The novella -- now called 'Porridge and Uppers' (which is just as bad a title as the original, 'La Grippe') is near completion. So confident I am of getting it done in a few days I submitted it to Critters. I will swap the file before it hits the top of the queue, hopefully! If I don't I'm gonna look pretty stoopid.
It stands at 12700 words now, with another 500-1000 required to finish it off. Further polishing may add to or subtract from that rather hefty total. So, a non-genre story (my first, although I'm sneaking it through Critters as a fantasy, ahem) and a novella to boot. God knows what I'm going to do with it. I'm used to looking at Ralan's for potential markets, I haven't a clue if markets exist for quirky historical fiction.
Suggestions on a postcard to the usual address.
6 comments:
Self imposed deadline? That's a good idea.
Try this link -
http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~tpl/ukmags.html
Might be useless, but it's all I could find on a 15 min teabreak.
Good luck
gb
Thanks GB, for that link. There are some great looking mags I've never heard of. I've (mentally) circled one or two for a closer look when the time comes. Interzone is featured, which surprised me as I've always thought of it as a genre mag. But on closer inspection it also sells itself as a literary organ. That'd be something, to sell to Interzone. I've seen a Critter named Dave Hoing woo-hooing about sales to IZ. Never actually critted any of his work, but I'm jealous! (In the nicest possible way, of course.)
And thank you, David. Your opinion will be of value: you really probed under the bonnet (that's British for 'hood' BTW) of 'Light Knight', and I think that's the sort of analysis I need for 'Porridge and Uppers'. There were times, writing it, I felt like I was riding a pendulum, worrying whether I'd applied too light a touch, or swung the other way and been too heavy-handed. How much do you explain and how much do you let the reader work out for themselves? It's something I often struggle with. That's one of the things that makes Critters (or any workshop, I suppose) such a valuable tool: you can use it as a kind of litmus test. I know GB has got a story coming up soon, called 'Irish Souldiers' ( terrible title GB!, worse than 'Porridge and Uppers'), but I didn't see your name in the queue. Anything on the way?
No problem. I owe you one or twenty.
It really is a bad title, isn't it? I blush every time I see it now. I would change it but I don't think the Cap'n takes very kindly to that sort of messin' about.
gb
And let's not forget the time it takes to post comments on friends' blogs!
But I know what you mean. When I was working I considered myself fortunate that I was not sitting in front of a computer screen all day. I would come home, physically tired but mentally alert and raring to go. As for trying to get up at 5am... that sounds too much like a New Year Resolution. Doomed! GB (dunno if you visit Gerard's blog http://gerardbrennan.livejournal.com/) seems to be doing a good job of balancing work, study, family and writing. Personally, I think being in Critters has got me writing more than anything. And blogging. Keeping a journal almost makes you feel obliged to write some fiction so you have something to blog about. Which probably sounds strange, but that's how it's been for me.
I suppose it comes down to community spirit, knowing that you are not the only person labouring to create stories as well as deal with all the other trappings of family life -- like putting food on the table and paying the bills!
It's comforting to read someone's blog and say "That's it! That's exactly how it is for me too."
More comforting is when you read the websites/blogs of professional writers and see that they are not as far removed from us as you might think when it comes to battling distractions / blocks / commitments / apathy etc.
Keep plugging away, David.
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