Ryan
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2009-12-30
03:43pm
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I have a project in mind, but before I tell you what, I would like to tell you why. I really want to put something into the bio section of my query letters. I don't know if it will help or not, but I have a desire to do so. I would also like the experience of going through the process of self-publishing and marketing. Lastly, I would love to have something out there that my family and friends can purchase.
If any of you feel the same way, or if you would just like to have a short story in print, I am proposing the group do an anthology. In my mind, I see this as a chance to really show off some of the talent in our group as well as personally getting valuable experience. I also envision this as a project that we could approach in future years, like a biennial, but that is something that can be addressed later. A few ground rules may need to be set, like vocabulary and age appropriateness, word count goals, and number of stories, but that can also be addressed later. For now, I just need to know who is in.
Below is a rough timeline that Chris and I came up with for the project.
1/1
- Kickoff anthology project
- Write, write, and write
3/1
- Submission for group review and critique
5/1
- All reviewed pieces returned to author
6/1
- Submission of final stories
- Begin researching self publishers and marketing stratergies
- Assemble book and add cover art
7/1
- Send anthology for publication
Publish Date
- Market like mad
So, thoughts? Discussion? Are you in? |
Chris Fontes
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I am super excited about this! It will be a great experience for those of us who wish to one day write professionally, and will add a little experience into our bios when we go to query.
Even if nothing else came of this other than the experience itself, I know it is an accomplishment I will be proud of. |
Chris Fontes
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wow, alliteration city......  |
töff
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2009-12-30
03:59pm
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I am on board for the anthology.
For the record, I am also still on board for Woadsbury, though I don't think anybody has done anything with it for a while. |
Chris Fontes
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We should keep the word count to a 15k or 4 story max, whichever comes first... if a lot of us decide to join in, we might have to adjust that, but we can make that adjustment on the first if needed.
Oh yes, and be SURE to chime if you want to be involved, because of the adjustment..... |
ian
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2009-12-30
04:42pm
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I would love to give it a shot |
töff
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2009-12-30
05:00pm
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I haven't forgotten my Hat Character from Elle, either. The plan to use her in Dark Vision kinda sank ... so ... hmm. |
Ryan
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2009-12-30
05:03pm
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I would like to bring up vocabulary. Certain words will prevent this from ever touching school grounds (I know, I dream big). Most of my stories are aimed at the 15-19 year old age group, maybe even younger. Would any of you be opposed to keeping out the words that are not allowed on television? |
Ryan
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2009-12-30
05:05pm
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Just for a count so far: Ryan, Chris, toff, Ian, and I heard rumor of Roh are in. I would love to hear from the rest of you - in or out. |
Paula
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2009-12-30
06:49pm
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I would love to participate as well. There is a chance I will move before the project is complete. Despite that, I choose to live as if I will not be moving so that I won't miss opportunities like this.
I really think this is a phenomenal idea, I have MANY short stories spinning through my head and so far have had no opportunity to free them.
Of course, with this project, I will have Woadsbury, this, and the website on my plate. But, with deadlines for this and (soon to be) self-imposed deadlines for the website, I should be fine. I realized recently that I work much better under pressure, as long as the deadline is reasonable.
Woadsbury will, sadly, have to wait. Luckily the Witch has an eternity. |
Ryan
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2009-12-30
06:59pm
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Cool, six. In my head, that was the min amount of people to make this work. A purely random number - what can you expect, it came from my head. My ideal, equally random, is 10 to 12, so please, more people. And I am thinking of people that I would really like to have participate (for purely selfish reasons) that haven't responded. Let's see: Dave, Earl, Ed, Elle, Joyce, Mellie, and Sarah. (I hope I didn't leave anyone out.) |
Chris Fontes
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2009-12-30
07:26pm
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Dave said he was very interested. I think you can count him in |
Joyce
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2009-12-30
07:33pm
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I would definitely like to be in. This would be a good chance for some of us (like me) to start generating interest for our novels-in-progress. At least that's what I plan to do, write a short story or two in the same 'universe' as my current, still-unnamed, work.
Count me in. |
Earl Scialabba
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2009-12-30
09:05pm
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I would love to contribute something. I have a whole reservoir of short stories going back to the 80s, but I was thinking of a short story set, like Mall Planet, on Altair 4. |
roh
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2009-12-30
09:22pm
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Definitely in.
