Getting Revved Up for Flash Fiction! |
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ottersdaughter
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 26 Jul 2016 Location: Vancouver, WA Status: Offline Points: 926 |
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Everyone is different for process, so my only advice there is that beta readers are awesome - even if you end up deciding they don't know what they're talking about, you'll think more carefully about your story than would otherwise be the case. And honestly, every beta reader I've had has given me something. There's a facebook group that Vernacula started last year that I've had good luck with - PDQ Beta Reads (https://www.facebook.com/groups/193899421057056/) For sanity..?
When the time comes to post here for feedback, read the directions and ask for help if you need it. If you're not a computer person it can be confusing, but with help, it can be done even then :) And don't talk yourself out of posting - the forum feedback is the most valuable part of the whole thing! Good Luck!
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CobainaMercury
NYC Midnight Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2017 Location: Alberta, Canada Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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That might have been an optimistic request. I suppose knowing I am in good company will have to do!
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jenspenden
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 25 Sep 2013 Location: Denver, CO Status: Offline Points: 5069 |
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I posted this back a few pages for another newbie requesting advice. Hope it helps! I take a very similar approach as Hrafnkel. This will be my 5th FFC, and 17th round of NYCM comps, so I've come up with a basic strategy that works really well for me (but, as Hrafnkel mentioned, everyone works differently, so take my advice with a grain of salt). Let me preface all of this by saying I'm usually a "pantser." When it comes to my own work, I don't plan or outline anything in advance. I just go with the flow. But, with NYCM, I'm much more of a plotter. I don't have the luxury of time to fiddle around. Things have to be "right" as early on as possible. So, with that said, on Friday night, I stay up until I've brainstormed the crap out of my prompts. Remember to think outside the box (duh), and to consider tossing your first idea because the rest of your group probably thought of it too. After I have my idea, I figure out a solid plot and work through all of its foreseeable kinks and loopholes. More than once, I've discovered fatal flaws halfway through the weekend that forced me to abandon an story and start over--SO STRESSFUL! It's better to try and think ahead and stop the bleeding before you've wasted 24-hours on a doomed story. (Again, I'm not usually a plotter, but I recommend it for these fast-paced contests.) Saturday: WRITE, write, write! My goal is to send a decent draft to beta readers before I go to bed. Sunday: EDIT, edit, edit! I tend to go over the word count by 200-500 words. So, Sunday is all about chopping, refining, and beta reading. Beta reading is vital (IMO). You need fresh, unbiased eyes on your work to see what you can't (be that grammar blips, plot holes, etc.). If you don't have any beta readers you can turn to, someone usually starts a thread on the forum during the weekend that helps connect competitors to each other. As long as you're not in the same group, you can help each other out. A few other general tips:
Hope that helps! I'll be a bit rusty this round since I skipped the last NYCM contest and have been focusing on a novel the past six months...Cramming a full story into 1K words is going to be HARD! Good luck! Edited by jenspenden - 14 Jul 2017 at 11:46pm |
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zinnia
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 14 Jul 2017 Status: Offline Points: 122 |
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also a newbie! also generally in agony. 10 minutes...
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CobainaMercury
NYC Midnight Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2017 Location: Alberta, Canada Status: Offline Points: 43 |
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Thank you for the advice and encouragement! A big reason I'm doing this is to push past the fear of sharing my work and getting feedback, so I shall take your words to heart. |
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Zblugg
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 25 Apr 2017 Location: Cantley, Canada Status: Offline Points: 4256 |
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Almost there..
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MF100 R2G16 Marv and Mary Have Flower Issues
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THubbs72
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 13 Jul 2017 Location: Methuen, Mass Status: Offline Points: 217 |
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Counting down to 11:59 pm is like counting down the ball for New Year's Eve. Can't wait to get started. Good luck everyone!
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Tony Hubbard
RD1, Group15: Love Brought Me Life |
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ankh
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 06 Feb 2017 Location: Melbourne Status: Offline Points: 377 |
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Edited by ankh - 17 Jul 2017 at 7:31am |
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