Writing my way to success, one page at a time.
January 5, 2011
If you get a chance, drop by 10flash, a quarterly e-zine for flash fiction. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by consistently enjoyable fiction. I read all of the most recent issue, and liked all but 2 or 3 of them. That’s pretty good, considering how picky I am.
Anyway, give it a shot.
January 4, 2011
Please think of your readers before you send out your story for submission. For the third time in a row, I have read a beautiful story. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve enjoyed EVERY PAGE of the whole novel.
Until the last chapter.
When the whole point of the novel is ruined by a writer who just can’t resist adding one more twist. “Tee hee! You never saw this one coming! I’m a good writer, because I have a twist!”
No. You’re not. The story was complete, touchingly rendered, handled with care…and then butchered in the last chapter, which feels tacked onto the end of the story.
Stop it! Just tell the story and leave it at that. >_>
Rant over.
January 3, 2011
http://write1sub1.blogspot.com/
I’ve tentatively entered the less insane version of this competition. Mostly because I’ve already have a small list of stories available to sub, and I know I’m capable of writing two short stories a month. Besides, I’ve already entered 3 competitions, and all of them in one month. If I can do that, I can definitely do this. Right?
January 2, 2011
…My first year as a writer was better.
In 2008, I proudly submitted my first story. I also less proudly got my first rejection, buoyed shortly thereafter by my first acceptance. I got four acceptances my first year, all paying, 3 of them sadly token payments. Still, acceptance was acceptance, and that was just the tip of the iceburg right?
Since that year, I haven’t gotten one other acceptance. This may be due in part because I haven’t submitted anything. I worked on novels, had a marvelous time writing two more-or-less complete projects, and…I’m done with novels. They’re long, sweaty affairs with endless stretches of words to be refined, edited, picked over….blah.
I will polish and submit A Mage Without Magic, and Life of a Suburban Unicorn. I don’t plan on pursuing new novels after these two are out the door. Well…maybe that one idea…but not right now.
2010 was the year of the novel. 2011? The year of the short story contest. ^^ I’m going to compete this year, in every free contest available, and in at least one entry fee required contest each month. I will keep you all updated on my progress.
Cheers everyone! And may 2011 go well for y’all!
January 1, 2011
Lil laptop is still working. I am still not writing on holidays. See you tomorrow! ^^
A.M. Kuska's Blog 