Recent content by oenanthe

I don't know if you genuinely don't know this, or if you're avidly trying to deny it, but white slavemasters routinely raped and impregnated their slaves. and if you don't know that, or if you can't face that, then maybe you should re-think your worldbuilding. Because you will get called on it...

That never stopped a slavemaster. I think you need to read more.

I comped Sherlock Holmes and FullMetal Alchemist for a fantasy novel, so don't follow my example. But my comps were what caught the eye of my agent.

you know, I'm wondering if part of this is wanting the first draft of your scene to come out perfect the first time you write it, and while you are filling up the empty screen, you are expecting to take every element that makes a good scene into account, and then write it, using a combination of...

The thing is, I kinda think you can't write to market. I mean, how would you sit down and figure out what "the market" is? If it's on the shelf in print right now, there's a darn good chance that the trend is already dead as far as agents are concerned, and are now looking for "something fresh."

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to sell a short story once you published it somewhere like wattpad, though. generally, paying markets are looking for First publishing rights, which you used as soon as you posted it on a public site. But there are online writing workshops where you can post...

There are dozens of paying markets for short stories out there. I'm blinking in absolute confusion that no one suggested submitting your work to magazines. The Submissions Grinder and ralan.com are both free resource websites that list short story markets specifically for fantasy, science...

well, see, I have all these social connections in publishing, so all signs point to yes. that's the argument, isn't it? Honestly, I can't evaluate my own work, really. I like it. that's a pretty meaningless thing to say, though.

oh yay I killed the thread go me *waves ribbon*

eh, I wrote what I wanted to write. I didn't consider what was "in" or what was "out." I wrote the story that barely let me sleep. And that's what I'll continue to do.

I have friends who work in publishing, in various positions and job descriptions. one of those friends asked to read my MS. it wound up catching the attention of one of their friends, who asked to see it. and then the snowball really started rolling. I think it happened as fast as it did...

Well, I can't say you're 100% wrong. You're not. If you know people in the SFF business, if people know you, or percieve that you know people, it helps. A very long time ago, I was at a worldcon with my friends, who were all junior sakura blossoms in the SFF world. We were the starry-eyed...

...really?

If you're not looking to publish, do whatever you want. but seriously. if you plan to put this story out into the world, you need better craft than this. What you're talking about doing isn't just neglectful, unresearched world-building. it's offensive.

oh boy. maybe reconsider this, if you're heading toward publishing?