FFC - Best advice for newbies? |
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nixie
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 01 Aug 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Status: Offline Points: 9048 |
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Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 12:30am |
Flashers - tell the newbies what you wish you had known that very first time!
Me: 1. The forums. Creative Writing Forum (this one) for advice, empathy, beta readers. FFC 2018 forum for posting a link to your story (once you receive your NYC confirmation and not before!) where other writers will critique and offer feedback (that's the best value of this contest) 2. Beta readers. If you have never used one - ask questions now and learn about them! A second set of eyes on your story is invaluable. 3. Your prompts are always the worst combo in the whole contest. (So are mine. And his. And hers...) Everyone learns their own way to figure that out. Mine: I pick a single element and try to decide what it is going to be - and then figure out how everything else fits it. I try to pick that single thing, Brainstorm 3 or 4 ways to use/do it - then go to bed. Whichever one is still there when I wake up Saturday morning is it. 4. Don't panic. No matter what, you are going to write at least two stories, and other people will read them and tell you how to make them better stories. When you leave here, you will have at least two pieces to polish and submit somewhere. And, because I am Nixie and I must tell you these two things: Read this post! (Veterans, that's "This is for all you new people" - which I will go comment on and shove back up the forum list in a sec). It has info on where/when to post, how to do links, signature links, etc. Many people get what they need from it. Those who can't quite follow a specific instruction know what to ask so someone can explain it a different way that will make sense for them. When the time comes to post your story, go to the Master List for that round and tell us that your story is there! We'll add it to the list so anyone looking for stuff to read can find it. If you see someone else's story get posted but don't see it on the list - comment and link *that on the master list post so that other person gets added too! There are primary ways people find stories to read - either "you left me feedback and I followed the link in your signature" or "I went looking for all the people in group 5 on the Master List." Other ways are possible, but this will be most of your traffic. (once you have been here a while and you recognize other people and vice versa, you'll also read stuff 'because i kinda know that person' but if you're new here - not so much). So please - learn to do the signature link, and participate in the master list and FFC forum (once it is created next week). You'll get the best value from being here by doing that. finally - there are zillions of us and only a few make the final round. Forget that nonsense - focus on writing and having a good time!
Edited by nixie - 12 Jul 2018 at 1:03am |
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nod1v1ng
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 26 Jul 2016 Location: ChillybytheSea Status: Offline Points: 12497 |
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1. Judges are three people. They are human and are reading a huge volume of stories. Sometimes their feedback is... wonky. Sometimes it is spot on. It can be contradictory, inconsistent, or extremely helpful. Try not to let it make you crazy. 2. If you really want high value feedback post on the forums - many participants are published authors, teachers, and just super skillful readers. Don't expect to post your story and sit back and get a bunch of feedback. Read other people's stories and give thoughtful feedback, and in a high percentage of the cases folks will reciprocate. 3. The Master list is your friend. 4. Many people in your group will not post to the forums. Do not read the threads and assume you can judge how well you will do that round based on the posted stories. It will make you mad because you will really want to read those top scoring entries that weren't posted. Make like Elsa & let it go. HAVE FUN!
Edited by nod1v1ng - 11 Jul 2018 at 9:45am |
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stephenmatlock
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 05 Sep 2013 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 10422 |
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ALSO things I wished I'd known right away: About 99% of the people on these forums are delightful, fun, positive, honest, happy people. A few are not. They can't be changed through reason or criticism, so when you see one, DO NOT RESPOND. Just scroll by. Don't waste your energy or your time or your peace in trying to fix people who want to stay broken.
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Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.
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Suave
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 25 Jan 2015 Location: Thailand Status: Offline Points: 25027 |
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When it is monsoon season and it has poured for three weeks straight and you live in the tropics your bedding will get soggy, you will take any break in the rain to go for food.
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NYCgirl
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 13 Dec 2017 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 418 |
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sounds like a good place to get inspiration
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Pengiwen
NYC Midnight Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2018 Location: Nashville Status: Offline Points: 35 |
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As one of these "newbies", I really appreciate all the feedback you guys are posting! THANK YOU! I look forward to getting to know you all more and hopefully becoming a regular. I've wanted to join up on this contest for a long time and I'm happy to FINALLY be doing it. All the help and encouragement I am ALREADY seeing on this forum is lighting a great big fire in me. I can't wait!
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~*Pengiwen*~
"Words, in my not so humble opinion, are our most inexhaustable source of magic." - Albus Dumbledore |
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JohannahS
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 12 Jul 2018 Location: Chicago Status: Offline Points: 270 |
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Nixie-- thank you for the amazing and comprehensive advice. I clicked your link and got a 404 error. Is the welcome file still available?
TIA, .j. |
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nixie
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 01 Aug 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Status: Offline Points: 9048 |
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Sorry! It was working last night- don't know why it got cranky. I just typed the exact same thing and replaced the link - and it apears happy. That said, if you have any trouble, next step is, notice the comment right after it ("Veterans, that's 'This is for all you new people'"). That's the post subject, and you can use the forum's search box to search for posts with that phrase, or just search "new people" in the subject line (advanced search will let you specify that). So if the link is cranky, search will help keep it from escaping you. Sorry for the hassle! Thanks for letting me know so I could fix it.
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nixie
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 01 Aug 2015 Location: Seattle, WA Status: Offline Points: 9048 |
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Welcome aboard Pengi of the Adorable Avatar!!! You have only begun to skim the surface of the awesome. A week and a half from now this is going to be your favoritest place on CyberEarth. ;)
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Pengiwen
NYC Midnight Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2018 Location: Nashville Status: Offline Points: 35 |
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It's already climbing the charts.
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~*Pengiwen*~
"Words, in my not so humble opinion, are our most inexhaustable source of magic." - Albus Dumbledore |
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