Posts Tagged ‘parsec awards’

Jul

Get Published, Episode 9 – Special Episode

Posted by: Michell in Get Published (Podcast)

Hello Everyone.

It is with a certain amount of nervousness that I present this episode. You see, I’m away on holidays but I didn’t want to leave you hanging. What to do? I decided that maybe it was high time I put a piece of my fiction up.

The story is one that I wrote about 10 years ago. It was originally done to “study” the world I was creating for my first novel. I wanted to get an understanding of how the culture worked, gods and so on. It seemed pretty good when I finished it and I ultimately sent it out to a magazine. Thus it became my first rejection.

Recording it, I have realized just how far my writing has come. Still, it’s not a bad story despite some of the writing flaws that I found. Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Enjoy.

[podcast]http://www.michellplested.com/wp-content/uploads/GetPublished/GetPublished-Episode9.mp3[/podcast]Show Notes

00:00 — Opening – Get Published, Episode 9

Everything has to start somewhere and this is the start of “Get Published”

0:14 — Introduction – Show #9: Special Episode

Welcome to the show.

I talk about how I have never put any of my fiction out before and that it might be time. I also talk about how I will be using two Parsec promos for a little fun as ‘Get Published’ was nominated for a Parsec.

02:16 — Promos: 2008 Parsec Promo

www.parsecawards.com

04:16 — Show #9: Special Episode (continued)

Michell reads his short story “Justice in Any Form
033:58 — Promos: 2009 Parsec Awards

http://www.parsecawards.com

36:32 — Closing

Please send comments. Please, please, please! Questions too

Tags: fantasy, Get Published, Michell Plested, mike plested, parsec awards, short story

5 Comments

May

Why Bother Editing?

Posted by: Michell in About Writing, Irreverent Muse

You have a great idea for a story so you sit down and write it on the nearest paper available. Maybe it’s a napkin in a restaurant, maybe it’s in the margin of the phone book. The important thing is you have written it down.

Now what?

If you’re like some of the squares out there you will transcribe the story onto a computer. Then you’ll spend a bunch of time proof-reading and editing the story. If you really want to get carried away, you will get someone to read it and check for errors.

But that’s only if you’re a square.

I mean, really. Your story is obviously a cut above the rest so why bother with all that? Any publisher would be honored to read the story right from the napkin. If they aren’t, to hell with them, right? The publisher should know that you are an amazing writer with a bright future and gladly read past the spelling and formatting errors.

While they’re at it they should type the story out for you, correcting any mistakes as they go. If there are continuity problems or sections that don’t work, they can fix them. That’s their business isn’t it?

Once it’s done, they can send the corrected story back along with a nice contract. It’s only your due after all. You’re the talent. The star. Without you they don’t have a product.

And as for those schmucks out there who make the effort to edit their work and send something readable, I feel nothing but pity. Any publisher worth his or her salt will see right away that those writers are simply compensating for a lack of talent. If the publisher is smart he or she will simply toss those submissions into the trash. After all your writing is obviously superior.

Personal Update

Nothing new to report on the book front but I did have something exciting happen. ‘Get Published’ was nominated for a Parsec! All I can say is “Holy Crap!” Never in my wildest imaginings did I suspect such a thing could/would happen (and no, I didn’t nominate myself ). I’m not expecting anything miraculous to happen but it’s exciting to actually be nominated (and thank you to whomever did the nominating).