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I guess I can cross Sci-Fi off my list as a genre. I had the idea for "The Bureau Of Karmic Retribution" pop into my head. It didn't go over well with my audience as I didn't get one comment about it. I will just stick to sappy tearjerkers LOL! I like those anyway. I guess you can call me One Dimensional Jenn or Pigeonhole. I hope I can expand my horizons more as time goes by. I am just a girl learning the ropes around here. I hope I can eventually be as polished as some other wonderful people on here.
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A journey of ten thousand miles
...begins with the first step.
We're all learning here and even those for whom you have such high regard had to start somewhere!
I hope you have as much fun as I (and I'm sure the others too) have writing stories.
I think the hardest part is something I haven't yet quite come to terms with and that is editing.
I feel that many (myself included) spend many hours writing stories that once finished are believed to be the best we can make them, but I fear we may well be wrong. I am fiercely possessive of my work, but I think that it may be my pride which stands in the way of a good story being great.
I suspect that there is at least one person who will laugh uproariously at my sudden change of mind, but I for one would like to make my stories better and I think finding an editor may well be the way forward in that regard. I have already found a darned good proof-reader in Kristina, but she has said that editing is not her thing (although she does slip in one or two additions, some of which I leave and some I ignore - mainly due to colloquialisms), but maybe it's time I stopped being quite so possessive about my work.
To have a good story is one thing, but it is quite another to be able to present it in the best way.
Once I have finished Cruisin' - which is too far advanced to be changed now, I shall be on the lookout for a sympathetic editor; one to whom I can pass my work for that polish and sparkle I feel my stories lack at present.
Best of luck with your endeavours!
NB
Jen
just because you did not do well, that time around, do not give up trying to write a sci fi tale again ever. It just means you have more to learn about audiences, style, dialogue, and plot movement for that genre in order to attract readers to it. Try again a little bit later. We are always learning.
Hugs
BigCloset TopShelf
Not your thing? Are you SURE?
Before writing off Sci Fi... I'd suggest you think about a few things. 1) Did you have fun writing the story? 2) Was your "tease" reflective of the story? Or more like what you'd expect elsewhere? 3) Did you write it to get comments? Or cause you had the "urge" to write the story? I could go on.
But I'll tell you here why I've not yet read it. The blurb on the back of the book. It didn't reach out and grab me, and another story (okay, a serial) I was following was published near it. So I jumped into my serial story and read it. Then work called, and I forgot. I may get around to hunting it down, but as I said for me, the back cover blurb didn't sound like what I was looking for. This has NOTHING to do with the quality of your writing or how good the story is. With the large amount of stuff to read, and limited reading time, that marketing bit is important. I've been experimenting myself myself there (not sure I'm getting any better though). The other is the title? Yours is certainly more interesing than the one I came up with! I've yet to figure out why folks coment on one story, yet not on another. Or comment on one episode, and leave another almost alone. If you figure it out, could you clue me in?
Annette
The joys of writing.
My main genre is Science Fiction, and I have a really big project in mind. I do not know that it will be TG. I have talked to Erin about publishing it as a book, because my heart is so into it. So far, she seems to be pretty open about my direction, though I will feel more secure when she tells me what she wants.
Not having seen your work yet. I can tell you that my challenges have been with charactarization. We have to learn to tell people who Fred or Sara are.
Fred is: big, tall, smells good, kisses good, has integrity; the most beautiful eyes, he makes my heart melt. His arms are like tree trunks. He is really gentle and yet powerful too.
We need to describe feelings, the scene, the actions of others.
I was great as a business/technical writer. Writing to draw the reader in emotionally is entirely different for me and I have to work very hard at it.
Strangely, I have gotten the most favorable reviews on the very first story I wrote,"Ms Frankenstein". I have not gotten nearly as much attention on the rest of my stories, and now I am beginning to understand why. I am lazy. I easily slip back into "just the facts maam". So, I think I can describe what a good story embodies, but I often forget to use what I know.
This next big story, I want so badly. I want it to be total emersion. I want to stay in my apartment, not take showers and eat at the keyboard. My sleeping hours will get all messed up; it must consume me. I want it to make people laugh, cry and be so drawn in that they will not be able to put the book down. I want them to wake up in the morning with tired eyes; knowing that they stayed up way too late reading my book.
Can I meet the challenge? I am certainly going to try.
I think that is what writing is about.
Many blessings.
(Sephrina, I know the HTML is messed up, but I've been called out and can not fix it now. Sorry.)
Gwen Brown
Read to Become a Better Writer
Before you throw in the towel, take a good look at some of the better writers of science fiction. I would recommend the classics of Heinlein, Asimov, Saberhagen, Bradbury, Niven, Pournelle, Norton, and McCaffrey. Observe how they use elements of exposition, dialogue, plot, and pacing. Don't be afraid to borrow style points. You might find that Asimov's reliance on dialogue is similar to Plato's style, or that Niven and Pournelle use a style similar to Tom Clancy. And don't be discouraged by criticism. I welcome criticism by my readers, positive or negative. Also, before you toss out any good ideas, consider keeping a journal. When you get a good idea (or a bad one for that matter) write it down. Review your journal from time to time and see if it lights any little bulbs in the old cranium.