So, a novella

So last night I read through my 20,000 word Novella I wrote in a week as a dare… and it’s not bad!

 

I had the feeling that it started well and then descended into cliched sci-fi (complete with aliens), but I was pleasantly surprised. I’m not saying it is a masterpiece – or that it will ever be a masterpiece – but the bones are strong enough for me to invest some time into it.

 

Watch this space!

Why you need a writing group

In an effort to blog more, I plan to just throw out a few of the more “though bubble” type blog posts, and this is the first.

Why you need a writing group:

1. So much of what you write will never see the light of day: to commit time (in a busy world) to write some of us need more of a reason to do so. Having a group to hold yourself accountable can be a wonderful mechanism to do this.

2. Keeping up with the Joneses: there is nothing like seeing the success of your colleagues to spur you on. When you take part in their achievements (and see the effort required to produce quality work) it motivates you!

3. Trust: you need someone you trust to tell you when what you’re working on is shit. Sometimes we all chase the rabbit down the hole and refuse to give up on something that is just no good. A good writing group will help you focus.

4. Belief: Writing can be quite disorganised. You lose track of good material. You get a few rejections and you shelve stories that have value. You need someone who remembers when they liked your stuff, and who has an emotional investment in getting you across the line with them.

5. Creativity doesn’t exist in a vacuum: Don’t expect to toil in the real world then come back to a dark room and write. Creativity thrives in a creative environment. Surround yourself with writers, film guys, painters, sculptors and photographers. Watch them, listen to them, reinterpret what they do.

6. Give back: In all aspects of life, I have always thought that you don’t get anything of value without giving first. Give your time to other writers and you get back more than their reciprocated efforts. You get exposure to the work and style of others, you get access to their ideas that you may argue against, or riff off. And you contribute.

The impetus for this post: last week my writing buddy, Anthony Panegyres, reminded me that I wrote a 20,000 word novella that I had completely forgotten about (as you do). I found it and he called me a few days later to challenge me to a novella editing challenge.

As a high school English teacher (Anthony is Head of English at a prestigious Perth school), Anthony is the ultimate writing group member. Every time we catch up he name checks EVERY SINGLE STORY of mine that he believes I’ve shelved too early.

Support you can’t pay for.

Published: “The Winter Stream”

At the recent NatCon in Perth, my latest story, “The Winter Stream” was published in Fablecroft Publishing’s Insert Title Here anthology.

I’m very proud of this story, and excessively proud of the home it has found. Fablecroft have been a favourite publisher of mine and the other names in the Table Of Contents are impressive.

Check out some early reviews here and here.

Get a copy here!

Emerging in the Spec Fic scene

Hi guys,

Long time no blog! Going to try and fix that, starting with a couple of blog posts today.

First post is to point you in the direction of The Writers’ Bloc blog, where they have just posted a piece I wrote about the opportunities for emerging writers in the Speculative Fiction Field.

Spec Fic affords the new writer fertile ground to practice and refine their craft, and my piece explores (what I think are) the reasons for this.

Check it out here:

http://thewritersbloc.net/emerging-speculative-fiction-scene

 

CHASING THE CREATIVE

 

I haven’t written anything in a good while.

This is my first really prolonged period of zero creative output and it really gets you wondering about whether you were ever a “creative type”, whether it was actually just a hobby.

Whether “it” is gone.

Then, yesterday, I spent an hour with my son building Lego. The aim was to build something for each other. He built me this awesome robot:

I built him my version of a “Blacktron” ship:

Yes, it took more than an hour.

The thing is, I have kept thinking about this ship. How it could be better, what lived up to my expectations, what failed. What I would improve on the next version. My son’s reaction to it.

I’ve thought about that ship all morning. Given it way more consideration than it deserves. The brain is buzzing with little plastic blocks.

It doesn’t matter whether it is writing, painting, music, or building bullshit-awesome lego: this is the essence of creativity. You have an idea and your desire that it find expression in the world suffocates your ability to do anything else.

It’s a great feeling. I’m glad it came back, even if – or perhaps especially because – it took the form of a kickarse Lego spaceship.

Cover for CSFG anthology ‘Next’

Feast your eyes on this awesome cover for the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild’s next anthology ‘Next’:

 

 

My story “Those Days’ has made its way into the table of contents – can’t wait to read all the other stories from a very impressive list of writers.

Story sold!

Really stoked to announce that my short SF story “Those Days” has been picked up for publication.

The Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild (CSFG) will be including it in their next anthology – the theme of which will be ‘next’:

Next suggests ‘change’, perhaps, but it doesn’t have to invoke change, it can simply be an account of cause-and-effect.  Soemtimes it’s the absence of change, the sense of inevitability, that gives the story its terrible power and its resonance.  Or it might be a rite-of-passage; of invention and exploration; of the testing and transgression of boundaries; or a story laden with doom or hope or just the inevitability of inescapable repetition.  Yup, this theme is a theme for all seasons; it’s a cut and come again theme that can mean pretty much whatever people want it to mean.

Check out the excellent TOC here. Previous anthologies from CSFG have been filled with some excellent names and this one is no different. Some of the names I recognise include:

Alan Baxter

Richard Harland

Martin Livings

Ian McHugh

Gillian Polack

 

I’m looking forward to discovering everyone else on the TOC too!

 

 

Checking in

So, yeah. Been awhile (all my posts seem to start like this).

Just checking in. My story got a commendation at the KSP Spec Fic awards and they asked me to read, which was really enjoyable.

