Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
NOVEMBER 2017 MICROSTORY CONTEST - COMMENTS ONLY
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G.C.
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Oct 28, 2017 11:19AM
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So kicking this off I have a few questions to help me understand the dynamics of this group. 1. What is the appropriate timeframe for posting a critique? Before the story submission is closed? Afterwards but not while voting is in progress? Also, are critiques only appropriate if the author requests them when posting the story?
2. When seeing how the voting went last month, it appears that some people voted for multiple stories (I only voted for 1). Is that for the potential runoff, or do people just do it so that the authors will know their story was good enough for an "honorable mention"?
3. After posting a story, is it appropriate to edit the posted story to improve it in any way, even taking into account critiques/comments that have been made?
Thanks!
G.C.- Welcome and Congrats! I've been away for awhile, but here are answers to your questions, as I understand things.1. Opinions of when to post critiques differ, but I prefer to post them after the vote to avoid any influence on the vote. If you want critiques please state you are open to them. You are permitted limited rebuttal. Likewise, if you prefer no critique, state that as well.
2. Voting for stories in a ranking helps speed up Jot's tabulation if there are any subsequent rounds (as long as you voted for one of the top contenders). It also offers encouragement to get "honorable mention".
3. I believe the original post is the one considered for voting. While this group is designed for writer improvement, you should submit your best work and stand by it. You are always welcome to improve a story from critiques to get it published elsewhere.(I'm sure someone will come in o.k. this one if I'm wrong.)
Thank you Sharon! Also thanks for the info, I appreciate it.
Whoa Tom! What a great story! I felt like you packed a story with serious heft into a concise package. Well done!
Yeah Tom!Great story vote seconded. I think you nailed "less is more!" You artfully laid in the good stuff. . . well done indeed.
Damn--now we've all got our work cut out for us. : )
-C
Very fine story again, Tom!And Chris---cools story--I loved it! lol and a serious point there; nice.
Chris!!! I love it! Awesome! And so true...bureaucracy is the only constant in the universe! Great work!!
Paula wrote: "Very fine story again, Tom!And Chris---cools story--I loved it! lol and a serious point there; nice."
Thanks Paula, I was going for something which begins ominously but has a lighthearted twist at the end.
It's funny because I initially read/remembered the required elements wrong this month and had a totally different story written and ready to go. Then...oops. Anyways, I generally struggle quite a bit with new ideas and surprised myself by coming up with something new pretty quickly this time. So, I hope you guys like it. Lol. :)
I like it! Had a good "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" feel to it.
Justin wrote: "I like it! Had a good "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" feel to it."Ha! That was the goal, lol. I kept thinking of the Vogons and it was a challenge to come up with a different idea that didn't involve destroying the Earth to make room for an intergalactic highway!
Thanks for the compliments, all. I could really cut loose and have a ball with this one.And, I found the comedic delivery of Chris's story very effective. Definitely had the Hitchhiker's feel in satirizing bureaucracy. "What do you mean, you've never been to Alpha Centauri? It's only 4 light years away. Come on, Mankind...What have you been doing for 2 million years?"
And, that's "hyperspace bypass," BTW, Chris. Well, "so long, good luck, and thanks for all the fish."
Tom wrote: "Thanks for the compliments, all. I could really cut loose and have a ball with this one.And, I found the comedic delivery of Chris's story very effective. Definitely had the Hitchhiker's feel in ..."
Lol! :)
Despite the chaos swirling around me, managed to spit something out for this month.
Thanks, Justin. Took a bit of head scratching to make it work, but it was a good challenge.
Welcome back, Marianne. Great story. Very moving. I don't know if you were going for Biblical allegory, but I caught a whiff of it at the end. Very effective, in any case.
Thanks, Tom. The story goes where it goes, coffee can and all.
.. . and with an AWESOME story! Nice work, Marianne.
Thanks, Paula. It percolated for a bit in my brain before the brew was ready.
Great stories so far this month, everyone.Welcome back, Marianne!
My story is up, and I hope it gives you all a chuckle.
-C
C,I chuckled. I chortled. I may have even guffawed.
