tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87000119200720851762024-03-05T21:28:25.056-06:00curiousworldsRebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-49041873527222036452018-04-23T11:53:00.003-05:002018-04-23T15:36:59.801-05:00A Trove of Fabulous Short Stories over at Curious Fictions!<div class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV889zTI2xhF0hQPRSaxSkWkx-d-mZ33BdmuIcx9uZIG6VfiOD1Q6XNkAIAAnCo4x-MN1JSorY1O-N_K-kyLqFOX-sd6827KTG9ivRsu91wPQAAHDd_lA_bVbskJNHDGXw7xBqsndPne7j/s1600/fb-768x403.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV889zTI2xhF0hQPRSaxSkWkx-d-mZ33BdmuIcx9uZIG6VfiOD1Q6XNkAIAAnCo4x-MN1JSorY1O-N_K-kyLqFOX-sd6827KTG9ivRsu91wPQAAHDd_lA_bVbskJNHDGXw7xBqsndPne7j/s640/fb-768x403.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you’re looking for short stories to read, be sure to
check out <a href="https://curiousfictions.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Curious Fictions</span></a>. This
little known gem is a platform for short story reprints. The site will ask you
for credit card information up front, but all the content is completely free,
though tipping is encouraged. You can also subscribe to your favorite authors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is a great option for short story writers who too often
see their previously published stories vanish into a kind of oblivion a few
months after being published. I have uploaded a few stories there and like
having a no fuss place to give these stories a second chance to be seen.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most recently, you can find my story, <a href="https://curiousfictions.com/stories/232-rebecca-schwarz-short-straw"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Short Straw</span></a>,
on the site. It previously appeared in the <a href="https://www.flametreepublishing.com/Lost-Worlds-Short-Stories.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Lost Worlds</span></a>
anthology by Flame Tree Press (print only). The link for Short Straw in the
sidebar will now direct to Curious Fictions. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">While I hope you'll enjoy the stories I’ve posted there, I know
you won't be disappointed with the site: it is stuffed with amazing stories,
easy to navigate, and easy to read on a variety of screens.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here’s a little teaser for Short Straw:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Don’t tell the trees your name,” the wild grasses whispered
as they batted their bearded heads against the linen skirt wrapped around Nina’s
thin hips. Her great grandparents, the first colonists, had brought rice and
wheat, barley and rye, and crossed their seeds with the new-world plants. But
the grains they produced were inedible. Still, they abandoned grasses
persisted, and the wild meadow won a few more inches of ground every year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">She looked up, past the settlement to where the tallest
branches of the forest canopy snared the sinking sun. “I have to go,” she said.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“If you must go, take us with you,” they whispered.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Nina closed her hands capturing two fistfuls of seed heads,
pulled them off their stems, and shoved them into her skirt pockets.
"There. Happy?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“No.”</span></span></div>
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</style>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-38533467500341243142018-04-18T15:44:00.000-05:002018-04-18T15:44:04.955-05:00Save the Date Writing Butterflies, This Year’s Armadillocon Writing Workshop is Friday, August 3!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9pl7QP7BmEtd14rFv7S8dwVtK6xBmz-EYVFyI-7EOIy_D29iC4DlJdIEJh12G48JiuDc7_QwOX2iU5wOoz_EOapPhW9MnLlnXvyiZhH8VLM7522BF0p-4-C5gzjWuWBJeS7wfznxHkvA/s1600/cacoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9pl7QP7BmEtd14rFv7S8dwVtK6xBmz-EYVFyI-7EOIy_D29iC4DlJdIEJh12G48JiuDc7_QwOX2iU5wOoz_EOapPhW9MnLlnXvyiZhH8VLM7522BF0p-4-C5gzjWuWBJeS7wfznxHkvA/s640/cacoon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Crack your knuckles and warm up your keyboards, it’s time to polish up your short story or first chapter for the annual <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d40/writers-workshop/">Armadillocon Writing Workshop</a>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Submissions are DUE Friday June 15, 2018</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is an excellent, low-cost workshop for writers who want to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Work with professional writers and editors familiar with speculative fiction, science fiction, and fantasy.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Learn how to give and receive critique in a small-group, face-to-face setting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Find out if workshops and in-person critique groups are useful to their writing progress</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Find their tribe and make connections with others that will serve their writing year round.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;">Take their writing to the next level.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The workshop will be Friday, August 3, 2018 </b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We will spend the morning in panels on the craft and business of writing and doing a writing exercise or two. Then, lunch with the professional writers and fellow students in your breakout critique group. The afternoon will be spent in in-depth, collaborative critique sessions where you will be both giving and receiving critique. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Just $90 gets you the full-day workshop and a full convention membership to attend all of the activities for the entire weekend. <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d40/">ArmadilloCon</a> is an excellent regional literary convention, which means there will be lots of great panels about writing, reading, and the state of the genre (there are also panels about movies, tv shows, gaming, and everything geek). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sponsored seats for writers of color!</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We are committed to promoting diversity and access for all workshop attendees. Writing in a genre centered on exploration and encountering the Other must include voices and visions from writers and readers of all kinds. The Workshop actively seeks to include students, faculty, visiting scholars, and volunteers from a variety of backgrounds including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and ability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">To that purpose we are offering a limited number of sponsored seats to the workshop for writers of color. To apply for a seat, follow the link on the workshop page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If are interested in sponsoring a seat for a writer of color, contact me at </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #743399; font-size: 12pt; padding: 0in;">armadilloconwritersworkshop@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-8286822427842310372017-10-16T09:50:00.000-05:002017-10-16T09:50:02.309-05:00The Exquisite Corpse at the ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It’s officially fall, the kids are back in school, summer and ArmadilloCon are quickly receding on the horizon as we zoom toward the winter solstice. I meant to blog about the Writing Workshop looong before this, but life, as usual, got in the way. I have so many thoughts about the con and Writing Workshop, which I will get to in later posts. The first order of business is to talk about the writing exercise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The morning of the workshop consists of two panels covering broad topics in writing and publishing broken up by a writing exercise. The panels, while informative, require a lot of sitting and focused attention, so my goal for the exercise was not only to get people writing and thinking about the creative process, but to also get us all out of our chairs and moving around a bit. What I came up with a classic <a href="http://mslk.com/reactions/exquisite-corpse-aka-the-drawing-game/">exquisite corpse exercise</a> paired with some guided freewriting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">People really enjoyed this exercise, so for any of you who might be in a writing group and interested in doing it, read on for instructions. I’ve also posted a sampling of the results. I think this would work for almost any size group, just be sure to build in time for all the moving around and passing pages!</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">First, create exquisite corpse drawings. I confess I was a studio art major for a couple years before switching to English, so the idea of doing a quick sketch was appealing to me. That said, I know even the thought of drawing can make people nervous. The great thing about this exercise’s roots in surrealism is that there is really no such thing as a bad drawing – nothing can be too weird for the purposes of this exercise.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Have everyone fold their paper into thirds. Start by drawing the top of something on the top portion. Instruct people to extend their “top” drawings just a bit below the folded line so that the next person has something to connect their drawing up to. After a few minutes (I used a timer set to 3 minutes) have everyone fold the paper in a way that hides their portion of the drawing and have them pass it on to someone else, who will draw the middle without looking at the previous drawing (again extending the bottom of their drawing just a bit past the last fold).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Repeat for the bottom of the drawing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The complete drawings are passed one more time to someone new. During any of these stages (drawing or writing), it doesn’t matter who they pass their drawings to, though I encouraged everyone to try to pass whatever they had to someone new.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now that everyone has a delightfully weird character in hand it’s time to write. I kept exquisite corpse structure for this part too. I used 5x8 index cards for the writing in order to encourage everyone to keep things concise.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Card #1 (write 1 in the top corner of the card). Look at your drawing this is your main character. In just two or three sentences write the opening of a story. A little bit about the world, a bit about the character and that character’s desire. (as Vonnegut says, your character should want something, even if it’s a glass of water). Think “Once upon a time.” This is the Regular World of the story. (I gave people 5 minutes to write each section.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hand card #1 off to someone new (along with the drawing) – this time it’s not a secret. Read what you get. Write #2 on a new card. Time to write Act Two. Think, “And then…” This is the character, in pursuit of their desire, leaves the normal world and/or encounters a new element. It could be negative, i.e. the wolf shows up on Red Riding Hood’s trail, or positive, i.e. Charlie Bucket getting one of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hand both cards and the drawing off to someone new, read over what you have so far. Write #3 on the last card. Time to write the ending. Think, “Until one day.” This isn’t easy but we’re just having fun here. It’s time for the character to commit to a course of action. The character can be forced to change or the character’s perception of the world can change. The world can be not what it seems (the character’s realization and/or the reader’s realization)</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After everyone finished with their last card, I invited people to read what they had. Unfortunately, we didn’t have nearly enough time for this part. With the getting up and trading drawings and cards around. If I repeat this exercise, I will definitely block out more time for people to simply enjoy checking out the drawings and for everyone to get up, move around, and get resettled in between each stage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All this mixing and matching isn’t meant to create a beautiful story, but to illustrate how considering at wildly different scenarios, images, ideas can lead to innovative narrative solutions. Also, I hope that it can give some confidence in our ability to come up with fun narrative solutions on the fly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Another thing that I really liked about this exercise is that since everyone is encouraged to pass want they’ve got to someone new at each stage, everyone gets to mingle just a bit without it being super awkward. Since the afternoon is spent in small group critique with people that workshoppers have often only just met, this exercise serves as a bit of an icebreaker.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don’t know if I can top this exercise next year, but I am going to try.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After the workshop, lots of students wanted to see more of the collective stories and drawings. In hindsight I would have created a better way for everyone to share the results of this collective exercise. I did manage to collect some of the results from students over the weekend. Scroll down to see them.*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you were at the workshop and would like your exercise posted, ping me in the comments and I’ll add it to the roll.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">* Apologies if the resolution isn't great. I'm no expert in the finer points of web formatting.</span><br />
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-77913206999678355372017-06-28T11:06:00.000-05:002017-06-28T11:06:00.448-05:00Fantastical Fictions Bookclub: The Door to Lost Pages by Claude Lalumière<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="readable"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It seems fitting that
we’ll be meeting at one of Austin’s most unusual bookshops, <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/">Malvern Books</a>, to
discuss lovely mosaic novella centered around an idiosyncratic bookstore.
Although, Malvern has 100% less dogs than the bookstore featured in <a href="http://claudepages.info/bio/">Claude Lalumière</a>’s
The Door to Lost Pages, it has some of the magic.</span></span></div>
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<span class="readable"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But don’t take my
word for it, swing by the store to pick up a copy of this lovely little book,
and then come back on <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/event/fantastical-fictions-presents-book-discussion-with-rebecca-schwarz-2/?instance_id=1994">Wednesday, July 12 at 7:00 p.m.</a> to discuss <a href="http://claudepages.info/the-door-to-lost-pages/">The Door toLost Pages</a>.</span></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="readable"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Lost Pages wasn’t the
only bookshop I frequented, but the books I found on its shelves were… unique.
I never saw any of these books anywhere else. Bizarre Bestiaries. Dictionaries
of dead, obscure languages. Maps to lands that may never have been. Essays on
religions with unfamiliar names. Obscure mythologies. Accounts of wars no
history teacher had ever mentioned. Such were the wares of the bookshop that
fed my teenage dreams."</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">More
magical realism than straight up fantasy, this book combines elements of urban
fantasy with lonely childhoods and difficult family relationships that are
rendered with gritty realism. There are also winged skeleton creatures, dark
gods, tentacles and a shifting pack of friendly dogs. It’s a homey multiverse
of myth, folktale, dreams and nightmares. Be warned, t</span>he
erotic and sexual elements that are often latent in fairy tales are more overt
here as the characters wrestle with desires and both visceral and ethereal.</span></div>
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<span class="readable"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the true Austin
tradition, this is an author that knows how to keep it weird. If you enjoy The
Door to Lost Pages, Claude Lalumière will be in Austin for the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/">ArmadilloConConvention</a> on August 4 – 6, and back at Malvern Books to read from his latest book
<a href="http://malvernbooks.com/event/claude-lalumiere-book-launch/?instance_id=1992">Venera Dreams</a> on August 9 at 7:00 p.m.</span></span></div>
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-51472023180576557742017-06-10T12:27:00.001-05:002017-06-10T17:42:29.758-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop T-Minus 36 Hours: Letting Go<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The aphorism, “A good conversation never ends, it’s only
interrupted” comes to mind. I feel the same about the stories I write.
Creators, artists, and writers are always striving to improve their craft. Reaching
for perfection, always falling a few inches short. This is why it can be hard
to determine when to call a piece you’ve struggled over <i>finished</i>. For me, it’s
more about knowing when to let it go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Creating something is its own reward and its own punishment.
Every story starts with some nugget of inspiration, a character, a mood I want
to capture, a moment I want to bring to life. It’s this vision that compels me
to create the first draft. Invariably, after writing it out, and working
through however many revisions, what I end up with is NEVER what I originally
imagined. I won’t say it’s better or worse, but it is different. Even when I am
happy with the final result, there is always a tiny nagging feeling of missing
the mark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you keep writing and working to improve, you will look
back at old stories, even the ones that are published and see ways that they
might be improved. I remind myself that that was the best story I could produce
last week or last year or three years ago. <a href="https://www.mrickert.net/">M. Rickert</a> says her old
stories are like snapshots of the writer she was at the time she wrote them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s important to strive for excellence, at the same time
once you feel you’ve made a story the best you can – let it go. It may be flawed,
have some element that you wish you could manage more astutely, but if it’s
viable (i.e. has a plot with a beginning middle and end, a character who changes or
comes to a realization, etc.), then it’s time to let it go (today, that might
mean sending it to the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop</a>). Submit somewhere for
publication and move on to the next story with the goal to make that one
better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Whether I see you at the ArmadilloCon Writers Workshop or
not – I hope you go forth and write story after story. I look forward to
reading all of them out in the wild! </span></div>
Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-81716555288201732822017-05-28T12:52:00.005-05:002017-06-10T17:40:39.865-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Boot Camp Week 6: Time for a Spit Shine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3R6tafHnx5ITVYIduUEtIfqukbWol-5JwiMQhQ-iZV3H3vE4IYnlDvmZNGzY54JnhipSHnY6wYMXS8cP2qrrHfz9fjHbH51fz1eTqpmfIqk15IuBtGg50U8V7zHUCRrDFCIMT7Pyd1u45/s1600/520140201095000.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="431" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3R6tafHnx5ITVYIduUEtIfqukbWol-5JwiMQhQ-iZV3H3vE4IYnlDvmZNGzY54JnhipSHnY6wYMXS8cP2qrrHfz9fjHbH51fz1eTqpmfIqk15IuBtGg50U8V7zHUCRrDFCIMT7Pyd1u45/s400/520140201095000.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re two weeks from the June 11 deadline to submit a short
story or the first chapter of a novel and sign up for the ArmadilloCon Writing
Workshop. Believe it or not, two weeks is plenty of time to create a brand
spanking new piece for a writing workshop. If you’re diving in from scratch, clear
some time in your schedule, buy some extra coffee beans, and peruse the earlier
boot camp posts in this series. Take what you need and write like the wind!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Regardless of when you start writing, we’re not talking
about a shining piece of perfection here. What you want to bring is something
in decent shape that will give the pros and your fellow critique partners an
idea of where you are as a writer. In my opinion perfection is overrated.