And I have no objection to G-rated content and language restrictions (even tho my current project is probably the most 'adult' of our group)
Watcher started out being a practice piece to develop my writing skills for a children's/young adult series I've wanted to write for about 15 years.
I know. A violent vampire love story doesn't sound much like practice for kid's books, does it?
:): |
Ryan
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2009-12-30
09:45pm
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Roh, vampire loves stories are exactly what 15 year olds are reading right now.
So, if I have the tally right, nine: Chris, Dave, Earl, Ian, Joyce, Paula, Ryan, Roh, toff.
Wow, I didn't expect so many so easily. And I bet that some haven't checked their email yet. This is great. We're really going to do an anthology. |
ian
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2009-12-31
08:56am
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Would a fantasy/faery tale type of story be appropriate for this age group? |
Ryan
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2009-12-31
09:09am
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I didn't mean to make it sound like everyone has to write for a specific age group. You can write for adults or for infants; write for the group you are comfortable with. I would just like to keep out the offensive words that are barred from television so that the anthology as a whole could be marketed to the widest audience.
Ian, if you want to write a fantasy/fairytale, go for it. Roh, if you want to write about vampires, go for it. If someone is interested in war, torture, or the paranormal, go for it. If anyone wants to write about lust, pixy dust, and duct tape, go for it. |
Mellie
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2009-12-31
10:20am
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I'm IN IN IN. Deadlines are good for me, too.
And, toff, I think you have MY hat character....don't you? And wouldn't that be a great connecting thread for all of our stories? If we all include our hat character in our stories, we could have a preface in the front telling how this book was an exercise for our Writing Group, and how we each created a character that someone else would have to write about. Then a list of the characters, who created them, and a short description.
Then readers who were interested would have to find them on their own as they read the stories. We could have a list of who wrote about them in which story on the website. Anybody like this idea?
Anyway, I'm in. And I've been working on Woadsbury, too. Don't give up on that, toff. Actually, wouldn't Woadsbury qualify as an Anthology? It's on a common theme, or at least place - but all of the stories are separate. If we just finished our Woadsbury stories we'd have our Anthology. Kill two birds with one stone.
Lust, pixy dust, and duct tape, Ryan??? LOL |
Earl Scialabba
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2009-12-31
11:35am
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Hey all! I have a story in mind for this. I wrote the first draft for an English class back in 1982. I wrote a second draft this morning. Maybe you could take a look at it and tell me if it's something to consider? It's 1527 words, 6 pages. |
Mellie
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2009-12-31
11:53am
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I'm ready to make another Group Rule - all sad stories must bear a warning label......Earl, Earl...how could you????
Wah! |
töff
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2009-12-31
12:02pm
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quote:And, toff, I think you have MY hat character....don't you?
No, I have Elle's, and you have mine. |
ian
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2009-12-31
02:17pm
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Jeez, the only thing I have written from the 80's is a "choose your own adventure" comedy book that is borrowed from the lives of my buddies and I that I grew up with. And when I was a paper-boy on my paper-route, I'd written a story in my head about a superhero paperboy who'd stun the bad guys with newspapers while on his cool ass electronic bike.
Oh wait...that just reminded me...I did have a fantasy idea...dude! It's coming back to me, better jot down these memories really quick! |
Chris Fontes
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2009-12-31
02:31pm
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I verified with Julie, my wife, that she is in for sure |
Chris Fontes
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2009-12-31
03:49pm
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Earl,
that was EXCELLENT! Let me know if you plan on using this, and I'll do a line by line for ya. |
töff
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2009-12-31
09:29pm
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Paula
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2010-01-02
02:54pm
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Earl, that was so sad, but also really great. How many more pieces do you have like that?
töff you were just as amzingly cool in the 80's as you are now (this is meant as a compliment. When I reread it, I realized it could be taken in several directions). |
Earl Scialabba
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2010-01-02
04:13pm
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I know my piece was sad, and it really needs a lot of work. I'd be grateful for more feedback. It doesn't have to be a full-markup, even some comments on what the story is lacking would truly help. What I've received so far has been very enlightening, so when I work on draft 3, I'll be able to improve it... hopefully.  I also have an idea for my Hat Character, who I put in the Woadsbury setting. How Danae got to 11th Century England has ties to Paula's 21st Century (or so) apocalypse. See, Danae's from that time, where a secret cadre of magic users learn of the impending flaming doom streaming in all directions from England. Only a small child, Danae is sent back both in time and space, emerging from two intersecting ley lines over the English Channel. She washes ashore, with no memory of where she came from (this part told in Jevon's Story). |
töff
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2010-01-02
11:16pm
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I mentioned "framing" the collection, rather as The Illustrated Man is a bunch of unconnected stories framed by the device of a man with tattoos all over his body that come alive and depict stories when stared at. It just ties it all together in a nice package, I think.
