The Writers Aspirant Accountability Thread

@writhmic Yes, The Resnik is just for sci-fi. I'm sure you could put something great together, but if you don't feel it's one of your strengths then I wouldn't blame you for focusing on fantasy. That said, the Writing Excuses crew regularly encourage aspiring writers to try things outside of their wheelhouse. Dan Wells wrote a large number (six?) epic fantasies that all flopped, before he tried horror for the first time and had the hit I Am Not A Serial Killer.

@doctorjest Nice one on the early submissions, and congrats on the holds. I hope the life challenges find away to set themselves straight and let you get back to long-form. And nice one on the reading: I struggle to find a balance with writing and reading. I always want to increase both, but really the truth is that I don't have the time to increase either. Deciding which one to sacrifice in the name of the other is difficult.

What are you reading? 

Some of our twinned to-read list? I've recently read Pat Rothfuss's story in V16, Brittany Rainsdon's story in V37 (I don't know that she's on the forums any more, but I hope she enjoys being mentioned in the same breath as Rothfuss), the first 10% of Donald Maass's The Emotional Craft of Fiction, the first 20% of Libbie Hawker's Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing, and the first 40% of OSC's Characters and Viewpoint. I recommend all of them whole-heartedly, and will finish all of them in due time.

@toddjones slow and steady wins the race! At this pace you should be done by the end of February, and will have all of March for critique-exchanges and revision.

@pdblake - eleven stories out at once is incredible. What genre is the novel? 

@kz_richards - how goes the flash contest? When do you get the final results? Best of luck with completing the Q2.

@annax - hope the move is going smoothly. I won't take it too personally that you ditched my coast (not least because I'd be in San Diego in a heartbeat if the salary that would enable that at the same quality of life came up).

For February, I'm going to revise my Q2. I wanted it done already but I've been under the weather, badly, for almost two weeks now. I also hope to have the first draft of my Q3 complete. I may abandon my goal of writing something new for Resnik. One of my favorite sci-fi's was just returned to me, and I'm not super excited about any new sci-fi idea right now (well, that's a lie, I am, but I'm more excited about some fantasy ideas), so I think I'm just going to send the returned piece instead.

I've also been working on a secret project which is yielding all sorts of insights into what wins WOTF, especially under Jody's fine stewardship specifically. Once it's complete, I'll share it here.

Without tooting my own horn too loud, there's some pretty interesting revelations coming out of it, and I'm excited to hear your opinions. Hoping to stick it here on the weekend.

The novel is fantasy and the line edits are done. I need to run it through a spelling and grammar check then read it through again. I'm starting to put my mind to synopsis and query. 

For this month I intend to finish off a couple of shorts then do the above. 

@annax Thank you! Fingers crossed!

@ease I’m so intrigued by this project and can’t wait to hear your revelations. That’s so kind of you to share your valuable insights!
My flash competition is going well. The final story is complete and we get results mid-February I think. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll win because the final round goes to a popular vote (not the judges), and I’m not the Everyone-Go-And-Vote-For-My-Story-So-I’ll-Win! type. But that’s ok. I decided to join because I’ve never written flash before and this was a fun way to try it in a low-key, small-scale environment. And can I just say it’s been so helpful. I love how much clearer and stronger my writing gets when I go above the word count and then have to pare it down. Makes me think I should probably try a KYD exercise sometime since it sounds like a similar process. 
February belongs to Q2. The story is all planned (I’m a huge planner) but the actual writing always adds the best parts—an extra layer, the recurring themes, etc. It will be fun to see what becomes of it. This story is a risk for me, outside my usual writing style, so it could be a huge flop, but here goes!

Posted by: @ease

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@doctorjest Nice one on the early submissions, and congrats on the holds. I hope the life challenges find away to set themselves straight and let you get back to long-form. And nice one on the reading: I struggle to find a balance with writing and reading. I always want to increase both, but really the truth is that I don't have the time to increase either. Deciding which one to sacrifice in the name of the other is difficult.

What are you reading? 

Some of our twinned to-read list? I've recently read Pat Rothfuss's story in V16, Brittany Rainsdon's story in V37 (I don't know that she's on the forums any more, but I hope she enjoys being mentioned in the same breath as Rothfuss), the first 10% of Donald Maass's The Emotional Craft of Fiction, the first 20% of Libbie Hawker's Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing, and the first 40% of OSC's Characters and Viewpoint. I recommend all of them whole-heartedly, and will finish all of them in due time.