Strive for it, sure. We all do, and we’re all destined to fall just short –
welcome to the creative life. I know it’s scary to turn in something that you
can see is flawed or has some issue you just can’t resolve, but the worst that
will happen is that your critique partners will point it out. If you’re lucky,
you will also receive useful solutions for your story in particular and gain
new skills for your writing in general.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve been following along with my (patented) boot camp
schedule you should have a middle revision of a story that, while it still
might have some rough edges, has all the necessary parts and culminates in some
kind of climactic moment. Either your protagonist DOES something or s/he DECIDES
something, and this action or decision carries an actual and/or emotional
consequence – preferably both. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Honestly, with two weeks to go there is plenty of time to
cycle through middle revision territory a couple more times until you are
really happy with the shape and emotional impact of your story or chapter, but
I know how good it can be to finish ahead of schedule so let’s talk about the
final proofing and polishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A few words about grammar.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Grammar isn’t really a final revision task as your grasp of
grammar affects every stage of the writing process, but this read though is a
good time to really attend to word choice and sentence structure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Don’t feel bad if you find grammar intimidating. I did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for years</i>. Really, if I can get a
working mastery of grammar, anyone can! I didn’t get great grammar instruction in
middle school, and after that I was on my own. Only after returning to writing
as an adult did I take my grammar education into my OWN hands. Now grammar is
no longer a nebulous topic where I worry that I’m going to somehow screw up every
sentence I write. Once I got a toehold, I have found grammar to be an enduring
source of fascination. Like clay to the sculptor, exotic musical keys to the
pianist, words and sentences are a writer’s medium. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That said, if you think you know everything there is to know
about grammar – check yourself. The English language is constantly evolving –
including grammar. Being completely prescriptive about grammatical rules
(current or past) will limit your writing, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There are many wonderful sources for learning grammar out
there, and Strunk & White isn’t one of them. For me its twee style,
brevity, confusing advice, and contradictory examples were just more of the
same ineffective instruction that got me so deep in the hole during my school
years. <a href="http://www.chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497">Here’s a far more eloquent and thorough take down of S&W</a>.</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>"The
book's toxic mix of purism, atavism, and personal eccentricity is not
underpinned by a proper grounding in English grammar. It is often so misguided
that the authors appear not to notice their own egregious flouting of its own
rules. They can't help it, because they don't know how to identify what they
condemn.... They know a few terms, like "subject" and
"verb" and "phrase," but they do not control them well
enough to monitor and analyze the structure of what they write."</i></span></span></blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you feel you need a grammar refresher, here are some
resources. Start small, commit to spending 10 or 15 minutes a day, and focus on
one element at a time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For specific questions, check out the <a href="https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/1/5/">Perdue Owl grammar site</a>, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Put the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grammar-app-by-tap-to-learn/id377188655?mt=8">Grammar App</a> or the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grammar-up/id313112265?mt=8">Grammar Up</a> app on your phone,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Listen to <a href="http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl">The Grammar Girl</a> or the </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">the </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">BBC's </span><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9wq/episodes/downloads" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 Minute Grammar</a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">podcasts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As you go over your writing, just remember it’s all about
Clarity: </span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Think about the essential meaning of each sentence.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In description, use specific, telling details.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Focus on precision of language.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Check the usage of any tricky words and make sure you’re
using them correctly.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For style, try to replace linking and helping verbs with
action verbs. </span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPFSJEed35H1M7SZAZ3GlJMQHc6dSsfPZ40jO4eMMERMD1hyphenhyphenKyrAogdkCZ05n0A6qF4qp8XiktT8QmJATy3RpBypu6ozrLbhNvNEVm6CDMaUSHDAZVSw93csJ3yrNlwd7_pHaLNNpvt4b/s1600/venn-diagram-linking-vs-helping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="960" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPFSJEed35H1M7SZAZ3GlJMQHc6dSsfPZ40jO4eMMERMD1hyphenhyphenKyrAogdkCZ05n0A6qF4qp8XiktT8QmJATy3RpBypu6ozrLbhNvNEVm6CDMaUSHDAZVSw93csJ3yrNlwd7_pHaLNNpvt4b/s400/venn-diagram-linking-vs-helping.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Look for common errors like their/there/they’re or it's/its.
I read my draft aloud again, “un-contracting” every contraction, and I almost
always find one or two slip-ups.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There. All polished up and ready to go. Right? Next week I’ll
talk about knowing when a piece is finished. Seems a simple enough question,
but when your trying to become a better writer, it can be hard to know when to
stop trying to improve a piece and let it go. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">NOTICE: Diverse writers welcomed here!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Diversity is vital to speculative fiction. A genre centered on exploration and encountering the Other must include voices and visions from writers, readers and thinkers of all kinds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">This year the Armadillocon Writing Workshop has sponsored seats for writers of color! Visit the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;">workshop page</a> for more information and to fill out the sponsorship request form!</span></div>
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-9829205083482634222017-05-21T13:43:00.002-05:002017-05-21T19:35:53.361-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Boot Camp Week 5: Give it a Rest!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsfMQckrw3IIiFJV8GHWcTR56FU6pzNiBB6nY8TYn09Jj8S2krshhibzuo1lp0swtaEdXRp_17ejAoEtwsL1pzHvpAeatMFI3Qp4JM4GtXBY6OcXz5Adp5N3hxES61i29QVOpwJTGuxCw/s1600/112+Noon+Rest+from+Work+after+Millet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsfMQckrw3IIiFJV8GHWcTR56FU6pzNiBB6nY8TYn09Jj8S2krshhibzuo1lp0swtaEdXRp_17ejAoEtwsL1pzHvpAeatMFI3Qp4JM4GtXBY6OcXz5Adp5N3hxES61i29QVOpwJTGuxCw/s640/112+Noon+Rest+from+Work+after+Millet.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Noon: Rest from Work by Vincent van Gogh</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Three weeks to go before the June 11 deadline to submit work
and sign up for the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Three%20weeks%20to%20go%20before%20the%20June%2011%20deadline%20to%20submit%20work%20and%20sign%20up%20for%20the%20Amradillocon%20Writing%20Workshop%20(LINK).%20There%20is%20still%20time%20to%20go%20through%20the%20entire%20boot%20camp%20program%20from%20the%20first%20post%20(LINK)%20and%20create%20a%20short%20story%20or%20novel%20chapter%20in%20order%20to%20participate.%20Consider%20blocking%20off%20a%20few%20chunks%20in%20your%20schedule%20if%20you%20can,%20take%20a%20vacation%20day%20from%20work,%20or%20bargain%20with%20your%20family%20for%20some%20%E2%80%9Caway%E2%80%9D%20time%20and%20create%20your%20own%20mini%20writer%E2%80%99s%20retreat.%20%20If%20you%E2%80%99ve%20been%20following%20along%20with%20the%20program%20so%20far%20you%E2%80%99ll%20have%20a%20rough%20draft%20in%20hand%20that%20has%20the%20essential%20elements%20of%20characterization,%20plot,%20and%20worldbuilding%20in%20place.%20Now%20it%E2%80%99s%20time%20to%20give%20it%20a%20rest.%20I%20firmly%20believe%20revising%20my%20own%20work%20effectively%20depends%20on%20my%20ability%20to%20see%20it%20with%20new%20eyes.%20One%20of%20the%20best%20ways%20to%20do%20this%20is%20to%20put%20it%20aside%20for%20a%20while.%20If%20no%20deadlines%20are%20involved,%20I%20find%20a%20week%20or%20two%20to%20be%20ideal,%20but%20even%20putting%20something%20down%20for%2024%20hours%20can%20be%20immensely%20helpful.%20%20In%20this%20post,%20I%E2%80%99m%20going%20to%20talk%20about%20both%20resting%20and%20your%20next%20revision.%20Because,%20as%20I%20mentioned%20before,%20there%E2%80%99s%20no%20rule%20against%20submitting%20your%20work%20early!%20%20For%20me%20looking%20away%20from%20my%20current%20writing%20project%20is%20just%20as%20important%20as%20the%20time%20I%20spend%20focused%20on%20it.%20If,%20like%20me,%20you%20have%20a%20few%20pieces%20in%20various%20stages%20of%20completion%20resting%20one%20piece%20means%20that%20you%20can%20turn%20your%20attention%20to%20a%20different%20one%20for%20a%20while.%20If%20you%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20anything%20else%20on%20deck,%20then%20spend%20a%20day%20or%20two%20with%20your%20reading.%20If%20you%E2%80%99re%20working%20on%20a%20short%20story,%20pull%20up%20some%20short%20stories%20online%20(see%20the%20reading%20links%20in%20my%20sidebar%20for%20a%20start).%20If%20you%E2%80%99re%20working%20on%20a%20novel%20chapter,%20read%20the%20first%20chapters%20of%20the%20novels%20in%20your%20bookcase%20or%20at%20your%20local%20library%20or%20go%20to%20Amazon%20and%20preview%20a%20bunch%20of%20first%20chapters.%20%20Resting,%20in%20this%20case%20is,%20more%20like%20what%20happens%20when%20bread%20dough%20%E2%80%9Crests.%E2%80%9D%20After%20activating%20the%20yeast%20and%20kneading%20the%20dough%20a%20baker%20covers%20it%20and%20lets%20it%20rest.%20But%20a%20lot%20is%20happening%20under%20that%20kitchen%20towel.%20While%20the%20baker%20is%20attending%20to%20other%20things,%20the%20yeast%20ferments,%20the%20dough%20expands%20and%20the%20final%20loaf%E2%80%99s%20signature%20flavor%20and%20texture%20are%20formed.%20When%20the%20baker%20returns%20to%20the%20dough,%20it%20is%20something%20different.%20For%20writing%20the%20transformation%20takes%20place%20in%20your%20head.%20Your%20subconscious%20is%20always%20percolating%20themes%20and%20ideas%20and%20this%20process%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20stop%20during%20revision.%20Time%20away%20from%20your%20piece%20can%20give%20you%20space%20to%20solidify%20what%20is%20important%20about%20this%20story%20and%20what%20elements%20might%20need%20to%20be%20enhanced%20or%20minimized%20in%20order%20to%20refine%20it.%20%20After%20you%E2%80%99ve%20given%20your%20piece%20a%20rest,%20read%20through%20it%20again.%20If%20you%20feel%20that%20everything%20is%20roughly%20in%20place%20then%20it%E2%80%99s%20time%20to%20start%20refining%20your%20piece%20with%20a%20more%20granular%20revision.%20(If,%20on%20your%20read%20through%20you%20find%20a%20logic%20problem%20or%20plot%20hole,%20go%20ahead%20and%20excise%20or%20plaster%20in%20some%20words%20or%20a%20scene%20before%20you%20go%20on%20to%20the%20next%20step%20%E2%80%93%20all%20of%20these%20revision%20stages%20can%20be%20repeated%20as%20needed.)%20If%20you%E2%80%99re%20ready%20to%20refine%20what%20you%20have,%20here%20are%20some%20things%20to%20focus%20on:%20%20Transitions%20These%20are%20the%20breaks%20between%20scenes,%20changes%20in%20location,%20point%20of%20view,%20or%20gaps%20in%20time%20in%20the%20story.%20An%20extra%20space,%20a%20short%20line%20of%20asterisks,%20or%20a%20transitional%20sentence%20can%20mark%20these%20changes.%20Generally,%20I%20find%20that%20too%20many%20transitional%20separators%20are%20often%20a%20sign%20that%20the%20story%20(especially%20one%20limited%20to%205,000%20words)%20is%20perhaps%20trying%20to%20paint%20on%20too%20large%20of%20a%20canvas.%20If%20you%20have%20a%20lot%20of%20disjointed%20scenes,%20consider%20scaling%20your%20story%20down,%20e.g.%20by%20narrowing%20the%20amount%20of%20time%20it%20covers%20or%20number%20of%20characters.%20When%20I%20write%20a%20first%20draft,%20I%20can%20be%20pretty%20lazy%20about%20writing%20transitions%20between%20scenes,%20this%20draft%20is%20where%20I%20write%20those%20sentences%20that%20link%20adjacent%20scenes%20together.%20If%20you%20are%20looking%20to%20write%20a%20story%20that%20is%20more%20conceptual%20or%20is%20set%20in%20a%20vast%20time%20scale%20you%20can%20use%20alternative%20forms.%20For%20example,%20when%20I%20wanted%20to%20write%20about%20all%20of%20the%20different%20ways%20we%20think%20about%20time,%20I%20did%20it%20as%20a%20list%20story.%20LINK%20%20Paragraphs%20Once%20you%E2%80%99re%20happy%20with%20the%20way%20your%20story%20flows%20from%20one%20scene%20to%20another,%20turn%20your%20attention%20to%20your%20paragraphs.%20A%20good%20paragraph,%20like%20a%20good%20story,%20will%20have%20a%20beginning,%20middle,%20and%20end.%20It%20should%20progress%20to%20a%20tiny%20resolution%20of%20it%E2%80%99s%20own.%20At%20times,%20for%20impact,%20you%20might%20want%20to%20have%20a%20one%20sentence%20or%20one%20word%20paragraph.%20%20Dialogue%20Is%20tricky,%20because%20in%20fiction%20dialogue%20is%20not%20the%20same%20as%20natural%20speech,%20which%20is%20often%20rambling%20and%20circular.%20Dialogue%20has%20to%20accomplish%20something%20while%20looking%20like%20it%20isn%E2%80%99t,%20to%20be%20intentional%20without%20appearing%20intentional.%20Dialogue%20often%20moves%20the%20plot,%20but%20it%20really%20shines%20by%20revealing%20character.%20Employing%20dialect%20can%20work,%20but%20it%20is%20often%20more%20effective%20to%20think%20in%20terms%20of%20individual%20habits%20of%20speech.%20Actors%20often%20do%20this%20when%20creating%20character,%20think%20of%20how%20Lumbergh%20in%20Office%20Space%20(LINK)%20almost%20always%20starts%20off%20with%20a%20long,%20irritating%20%E2%80%9CYeah.%E2%80%9D%20Try%20to%20give%20your%20main%20characters%20unique%20speech%20patterns%20and%20check%20that%20all%20the%20dialogue%20is%20accomplishing%20something,%20either%20moving%20the%20plot%20forward%20or%20revealing%20character%20(preferably%20a%20little%20of%20both).%20%20As%20you%E2%80%99re%20refining%20your%20piece%20the%20ultimate%20goal%20is%20to%20focus%20it%20both%20structurally%20and%20for%20emotional%20impact.%20You%E2%80%99ll%20be%20surprised%20how%20much%20you%20can%20dial%20up%20the%20conflict%20and%20drama%20of%20by%20making%20small%20adjustments%20at%20this%20point.%20%20Next%20week%20we%E2%80%99ll%20talk%20about%20the%20final%20polish,%20and%20working%20at%20the%20sentence%20level%20for%20clarity%20and%20grace.%20There%E2%80%99ll%20be%20a%20bit%20about%20dun%20DUN%20dun!%20Grammar.%20%20If%20you%20have%20any%20questions,%20put%20them%20in%20the%20comments%20and%20I%E2%80%99ll%20address%20those%20too!">AmradilloCon Writing Workshop</a>. There is still time
to go through the entire boot camp program from <a href="http://curiousworlds.blogspot.com/2017/04/armadillocon-writers-workshop-boot-camp.html">the first post</a> and
create a short story or novel chapter in order to participate. Consider
blocking off a few chunks in your schedule if you can, take a vacation day from
work, or bargain with your family for some “away” time and create your own mini
writer’s retreat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve been following along with the program so far
you’ll have a rough draft in hand that has the essential elements of
characterization, plot, and worldbuilding in place. Now it’s time to give it a
rest. I firmly believe revising my own work effectively depends on my ability
to see it with new eyes. One of the best ways to do this is to put it aside for
a while. If no deadlines are involved, I find a week or two to be ideal, but
even putting something down for 24 hours can be immensely helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In this post, I’m going to talk about both resting and your
next revision. Because, as I mentioned before, there’s no rule against
submitting your work early!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For me looking away from my current writing project is just
as important as the time I spend focused on it. If, like me, you have a few
pieces in various stages of completion resting one piece means that you can
turn your attention to a different one for a while. If you don’t have anything
else on deck, then spend a day or two with your reading. If you’re working on a
short story, pull up some short stories online (see the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fiction</i> links in my sidebar for a start). If you’re working on a
novel chapter, read the first chapters of the novels in your bookcase or at
your local library or go to Amazon and preview a bunch of first chapters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnyMc0BKoWZ0JvIbqab6NFarNEzTdJGhY-VN5bW50eRH0eOxBDE8V-y2nHDVO8cP3oDuMUCzUK7mt5qq8rRE4viGj8ZlX5XFB5ccs6HkSFSMrJbSwfoRkc7PN4xnKi8e1SYtOpq-I0r0X/s1600/bread-dough-in-bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnyMc0BKoWZ0JvIbqab6NFarNEzTdJGhY-VN5bW50eRH0eOxBDE8V-y2nHDVO8cP3oDuMUCzUK7mt5qq8rRE4viGj8ZlX5XFB5ccs6HkSFSMrJbSwfoRkc7PN4xnKi8e1SYtOpq-I0r0X/s320/bread-dough-in-bowl.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Resting, in this case is, more like what happens when bread
dough “rests.” After activating the yeast and kneading the dough a baker covers
it and lets it rest. But a lot is happening under that kitchen towel. While the
baker is attending to other things, the yeast ferments, the dough expands and
the final loaf’s signature flavor and texture are formed. When the baker
returns to the dough, it is something different. For writing the transformation
takes place in your head. Your subconscious is always percolating themes and
ideas and this process doesn’t stop during revision. Time away from your piece
can give you space to solidify what is important about this story and what
elements might need to be enhanced or minimized in order to refine it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After you’ve given your piece a rest, read through it again.
