Matt Weber
I write crap and tell myself I'll fix it in post. Mostly it's not as bad as it feels in the moment.
I guess that answer presupposes that I have something in mind, I just think it's bad or feel I can't do it well. That's pretty much where I am right now; I have more novel- and series-length ideas than I could write in five years full-time. But every so often I'll want to take a break with a short story or a poem, and in those situations I typically don't have an idea on the back burner. Generally a prompt helps. Most recently I wrote a story targeted to an solar-power-themed anthology; it ended up being about a community of people who'd gene-hacked themselves to photosynthesize, and I managed to unspool some pretty interesting second- and third-order speculation around that for 8000 words or so. I'd never have written it without the spur of the anthology theme. Lots of magazines have occasional or regular themes; CROSSED GENRES and 404 INK leap to mind.
(Of course, the story was rejected from the anthology and is currently lying around pending revision. Anyone want to buy a short story?)
I guess that answer presupposes that I have something in mind, I just think it's bad or feel I can't do it well. That's pretty much where I am right now; I have more novel- and series-length ideas than I could write in five years full-time. But every so often I'll want to take a break with a short story or a poem, and in those situations I typically don't have an idea on the back burner. Generally a prompt helps. Most recently I wrote a story targeted to an solar-power-themed anthology; it ended up being about a community of people who'd gene-hacked themselves to photosynthesize, and I managed to unspool some pretty interesting second- and third-order speculation around that for 8000 words or so. I'd never have written it without the spur of the anthology theme. Lots of magazines have occasional or regular themes; CROSSED GENRES and 404 INK leap to mind.
(Of course, the story was rejected from the anthology and is currently lying around pending revision. Anyone want to buy a short story?)
More Answered Questions
Jeff
asked
Matt Weber:
I realize your new book (The Eighth King) just barely came out and you're doing the giveaway, but I'm very intrigued. I'm wondering if I can buy a physical copy anywhere, since I'm likely not going to win the giveaway? I found the KINDLE version everywhere, but not the physical one.
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