My most recent reads have been: Lamb, by Christopher Moore; Eric, by Terry Pratchett; some of the short stories in Down and Out in Purgatory by Tim Powers; and I just started On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers last night, too. Before that, last year, I went through the last three volumes of Writers of the Future in bursts. My reading has really settled back in this year, though, and it's strange how much more like myself I feel when I'm reading. I used to read voraciously, and it turns out, I really missed it--and so I'm hanging onto it, determined to keep it up until it becomes a sticky habit again.

In the pile right ahead of me, I have eight or nine more Pratchett books that I've yet to read (many of which I put off after he died, I hated the idea of being done with his work), a veritable stack of short story magazines that I have yet to read, including the Apex Magazine 2021 compendium, a whole stack of WotF volumes I've yet to read (including that one with Pat Rothfuss's story in, and a few that I was recently very generously gifted), The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, The Simple Art of Murder by Raymond Chandler, The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes, and Favored of the Gods by our very own KD Julicher.

So, my current strategy is, whenever I finish one book, I go and pick whichever one feels like it's reaching out to me in that particular moment. This last time around, Tim Powers just edged out KD Julicher and Patrick Weekes, mostly I think because his book was higher up in the pile--so there's a good chance one of those will be next in line after I'm done...

@doctorjest  Interesting choices. I hope you enjoy them. I recently finished The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan and just started The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. I try to always be reading something.

I've recently discovered David Sedaris and am thoroughly enjoying his audiobooks.

WOTF V39 Analysis

Here's my secret project: phase 1.

I volunteered to Beta-Read V39, and after handing in my mark-ups, thought it was worth analysing the stories in detail. These represent the latest desires of the contest's judges, and are thus most relevant to our submissions today. I plan on analysing V38 and V37 as well, but haven't had the time yet. Given that V39 is not out yet, I am only going to present my summary today. On V39's release day, I'll also release my more in-depth analysis (which honestly is not entirely complete yet, either).

So, most of you will be familiar with the wonderful First 450 Critique Exchange thread, and many use it to guide their WOTF work-in-progresses. But how essential is it?

In the first 450 words, out of twelve stories:

• 92% have a hook: all of those are in the first 120 words. 42% get to it in the first 20 words.
• 75% have their inciting incident/part of the plot (one didn't get to it until 2500 words in!)
• 17% have their MC 'pet the dog' (obviously/clearly do/intend to do something nice)
• 84% make with their MC or their MC's thoughts/voice "likeable" (although in almost half of those I could argue that it was closer to 'pitiable' but not pitiful).
• 84% tell you their MCs name. 50% do it in the first 5 words.
• 64% clearly show the MCs internal motivations. 
• 91% clearly show the MCs external motivations - those that didn't, did show an internal motivation.

Onto the senses. Still, in the first 450 words:

• 67% include a sound
• 67% (but not the same 67%) include a smell
• 67% (again, a slightly different subset) include a touch sensation
• 42% include a taste
• 33% include all four
• 16% (two stories) did not include any, and two others only included one of the senses.
• 100% visually describe the micro-environment (the setting immediately surround the MC) - though one of them did so very lightly
• 84% describe the macro-environment (the setting around the micro-environment: far off mountain ranges, the era of time, the culture)

And outside of the first 450, looking at the whole text and two elements that I've recently learned to be important:

• 67% present a clear moral choice: MC must pick between this easy/desirable path and this important/hard path. 
• 73% gave the MC a clear flaw: something that the MC is missing that prevents them from being their best self. (Note: disabilities are not flaws)

My personal take-away from this is:

• a hook is important, but it doesn't have to be in the first sentence.
• the MC has to want something, either internal or external
• senses can be used to create immersion, but they are not a requirement (this was a surprise to me)
• and you better describe that setting!

As a point of intrigue, I also analysed one of the judge's stories (before I realized it was by a judge...) - they differed a little from the winners. There was no obvious hook, the plot didn't start for 2000 words, the MC didn't pet the dog and wasn't likeable, and his internal/external motivations were way more subtle: so much so that I'm not convinced they were on the page (but I'm not the smartest reader, so take that with a pinch of salt). They did include three out of four senses, and described the micro- and macro-settings in detail. The structure was also the least traditional/western.

I hope that was all of some use to somebody. Let me know your thoughts.

Excellent info!

I tend to be a rule follower, so mine is probably among those getting all the "requirements" in - especially after a decade of reading and re-reading Daily Kicks.