If you feel that everything is roughly in place then it’s time to start
refining your piece with a more granular revision. (If, on your read through
you find a logic problem or plot hole, go ahead and excise or plaster in some
words or a scene before you go on to the next step – all of these revision
stages can be repeated as needed.) If you’re ready to refine what you have,
here are some things to focus on:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Transitions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">These are the breaks between scenes, changes in location,
point of view, or gaps in time in the story. An extra space, a short line of
asterisks, or a transitional sentence can mark these changes. Generally, I find
that too many transitional separators are often a sign that the story
(especially one limited to 5,000 words) is perhaps trying to paint on too large
of a canvas. If you have a lot of disjointed scenes, consider scaling your
story down, e.g. by narrowing the amount of time it covers or number of characters.
When I write a first draft, I can be pretty lazy about writing transitions
between scenes, this draft is where I write those sentences that link adjacent
scenes together. If you are looking to write a story that is more conceptual or
is set in a vast time scale you can use alternative forms. For example, when I
wanted to write about all of the different ways we think about time, <a href="http://flashfictiononline.com/main/article/a-note-to-parents-regarding-the-beginning-and-end-of-time-diorama-presentations-for-ms-millers-third-grade-class/#">I did it as a list story</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Paragraphs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Once you’re happy with the way your story flows from one
scene to another, turn your attention to your paragraphs. A good paragraph,
like a good story, will have a beginning, middle, and end. It should progress
to a tiny resolution of it’s own. At times, for impact, you might want to have
a one sentence or one word paragraph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dialogue<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2LJoDt4lqgoAePrk_69rO8ETpSqgiTvXR14FU77JYtXIOG7kH_ZGL-oX6Lk-7Xa9eJJWW40nN0We8Ieq3RBwEr8LGFNopqdnWybw2iUaNuwmtghPqVh_d7rGXkv_LwminxbpNGBvnswt/s1600/4be73c6390a58_160736n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2LJoDt4lqgoAePrk_69rO8ETpSqgiTvXR14FU77JYtXIOG7kH_ZGL-oX6Lk-7Xa9eJJWW40nN0We8Ieq3RBwEr8LGFNopqdnWybw2iUaNuwmtghPqVh_d7rGXkv_LwminxbpNGBvnswt/s1600/4be73c6390a58_160736n.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Is tricky, because in fiction dialogue is not the same as
natural speech, which is often rambling and circular. Dialogue has to
accomplish something while looking like it isn’t, to be intentional without
appearing intentional. Dialogue often moves the plot, but it really shines by
revealing character. Employing dialect can work, but it is often more effective
to think in terms of individual habits of speech. Actors often do this when
creating character, think of how Lumbergh in Office Space almost always
starts off with a long, irritating “Yeah.” Try to give your main characters
unique speech patterns and check that all the dialogue is accomplishing
something, either moving the plot forward or revealing character (preferably a
little of both).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As you’re refining your piece the ultimate goal is to focus
it both structurally and for emotional impact. You’ll be surprised how much you
can dial up the conflict and drama of by making small adjustments at this
point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next week we’ll talk about the final polish, and working at
the sentence level for clarity and grace. There’ll be a bit about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dun DUN dun!</i> Grammar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you have any questions, put them in the comments and I’ll
address those too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEdBCt1M3-lyEQczz4-lBPwXAtJMgofzZxHs2WOttsCt4zaSzUVdenQXc_cry_jccsTr0MnzyiuNHBwYAeR4y3sBcK_aSa5ilzkUwgp1f4QWw3EqX95z5LtOPdeFvAUNgE-3KlhsHcYBg/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEdBCt1M3-lyEQczz4-lBPwXAtJMgofzZxHs2WOttsCt4zaSzUVdenQXc_cry_jccsTr0MnzyiuNHBwYAeR4y3sBcK_aSa5ilzkUwgp1f4QWw3EqX95z5LtOPdeFvAUNgE-3KlhsHcYBg/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEdBCt1M3-lyEQczz4-lBPwXAtJMgofzZxHs2WOttsCt4zaSzUVdenQXc_cry_jccsTr0MnzyiuNHBwYAeR4y3sBcK_aSa5ilzkUwgp1f4QWw3EqX95z5LtOPdeFvAUNgE-3KlhsHcYBg/s320/Unknown.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">NOTICE: Diverse writers welcomed here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Diversity is vital to speculative fiction. A genre centered on exploration and encountering the Other must include voices and visions from writers, readers and thinkers of all kinds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This year the Armadillocon Writing Workshop has sponsored seats for writers of color! Visit the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">workshop page</a> for more information and to fill out the sponsorship request form!</span></div>
Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-31938243214495082932017-05-14T14:34:00.000-05:002017-05-14T14:41:51.957-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Boot Camp Week 4: What have you got?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqO0LHW8rM6JooqCmfpmwGk_MBhO-rJMZ5d5OV1tDvR0CX-9k9K1AS3-Hkap8_pDWkTwHofEEfsLSw5D1Mv99E72ecKqXLkcSLQ4I1_xfepbz45Fj9D7di00YWp5lxZO7JtHPM5yo_j1zq/s1600/images.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqO0LHW8rM6JooqCmfpmwGk_MBhO-rJMZ5d5OV1tDvR0CX-9k9K1AS3-Hkap8_pDWkTwHofEEfsLSw5D1Mv99E72ecKqXLkcSLQ4I1_xfepbz45Fj9D7di00YWp5lxZO7JtHPM5yo_j1zq/s400/images.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re About a month out from the June 11 deadline to turn in
your work and sign up for the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">Armadillocon Writing Workshop</a> (of course you can
turn in your piece early – hahaha! No, seriously, the door’s open). If you’ve
been following this boot camp program you should have a messy zero draft in
hand. (If you just found this, it’s not too late to catch up. Scroll back to
boot camps one and two for gathering and developing ideas, and week three for
writing your zero draft.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEdBCt1M3-lyEQczz4-lBPwXAtJMgofzZxHs2WOttsCt4zaSzUVdenQXc_cry_jccsTr0MnzyiuNHBwYAeR4y3sBcK_aSa5ilzkUwgp1f4QWw3EqX95z5LtOPdeFvAUNgE-3KlhsHcYBg/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEdBCt1M3-lyEQczz4-lBPwXAtJMgofzZxHs2WOttsCt4zaSzUVdenQXc_cry_jccsTr0MnzyiuNHBwYAeR4y3sBcK_aSa5ilzkUwgp1f4QWw3EqX95z5LtOPdeFvAUNgE-3KlhsHcYBg/s200/Unknown.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">NOTICE: Diverse writers welcomed here!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Diversity is vital to speculative fiction. A genre centered
on exploration and encountering the Other must include voices and visions from
writers, readers and thinkers of all kinds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This year the Armadillocon Writing Workshop has sponsored
seats for writers of color! Visit the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">workshop page</a> for more information and to
fill out the sponsorship request form!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This week it’s time to set aside your writer’s hat and start
revising. But when it comes to revising you’ll need more than one hat. I’ll
call this first hat the big picture hat. This is where you need to assess just
what exactly you’ve got.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PUSsPrwhE_yyT-yCdiuAkSTEmdBnalFWhZG3arD3j6MoIughpP9zjoGvol3x9cMMdqtVHxhzw0l4JmmjcxEqJeMKryQVeiPoEPCz1RFATiR2RDpxgmqzlHs9CuE6KVc8St4L171rlNWt/s1600/1727297-Terry-Pratchett-Quote-The-first-draft-is-just-you-telling-yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PUSsPrwhE_yyT-yCdiuAkSTEmdBnalFWhZG3arD3j6MoIughpP9zjoGvol3x9cMMdqtVHxhzw0l4JmmjcxEqJeMKryQVeiPoEPCz1RFATiR2RDpxgmqzlHs9CuE6KVc8St4L171rlNWt/s640/1727297-Terry-Pratchett-Quote-The-first-draft-is-just-you-telling-yourself.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes our stories are buried beneath our conscious
thought. If you wrote your first draft free and fast, new story elements or
characters may have emerged or changed direction on you. Instead of forcing
things back into your original plan, this is an opportunity to see what this
draft has to say to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is big picture editing. Start by simply reading through
the mess and listen for the piece’s beating heart. What are the things your
characters believe in? Fight for? What is won or lost? Try not to be distracted
by scene details or sloppy sentences. Resist the urge to do any housekeeping at
this point. Try to get a bead on the essence of the story, the thing that will
guide your revisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now that you’ve read your draft for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>, it’s time to pick up your pen (or put your document into
revision mode) and read through it with your readers in mind. Is your story
coherent or are there places where you might lose your reader logically or
emotionally? This first revision is where it’s easiest to make big structural
changes. Move the furniture around, write new material, change a character’s
motivation, age, gender if you need to, try different dialogue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Oscar Wilde's handwritten manuscript </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #211922;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">page of
The Picture of Dorian Gray</span></span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mostly, I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">drawing</i>
with my red pen here, circling text to be moved, crossing out chunks, writing
brief notes for new scenes or dialogue. Here are some things to think about:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Plot:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Is there a beginning, middle and end to the story? Does the
protagonist change in some way? Do they succeed or fail at something? Do they
have a goal or desire? Did the characters get side tracked? If so and if the
story lost its focus you can either redirect the characters to your original
idea or explore the alternate story that the sidetrack suggests. It can be
helpful to write a brief reverse outline here. Make a list of each thing that
happens to see if you have cause-and-effect chain of events running through
your story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Pacing: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">May be wonky at this point. Frankly, pacing can be tricky in
shorter forms. Five thousand words can go by in a flash, so check for long
stretches of description or rambling characterizations. Try to keep things
concise and make sure events are progressing in a way that increases the
tension (i.e. keep tightening the thumb screws on the protagonist).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clarity: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Are there logic holes or missing steps in the chain of
events that will confuse the reader? Are there places where you can adjust the
description or characterization that will make the ending resonate more
powerfully? In theater, early rehearsals are devoted to blocking out the actors’
stage movements. Think in terms of blocking. Make sure it’s clear to your
reader where your character is in the room/woods/spaceship/etc., and in
relation to other characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With scribbled up draft in hand or on screen, you are ready
for your first big rewrite. You’re not shooting for perfection here, just
improvement. Try to improve the overall shape of the story, dial up the
conflict if you need to, refine the characters and their desires. You can rinse
and repeat this process throughout the week. Hell, if the zero draft isn’t
cooperating, you have time to start over from scratch. Maybe there’s some
moment within your first try at a story that branches off, intrigues you, go
ahead and see where that one leads you. Your goal is to come out of the week
with something rough but cohesive, something with all the moving parts in the
right places.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All of this advice holds for an older piece that you want to
refurbish. Except that what you have may be more polished, and it might be
harder for you to scrap big sections, rearrange or take the story in a new
direction. If so, this is the week you kill your darlings. No matter how
beautiful your sentences, how shapely your paragraphs, if the story isn’t
working it’s going to have to change and probably change into something very
different than your original idea. Sometimes I feel better if I keep the stuff
I amputate in a folder with the idea of using these scraps in something new
someday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next week will be a rest/catch up week. I will also talk
about revising for style and grace (that other editor’s hat) for writers who
may want to fast track and get their story in early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-79373515266381668712017-05-07T21:43:00.001-05:002017-05-15T09:50:59.198-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Bootcamp Week 3: Time to Write Your Zero Draft!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwVVicpKBLocOle27Fg4AsvSjjlD_mfehn4Uy-K7-hAND_Zf58Qh0bmlAnIenVu77Jrz8LSPdGITDFbUxpnbuD05L7oscBARZA2_0FnRsZJfLvpgubu2YByZeeu5lqbqgvSG6XcBat-r-/s1600/tumblr_n56bi7hjlt1rwc3exo2_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinwVVicpKBLocOle27Fg4AsvSjjlD_mfehn4Uy-K7-hAND_Zf58Qh0bmlAnIenVu77Jrz8LSPdGITDFbUxpnbuD05L7oscBARZA2_0FnRsZJfLvpgubu2YByZeeu5lqbqgvSG6XcBat-r-/s640/tumblr_n56bi7hjlt1rwc3exo2_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Francis Bacon's Studio is a mess. Read about artists making a mess <a href="http://art-sheep.com/why-the-most-creative-people-have-messy-rooms/">here</a>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’re now five weeks away from the June 11 deadline to
enroll and submit your short story to the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop</a>. You’ve, <a href="http://curiousworlds.blogspot.com/2017/04/armadillocon-writers-workshop-boot-camp.html">gathered ideas</a> from the world around you (and from what you’ve
been reading and watching). Maybe you’ve pulled out an old story or novel
chapter that isn’t working yet. You’ve spent a little time <a href="http://curiousworlds.blogspot.com/2017/04/armadillocon-writing-workshop-bootcamp.html">developing one or two</a> of these ideas by noodling out some scenarios or creating some
characters or both. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now it’s time to commit and write a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zero draft.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Technically this is your “first” draft, but even the thought
of creating a first draft can be daunting, especially if you have a strong
vision of what you want the story to become. Personally, my zero drafts are abominations;
a mess of ugly writing where the only thing I’ve succeeded at was mangling the
idea. (TBH, sometimes I will get a story that just rolls off my fingers in
pretty good shape, but those are gifts, and it seems more useful to talk about
what it takes to create a story the hard way.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This zero draft is the one that <u>nobody</u> but you gets
to see. I don’t outline my short stories, but I usually have a little
collection of notes, a few random lines of dialogue, and an idea of the
beginning, middle, and end. With that in hand, I sit down and try to write the
story through to the end. Try to lock your critical mind away in a box and just
write. Try to write, if not fast, then with deliberate speed. Try not to look
back. I try to write at least 1,000 words in a day. If you’re pushing ahead,
not stopping to edit or polish anything, you’ll be surprised how quickly you
can lay down 1,000 words. I often write more. Since I’m not editing at this
stage, if a scene really isn’t working, I’ll just write a different version of
the scene or write a different scene altogether. For the zero draft, don’t be
afraid to write scenes that may not make it into your final draft. The next day
when you return to the work, you can weigh both scenes and move forward from
the one that works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Creating something new is messy, so give yourself permission
to make a mess. Keep moving forward writing as fast as you comfortably can. Often
the first few paragraphs are a kind of throat clearing, don’t worry you can cut
it later. In the meantime, clear away. Keep looking for a way into the story.
If you can’t find a door, look for a window and climb in. My first paragraphs
often have more to do with these flailing attempts at entry, and I almost
always cut them in revision. Resist the temptation to polish your opening lines
and paragraphs before you move on. Just try to keep the basic story in focus
and keep pushing the narrative forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The trick here, especially with short fiction, is to scale
your story to the word count limit. Mostly this is something that comes with
practice. Writers from Bradbury to Jay Lake made a practice of writing a short
story a week. <a href="http://io9.gizmodo.com/5457388/12-secrets-to-being-a-super-prolific-short-story-writer">Check out Charlie Jane Anders' great post about writing prolifically</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For now, just keep your cast of characters limited to two to
four “speaking parts,” and focus on <u>one</u> life-changing event or
revelatory moment for the protagonist. You can also try <a href="https://vylarkaftan.com/2012/05/22/the-super-cool-magic-short-story-formula/">Vylar Kaftan’s super cool short story formula</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All of the above will work for both short stories and novel
chapters – first chapters, especially, should be a tight, dramatic unit of
storytelling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you can sit down for an hour a day, you should be able to
generate a zero draft of a short story or novel chapter in a week or less.
Think more about the general size of the story as opposed to the specific word
count limit at this stage. Shoot to tell the story in 3,000 and 6,000 words, as
the final word count will change in revision. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Don’t forget to keep reading short stories and novels. Pay
attention to how the stories or chapters are structured. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">OK. Pick up your pens and get out your keyboards and write
your zero draft! </span></div>
Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-68254668548113736512017-05-04T10:40:00.001-05:002017-05-04T10:40:36.261-05:00April's Poetry Posting Wrap-up<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi8EtoSvxjd3U25SdZTLHy4vIoYpNMK0D7KEHAkhuIiLPHisSYfTv2KtYWR39QHXGNZHqgwxQONYco6Cz82KENATNDqhNWfk2JpuXiJyYjkpJAT0M5Eif6M9gQzFrNI8rPBtYwdBkBWJT/s1600/MexicanPlum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi8EtoSvxjd3U25SdZTLHy4vIoYpNMK0D7KEHAkhuIiLPHisSYfTv2KtYWR39QHXGNZHqgwxQONYco6Cz82KENATNDqhNWfk2JpuXiJyYjkpJAT0M5Eif6M9gQzFrNI8rPBtYwdBkBWJT/s640/MexicanPlum.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Celebration of National Poetry Month, I posted a poem to my Facebook page every day in April. I didn’t do any advance
planning, just a quick internet search, sometimes on a particular subject, sometimes
just visiting my favorite internet poetry haunts. With only a couple exceptions,
every poem I posted was new to me, and I think It was one of the favorite things
I’ve ever done on Facebook. Since these poems are soon to be buried in the inexorable roll of new posts, I’ve gathered
all the links below in a kind of ad hoc and personal anthology.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are the poems posted for each day of April:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/54357">April</a> by Alicia <o:p></o:p>Ostriker</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/51602">Barking</a> by Jim Harrison -- yes that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/28/arts/jim-harrison-free-spirited-writer-dies-at-78.html?_r=0">Jim Harrison</a>, who just passed last year.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <a href="https://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/levine_sp15.html">Leaves</a> by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/philip-levine">Philip Levine</a>, U.S. Poet Laureate 2011-2012</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. An excerpt from <a href="https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/asphodel-greeny-flower-excerpt">Asphodel, That Greeny Flower</a> by William Carlos Williams</span></span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is difficult </span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">to get the news from poems</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">yet me die miserably every day</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">for lack</span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">of what is found there.</span></i></span></span></div>
</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. <a href="https://allpoetry.com/Lord-Dunsany-Edward-Plunkett">Where the Tides Ebb and Flow</a> by Lord Dunsany (check out his masterful micro fictions, too!)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/51514">The Cats Will Know</a> by Cesare Pavese</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/101/625.html">Ode on a Grecian Urn</a> by John Keats, inspired by this quote:</span></span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the "Ode to a Grecian Urn" is worth any number of old ladies." ~William Faulkner</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/113/2085.html">A Light Exists in Spring</a> by Emily Dickinson</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wztQ7BiON_YEMmFje0LDHsjj-rTduAX-1NX08oIkpDnwKTmQu494oiMXAtYB07EbLSpvv8SgngrLK0VkUyQOy1EHgTr1ILKDYv0LOD6AODyizZtuwda8FBJrvhm7oFAoDNJ8D7nCbs_j/s1600/eac221eb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8wztQ7BiON_YEMmFje0LDHsjj-rTduAX-1NX08oIkpDnwKTmQu494oiMXAtYB07EbLSpvv8SgngrLK0VkUyQOy1EHgTr1ILKDYv0LOD6AODyizZtuwda8FBJrvhm7oFAoDNJ8D7nCbs_j/s200/eac221eb.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">9. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/features/articles/detail/92010">America</a> by Claude McKay, written in 1921, it feels grimly prescient today.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">10. In the rap as poetry category here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6Xt5K66dHk&feature=youtu.be">Taking Off</a> by Clipping. BTW, <a href="http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1483-why-clippings-hugo-nomination-matters-for-music-in-science-fiction/">their album Splendor and Misery is up for a Hugo this year</a>.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">11. One of my favorites, <a href="http://www.poetrycat.com/christina-georgina-rossetti/childs-talk-in-april">Child's Talk in April</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Rossetti">Christina Georgina Rossetti</a></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">12. <a href="https://feminisminindia.com/2016/12/09/spoken-word-poetry-teaching-life-sir/">Fantastic Breasts and Where to Find Them</a> by Brenna Twohy. Yeah, you read that right. Feminist spoken word that's funny with a sting at the end. Just excellent, scroll to the bottom for the video.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">13. I<a href="https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/airport">n the Airport </a>by Eleni <span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Sikélianòs</span></span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">A man called Dad walks by</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">then another one does. Dad, you say</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">and he turns, forever turning, forever</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">being called. Dad, he turns, and looks</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">at you, bewildered, his face a moving</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">wreck of skin, a gravity-bound question</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">mark, a fruit ripped in two, an animal</span></span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">that can't escape the field </span></span></i>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">14. <a href="https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-world-seems/">The world seems...</a> by Gregory Orr</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">15. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/56257">Old Mama Saturday</a> by Marie Ponsot</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">16. A sonnet for <a href="http://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=19061">Easter Sunday, 1985</a> by Charles Martin. The link includes some good commentary.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">17. <a href="http://www.picador.com/blog/march-2016/monday-by-billy-collins">Monday</a> by Billy Collins</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">18. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/45514">Composed Upon Westminster Bridge</a> by William Wordsworth, another sonnet (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prelude">The Prelude</a> is one of my favorite long poems.)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">19. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/48528">The Body</a> by Marianne Boruch:</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;"><style><!--
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">has its little hobbies. The lung </span></span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">likes its air best after supper, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">goes deeper there to trade up </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">for oxygen, give everything else </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">away. (And before supper, yes, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">during too, but there’s </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">something about evening, that </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">slow breath of the day noticed: </span><span style="font-size: large;">oh good</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">still coming</span><span style="font-size: large;">, </span><span style="font-size: large;">still going </span><span style="font-size: large;">... ) As for </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">bones—femur, spine, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the tribe of them in there—they harden </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">with use. The body would like </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a small mile or two. Thank you. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It would like it on a bike </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">or a run. Or in the water. Blue. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And food. A habit that involves </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a larger circumference where a garden’s </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">involved, beer is brewed, cows </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">wake the farmer with their fullness, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a field surrenders its wheat, and wheat </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">understands </span><span style="font-size: large;">I will be crushed </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">into flour and starry-dust </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the whole room</span><span style="font-size: large;">, the baker </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">sweating, opening a window </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">to acknowledge such remarkable </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">confetti. And the brain, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">locked in its strange </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">dual citizenship, idles there in the body, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">neatly terraced and landscaped. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Or left to ruin, such a brain, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">wild roses growing </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">next to the sea. The body is </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">gracious about that. Oh, their </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">scent sometimes. Their </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">tangle. In truth, in secret, </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the first thing </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: -12pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;">in morning the eye longs to see. </span></div>
</span></span></i></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">20. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2017/04/warson-shires-lesson-for-women-who-are-difficult-to-love/523389/">For Women Who Are Difficult to Love</a> by Warsan Shire</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">21. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/58432">Catfish</a> by Claudia Emerson (one of my favorite poets)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">22. For Earth Day: <a href="http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/science-and-poetry">Projection</a> by Anna M. Evans </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">23. <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/commentary/the-poetry-of-running">The Song of the Ungirt Runners</a> by Charles Hamilton Sorley. Written shortly before he was killed in World War 1. Follow the link to read about the poem and the poet.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">24. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/truong-tran">The Hidden</a> by Truong Tran</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">25. <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/51937">The Young</a> by Roddy Lumsden</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">26. <a href="http://copper-nickel.org/algebra-of-the-sky/">Algebra of the Sky</a> by David Hernandez found in <a href="http://copper-nickel.org/">Copper Nickel</a>, an excellent place to find new poetry.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">27. <a href="https://buttonpoetry.com/kai-carlson-wee-cry-loon/">Cry of the Loon</a> by Kai Carlson-Wee. Check out <a href="https://buttonpoetry.com/">Button Poetry</a> for lots of great spoken word poetry.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">28. Completely Friday by Luis Garcia Montero</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">29. The Fall of Rome by W. H. Auden. This poem is easy to find so here's an excellent essay.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.266667px;">30. <a href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/04/26/the-mushroom-hunters-neil-gaiman/">The Mushroom Hunters </a>by Neil Gaiman, read by Amanda Palmer.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<![endif]--><!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment-->Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-54505162135722515132017-04-30T22:05:00.001-05:002017-04-30T22:05:33.839-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Bootcamp Week 2: Playing in the Sandbox – Developing Ideas, Old and New<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Welcome back to bootcamp. We’re T-minus 6 weeks to the June
11 deadline to enroll and submit your short story or novel chapter to the
<a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop</a>. Last week, I talked about how
workshops can benefit your writing and what you can do to get ready to write by
carving out some time in your schedule and gathering ideas.</span></div>
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This week is a good time sort through your collection of ideas and/or
unfinished projects and throw your lot in with one lucky winner. In other words
it’s time to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">decide</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">develop</b> your idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The first thing to decide is whether you’ll be working on a
short story or the first chapter(s) of a novel. (I’m going to put a caveat in
here that I am primarily a short story writer. I’ll do my best to
keep the advice here universal, but this series might by slightly more adapted
to short form fiction rather than noveling. I am currently working on a novel,
and learning a lot, so stay tuned for more novel friendly posts in the future.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While I think submitting a stand-alone short story might be
slightly more productive for a one-day workshop, many students opt to submit
the first chapter(s) – up to 5,000 words – of a novel. Since it is just a piece
of something much larger, you’ll get less feedback and insight into shaping
middles and creating satisfying endings. Even so, first chapters are critical
to attracting readers. This is where you set up and set in motion a larger
story, and there will be plenty of faculty and fellow writers who are on the same page at the workshop. If you decide to write opening chapter(s), focus on
writing a scene or a sequence of scenes that create a strong hook. Introduce
the main characters (but not too many all at once!). Salt in some world
building and think a bit about setting the tone for the story (e.g. is it
creepy, gritty horror or a space comedy).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Short stories are great for workshops in particular and for
honing your writing skills in general. A stand-alone piece will give you a
chance to get feedback on a complete unit of storytelling. Writing short
fiction has helped me develop skills like assessing and managing the
size of an idea, managing plot and pacing on a small scale, and understanding scene
and sequence. It is also a place where you can try out crazy ideas, unusual
forms and methods. Experimentation isn’t just a great way to master the form –
it’s also a lot of fun. So, even if short stories aren’t your main interest, consider writing at least a few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Starting from nada?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First, keep reading, listening, and viewing stories that engage
your emotions and challenge your thinking. Whenever something piques your interest note it down in your journal (or wherever you keep notes) but don't stop there, riff of these idea kernels,
combine them with others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here are a couple common ways to develop ideas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can think in
terms of SCENARIO. Collect vignettes, fragmentary scenarios, themeatic ideas
that intrigue you. Spin ideas out by asking “what if” over and over again. Be
present. Be inquisitive. We witness (and act in) a thousand little dramas every day. After you get off the phone with the Help Desk wonk,
imagine that disembodied voice in a surreal scenario, if you hear a quiet
argument between a couple at a coffee shop spin out your idea of what might
have caused it, or how it might come to an unexpected end. Start with a moment
or interaction from your day, or open up Pinterest or Instagram and look for
evocative images. Get out a blank piece of paper or pull up a blank document
and play around with “what ifs.” Write down as many as you can, everything that
comes into your head. Try combining a couple unlikely elements into a scenario
that you can develop into a complete story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Or approach story via CHARACTER, keeping in mind that for a
short story or the early chapter(s) of a novel, it’s usually best to limit the
number of characters. I find that two or three characters are ideal for anything under 5,000 words. If you
have some characters in mind, try putting them together in conversation, and write it out in dialogue only. Give one of the characters a
secret. Think about characters who want something deeply, or want to escape
something. If you have a half-formed character, interview them. Pose questions
and have them state their opinion and then keep writing, letting them
talk. Keep going until they say something that surprises you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/urJDbQl5W0I" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Want more? Check out John Dufresne's talk about creating a story.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The unfinished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’ve been writing for a while, and you’re anything like
me, you might have what I call The Island of Misfit Toys: a collection of unfinished
or broken stories languishing in a folder somewhere. I keep these stories
around for the day when I have acquired whatever skill I need in order to pull
that particular story off. If you’re looking to refurbish a story for the
workshop, this is the week to read it as critically as you can. Summarize what
happens plot wise, and make notes about what you think are the its strengths
and weaknesses. Be prepared to tear it down and start again from the ground up.
