In his book On the Art of Writing Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch advised authors to "Murder your darlings."   Instructors in the writing arts have given this advice ever since.)

The plotting process allows me to kill them aborning. Rewrote my outline.  Good to go.

Ready to get to that inception point.

This one is going to be fun.  

Went for a 9 mile walk today and saw a strange house. My mind couldn't stop thinking about it, so I outline a new story in my mind using it.  Only issue now is, writers need to write and not just talk about a story.  Adding this to my list of things to do this week.  haha  

@toddjones can understand this. Many of my ideas come together on walks. I am getting close on Q4 entry.

9 miles! Dang, that's a long way... Glad you might have gotten a new story idea out of it.

@tj_knight Yeah, my wife and friend are trying to do it every other day now.  My wife wakes me up at 6:30am and I grab a cup of coffee and out the door.  I swear the first mile I must look like a zombie ambling down the road.  Wait, another idea for a story - Zombies, Richard Simmoning their way to a fitter afterlife.

@toddjones 

I stay home and do the banana dance.

Posted by: @time

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Dangerous pastime walking. A walk put Stephen King in hospital with serious injuries. 

 

I like cycling. I can lose track of how many miles I've cycled down country lanes and with no conscious effort I find story ideas coming to me. However, I recently came down a hill, round a bend and straight into the back of a car. I haven't been able to figure out how it happened, but perhaps I had a storyline. I can't remember actually hitting the car and worse - i can't remember any story idea!

Maybe not remembering the story, is the story. Demon possession, body/mind stealer (would you know how to ride a bike if you were an alien and jumped into a human's mind?), memory erasing experiment going on in the basement of a local house?

Posted by: @toddjones

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Maybe not remembering the story, is the story. Demon possession, body/mind stealer (would you know how to ride a bike if you were an alien and jumped into a human's mind?), memory erasing experiment going on in the basement of a local house?

 

I like your thinking.

Submitted -- and that's a line drawn under V40. Now I cross my fingers and wait to see what happens...

@doctorjest ?

One month and one day for Q40.

Tomorrow I open up Q1 V. 41!

Did anyone else notice the change of wording in QTR4 v40 wording? I wonder if placement emails are going away.

Posted by: @Anonymous

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Did anyone else notice the change of wording in QTR4 v40 wording? I wonder if placement emails are going away.

Can you point out what you mean?

@undreamedages This sentence about signing up for newsletter is different.

“To find out if you are a winner or placed in the Contest, click her to sign up for the Writers & Illustrators of the Future newsletter.”

Posted by: @Anonymous

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@undreamedages This sentence about signing up for newsletter is different.

“To find out if you are a winner or placed in the Contest, click her to sign up for the Writers & Illustrators of the Future newsletter.”

They could just be trying to increase newsletter subscriptions. What did it say before?

Sounds like a promotion for the blog - list of winners/HMs. I'm sure the e-mails etc. will remain in place.

And it's confirmed that's exactly what it was. Creating more subs and driving traffic to the site.

https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/postid/52286/

I am having so much trouble focusing this quarter. I am trying to get a new story done, but 'life' keeps getting in the way.

Maybe there's a story in there: 'life' is an entity in its own right and it goes around messing with people. haha

Just thought I'd vent.  

Life? Don't talk to me about life.

(...because, let's be honest, somebody had to)

Posted by: @doctorjest

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Life? Don't talk to me about life.

@doctorjest

Marvin the depressed android? Strange how certain phrases can trigger neurons and call up memories from 40 years ago....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAA67a2-Klk

I am so relieved that results for Q3 came before the end of this quarter. For the past couple weeks I’ve been waffling between two very different stories, but now I know which one to send. Fingers crossed for this quarter! And hey, if you got Q3 results back and were disappointed, don’t let that get you down. You still have a couple more weeks to get something in for Q4!