I will add Jody has said she likes to have the MC's description in there as well. It's more of a challenge in first person, but do what you can. Even hints. I couldn't dump mine, so I spread it out, fitting in glimpses where I could.

Fantastic analysis! I love numbers and actionable data. I look forward to reading the more in-depth analysis after it publishes.

(I was amused to note that mine was one that named the protagonist within 5 words).

@ease 
I gave you a like here purely for the number of people you managed to respond to in one message! Nice work.
Oh, and you've reminded me I need to grab OSC characters and viewpoint. Thanks for that. 

@doctorjest 

I've read Tides by Tim Powers. Some terrific scenery, especially in the swampy parts. Strong story telling

@ease 

As a BETA reader myself Ease, your analysis here certainly looks accurate. I was surprised by a few points. Good to know what really counts for the contest. 

Thanks for sharing  

@ease this is such great information! It’s a nice reminder for me to focus on setting and motivation. Looks like if you’re doing it right, a lot can happen in those first 450 words. Thank you for sharing!

@ease re my progress on Q2 - I've written my first 800 words or so...but you did provide an excellent 450 critique. I've just been swamped in work and family stuff the last month and made little headway. I need to properly think about a few things and am looking at the calendar wondering if I will get it done (I tend to edit as I go and write sloooowwwllllyyyy).

Also, great analysis of V39. Some interesting points there but my takeaway is the winners tend to follow the rules of thumb, thus reinforcing it pays to listen to what this market is after.

@ease My Quarter 2 goals are pretty simple right now because I had to take a hiatus to repair severe water damage to my kitchen. I had to put in insulation and drywall and new kitchen cabinets etc because of a leak. The repairs are finally winding down and I'm tired but writing again. 

SO i'm working on finishing up the first draft of my sixth novel but next week I believe I'll dig in and write my Q2 submission and start an illustration for IOTF. I've gotta start soon if I want to make it. I'd like to write one for the Mike Resnick awards. I submitted last year. We'll see how much I can get done in the rest of February and March.

The goal I'm working toward is having stories entered in the Mike Resnick Memorial Award, the Jim Baen Memorial contest, and of course, the next quarter for WotF.

The story for Mike Resnick is looking to be my longest short story ever.

The one I'll enter in the Jim Baen contest is finished and percolating on the backburner. 

My WotF is progressing slowly, but I like the way it's going.

Thanks @tj_knight and @lost_bard, though I'm sorry my analysis is a little useless to you winners! (Congrats again. I literally beam with pride every time I see a winner of the contest or a proed-out in the forum).

Those two shorts are out on submission. I'm gearing myself up for another round of novel editing and plotting another novel. 

Posted by: @ease

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How long is your Resnik getting to be? And congrats on getting your Baen finished!

My Baen fantasy piece is right at 4,000. After today my sci-fi for Resnick will be close to 8,000 with an ending nowhere in sight.

@ease I’m so sorry about the sicknesses. I hope everyone fully recovers soon. 
@clfors Water damage is the worst. I hope you can put it all behind you soon!

Well, having entered the Mike Resnick Memorial for the first time, I now have 13 stories out doing the rounds.

Posted by: @storysinger

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[...] my sci-fi for Resnick will be close to 8,000 with an ending nowhere in sight.

Wow! I take it you're pantsing instead of plotting? I find that always leads to longer stories for me too. Don't forget the limit for Resnik is 7499!

Thank you for the well wishes, @kz_richards.

Posted by: @pdblake

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Well, having entered the Mike Resnick Memorial for the first time, I now have 13 stories out doing the rounds.

That's awesome, great hustle. Hope the novelling is going well while you wait for your acceptances!

I'm very excited about how my Q2 is going. I'm trying out a heavy literary style with a folk-taley feel and I think I've found my writer voice! I've always felt happy/proud when writing but writing this specific story style makes me feel more excited than normal. Hopefully that translates onto the page and it'll be a winner.

I took a bit of a different approach this time where I came up with a title first and then based a story around that. Surprisingly, it made it easier to find the direction of the story and as a bonus, I know my title fits well.

Posted by: @ease

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Wow! I take it you're pantsing instead of plotting?

I am creating as I go but I know where the ending will be. Thanks for the info on the wordcount.

I will let the story take me to the finish and then cut the fluff to meet the guidelines.