If you’ve kept the story around, then the kernel of the idea that inspired you
should survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So keep reading and mulling over ideas, let them grow into
some vignettes and character interactions, make notes. If you have any questions,
put them in the comments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next week you’re writing your ZERO DRAFT.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-1784326692925891172017-04-27T17:00:00.001-05:002017-04-27T17:00:14.063-05:00Fantastical Fictions Book Club: Fardwor, Russia! by Oleg Kashin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdS5zYMgjUimL5pznFkhx3nWPPB9t2wHtbNumkYemsfM0ce-rMe25mWpyLpNY0ampcwzsrWB_kIne31BmVOUqfrK6AVeUgFnkyu-bE_t6AhEG50ZUdtXldyjKg1Lxq-iEKYArKZqaj-vl/s1600/ct-prj-fardwor-russia-putin-oleg-kashin-20160203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdS5zYMgjUimL5pznFkhx3nWPPB9t2wHtbNumkYemsfM0ce-rMe25mWpyLpNY0ampcwzsrWB_kIne31BmVOUqfrK6AVeUgFnkyu-bE_t6AhEG50ZUdtXldyjKg1Lxq-iEKYArKZqaj-vl/s400/ct-prj-fardwor-russia-putin-oleg-kashin-20160203.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">(Oleg Kashin photo / Restless Books)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's time again for another Fantastical Fictions Book Club. On Thursday, May 5 at 7:00 p.m., we'll convene around the big table at <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/">Malvern Books</a> to discuss Oleg Kashin's <a href="http://www.restlessbooks.com/bookstore/fardwor-russia">Fardwor, Russia!</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmQwbJIxa-Zzr4aQiJ62poQKCOpm0CRYLkdgE8-agbnWTlmYtr0eIVTOMnR4ywGGwHsqa9WaHHpMSvQJuPz5y3KBF9gCIp-ZhBUEjqJTEazwVBJCrRMnELlopoGp-ZVSFS0Gn1QKLr_bt/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpmQwbJIxa-Zzr4aQiJ62poQKCOpm0CRYLkdgE8-agbnWTlmYtr0eIVTOMnR4ywGGwHsqa9WaHHpMSvQJuPz5y3KBF9gCIp-ZhBUEjqJTEazwVBJCrRMnELlopoGp-ZVSFS0Gn1QKLr_bt/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This slim novel is a fascinating breezy read, if you can call a dark, satiric dystopia "breezy." It offers a glimpse of Russian culture and its complaints. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.restlessbooks.com/">The publisher's website</a> describes the book this way:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> "When a scientist experimenting on humans in a sanatorium near Moscow gives a growth serum to a dwarf oil mogul, the newly heightened businessman runs off with the experimenter’s wife, and a series of mysterious deaths and crimes commences. Fantastical, wonderfully strange, and ringing with the echoes of real-life events, this political parable fused with science fiction has an uncanny resonance with today’s Russia under Putin.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> Oleg Kashin is a notorious Russian journalist and activist who, in 2010, two months after he’d delivered the manuscript of this book to his publishers, was beaten to within an inch of his life in an attack with ties to the highest levels of government. While absurdly funny on its face, </span><span style="word-wrap: break-word;">Fardwor, Russia! A Fantastical Tale of Life Under Putin</span><span style="background-color: white;"> is deadly serious in its implications. Kashin’s experience exemplifies why so few authors dare to criticize the state—and his book is a testament of the power of literature to break the bonds of power, corruption, and enforced silence."</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-prj-fardwor-russia-putin-oleg-kashin-20160203-story.html">Dmitry Samarov, in his review of the book for the Chicago Tribune</a> says:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Absurdity is piled upon absurdity, but none of it is taken as anything but a matter of course by anyone involved. There is a long tradition of this sort of storytelling in Russia. From Nikolai Gogol's "The Overcoat" in pre-Soviet times to Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" and onward, writers have had to address the insanity of their society through indirect or fabulist means. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;">"Fardwor" is no fairy tale. Kashin grounds his story in everyday reality. Karpov finds out his wife has left him because she has unfriended him on Facebook; the oligarch, Kirill, is named to head the organization charged with making the upcoming Olympics in Sochi a success."</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7-Z6asfKpPvL2teNaq3Rs_Dw0soRRxvYPpmdK07bfwS2udDIb6uhf31RVwX8xt45TuLmbVa0OnFTxyjVWYRkni5XUY7T-kREyHLFvb8syqEMaBXYu8J440FQj_zJh1LRgKyjkE37SWeV/s1600/9951117._UY200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7-Z6asfKpPvL2teNaq3Rs_Dw0soRRxvYPpmdK07bfwS2udDIb6uhf31RVwX8xt45TuLmbVa0OnFTxyjVWYRkni5XUY7T-kREyHLFvb8syqEMaBXYu8J440FQj_zJh1LRgKyjkE37SWeV/s1600/9951117._UY200_.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">All sorts of strange madcappery goes on in this pages, yet this is a </span>book where the author's story is at least as interesting as the tale he tells in these pages. Kashin is a well known journalist and blogger who regularly writes about political issues in Russia. Shortly after turning the manuscript for this book in to his editor, he was severely beaten in what appears to be a politically motivated attack. This edition of the book comes with a thorough and engaging introduction to both the book and the author by </span><span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;"><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon">Max Seddon</a>, World Correspondent for BuzzFeed News. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;">For more about </span><span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif;">Oleg Kashin's story here check out <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2010/11/06/oleg-kashins-horrible-truth/">Oleg Kashin's Horrible Truth: A journalist is beaten nearly to death in Moscow. Is this a deliberate crackdown, or something more subtile -- and more sinister?</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">Read Kashin's open letter to Putin/Medvedev <a href="http://www.rferl.org/a/russian-journalist-oleg-kashin-letter-to-putin-medvedev-solzhenitsyn/27290849.html">here</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">For extra credit, check out <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/c270e004-04b4-11e7-ace0-1ce02ef0def9">Like, share, tweet: Social media meets the Russian revolution</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">Pick up a copy at Malvern today, and join us next Thursday to discuss (whether you've read it or not)!</span></div>
Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-89655779558091311722017-04-22T11:40:00.001-05:002018-05-07T13:12:37.523-05:00ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop Boot Camp Week 1: Why Workshop, What to Write, and Starting From Scratch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5ejOv7lb0rwvQnF5NjBtqv3ERGxUG4hjXOe3f2KN8J_wwpMw-5HxXVoQ5-HtI8k37EDStX1wMdV5k8RFGEXN4Cx8gMwJnNo3e-gRRrbwLx0AeajG8C3276zd9QRKTYrdNbsRc8MXHSDT/s1600/AconTypo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/">ArmadilloCon</a> is one of the best little, literary science fiction and fantasy conventions in Texas. On Friday, August 4, before the convention begins, writers from near and far will gather to participate in an <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">all-day intensive genre workshop</a> with professional writers. I have been a student at this workshop, a volunteer, and a teacher, now I’m coordinating it. I am thrilled to be helming the workshop that helped to make me the writer I am today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdacPeLn9jdjJcYbyfDKlGAhM6Z43W7XTgz1CKwVYZ79tuxwg2FBFnakzFBJb2dvY0SLYb0yqvHzWedMXomT9FHQ7_0B1So3ZOvrWS2CCKzXdnGJTGDgw_VkgZa219FnHo2EXUf0ftPYn/s1600/websitelogoaug19.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdacPeLn9jdjJcYbyfDKlGAhM6Z43W7XTgz1CKwVYZ79tuxwg2FBFnakzFBJb2dvY0SLYb0yqvHzWedMXomT9FHQ7_0B1So3ZOvrWS2CCKzXdnGJTGDgw_VkgZa219FnHo2EXUf0ftPYn/s640/websitelogoaug19.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I still remember how scary it was to submit something for critique for the first time. I didn’t know if it was great or terrible or how other people would react to it. Every workshop is different, and even if the workshop experience isn’t for you, it can still be a lot of fun and a great learning experience. At the very least, you will meet a room full of other writers. If you’re attending the con, that means you’ll be seeing a couple dozen familiar faces throughout the weekend. Even if you never attend another workshop, learning to receive criticism, and to evaluate and give useful feedback to your peers will give you the tools necessary to continuously improve your writing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Maybe you want to write, but have never written a complete short story, or started that novel that’s been bouncing around in your brain. No worries, over the next two months I’m going to write a series of BOOT CAMP posts to take you step-by-step through the creation of a piece of writing that will serve you well in any workshop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In order to participate in the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">ArmadilloCon Writing Workshop</a> you must submit a previously unpublished piece of writing (up to 5,000 words), either a short story or the first chapter of a novel. In this case previously published means anything that is out in the world, in print or online whether you were paid for it or not. This includes fiction you have published on a personal blog. The focus of this workshop is on craft; so if you’ve been writing for a while and have been published or have been publishing your own work, use this as an opportunity to write something new and challenging. The goal isn’t to bring a polished gem of a piece to the workshop, it’s to stretch and grow as a writer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can submit a piece and register for the workshop today, but I know how writer’s minds work, so here’s the deal. <u>The deadline to submit/sign-up for the workshop is Sunday, June 11</u> a little under two months away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’re starting from scratch, your boot camp assignment for this week is to PREPARE:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">MAKE time to write</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There’s an old saying: You’ll never FIND the time to do the things you want, you have to MAKE it. This week, think about when you can make time to write. If your weekdays are jammed then carve out weekend time. If your weekends are spoken for, try writing over your lunch hour, or getting up an hour earlier in the morning, put off your Netflix queue for a few weeks. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6cfZRzmkXITK1hwvmdwdgcoUjUBHKYpHv0jJKi8Sp3Nj8JJBbdQD8_mFpGxesNDLS07iBcCpIj9xIsJyzNo2jSvRQhD0pn0BBtEP1pEASwqjMvNh6KIxpmYTVbSY_fyC7S9DEJCv5RhQ/s1600/cast-of-wonders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6cfZRzmkXITK1hwvmdwdgcoUjUBHKYpHv0jJKi8Sp3Nj8JJBbdQD8_mFpGxesNDLS07iBcCpIj9xIsJyzNo2jSvRQhD0pn0BBtEP1pEASwqjMvNh6KIxpmYTVbSY_fyC7S9DEJCv5RhQ/s200/cast-of-wonders.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.castofwonders.org/"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Short stories for young adult readers</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">READ</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You’ve heard it before, if you want to be a writer you have to read. This week, and in the coming weeks, you are going to be reading to a purpose.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NPDcRYgRYoGyxmq1AMhO9BeZ4oLtLHcyC4t0QdNazzWT7kGQ7_KTe1dQA-GVKgspttfTu8z7x8JtzVjXQ-Sgg7LKpcPx6aR7q2gGnfnXGS5EWIZZ7rFXHBUqZa_m_R8kw3aN2lef4xox/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NPDcRYgRYoGyxmq1AMhO9BeZ4oLtLHcyC4t0QdNazzWT7kGQ7_KTe1dQA-GVKgspttfTu8z7x8JtzVjXQ-Sgg7LKpcPx6aR7q2gGnfnXGS5EWIZZ7rFXHBUqZa_m_R8kw3aN2lef4xox/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://podcastle.org/"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fantasy reprints and originals</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’re planning on writing a short story, read (or listen to – yes podcasts count! Check the side bar for links to more podcasts.) a variety of short stories. I do much of my thinking in a journal, so you may want to write down some notes after reading/listening to a story. First, did the story move you? Was it to your taste? There is a huge range of styles and types of short stories even within the genre, so when you find a story that speaks to you (or not), think about why. What are the elements that appealed to your sensibilities or put you off?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you want to submit the first chapter(s) of a novel, go back and re-read the first chapters of your favorite novels. Think about what drew you into the story. Was there a hook that made you commit to reading on? How much world building did the author include in the first pages? How much characterization? What did the author do to set the tone of the book? If it’s a horror book, what made it feel creepy? Science fiction, what made it otherworldly or futuristic?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">RUMINATE</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Throw some story ideas around. Spin ideas, characters, scenarios out in your notebook or in a document on your computer. You don’t have to develop anything yet, just compile “what if” moments, vignettes, characters. Again read, keep up with the news, follow your most esoteric interests down their rabbit holes to longreads. Bookmark what you find and make a note of why it interests you. I’ve created more than a few stories by mashing two disparate ideas together, so be generous filling your idea file.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another alternative is to REABILITATE</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’re like me, you have sort of an island of lost toys folder of broken or unfinished stories. Often they are broken/unfinished because there is some skill that I need to acquire in order to pull the story off. As long as they’ve never been published in any way, it’s perfectly legal to rework one of these stories. This week, visit your island of broken stories and see if there are any candidates you’d like to resurrect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you’re brand new to writing fiction, here's some tips from Kurt Vonnegut:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next week I’ll talk about what kind of work is most useful to bring to a workshop or critique group, and you’ll continue to develop your idea and get ready to the first draft</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you have questions, post them in the comments and I’ll do my best to address them!</span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-23057018414009179272017-03-31T11:24:00.000-06:002017-03-31T19:12:41.627-06:00Useful and Necessary: April is National Poetry Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPn04SvMvDykmmj-1vgysQF0DXNFPxTstlsbN47RfPA2RMrMBNZ93NbjtytBC-8Thz9VeyZvYDreNRWbZ7DCrUl-VEMH6eIr3w5SV7_MqEbLmJ_K7gOrPvVtemafdA6zpABhUsxhC4OsG/s1600/National-Poetry-Month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPn04SvMvDykmmj-1vgysQF0DXNFPxTstlsbN47RfPA2RMrMBNZ93NbjtytBC-8Thz9VeyZvYDreNRWbZ7DCrUl-VEMH6eIr3w5SV7_MqEbLmJ_K7gOrPvVtemafdA6zpABhUsxhC4OsG/s640/National-Poetry-Month.