My vague notion for a frame, if we decide to do one, was a character relating dreams to a shrink. If we go with it, I would suggest a title for the collection: I Dreamed A Crooked Dream, which I think is catchy and hasn't been used that I know of. I would call dibs, or at least fight nude with your weapon of choice, to write the intro and outtro. This frame idea, of course, leaves everyone free to write any sort of story whatsoever, 1st person or 3rd, fantasy / scifi / metaphysical, whatever.
We might want some other frame idea, or no frame at all. Who knows. Not me! |
Paula
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2010-01-02
11:42pm
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I like the framing idea. I don't know what type of backdrop would most suit the group, though. What about a story about a man with tattoos that move as an individual stares at them and slowly each one tells a story of the future? (just kidding - I know that's the plot of the Illustrated Man). |
töff
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2010-01-03
08:37am
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The spin I was thinking of was the nature of dreams and the nature of reality. What is human perception? What is consciousness? How do we know one reality from another? (if there is more than just the one).
Being just a frame, it should not detract ... but it should be something of a super-short story in itself. It's only the tiniest kernel of an idea so far.
But I do think it fits the group. We're all alternate-reality people [Okay, Chris's story is possible; but it's still classic science fiction, a what-if speculation.] |
Paula
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2010-01-03
03:00pm
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Hum. . . The dream scenario could work. Conversely, we could go a step further in the nature of perception and reality and make it a pair of doctors walking through a mental institution pausing at random patients. |
töff
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2010-01-03
06:24pm
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Not a bad idea, but I think it's a little more detached. Having an actual character dealing with it herself would seem more dramatic to me. |
Ryan
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2010-01-03
07:21pm
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Before we get too far in the frame, remember two things: we need to finish our stories or there is no point to the frame and the frame takes words, which means pages, which means the book will cost more money to produce. I am not dead set against the idea, but please concentrate on the stories first and foremost.
btw, töff, my short might also be a what-if speculation like Chris’ instead of an alternate reality. I am debating between three story ideas (and thinking about how they will fit with a frame isn’t helping me). |
töff
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2010-01-03
09:25pm
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I understand that this frame idea, and whether we have a frame at all, are no more than possibilities.
You needn't worry about fitting into the frame. We really weren't considering that. If we use a frame, it must be one that any story can fit it. |
töff
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2010-01-03
09:28pm
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Also, sorry, re Chris's story being "possible" but not our others, I meant The Faraday Cage and other things we're working on now, not whatever we're doing for the anthology. I don't think anybody has even put forth a story concept yet for this project.
Also, I can't use "Indiana" without a near-complete rewrite. But I might do it. I liked the story; it just had some severe problems from being so locked into the CyberNation storyworld. Making "Gallop" independent on its storyworld was relatively easy compared with the revisions I'd need to do to "Indiana." |
Chris Fontes
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2010-01-03
09:33pm
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well, since today is the 3rd and we started two days ago (teehee), I will officially say that my short story will be taking place in the same world as my novel, from a characters viewpoint that the novel will not get to see. I have started outlining already. |
roh
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2010-01-04
03:53am
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The short story I'm looking at doing is actually the idea for a novel I want to do. It's a shapeshifter story. Not sure how it would fit within a frame, but if it involved a dream, I could probably make it work.
However, if we are going to use a frame, I need to know before I start committing words to screen... |
töff
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2010-01-04
08:38am
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The current idea about using a frame is that any story would fit into it. The story doesn't need tailoring to the frame (if we use one). We are leaving ourselves totally free to write any kinds of stories we want. |
ian
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2010-01-05
01:30pm
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I hate to do this guys. But I need to back out of the Anthology. I am so swamped with everything at this point in time. I just can't make the time for this. Sorry guys. |
Chris Fontes
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OK guys, here is what I propose....
we have at least 11, maybe 13 if Elle and Sarah join in. That means we need to change the 15k limit quite a bit to accommodate.
I say, we should first limit the amount of total stories to 4 per person. That way, there isn't 25 of the same person in the table of context.