Posted by: @ease

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...we're halfway through the month and halfway through the quarter! Some rhetorical questions to you all: are you halfway to your goals? If not, do you have a plan for how to catch up? Don't feel obliged to answer, just give it some thought, and congrats if you're over halfway done! Don't forget to include critique and revision efforts in that consideration of what 'done' looks like.

That's actually a little difficult to figure out. I have multiple goals, and I think some of them are ahead of schedule, and some a little behind. Taken net, I'm probably beyond the half-way point, though.

Had a recent, very late realization about my Q1, and how I'd improve it. I think my Q1 is missing a key chunk of itself, one that I think hurts it badly, and I only just figured out how to correct that. So, I'll chalk Q1 up to experience, I think, and note the issue down for a future improvement to the story. However, I've continued to turn out my short fiction subs to pro and semi-pro markets, and I've been working up some new flash fiction pieces over the last month to either sub or to use to seed new work. All of that, I think, has gone well--and I just selected and submitted my entry to the Baen Fantasy Adventure Award for 2023.

(Doors close for that in April, if you're inclined.)

Novel work has been a little more slowed, but that's partly been impacted by other writing, which came to a definite close last weekend. I'll be returning to it today. I have two different novels in progress, one mostly just for the fun of writing it, and the other one somewhat more complex and ambitious. My goal is to finish them both this year, and maybe a third as well. I feel like I'm well within reach of that, but only if I don't let the habit slip.

Edited to follow up: After this post, I threw together a rough outline for the more complex novel (opening 1/3 to 1/2, and final 1/4, with broad-stroke notes about the middle which I'll outline in slightly more detail after I've gotten to know my characters better), drafted out my list of primary characters, and wrote my new opening, which goes well with the writing I already did (previous opening moved to be part of 3rd chapter). I had to work through all this to get back to this more solid idea--the novel was inspired by an opening I'd written, which in turn I'd connected to a set of characters and events, and I'd incorrectly coupled all of this together. The idea stands independent of its origin now, and after throwing together a new outline, it became very clear what I actually needed to do to get it all moving. I'm now really excited about where this story will be going, and looking forward to digging into it hard! 

@ease I think this is extremely useful if nothing else for analyzing where one’s own work falls in these categories!

@ease well….That’s a tough question. Right now my novel is taking priority because I promised myself I’d have a good 2nd draft done by March so my beta readers can see it.

Normally WOTF and IOTF take first priority but I am a novelist more than a short story writer and I can’t put finishing this off forever. We’ll see where I’m at after a few more writing sessions. I am expecting I’ll steal a week or two soon for a story at least. I’ll write for WOTF before Resnick even though that’s a great contest. Painting fills a different niche of time usage and creativity so it doesn’t have to be a conflict except for raw time usage. Sounds like I’m conflicted. I’ll let you know when I figure it out for real ?

I now have 11 stories out on submission. Got 2 rejections yesterday. 1 was a mess about experiment anyway and is getting parked for now. The other is waiting for a market to open. 

Regarding Q2 goals, I have good and bad to report. First, the bad. My Q2 PLAN A story is not going well. I rushed into it, wrote 2K words, and it sux.  Not a bad concept, but the writing is flat, boring, and lacking in inspiration. The 2 existing characters are poo. The new 3rd character is a lot better. I think I wrote it backward and should have started with character #3. I rushed my "dreaming while awake" phase. A new approach might save it, but I might not fix it in time. I can't write if my subconscious does not get on board, so whenever I rush something formulaicly (?) it stinks.  At least I have something to look at. PLAN B: I have an XXX story I could use. (I don't want to blather identifying information.)  I think this story is very good. Thus my Plan B is to submit the XXX story while I wait for my subconscious to fix the poo story. (My subconscious will do this if I tell it and I get good sleep.) But Plan B has another problem -- the XXX story is subtle. Maybe too subtle and literary for WofF. It's like fantasy soaked in magical realism. It does NOT deny the fantastical at the end, so IMO it weighs in more as fantasy.  (I hate it when stories read like fantasy but then have a realistic explanation at the end.) I think I must go with Plan B while my subconscious fixes the Plan A (poo) story for Q3.  My time management this past month has been abysmal. I blame the poo story. I've been going down rabbit holes like ancestry-dot-come to avoid writing since the writing has been poo.  Plus, I had too many volunteer work obligations.  In the GOOD column, disentangled myself from doing volunteer work for a demanding group that's going in a different direction than I.  And my term in another group ends in November. I like doing a little volunteer work but must learn to say NO. So PLAN B story it is! With that, I will get back on track.