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">April is upon us and it's <a href="https://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month/home">National Poetry month</a>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lately, when I need a break from the news cycle, when I need to refill my emotional and artistic reserves, I've turned to poetry. I've blogged before about poetry's usefulness <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8700011920072085176#editor/target=post;postID=767463399892177601;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=4;src=postname">here</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8700011920072085176#editor/target=post;postID=2187451727036571306;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=13;src=postname">here</a>. Put simply, poetry interrogates our society and our humanity, it shapes our language and our world even if only a fraction of people read (very much of) it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In keeping with my increased commitment to engagement this year, here are the actions I'm taking to celebrate poetry this month:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">READING:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I subscribed to <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine">Poetry Magazine</a>. Though, if money is tight their website has plenty to offer, or put their <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/resources/mobile">poetry spinner</a> on your phone.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">WRITING:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I am working on a poem/writing poetry for 30 minutes a day. I considered doing a poem-a-day challenge, but have come to realize that when writing prose or poetry, creating a finished project takes exactly as long as it takes. As someone who loves polishing prose and tinkering with the line, this really scratches my itch. I'm hoping that it will free me up in my prose work, especially when I need to push through a rough draft - that early writing that is so messy and ugly and necessary.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Feeling a little shy about diving back into writing poetry, I found </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/poetry-workshop">Sharpened Visions: A poetry workshop</a>, a</span></span> lovely refresher/introductory mooc. (It just started, so not too late to join in. </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you do, wave to me on the forums!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I may never be a great poet, or even a good one, but it's a practice worth any writer's time. Poetry sharpens your eye to metaphor, image, and moment; it sharpens your ear to sound and lyricism.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you want to try your hand here's an exercise inspired by the Sharpened vision's week one lesson </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Try inserting line breaks into a piece of prose: the opening paragraph from a famous novel, a newspaper article, or an insufferable interoffice memo...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For this, I used one of the <a href="http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/08/tiger-oil-memos.html">Tiger Oil Memos from Letters of Note</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here's my try:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And you think you should be</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">you wear slouchy dress attire.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">That will not occur
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the future. You</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Always. Also, all employees</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dress, Especially on those days</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When you’re working and </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Think you should be</span></span><br />
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-60534017663769451912017-03-07T16:09:00.002-06:002017-03-07T16:09:34.903-06:00Fantastical Fictions Book Club!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezeWZydXiXRQu2XoArqfhlgi0F18U6YMWRqg31eLsvOEKk01XAB1HqFAYRLMae7OQiKp_MUeokYkoEwSWTz2RmtUhHSLhPrQ-zOaR6IIBd4UoOtEoitN-qxMrvb92sdeWlgDSRLLl74Dt/s1600/16730104_721890444651117_3698190212191532100_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezeWZydXiXRQu2XoArqfhlgi0F18U6YMWRqg31eLsvOEKk01XAB1HqFAYRLMae7OQiKp_MUeokYkoEwSWTz2RmtUhHSLhPrQ-zOaR6IIBd4UoOtEoitN-qxMrvb92sdeWlgDSRLLl74Dt/s640/16730104_721890444651117_3698190212191532100_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are so many wonderful examples of fantastic literature just waiting to be discovered, and <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/">Malvern Books</a> glitters with a wealth of rare and hard to find literary gems. So, after a successful year hosting a variety of authors and their fabulous books, we've decided to expand the <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/2016/03/09/introducing-fantastical-fictions/">Fantastical Fictions</a> series to include a book club.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Thursday March 23 at 7:00 p.m., we'll be discussing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wyndham">John Wyndham's</a> final novel Chocky. Completed in 1968, this story originally appeared as a novelette in Amazing Stories in 1963</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">From the back cover:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDARyTjqTrhMkyACqba4CKK3T-gHABMIR8LZeqgWZL5eLIZR8ddi1py5d0aLsZxnOeTBxFNU5BRh90OgjE2IoU5ad5pHm3sKfleMjAxQensYe4ZDVIP7hXVxlpUznpn3cSOcDLHS6NjGR0/s1600/s-l225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDARyTjqTrhMkyACqba4CKK3T-gHABMIR8LZeqgWZL5eLIZR8ddi1py5d0aLsZxnOeTBxFNU5BRh90OgjE2IoU5ad5pHm3sKfleMjAxQensYe4ZDVIP7hXVxlpUznpn3cSOcDLHS6NjGR0/s200/s-l225.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"It's not terribly unusual for a boy to have an imaginary friend, but Matthew's parents have to agree that his--nicknamed Chocky--is anything but ordinary. Why, Chicky demands to know, are there twenty-four hours in a day? Why are there two sexes? Why can't Matthew solve his math homework using a logical System like binary code?"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Chocky, ...is a playful investigation of what being human is all about, delving into such matters as child-rearing, marriage, learning, artistic inspiration--and ending with a surprising and impassioned plea for better human stewardship of the earth."</i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Even if you haven't heard of John Wyndham, it's a good bet that you've heard of his work. As a writer he hit his stride after World War Two and, much like Philip K. Dick who came after, tapped into the zeitgeist of the times. Like PKD many of his works where transformed over and over into radio plays, movies and TV shows.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuJKaEAR84MigK7d3fH0oUShAOlP9ZPK70s5JR8IqE74d0vk8riiMyE_8TEclde8Vdhhhax-odZlRSotetztp1HBkOpMFoslpbNWfOwMGEF5B0PZh-sZ0U35qKZGnPBr_t9zrOgp7fZbh/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuJKaEAR84MigK7d3fH0oUShAOlP9ZPK70s5JR8IqE74d0vk8riiMyE_8TEclde8Vdhhhax-odZlRSotetztp1HBkOpMFoslpbNWfOwMGEF5B0PZh-sZ0U35qKZGnPBr_t9zrOgp7fZbh/s400/Unknown.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His novel, The Midwich Cuckoos, came to the big screen (more than once) as the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054443/">Village of the Damned</a>. Perhaps even more famous is the screen adaptation of his tale of vegetable monsters, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055894/">The Day of the Triffids</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocky_(TV_series)%20http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202722/">In 1984 the BBC adapted Chocky into a television series</a> for children, which would seem to suit gentle, but no less fascinating story. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dhSN7Z_XAj9OBpzlhzGgcBWHImZIZuYLnpgMu6J__AzyVT2rBzjkIZali00LaC3DrMpfVBjypzYTonteQsKhZZkm8fhxmhvlQj54S4vp9q-D4FcTIj-8P0QBDO7Yq9LI2wLXN123Gg3X/s1600/070723034641_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dhSN7Z_XAj9OBpzlhzGgcBWHImZIZuYLnpgMu6J__AzyVT2rBzjkIZali00LaC3DrMpfVBjypzYTonteQsKhZZkm8fhxmhvlQj54S4vp9q-D4FcTIj-8P0QBDO7Yq9LI2wLXN123Gg3X/s320/070723034641_l.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Malvern is stocked with extra copies of this brief novel, and there's plenty of time to read it before the meeting, but since this isn't school, there'll be no quiz! No worries if you haven't read it, or have no intention to. If you enjoy discussing books--especially the type that don't concern themselves too much with the rules of reality the rest of us have to live by, then come and spend an hour with us.</span></span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-39912485133721318762017-03-03T13:04:00.000-06:002017-03-03T13:04:11.711-06:00Pick up your pens, it’s time to start thinking about the ArmadilloCon Writers’ Workshop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTnCOfBtTh5xjKlLiH7EYA4vYfxxAM-nAeJ5lVipw9pEMkNXOLaqBKomnNFT_6r3PDkmXliDMJ7MsG-SKz9pheRkV0KZx05CmwF2c1MKEUIVEK4lwNNeB4N6Ye52C-BOmPIzL1Hg6bQgE/s1600/C4zI4g8UoAEKfcs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTnCOfBtTh5xjKlLiH7EYA4vYfxxAM-nAeJ5lVipw9pEMkNXOLaqBKomnNFT_6r3PDkmXliDMJ7MsG-SKz9pheRkV0KZx05CmwF2c1MKEUIVEK4lwNNeB4N6Ye52C-BOmPIzL1Hg6bQgE/s640/C4zI4g8UoAEKfcs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I told a writer friend that I would be coordinating the <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/writersworkshop.html">ArmadilloCon Writers’ Workshop</a> this year, he asked me if I’d lost a bet? I laughed and said, no. I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to give back to a workshop that has given me so much! Excited and a little nervous. Lucky for me I have the support of the previous coordinators <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/240304/marshall-ryan-maresca">Marshall Ryan Maresca</a> and <a href="http://www.csleicht.com/">Stina Leicht</a>. With their help I’m looking forward to making this year’s workshop the best experience it can be!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I returned to writing fiction after my children were born, I did not have the option either financially or time-wise to travel to the big name workshops like <a href="http://clarion.ucsd.edu/">Clarion</a>, <a href="http://www.odysseyworkshop.org/">Odyssey</a>, or <a href="https://viableparadise.com/">Viable Paradise</a>. When my kids were small, even the idea of jetting out of town for a weekend seemed financially onerous and physically exhausting. There are a lot of great online workshops, but many of them are also costly. What I really needed at the beginning, was to find out if workshopping was going to be useful to me. Looking at where I am now, it’s clear that a good writing workshop is a valuable asset. As a student of the ArmadilloCon Writers’ Workshop I received one-on-one input on my work from amazing writers and editors including <a href="http://windupstories.com/">Paolo Bacigalupi</a>, <a href="http://www.louanders.com/">Lou Anders</a>, <a href="http://www.kittywumpus.net/blog/">Cat Rambo</a>, and <a href="http://lizgorinsky.com/">Liz Gorinsky</a>. I moved on to volunteering for the workshop as both a first reader and instructor, and it's been no less inspiring to be on the other side of the table teaching with hard-working talent such as <a href="http://kenliu.name/">Ken Liu</a>, <a href="https://tachyonpublications.com/about/staff/">Jacob Weisman</a> of Tachyon publications, <a href="http://www.jamesmorrow.info/">James Morrow</a> and <a href="http://www.aqueductpress.com/authors/LTimmelDuchamp.php">Timmel Duchamp</a> of Aqueduct Press.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Just $90 gets you the full-day workshop and a convention membership to attend all of the activities for the entire weekend. <a href="http://www.armadillocon.org/d39/">ArmadilloCon</a> is known as an excellent regional literary convention, which means there will be lots of great panels about writing, reading, and the state of the genre (there are also panels about movies, tv shows, gaming, and everything geek). This is a great gateway workshop. If you think you might enjoy writing in general and genre in particular, this is a great low cost way to check out a workshop. This is the place to learn how to give and receive critique and to get instruction that will help take your writing to the next level. At least as important, is that the workshop and weekend are an opportunity to meet other writers. To find your tribe and make connections that will serve your writing year round. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I’ll finish by saying that we are committed to promoting diversity and access for all workshop attendees. Writing in a genre centered on exploration and encountering the Other must include voices and visions from writers, readers and thinkers of all kinds. The Workshop actively seeks to include students, faculty, visiting scholars, and volunteers from a variety of backgrounds including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and ability. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As far as instructors, so far we have: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nisishawl.com/">Nisi Shawl</a> (Guest of Honor) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Quachri">Trevor Quachri</a> (Editor Guest) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.marthawells.com/">Martha Wells</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Webb_(writer)">Don Webb</a> (Toastmaster) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nickydrayden.com/">Nicky Drayden</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://dlyoungfiction.com/">D. L. Young</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I will be booking instructors throughout the spring, so check the workshop page for updates. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Check back here for posts about workshopping in general and how to prepare for the ArmadilloCon’s workshop in particular. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now it’s your turn: The first order of business is to start writing, so fire up your laptops, grab your pens and let’s get started!</span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-159354115523555102017-02-09T12:29:00.003-06:002017-02-09T13:50:01.520-06:00Current Conditions: The Writerly Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here we are: a new year, a new day. It has been an eventful
few months with the U.S. election, and the new administration settling in. Sometimes
it feels like there is nothing that we, collectively, can agree on except that
we are all living in a time of great change.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Change. I find that people generally love the idea – but
hate the reality. Yet, change isn’t only necessary, it’s inevitable and
constant. We have always lived in an ever-changing world. And it’s this belief
that brings me back to the page, to the stories that will show us the world as
it is, and the world as it might become.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When I think about what it means to be a writer in America
today, about ways to create something meaningful in these current conditions, I
realize that in the face of such monumental, wrenching change, it falls to the
writers and artists to look at the confusing welter of reality and to report
back. Our work is to tell the stories of our future survival, even when the
shape of the world eludes our grasp.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;">How impossible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;">I make peace with this by telling myself
that it is not my job to succeed only to #persist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So again this year, like that most persistent man from La Mancha,
I will tilt at the great American novel. What I thought I wanted to write
before November 8 no longer feels relevant, so I am sifting through the ashes
of half-finished projects. I’m working ideas, playing