It is currently doing the rounds and getting the “shortlisted but unfortunately…” rejections.
These are very heartening as they normally means the story is now publishable and just looking for a thematic match.

Have more good news that I will save for another blog post soon!

On Places for New Writers

On Friday afternoon I received a letter notifying me that my story, “Out in the Open, Secret” has been shortlisted for the Katharine Sussanah Prichard 2012 Speculative Fiction Award. It’s always pleasing to get shortlisted / accepted / rejected but with feedback / etc, but this one is a bit more special to me than normal.

This is the fourth year I have submitted to the KSP Spec Fic award, for three short listings. Submitting to this competition is the only “tradition” of my fledging writing career, and it is a tradition I am sad to see end because, as I understand it, the competition will not run again after this year.

In 2009, along with my two writing mates Mark Welker and Anthony Panegyres, I determined to get off my backside and start sending off stories to competitions and submission calls. We identified the 2009 KSP Spec Fic comp as one of our initial targets, and undertook to write Spec Fic stories. I had a story from my uni days that Anthony thought was good, but to me it always felt a bit forced. I couldn’t work with it.

“What do you like about it?” asked Mark.

“The robot,” I replied.

“Well write a robot story.”

So I did. 1,800 words was knocked out quickly, and after a rapid spit and polish, I sent it off.

Then I got my shortlisting letter. At the ceremony I found out I came second. you can imagine what I thought.

That was easy, followed closely by, fuck I’m good.

For that erroneous belief alone, I should despise KSP… but I don’t.

Here’s why: another thing happened on the ceremony day. I met Tehani Wessely, who judged the competition. Tehani is the owner / editor of Fablecroft, has been on numerous judging panels, multi-award winning, and generally heavily involved in the Spec Fic scene. And I learn two things from meeting her:

1. That there are people out there who think the work I am doing is important. Tehani wasn’t raving about my story, or even my body of work in general (which didn’t exist), but simply suggesting the importance of the fact that there are “newbies” out there trying. Every craft needs apprentices, practitioners, and wizened masters.

2. That Australia has a vibrant speculative fiction scene. It must seem implausible to those involved in the scene , but there are many people, like me, who read SF and Fantasy all their lives without realising the extent of what is happening in Australia.

And so I discover Andromeda Spaceways, and Twelfth Planet Press, and Ticonderoga. Then individual names like Peter M. Ball, Angela Slatter, Cat Sparks, Tansy Rayner Roberts, Deb Biancotti. Editors such as Jonathan Strahan, Alisa Krasnostein, Russell B. Farr, Keith Stevenson, Tehani herself.

I discover Paul Haines. Holy Fuck.

I discover Margo Lanagan. I read Tender Morsels. When I meet Margo I have her sign a copy for my 9-year old daughter, for some future (rapidly approaching!) birthday.

These authors and editors (written in random order and omitting many of the names now crammed into two bookshelves of Aust Spec Fic) have provided me with some of my finest reading moments of the last four years. In return, I put maybe 7 out of every 10 dollars of my book money into Australian small press products for perhaps two years straight.

***

Back to KSP. I write another story the following year for the 2010 comp. My short listing letter comes in (I don’t place this time). At the ceremony I see fellow short-lister Guy Salvidge who I went to uni with. Guy was an awesome writer even back in the day and I had read and enjoyed his first novel. We strike up a conversation that persists three years later across Facebook, blogs and emails. His second novel wins an award, gets released. He cranks up his short fiction again after a lengthy break. Surprising no one, people start publishing him.

***

I start submitting to Fablecroft, Ticonderoga, and Twelfth Planet Press. Get a little feedback, come close once, never quite make it. When the books are released the Table of Contents prove a balm to my wounded ego. Always chock full of talent.

It is an impressive aspect of these presses that they offer open submissions, and I can’t help but muse that I have at times taken advantage of this when a story I’ve sent in hasn’t quite met the brief. Occasionally other writers talk about the lack of feedback that accompanies their rejections, but how many other businesses regularly throw their doors open to suggestions from any punter off the street? This is what small press does and has always done. An open submission is an open call for anyone to get looked out.

You don’t have to be around the industry long to understand the important opportunities these presses offer the fledgling writer.

***

I write another story for KSP on 2011. The Honourable Stephen Dedman does not honourably mention it, but does plain-old mention it in his judge’s remarks as “showed promise, but failed to deliver.” My writing group agrees with Stephen, so I decide not to hold a grudge. I meet Lee Battersby, and briefly, his wife Lyn Battersby. I tactfully refrain from telling Lee that Lyn’s story in the recent Fablecroft anthology After the Rain was better than his (his was damn good too).

Somehow I end up in a challenge to re-write this story into a 20,000 word novella in ten days. I do it. I remain married, somehow.

***

I start running. Up and down West Coast Highway, early in the morning, late at night. Before work, on weekends. I listen to Galactic Suburbia, Coode Street, The Writer and The Critic, Thrillercast, TISF. I buy more books than is healthy. My “to read” bookcase (yes, its a bookcase now) has about sixty books on it. I understand that I will never catch up. I realise that reading across the entirety of Aust Spec Fic isn’t something to aspire to. I tone down the dream a little.

***

2012: I write another story this year, or more accurately, I pull out an old story, dust it off and rework it. Seek feedback from my peers, send it in. The short listing letter arrives.

***

I don’t know if this really is the last year of the KSP Spec Fic award. I hope not. I have gained so much from my participation in this little competition, and assuming my experience isn’t unique,  the scene will be poorer for the loss of it.

Revising

Just read this excellent article on revising stories, and thought it worth the share. Click here for 20 tips to revising.