Paula’s Comments (group member since Oct 28, 2015)

Paula’s comments from the Science Fiction Microstory Contest group.

When Carrol and I edited and produced the first of the Future Is Short anthologies, and--as I'm sure Sharon can attest--when people here have edited/collated, and Carrol produced, the next 3 of the anthologies, it was indeed a significant-size job. Each of those was for only a single-year anthology, averaging (a bit less than) 3 stories per author.
NOTE also that all, or nearly all, authors were, in these cases, easily reachable for obtaining permissions (forms) from. If you're planning to do this for longer than a single year's worth of stories--let alone if you're thinking of doing it for the years all the way back to early 2013/late 2012--well, have fun getting those permissions (finding current e-addresses may be quite a job in itself).
I don't mean to be discouraging--just suggesting it's more a job than it looks like. Also, what did you have in mind re "editing" the pieces, Justin? Copyediting for consistency--within each story? among the stories for consistency throughout the book (e.g., of spellings)? Surely not content editing--? "Editing" of specific word choices for clarity of oral form of book--? Or---???
"Best of" would be a mistake, I think, given what happened after that was tried for Future Is Short *2. Author's choice of 1 (or 2, or 3?) story/ies would be far more manageable and less likely to cause splits in this group or limit it to only one or two types/styles of stories.
I'm happy to do some of the editing, but only to limited extent.

Congratulations, Greg and Justin!

Cool, Jeremy!

Did I miss the call for our votes this month, Jot? Anyhow, am sending you mine.

Just a few comments.
First, Jeremy, what a sensational story! Beautifully written, draws the reader in immediately, well paced, and exceptional world-building and characters one can connect to.
Chris---the tale is complex and suspenseful, a wonderful sense of time and distance! and your writing flows, for the most part, excellently!
Jot--some great dialogue; wit and swiftly paced unfolding. In my opinion, the story might work better if slowed down and expanded with more details, more sense of the characters.
Wow, Justin, you really make us feel for your protagonist--a sad, even tragic, tale.
Kalifer, interesting story--perhaps it might be sharper if you can have it end at exactly the moment the reader catches on what's coming.

Have a great--and safe--trek, Jot. Beautiful time of year for it!

Good work, Jot. An excellent story and this version is super!

J.F. wrote: "I'm glad you are enjoying the novel, Paula. Here's a little detail you may not have noticed: there are no standard units of measure in the entire story. Because it's set 4,000 years ago, I couldn't..."
Oh dear, I hadn't noticed that! Which is to say, it works seamlessly.

Jot wrote: "Joseph, can I used that to find BattleBots? Love that show.

Kalifer, let me try to come up with a clean example of its usage.

Glad you had an easier time with higher level math than me, Paula."
--Jot, fwiw, everyone I knew in higher level math courses, including me, worried, at least some of the time, that they weren't doing math well enough. It had nothing to do with one's actual ability.

J.F. wrote: "Happy belated birthday, Jot!

I've had a very uninteresting life but for a while, in the mid-1980s, I was one of the most widely read writers in North America, as I wrote most of the movie and netw..."
OH my, bet I read a bunch of those capsule descrips/reviews, too. So far, my own 3-word review for Brickweavers is "excellent--gripping--imaginative."

Thanks, Jot. I actually didn't struggle re my math degree but rather was pulled in by philosophy in a way that math--with the exception of an audited seminar on (if I recall correctly) the topologies of logics--failed to do. Have you read the wonderful "graphic novel" Logicomix? Somewhat a bio of Bertrand Russell combined with some history of the Vienna Circle, "ordinary language philosophy," etc., it catches what that draw--an intersection of language, math, epistemology, foundations work, etc.--is like. Jot wrote: "Kalifer, what's your most successful product as an entrepreneur? I'm working to be one as well, but it's so hard to wear that many hats. If you are interested and promise not to disclose, I would l..."

A good birthday to you, Jot! Remember, this group you developed back in 2012-2013 has been very important for many writers; give yourself the birthday present of being proud of so much you have done.
Re myself--I'm old and have been writing poems and stories since age 8 or 9, was 17 when I first had a story accepted for publication. I did a math major at Cornell, but realized (1) at least a couple of real people did math better, and (2), as a colleague said, "To do anything creative in math, you must get as intensely involved in thinking math as in thinking philosophy"--so I switched to philosophy. Happily, except, as you know, the wee difference in pay scales.
Subsequently, I went into creative writing, the antiwar movement, and the underground press, had kids, took office jobs, did p.r., joined writers groups, and took a writing workshop taught by Ursula Le Guin. I've had two novels and bunches of short stories and poems published. Plus mountain hiking, photography, and a stint in France. :) Since you asked.

Would indeed, Jot, but no, my friend is a male person, retired now. Great about your and Dr. Clark's paper, though!

J.F.--thanks for the compliment. I think that must have been the one of Earth survivors being perhaps-rescued/perhaps-captured and taken somewhere in some train-seeming vehicle by aliens, yes? Am thinking of including that one in a collection of s.f. stories I'm working on--mostly pieces from Jot's wonderful group site/contest here, actually. But my most immediate book now is Of Elegant Time, collection of general short stories (only 3 of 20 are s.f.)--out maybe in a few months. Have begun reading your Brickweavers novel, by the way; it is enthralling . J.F. wrote: "Re: "Town Line Road" by Jot Russell
Loved the story the first time I read it, Jot, but I recall that that month Paula had done something of a magic trick with a story that brought home the horrors ..."

From RIT, Jot?! Wow, I've a friend used to teach there--sounded like one cool university.

Jeremy, you had me rofl at "TAKE ME HOME, COFFEE GROUNDS". (Sure hope I knew the cite right.) Cool story.
---Jot--yeah. That too.

re timeline road story--
How much stronger, more powerful, and more affecting your story/your writing seems now, Jot. Terrific work.

This is a very well-conceived and fine story, Greg. Congratulations to you.

Good point re the first line in my piece, Tom. Thank you--and for your fine reviews of everyone's works. Your review of mine is brilliant and elegant.
Agreeing with Greg and Alina--how much science or tech is a matter of taste. And can vary with the style, the intent, etc. of a story.

I think Jeremy's and C's answers cover most the ground here. As for the drinks, could be a problem if the toddler mistakes that sippy cup for--