with characters, settings, and stakes. I’m gathering tinder and striking the
flint on the rock and watching for sparks.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime, I have a new flash fiction out. You can
read, “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Colored-Lens-Winter-2017-ebook/dp/B01N7MP8YQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1486664835&sr=1-1&keywords=the+colored+lens+spring+2017">An Accounting of the Sky</a>,” in the latest issue of <a href="http://thecoloredlens.com/">The Colored Lens</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And my review of the <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/reviews/new-british-mag-home-dirty-realism">Nottingham Review </a>on <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/">The Review Review</a>.</span></span></div>
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<br />Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-6735350629282413192016-12-08T15:49:00.000-06:002016-12-08T15:49:42.402-06:00Talking with Robert Jackson Bennett<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7m6rJwS6Eag" width="560"></iframe><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hello again! I've been busy <i>not</i> blogging. Busy doing what you might ask? Well, talking with <a href="http://www.robertjacksonbennett.com/">Robert Jackson Bennett</a> for one. Here's the first half of our interview at <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/">Malvern Books</a> for their <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/2016/03/09/introducing-fantastical-fictions/">Fantastical Fictions</a> reading series. You can read a bit more about him and this event <a href="http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/arts/2016-10-26/fantastical-fictions-features-robert-jackson-bennett/">here</a>. And, not to leave you hanging, here's the <a href="https://youtu.be/1yGeswDq-L8">link</a> to the second half of the interview.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">It was great fun discussing what goes into crafting great stories and creating imaginary worlds. Having read some of Bennett's work I can vouch that he is excellent at both. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">His newest book, <a href="http://www.robertjacksonbennett.com/books/city-of-miracles-tr">City of Miracles</a>, is about to drop in May. It is the third book in his Divine Cities series (which means you have time to get up to speed with City of Stairs and City of Blades before spring). BTW, Malvern Books should still have some signed copies of City of Stairs and City of Blades.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you're looking for something a little more literary in the great American horror tradition, consider picking up a copy of American Elsewhere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Mad and humorous, gory
and poignant, American Elsewhere is a sort of mid-20th-century retelling of the
embodiment of Lovecraftian Elder Gods by way of Alamogordo's legendary atomic
tests. It's not to be missed." </i> ―Seattle Times</span></blockquote>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8U72kcwkE5FWRPMhdGEMxqAvoEiOlTN03OQOHslRhmLPmrbLuAmglJAdDDdBRGlR2EgvPWl67E9JhpKbrPBpgYGV0_2CmMvdwk8ExLxnCZEVFJGWUf2UFQ23hL42dOz00OfLTULeEuyJ/s1600/Room_393_Cover_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8U72kcwkE5FWRPMhdGEMxqAvoEiOlTN03OQOHslRhmLPmrbLuAmglJAdDDdBRGlR2EgvPWl67E9JhpKbrPBpgYGV0_2CmMvdwk8ExLxnCZEVFJGWUf2UFQ23hL42dOz00OfLTULeEuyJ/s400/Room_393_Cover_Web.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">Let's see, what else? You can also check out <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/reviews/canadas-oldest-feminst-mag-explores-canadian-gothic">my review of Room Magazine</a> over at <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/">The Review Review</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;">And on the home (fiction) front, I'll have a short story publication to announce soon. I have also finished a rather involved revision of a novella, which will be on it's way to some lucky editor before the year is out. Then it is on to/back to 'the novel.' More about that in the next post - next Thursday.</span></span><br />
<br />Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-43573845528482036982016-09-13T14:55:00.000-05:002017-06-14T11:07:56.536-05:00Brave Writers, Brave Readers: Exploring the Fantastic Realities of Imagination One Book at a Time<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nisishawl.com/Index.html">Nisi Shawl</a> brought her Retro-Afrofuturist Steampunk novel set in the Belgian Congo to Austin's own <a href="http://malvernbooks.com/">Malvern Books</a> last Friday night and it was fantastic! Every copy of <a href="http://www.nisishawl.com/Everfair.html">Everfair</a> was snapped up, and it was standing room only for Nisi's engaging reading. She even got us to sing a bit. If you don't believe me you can see it for yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fdqBMqxYSAg" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After the reading she sat down with Fantastical Fictions host, <a href="http://christopherbrown.com/">Christopher Brown</a>, to discuss how this book came about. It all started when she was asked to be on a panel about steampunk, a sub genre she didn't particularly enjoy. Instead of saying no, she asked herself, why do I hate steampunk? Her answer was because it supported colonialism. Then she thought, it doesn't have to be this way and set out to write a steampunk utopia set in King Leopold II's Congo. Now that's the kind of bravery that generates great writing. Instead of saying no thank you to a discussion about a subgenre she disliked, she interrogated her own opinions and came up with something completely original. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Exploring other worlds, other voices and visions of reality is the heart of speculative fiction. Exploration is exhilarating and dangerous and sometimes frightening. Exploration inevitably leads to contact and raises questions about how we treat the Other, how we see the Other, and, of course, how we see ourselves. Brave writing requires brave readers who must be willing to question their own opinions and biases. For both readers and writers who can do this, the rewards are great.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When Brown asked her why a utopia (they both agreed, and I do too, that utopias are much more difficult to write than dystopias)? Shawl dropped some real wisdom:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>"The world that we live in is based, in part, on the world we think we live in, and so if I can change how people think about the world -- If I can change the world they think they live in, then they can take it to the next step."</i></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BiNXOeArVTZXFYa4QPHJ7957q3shLXZr4sttOOSOFaZdHMp67hiZBJW3R9EUySyAadCMWytNS8CgOwyO0dW_oVy0sEqJaBuS0wr3hgJ2bKsDzxa-kikWO5R4em1pMdIH5smbYalfBdj4/s1600/Everfair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BiNXOeArVTZXFYa4QPHJ7957q3shLXZr4sttOOSOFaZdHMp67hiZBJW3R9EUySyAadCMWytNS8CgOwyO0dW_oVy0sEqJaBuS0wr3hgJ2bKsDzxa-kikWO5R4em1pMdIH5smbYalfBdj4/s400/Everfair.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You can read a more about the book and Shawl process in her essay, <a href="http://torforgeblog.com/2016/09/06/representing-my-equals/">Representing My Equals</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In other news, if you're looking for something to do this Thursday, I'll be among some great local writers opining about one of my favorite topics: the current state of speculative fiction!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="_4n-j fsl" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Join the <a href="http://www.writersleague.org/">Writers’ League of Texas</a> on <a href="http://www.bookpeople.com/">BookPeople</a>'s third floor at 7:00 p.m. for this conversation with four science fiction/fantasy writers: <a href="http://www.pjhoover.com/">P.J. Hoover</a>, <span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://mrmaresca.com/wp/">Marshall Ryan Maresca</a>, <a href="https://readtowritestories.com/2016/07/28/an-interview-with-adam-soto/">Adam Soto</a>, and Rebecca Schwarz.</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpvuPiUaiuhFNe45hQTpncBTr8ISlIfpZHqbgtKmX0EV6znKXTMwG4Ions3WNAwWZw0zRhgQne1NCHRROJRwaFviH1C1HKEJHfrX3fiahVkAXPOTJLmFAmEK9CdFOERN81dNVIicMtiCR/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpvuPiUaiuhFNe45hQTpncBTr8ISlIfpZHqbgtKmX0EV6znKXTMwG4Ions3WNAwWZw0zRhgQne1NCHRROJRwaFviH1C1HKEJHfrX3fiahVkAXPOTJLmFAmEK9CdFOERN81dNVIicMtiCR/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" /></span></a><br />
<span class="_4n-j fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"We've all heard the statement, "It's like
something out of science fiction." Changes in politics and technology
often seem to resemble the invented worlds of writers like Philip K.
Dick and Ursula K. Le Guin. But those novelists' most famous books were
written more than 40 years ago. What stories is this prescient genre
creating today? What worlds do writers invent when reality seems so
fantastic?"</span></i><br />
<br />Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-72411444185223102342016-08-17T21:54:00.002-05:002016-08-17T21:54:20.983-05:00Hey Toto, we're in Kansas! Readings and Panels at WorldCon!<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's been a crazy, busy summer with lots of travel and time with family. I've managed to do some writing. I thought I'd take a quick break from the novel by writing a short story, but the story grew (as my stories seem to do nowadays) into a novella. I'll finish revising it and return to the novel just as soon as I get back from <a href="https://midamericon2.org/">WorldCon</a>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhdrMfRfCW2A4jQDxNfTV-4adDN4FJDKBpV8eXxnMJ38qVJg9IKrqgvaZ7Im1b6vUYKu4H54mtCuyYWlYmyqIk6EXwT97aTlfD5B_JKtrxeatqZ5UD1_M7yM2TMn-97WVyMyeUTjlTyu5/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhdrMfRfCW2A4jQDxNfTV-4adDN4FJDKBpV8eXxnMJ38qVJg9IKrqgvaZ7Im1b6vUYKu4H54mtCuyYWlYmyqIk6EXwT97aTlfD5B_JKtrxeatqZ5UD1_M7yM2TMn-97WVyMyeUTjlTyu5/s400/Unknown.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have an early flight tomorrow, which is a good thing as I have a busy day coming up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I'll be reading at 1:30 in room 2202</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I can't wait to share a story or two live and in person.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From 5:00 - 6:00 I'll be moderating <b>"Knock on Wood: From Squirrel Girl to Lumberjanes"</b> (room 2207) with fellow panelists <a href="http://www.jasonsanford.com/">Jason Stanford</a>, <a href="http://www.catherinelundoff.com/">Catherine Lundoff</a>, <a href="http://www.giro.org/">Adam Rakunas</a>, and <a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/mac2/en/participants/997/Tom+Galloway">Tom Galloway</a>.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"What the junk?! In the last couple of years we've seen the growth of comics that might superficially appear to be aimed at a YA audience, however these titles are hitting the mainstream with a vengeance. Marvel are leading the pack with Squirrel Girl, Ms Marvel and Captain Marvel, but there's also a vast amount of Indie work coming through such as Lumberjanes, Space Dumplins, Khaos Komix and Footloose. Our panel discuss why these titles are so popular, and what they have to offer both new and established audiences." </i></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From 6:00 - 7:00 you can find me participating in <b>"Cleaning Up Your Prose" </b>(room 3501B) with <a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/mac2/en/participants/925/C_C_+Finlay">C.C. Finlay</a>(!), <a href="http://www.randy-henderson.com/">Randy Henderson</a>, <a href="http://robchilson.name/index.html">Rob Chilson</a>, moderated by <a href="http://www.alansmale.com/">Alan Smale</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">My love of revision is no secret. I'm looking forward to a lively discussion about how writers go about improving their work once the first draft is finished!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Then on Saturday from 4:00 - 5:00 back in room 2202, I'm thrilled to participate in <b><a href="http://flashfictiononline.com/main/">Flash Fiction Online</a>'s group reading</b>. This one is going to be tons of fun. Hosted by <a href="http://www.annayeatts.com/">Anna Yeatts</a> and <a href="http://chrisphillipsauthor.com/2016/6/30/sl0r0ck6rzvgte0c755qm5ght9zrzv">Chris Phillips</a>, come by to hear stories from <a href="http://ghostwritingcow.com/">Sunil Patel</a>, <a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/mac2/en/participants/2439/Kelly+Sandoval">Kelly Sandoval</a>, <a href="https://unlikelyexplanations.com/">Laura </a></span><a href="https://unlikelyexplanations.com/">Pearlman</a>, <a href="http://www.bethcato.com/">Beth Cato</a>, and yours truly!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can check out my schedule and more <a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/mac2/en/participants/2492/Rebecca+Schwarz">here</a>. Hope to see you there!</span></span><br />
<br />Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-62378491471906918602016-06-08T11:36:00.000-05:002016-06-08T11:36:51.294-05:00"Write What You Know" v. Writing to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zG2_8XmFTU-ChBnWMfusswNEBl7qCPihr7iRH3j61oW0O1BoSo5ip83ZsQBx1PkRrr9jL_ZS7ZCZzcm8Mz4d3kJ2ka9t-fiC6nP7Et3cL8vLGRGgL96WZP1bAo3KxyUHNFOFAaWGlWIv/s1600/KDDv199JivehtxRYhwFQzDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVvK0kTmF0xjctABnaLJIm9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zG2_8XmFTU-ChBnWMfusswNEBl7qCPihr7iRH3j61oW0O1BoSo5ip83ZsQBx1PkRrr9jL_ZS7ZCZzcm8Mz4d3kJ2ka9t-fiC6nP7Et3cL8vLGRGgL96WZP1bAo3KxyUHNFOFAaWGlWIv/s640/KDDv199JivehtxRYhwFQzDl72eJkfbmt4t8yenImKBVvK0kTmF0xjctABnaLJIm9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Write what you know, is a writing aphorism that is hard to
escape, but what does it really mean? It’s always made me uncomfortable because
far too often it is taken literally, but if you don’t take it literally then it
becomes a bit of a puzzler. Once you move away from technical manuals and
autobiography, what we know doesn’t amount to much. I mean how does this advice
help the novelist writing a space opera, a short story writer writing surreal
animal stories, a poet?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing what you know isn’t about limiting yourself to a
narrow area of expertise or a specific collection of experiences. Maybe it
would be better so say “Write what you know in your heart,” or maybe simply,
“know your heart.” Be present in the moment; build rich memories, live a vivid
imaginative life as well. It’s your memories, your imagination, what you feel
and what you believe that are your cache of “what you know,” and they provide
infinite possibilities for discovering truth in the world.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbtDaV-tEnmYRoEpYPkgoHgFHlrljCLztMY-vawQo3B5TWM-9-9muXNvn2C4O42Pc33klF8LCUDIsjm-ZO_qSSreP61TcQsV3rvwfPetIAjO3jZ6dGuu9Js2lSz6ykYGMRN1kj5DpQ1gR/s1600/51yNaSjEcrL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbtDaV-tEnmYRoEpYPkgoHgFHlrljCLztMY-vawQo3B5TWM-9-9muXNvn2C4O42Pc33klF8LCUDIsjm-ZO_qSSreP61TcQsV3rvwfPetIAjO3jZ6dGuu9Js2lSz6ykYGMRN1kj5DpQ1gR/s320/51yNaSjEcrL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I highly recommend <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/94583/the-modern-library-writers-workshop-by-stephen-koch/">this one</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“The key is to move
steadily from what you know, be it ever so little.” </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>- Stephen Koch </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The truth of the story isn’t always apparent right away.
