Interested in Selling an Original Story Professionally?

[harmony_bites]

Interested in getting a first professional sale (or snagging another)? Do you love animals--specifically cats and dogs? I have a friend seeking submissions for "an anthology of speculative stories about companion or service animals" with the profits going to an animal shelter. Newbies are more than welcome to submit, and I know I have quite a few

Comments

[mundungus42]

Oh my lord, Harm. If ever this was an opportunity to jump at, this was is. I'm a bit daunted by the idea of doing an animal story on top of a reasonably interesting speculative world, but this cause and opportunity are too amazing to pass up. THANK YOU for sharing this!

[harmony_bites]

Note in the submissions that humor is very much appreciated. And if anyone on my f-list could come up with something wildly imaginative and funny.... I'm excited you're going to try! That by itself makes me happy I posted!

[mundungus42]

Part of the reason "Because of Winn-Dixie" is my favorite pet book of all time is because it's one of the very few where the title pet doesn't die at the end. I think not having the dog die at the end of mine will make it a refreshing change :D And thank you for your words of support. Would you mind it if I ran a finished version by you at some point, since you know her taste?

[harmony_bites]

I'd be happy to!

Gerri's been my beta (and vice versa) for years--she's not shy about her own fanfic roots, and has sold dozens of short stories. She's also said she's going to post on her live journal soon a whole list of her pet peeves gerrileen, so that post should give you an idea.

Speaking of That Promised Blog Post on Editorial "Quirks"

[harmony_bites]

You can find it here:

http://gerrileen.livejournal.com/86584.html

Re: Speaking of That Promised Blog Post on Editorial "Quirks"

[mundungus42]

Heee!! The Turkey City Lexicon is as hilarious as it is useful! Oh, and remind me never, ever to workshop a piece the way they suggest. Ugh! Give me a few good opinions over a lot of variable ones any day of the week!

Re: Speaking of That Promised Blog Post on Editorial "Quirks"

[harmony_bites]

A friend of mine who taught creative writing on the university level told me all workshops are run that way. You get torn apart by a gang and you're not allowed to say a word to defend yourself. Quite honestly, I can't ever see my putting myself through that, especially given my shy muse. However, Claredon is famous--just think what it would be to have some of the best, and bestselling, professional science fiction writers critiquing your writing. For that, if I had professional ambitions and outlook, I'd put up with it. But put up with just another bunch of students? Uh uh.

But otherwise, yeah, I find that listing of writing foibles invaluable, and I wish I could inscribe them on every fanficers brain, along with some custom made for the fandom (Like don't start a story with paragraphs of narration telling us what happened since "the Last Battle.")

Re: Speaking of That Promised Blog Post on Editorial "Quirks"

[mundungus42]

Clarion takes place in San Diego, and I wish I could crash, just to listen. One of these days when I have more to critique I might do the commuter version. I'd have to invest in a gag, though :D I have done the group critique, though, since I took both reading and writing fiction and R&R poetry at university. It being undergrads it probably wasn't as valuable as something like Clarion, but it was still interesting.