NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > GENERAL DISCUSSION > Creative Writing Corner
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - FFC - Best advice for newbies?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

FFC - Best advice for newbies?

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 6>
Author
Message
nixie View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 01 Aug 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Status: Offline
Points: 9048
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (6) Thanks(6)   Quote nixie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: FFC - Best advice for newbies?
    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
Back to Top
nod1v1ng View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 26 Jul 2016
Location: ChillybytheSea
Status: Offline
Points: 12497
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote nod1v1ng Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 7:40am
Originally posted by nixie nixie wrote:

Flashers - tell the newbies what you wish you had known that very first time!


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! Smile


Edited by nod1v1ng - 11 Jul 2018 at 9:45am
Back to Top
stephenmatlock View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 05 Sep 2013
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 10422
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (9) Thanks(9)   Quote stephenmatlock Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 5:54pm
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.
Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.

Back to Top
Suave View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jan 2015
Location: Thailand
Status: Offline
Points: 25027
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Suave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 11:22pm
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.
Back to Top
NYCgirl View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Regular
NYC Midnight Regular


Joined: 13 Dec 2017
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 418
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote NYCgirl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2018 at 11:27pm
sounds like a good place to get inspiration
Back to Top
Pengiwen View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Newbie
NYC Midnight Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jul 2018
Location: Nashville
Status: Offline
Points: 35
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Pengiwen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 12:30am
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!
~*Pengiwen*~

"Words, in my not so humble opinion, are our most inexhaustable source of magic." - Albus Dumbledore
Back to Top
JohannahS View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Regular
NYC Midnight Regular
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jul 2018
Location: Chicago
Status: Offline
Points: 270
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JohannahS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 12:35am
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.

Back to Top
nixie View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 01 Aug 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Status: Offline
Points: 9048
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nixie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 1:05am
Originally posted by JohannahS JohannahS wrote:

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.


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.
Back to Top
nixie View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Black Belt
NYC Midnight Black Belt
Avatar

Joined: 01 Aug 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Status: Offline
Points: 9048
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nixie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 1:06am
Originally posted by Pengiwen Pengiwen wrote:

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!

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. ;)
Back to Top
Pengiwen View Drop Down
NYC Midnight Newbie
NYC Midnight Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 12 Jul 2018
Location: Nashville
Status: Offline
Points: 35
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Pengiwen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 1:20am
Originally posted by nixie nixie wrote:

A week and a half from now this is going to be your favoritest place on CyberEarth. ;)

It's already climbing the charts. Thumbs Up
~*Pengiwen*~

"Words, in my not so humble opinion, are our most inexhaustable source of magic." - Albus Dumbledore
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 6>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.05
Copyright ©2001-2022 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.145 seconds.