Nice!
Kalifer!Oh the horror! The horror!
I may need therapy now...
my critiques are up. This was a great selection of stories to read this month! Who else has one to offer?-C
C. wrote regarding Conjoined Duality: "This is another tale which could have benefited from a bit more ending work."
C. thank you for the critique and the above comment. I went back and forth a bit on the ending (and in fact the whole story) but threw it up there for better or for worse. I think I was trying to convey too many things to the reader and ended up falling short where it counts the most. I keep trying to lead the reader down a path but perhaps not in a straightforward enough manner.
Hi G. C.Thanks for your response. I liked your story very much, but you still didn't say if this was a two-headed person or not, and I'm quite curious about that.
A simple FYI as you are new: your above response to my critique would be better placed in the critique thread than here, according to the rules. Your answer to my question about two heads would be better placed here per the same rules.
Regards,
-C
Yes, a person with two heads, conjoined twins similar to Abby and Brittany Hensel (apparently they had a reality show that I have never seen.) I don't really quite come out and say it other than the clue in the title.Sorry about my misplacement of this...
Justin,Nice story, Dude! Demigods inside galactic ping pong balls serving up planetary smash serves! Worthy of Marvel.
: )
-C
Is deadline for microstory 22nd or 25th? Did it change?
I think it's still the 22nd, Marianne. Anyone know?--I'm still too swamped with editing work to get a story in, this month, either way. Hope you've time to!
--Have a good Thanksgiving, everyone.
Mod
Hello everyone!I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
As some of you may remember, I'm getting into audio book narration. Well, after being on ACX (Amazon's audio book subsidiary) for just a few short days, I've had two offers. Now I'm in the process of narrating/producing these two books:
Deceived (The Athanasian Realm Book 1)
Adult ADHD: The Complete Guide to Living with, Understanding, Improving, and Managing ADHD or ADD as an Adult
Anyway, I was just excited and wanted to share.
Best to all,
Justin
Congratulations, Justin. That second one sounds like a very worthy project. I know you've participated in worthy endeavors before. Well done!
Thanks Tom! My 16 y/o son is a high functioning autistic with some ADHD, so that's why I was interested in that title.
Justin: Congrast!I did an audio version of my travel memoir that matched Audibles criteria, but I never followed through with it. What kind of home setup do you have? Just curious. :)
Has anyone ever submitted a story to a place like Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine? I was looking at their website...any tips or lessons learned?https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/glines.htm
I submitted to them countless times, when I was younger. All I learned was that they weren't interested. I've never gotten an acceptance from any of the major mags, like Analog or Asimov's. I only try them now with shorter pieces, to date with no success.Holy grail. Keep trying, in hopes you get better in the process.
Traditionally, F&SF used more literary (more or less) science fiction. It is a very hard market. Justin, congratulations! That is super to hear! And good for you, too, Marianne, doing the audio.
Greg, what a solid and beautiful story! Could well be lengthened , even to a novella!
Marianne wrote: "Justin: Congrast!I did an audio version of my travel memoir that matched Audibles criteria, but I never followed through with it. What kind of home setup do you have? Just curious. :)"
Hi Marianne,
I have a professional sound booth in my garage - a 4' x 4' square that is 8' tall. It was given to me so I do not have to try and record audio in my coat closet. :) It is lined with acoustic foam, so it provides a perfectly quiet recording environment. I have a two channel mixing board that my microphone hooks into (the mic is on a boom arm), and the board hooks into my Microsoft Surface. I use Audacity for recording and editing. I have another microphone stand that holds my iPad mini at eye level so I can look right at it and read directly into the microphone.
I've been very pleased with the results. So I'm recording my own sci-fi novellas into audio editions and I'm on ACX and auditioning to read other books as well. I've gotten the two I mentioned and really have my hands full now.
Of course, I have a sore throat and head cold right now and can't record anything because I sound atrocious! Oh the humanity!!!
'Hope you feel better soon, Justin, and wish you success and pleasure with your upcoming projects.FYI: The December thread has been posted -
https://www.goodreads.com/group/comme...