Next, a total word limit of 8k per person. IF you have ONLY ONE story, and it needs a little more, than cool, but no more than 12k.
This might be tough to keep it short, but it will allow the book to be reasonably sized.
Thoughts? |
Ryan
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2010-01-07
04:50pm
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I was part of the planning for the limits Chris proposed. Here is my reasoning:
Cost. Not all of us are employed and even some of the people working are struggling right now. We need to keep the upfront costs down and that can partly be done by limiting the length of the anthology.
Validity. The table of contents can show, in my mind, the story name, type (Fantasy, SciFi, etc), and author. If someone does a lot of entries, it will affect how the TOC is viewed by readers. |
töff
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2010-01-07
05:24pm
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quote: 8k per person. IF you have ONLY ONE story, and it needs a little more, than cool, but no more than 12k.
This is directly against my own interests, but ...
That seems backwards. I'd think you could have one big story of 8k, or 2-3 smaller ones that total beyond the 8k. |
Chris Fontes
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I believe the thought process behind that was, 8k is the actual limit. BUT, if you are writing one story, near the 8k mark, it might be hard to hit that (some of us are long writers). So, there is grace there. Rather, if you have a ton of short stories, it will be easier to pick 4 that stay withing the range. |
töff
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2010-01-07
05:27pm
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50% is a lot of grace |
Chris Fontes
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I meant within, not withing. All though I do enjoy withing every now and again |
Chris Fontes
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Ryan
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2010-01-07
06:12pm
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Believe it or not toff, you were the one I was thinking of when we were trying to figure out how to make limits that would allow creativity while also lowering the page count/cost. Would everyone be able to keep the word count below 8k? Honestly, I love your description; I wouldn’t want to limit you in that way.
If someone has three stories of 3200 words each (9600 total words), they can pick their best two. If you have a story of 9600 words, how do you chop it without losing some of the flavor and meaning?
The goal Chris and I have is to keep the anthology below 150k words and preferably closer to 120k, but we also want good stories. These are just our suggestions, it is a group anthology. |
töff
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2010-01-07
08:43pm
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When I said it's directly against my own interests, I didn't mean your suggested limits; I meant my own comment about it.
I think your suggestion is reasonable. It makes sense to me.
I am leaning very strongly toward revamping "Indiana," so I will keep the word limit in mind. |
ian
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2010-01-08
09:41am
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Excuse the literary question for a moment, this question is being asked by a screenwriter who has a different writing format. How many pages does 8K translate to? I hate to be wishy-washy right now (I know, I need to make up my mind), but if the story is short enough I could possibly write one. Thanks |
Ryan
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2010-01-08
09:44am
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There is generally between 250 and 300 words typed on the page of a 'standard' book. So 8000 words comes out to roughly 30 pages. |
töff
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2010-01-08
09:46am
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And your word processor will probably give you a word count.
In script format, though, there's far fewer word per page than prose. Scripts have tons of whitespace. |
Chris Fontes
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well, we're two weeks in... where is everyone at? |
Ryan
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2010-01-15
01:44pm
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12 paragraphs written, baby knocking at the door, and time slipping away. It sucks, I might not make the deadline for an Anthology that was my idea.  |
Chris Fontes
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I am sure there is a little grace for babies. |
ian
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2010-01-15
03:05pm
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I thought the deadline was on March 1st....I have decided to turn my play into a short story, if it's not to CREEPY (he he he). We got to retain all copyrights, right? |
töff
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2010-01-21
12:52pm
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Holy crap ... it's Miss Zad! ...
This is a sign. I was wondering what to work on next today. It'll be plotting my rewrite of "Indiana" for the FSFW anthology. |
töff
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2010-01-21
02:07pm
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[foul word] ... "Indiana" is 18k+. I am less than enthusiastic about trimming it down to 9k -- in fact, I had thought to expand it in a couple places.
This kinda puts me back at Square One, here. Grr. |
wrycur
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2010-01-22
12:21am
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I wouldn't trim it that far if I were you, töff.
In fact, I don't think there's much wrong with it. Getting it out of the shared world it was in might be good; then you wouldn't have to put up with "vampires."
That's a great picture. She looks innocent, intelligent, and sly. And I wouldn't kick her out of bed neither. Oops, I mean if I wasn't married. |
wrycur
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2010-01-22
12:22am
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Forgot to say, working on your new math problem tonight; won't be on the other board. |
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