Small Victories

[Cyclone Jack]

This thread is for the writers among us to post about their small victories in the war known as Being A Writer.

Tonight I both finished and managed to edit down a short story for a magazine contest. The word limit was 2500. It was firm. I have the most trouble with that length.

[Spectacular Sameth]

I did actually finish writing a book. I call it a small victory because I haven't sent it in yet or finished editing it.

I did win runner's up in a citywide short story contest once.

[Tasmin21]

Last night, I got a partial request from an agent I've queried on my finished novel.  It's my second partial request, but the first agent passed after reading.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Every novel I've finished in a through draft, which is four.

Having a short story with which I am happy out there in the world getting responses. [ I am naturally discursive; a short story generally takes me about as long to get right as a hundred-thousand word novel. ]

The one of those novels that is sitting on an editor's desk by request.

The different one of those that is sitting on an agent's desk.

The time one of the writers I admire most in the world read one of these novels and mailed me back saying "I am enjoying this far too much to provide meaningful criticism of it."

Having feedback I have given as a beta-reader incorporated into works by published authors and being considered as actively helpful.

First being mentioned in the acknowledgements of a novel.

First being mentioned in the acknowledgements of a Hugo-nominated novel.

[meg_evonne]

My 2007 goal was to get one query off before the end of the year.  I got four off. 

Three came back right away (all were e-filed) but the blasted 4th one, coming from one was a 2nd query from same agency, sat and sat.  I started fretting because it's one huge historical manuscript from the 1100's that hasn't been vet-ed yet.  Finally after 2 long months I got a very nice rejection, "very interesting but we located a manuscript that better met our goals in this area."  Best of ALL WORLDS!  They liked, but didn't want it!  It wasn't rejected out of hand!

To me folks that is really top notch.  I sent back a thank you for having seriously considered it and did not mention the damn thing wasn't anywhere up to snuff for sending to agent. Shouldn't have sent it in the first place, but they were specifically asking for similar work so I took a chance that I shouldn't have. I've been told that I write similar to Phillipa Gregory (Tudors-that's been a Showtime series) mine is much farther back in history. It runs the same time frame as Follet's Pillars of the Earth.  I've spent over 10 years on the blasted thing and have loved the research & the travel to investigate and have grown to love a wonderful family as if they were my own.  They truly are amazing people! So that, for me, is extremely gutsy. 

[Cyclone Jack]

Finished 1st draft of The Joker King, the 5000 word first 'stanza' in a six short story cycle that leads up to my (sigh -- still in seemingly unending 2nd Draft) first novel The Crumbler. I finished the 5th part (Tessellation) over a year ago and am halfway done with the 2nd Part (which I initially wrote in a notebook while sans computer).

Bleh. Maybe one day some of the discipline I have in meeting my daily quota will leak over into my organizational skills. 

[Cyclone Jack]

Finished the first draft for Pools Of Shade In The Land Of Sunshine -- a subtle fantasy about family infighting taking place at a large annual reunion.

[twinswin123]

How many words on average do you have in your short story?

[Cyclone Jack]

How many words on average do you have in your short story?

Depends. My most common length is 5000-7500 words. My shortest story was 586 words. My longest (technically a novella) was 20,000.

[twinswin123]

At what point is it called a novel?

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

At what point is it called a novel?

The length criteria for the Hugo Awards, which seem a reaonable set to go by, are:

Short story:  <7500 words.
Novelette: 7500-17,500 words.
Novella: 17,500-40,000 words.
Novel: >40,000 words.

These criteria were set up at a time when the average genre novel was quite abit shorter than in recent decades, though.

[KevinEvans]

We got our 1099 from our publisher so we can finally do out taxes.... it worked out to less than a weeks pay though(sigh)
regards,
Kevin

[Cyclone Jack]

Finished adapting my short story Xangurl into a 12 minute screenplay so that my friend in film school can use it for his Production course. Adaption was tricky, but I think it turned out quite well.

[meg_evonne]

Hey, when they are done can they post it for us?  Please?