Writing is an act of discovery. Begin by creating a world – a small one in a
kitchen or suburban home, or a vast one spanning galaxies; populate it with some
characters, and set them in motion around a small collection of things you
know. Be brave and honest and go where the story takes you. Who knows what you’ll
discover. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>“I write to find out
what I didn’t know I knew.”</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>- Robert Frost</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My story, “<a href="http://www.metaphysicalcircus.com/fairview-619-fiction-by-rebecca-schwarz/">Fairview 619</a>,” is available to read over at the <a href="http://www.metaphysicalcircus.com/">Metaphysical Circus Press</a>. If you like that, consider picking up the entire issue, <a href="http://www.metaphysicalcircus.com/mcp-books/see-the-elephant-magazine-issue-two/">See the Elephant Magazine, issue two: Love & War in the Slipstream</a>. </span></span></div>
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<br />Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-86902460309782768042016-06-01T08:28:00.002-05:002016-06-02T16:48:16.360-05:00"Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast" or Alice Gets Very Very Small<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lFGPHZYmVqSUmhnmAfGQ1f_nh17DQmf8fTtHHi2gT0ZCyLDXECzi_vurc5FIe2S_kF2sdvDzHX5NLBTq6ylPjrP2EeLqv0Yc_1saFGr5zhi-ZwfSWhzVryxDQhr7fS6D-aWUfaXsb3SA/s1600/eiebubblbkd-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lFGPHZYmVqSUmhnmAfGQ1f_nh17DQmf8fTtHHi2gT0ZCyLDXECzi_vurc5FIe2S_kF2sdvDzHX5NLBTq6ylPjrP2EeLqv0Yc_1saFGr5zhi-ZwfSWhzVryxDQhr7fS6D-aWUfaXsb3SA/s640/eiebubblbkd-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm delighted to make my second appearance at <a href="http://newmyths.com/">NewMyths.com</a> with my story, "<a href="https://sites.google.com/a/newmyths.com/nmwebsite/flash_fiction/six-impossible-things-before-breakfast">Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast</a>," inspired in part by <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d1FJxYmlinZ_PgyYtmYndILTvuqpLdIjiWP6h3yT43ASnorEA59aeoa8zsocaUoRSywHE9gC4c79Z64PMoCSauL53qVI5kqtGezpZyXEP0gkLPxuuHhzMj7dssbtCG3o26YdBvTKi-5x/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d1FJxYmlinZ_PgyYtmYndILTvuqpLdIjiWP6h3yT43ASnorEA59aeoa8zsocaUoRSywHE9gC4c79Z64PMoCSauL53qVI5kqtGezpZyXEP0gkLPxuuHhzMj7dssbtCG3o26YdBvTKi-5x/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I have to confess, I could never get into <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-carroll-9239598">Lewis Carroll</a> when I was younger. All that changed when I read <a href="http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/"><i>Alice in Wonderland</i></a> and <i><a href="http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/resources/background/through-the-looking-glass/">Through the Looking Glass</a> </i>to my daughters. I found both books delightful and challenging (and a real joy to read aloud). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fantasy distinguishes itself from other forms of fiction by bending the rules that define our experience of reality. Most fantasy plays with the rules of how our world works rather narrowly. For example, vampires or magicians tend to move in a world that, while it may not be of our time, is otherwise mundane and predictable. Their special powers are defined and are bounded specific limits. Carroll's Wonderland is a limitless and constantly mutable place. There is no solid footing for Alice or the reader. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For all that we know about reality, how our universe actually works is a mystery so deep as to have that same disorienting effect of<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> </i></span>absolute fantasy, which is why I decided to send my Alice down a rabbit hole to discover a world as strange as anything in Carroll's Wonderland.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBH31VBglJRDuR99I95wWfaQAm2pZiTtlLgsVhBDcuIImbUmRuZeOkn5Cw_FT3z5rpBsywW1iedRh5VHwChI1E9VcBrAyG8RtmMomt9VpFUIdOtZ0RGFxFwyUI2SP66VNDqAA7o4mji_K/s1600/debc74_007998021cf1419a8b74e02bca5b4655.jpg_srz_950_955_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBH31VBglJRDuR99I95wWfaQAm2pZiTtlLgsVhBDcuIImbUmRuZeOkn5Cw_FT3z5rpBsywW1iedRh5VHwChI1E9VcBrAyG8RtmMomt9VpFUIdOtZ0RGFxFwyUI2SP66VNDqAA7o4mji_K/s320/debc74_007998021cf1419a8b74e02bca5b4655.jpg_srz_950_955_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz.png" width="318" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And for something completely different, <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/reviews/texas-lit-mag-offers-handful-gems-and-welcomes-new-w">my review of Iron Horse Literary Review</a> is up over at <a href="http://www.thereviewreview.net/">The Review Review</a>.</span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-66304362460390994562016-04-28T18:12:00.000-05:002016-04-28T18:12:37.503-05:00The Map is Not the Territory: Navigating Through the First Draft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aA5jloIb36C3fLvT9moRhbalXdBiLd5BSkrneq_vGAJNStiVU6x3a06kOyfK-4Y7jx3CpsWRAb50_w8eQ_gyIhm_Pt_N7wA4DlUxVbwisREeDgrHraTy6gs_oLQIi-ngvLaSqUtYHSpE/s1600/lakes-trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aA5jloIb36C3fLvT9moRhbalXdBiLd5BSkrneq_vGAJNStiVU6x3a06kOyfK-4Y7jx3CpsWRAb50_w8eQ_gyIhm_Pt_N7wA4DlUxVbwisREeDgrHraTy6gs_oLQIi-ngvLaSqUtYHSpE/s640/lakes-trail.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Plotting, shaping the narrative – whatever you want to call
it – is not my strong point, so it's the thing I am most consciously working to
improve right now. One of the tools I use to develop and manage plot is an
outline. Though I’m the first to say you don’t have to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For some creating an outline kills any spark the story holds.
But for me, if I don't create a map of the way the events and characters will interact;
my story will just somehow slowly fail – like it's wandering some desert wasteland
with no oasis in sight. It starts out trotting along all optimistically, then
slows to a walk, begins to stagger, falls to its knees and crawls the last few
yards before expiring with the final scenes and denouement still somewhere
beyond the horizon. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but for anything longer
than a couple thousand words, I simply cannot write "by the seat of my
pants."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Conversely, I find outlining intensely creative. The process
is a way for me to discover the heart of the story and to get to know the
characters. First, I brainstorm a variety of scenarios and put the characters
in play, I generate lots of ideas and random thematic details that might or
might not go into the draft. As I begin to narrow the options, I can recognize
and address logic flaws – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i> I
start drafting. The outline is a place where I can try out ideas without the
time-sink of writing through tangents and into dead ends. An outline is a map
of the territory – of the story. Since I’m literally inventing the landscape,
my outlines are never set in stone. I often tweak and change them once I begin
writing. Even if my outline totally changes as I draft, it remains an essential
step for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But, as much as I love a good outline, sometimes they are
daunting. For writers who are natural storytellers in terms of plotting and
conflict, maybe an outline feels like a terminal document. The story has been
described and therefore all the magic has been drained from it. For me, a solid
outline does not feel final, but it does have a self-contained completeness.
There have been times when I’ve looked at my outline and thought, okay now how
do I get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">into</i> this story? How – or
where – do I begin. That’s when I remind myself that <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The map is not the territory.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I’ve done some backcountry hiking with trail maps and a
compass, and I can tell you that those folded paper representations of the
ground under your feet are an essential guide. But they are also abstractions,
which don’t carry any information about what I might encounter on my journey. A
map doesn't include the smell of pine needles warmed by the afternoon sun or
the black bear, deer, and countless birds and butterflies I'll see as I walk.
The elevation lines that crowd together indicate a ridge, but not the puffs of
fine trail dust my boots raise or the ache in my legs, the sweat rolling down
my neck, as I ascend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">An outline is an abstraction, a map, and it is only useful
if I acknowledge that it is limited to describing the structure of the area of
the story and can tell me nothing about what I will encounter on my journey though.
As I begin writing, stringing one word after the other, I’m hiking on a narrow
trail under the canopy of a thousand individual trees that are simply indicated
by a wash of solid green on the map. Even with an outline, what I witness once
I’m inside a story is always unpredictable and brand new.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-3607219479675551362016-04-12T09:47:00.002-05:002016-04-12T09:47:42.199-05:00Listen to Hands of Burnished Bronze at PodCastle!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSQ_b8AyGIgGe5-idQNhKHQZOI4tbMxpRGDw25V9lUwsLDoa00Kin_Hv1wMYe0YVoP8RuMasbugKOl7DzKY_moN8-fo8l-Cp8dLKfUbl9GAVdC4ZnlnVWNmNJF-eR3d6A6XM0PsAS3jkI/s1600/f6ebeed71d3859ad14fad879344acc6e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSQ_b8AyGIgGe5-idQNhKHQZOI4tbMxpRGDw25V9lUwsLDoa00Kin_Hv1wMYe0YVoP8RuMasbugKOl7DzKY_moN8-fo8l-Cp8dLKfUbl9GAVdC4ZnlnVWNmNJF-eR3d6A6XM0PsAS3jkI/s640/f6ebeed71d3859ad14fad879344acc6e.jpg" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bronze hands by Rodin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My story, <a href="http://podcastle.org/2016/04/12/podcastle-411-hands-of-burnished-bronze/">Hands of Burnished Bronze, is now live at PodCastle</a>! It's read by the amazing <a href="http://arcanetimes.com/">Cheyenne Wright</a> a freelance illustrator who just happens to have a voice made for invoking fantasy worlds. I love the extra dimension that his reading gives this story. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I mentioned before, I have been a long time PodCastle listener, so I'm delighted to hear one of my very own stories on this podcast. Do be sure to check out the many other wonderful stories on this site. There is plenty of fantastic fantasy ear candy to help you get through a long commute or whatever tedious chores await you.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8700011920072085176.post-45936607824993403322016-04-05T12:15:00.000-05:002016-04-12T15:16:27.288-05:00See The Elephant Cover Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUtCFCAed9VAKcvfaZZ-0wMKjjWeEEdBdoulpF_dmR66yXBvREBXe5Grf68Sij8yX5W-5hpiHmASand6oFcwDBSs_LeURfgWyEGX6kOq33mlNn9LtE8JVAmvz8ahx4ErLw-e1db4uppYM/s1600/d000d6a22965ce70564815dc8cabfaf4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUtCFCAed9VAKcvfaZZ-0wMKjjWeEEdBdoulpF_dmR66yXBvREBXe5Grf68Sij8yX5W-5hpiHmASand6oFcwDBSs_LeURfgWyEGX6kOq33mlNn9LtE8JVAmvz8ahx4ErLw-e1db4uppYM/s640/d000d6a22965ce70564815dc8cabfaf4.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My story, <i>Fairview 619</i>, is going to be in the fabulous <a href="http://www.metaphysicalcircus.com/">See The Elephant magazine</a> later this month. Check out this fantastic cover and peruse the table of contents <a href="http://www.metaphysicalcircus.com/cover-and-toc-reveal-see-the-elephant-issue-two/">here</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also, I'm delighted to announce that I have a brand new story, <i>Hands of Burnished Bronze</i>, that will be available for your listening pleasure later this year from <a href="http://podcastle.org/">PodCastle</a>! This is one of the podcasts that I listen to regularly. I have heard so many wonderful stories here that I'm really over the moon about having one of my own join the ranks.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOll21-PncScSZpXkDlBqcvfAqZCZqENYUgwwHXeMQ91zhGfqOGvf40wKGbr11qKGmsrW7zYDcvV1V8tfXob7kmehU2Xhdp5d6GPlV2NTnLz7dC2a-aN8AuNIC6CLIPIzvFRySD2F4gFk/s1600/podcastle%252Blogo%252B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOll21-PncScSZpXkDlBqcvfAqZCZqENYUgwwHXeMQ91zhGfqOGvf40wKGbr11qKGmsrW7zYDcvV1V8tfXob7kmehU2Xhdp5d6GPlV2NTnLz7dC2a-aN8AuNIC6CLIPIzvFRySD2F4gFk/s640/podcastle%252Blogo%252B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just time for a quick update today. I'm mulling, outlining, and making some big changes to the novel. While doing that, I'm also revising a couple broken short stories that have been laying about too long. Time to get those puppies out the door. My submissions queue has gotten dangerously low. I'm getting lonely as I'm hardly receiving even one rejection per week. </span></span>Rebecca Schwarzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07106833968049845658noreply@blogger.com0