Most Valuable NYCM Nugget |
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lizarose
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 15 Aug 2014 Location: Toronto Status: Offline Points: 450 |
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Posted: 01 Sep 2019 at 5:14pm |
I have learned that I have a short memory ... What was the question... Seriously- I should go back and review all feedback every time I write especially under pressure. I learn, I improve but then forget the basics in the crunch of competition. Spelling and grammar get me every time! But if I can remember to remember then my writing improves!!
I love the generosity of this group (and must apologise for being inactive in the forum this challenge... but I aim to provide nore feedback in Challenge 2) and dfeel at home here.
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GaleGirl
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 26 Jan 2019 Location: Lancaster, PA Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
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So this may sound primitive, but here it is.
Writers beat up on themselves a lot. We demand perfection from ourselves when that isn't always possible. Writing is like yoga--some days you can hold a tree for a minute and other days the left foot slides down the leg within ten seconds. So here is what I learned about myself. I finished a story by the required deadline, completing several rounds of editing before submitting. And I followed the submission guidelines to the letter. And the NYC Midnight gods received an offering in full compliance and said it was good. So I learned I am not the worst writer nor the worst person in the entire world since some writers who also paid the contest entry fee can't manage either or both. I at least fulfilled those tasks. Gale
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GaleGirl
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 26 Jan 2019 Location: Lancaster, PA Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
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Your first nugget resonated with me. You said it first, so I can only concur. I've been assigned all genres I don't write or have published in thus far. While fantasy is still beyond my reach, this time I had Sci Fi and people commented that I seemed comfortable in that genre. First SciFi story ever. Now I polished it up and submitted it to a competitive, speculative journal that can result in a SFWA membership if selected. That is hysterical. But good luck. I haven't found a tribe here yet. But I've been part of a tribe on writing forums, and it is a great feeling. Best of luck. Gale
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Charlie72
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 14 Jul 2019 Location: New York City Status: Offline Points: 512 |
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I’ve done two NYCM challenges nearly a decade apart.
The first time (which was SSC10) I was active in the forum, but I only wrote critiques for things I already really liked, like sending messages to good writers would somehow make me better by association. And then, of course, I returned the feedback that I received but that felt more like a social obligation. This year I’m finding that writing critiques has become less about some weird social climbing or putting on appearances, and more of a passionate endeavor. Critiquing other people’s work — dissecting what works and why, what doesn’t and why, and thinking about “what would I do to make this better?” is not just thoughtful, but a valuable tool for improving your own writing. Just like I learned in high school that “teaching” material to other students who were a little behind would help me grasp it way more than if I just studied on my own, editing works much the same way. But also, it’s good karma.
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FF19 CH1 G6 We Don't Have Time
FF19 CH2 G6 The Megamolecular Diamond Destabilizer |
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lnLala
NYC Midnight Addict Joined: 14 Jan 2019 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 1113 |
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1. Your mileage may vary (ymmv). What seems perfectly clear and concise to one person may be muddled and murky to another. At the end of the day it is up to me (it is my story, after all) to decide which feedback to take - and how I take it. Critical comments help me pinpoint trouble spots, or to decide it's not trouble after all. It's hard in the beginning to get past the idea that someone didn't like something and look carefully at the spot they're pointing out. (It's still hard sometimes, even after years of feedback and critiques.)
2. Giving feedback and articulating what worked well (and what didn't work so well) for me as a reader helps me as a writer because I look for those things in my own writing (to fix or emulate).
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FF23 Ch3 Gr13 Confession (thriller)
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NKurt
NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 176 |
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Three anecdotes that have served me well:
If you're not having fun with it, no-one will have fun reading it.
Be concise. Be vivid. There's no such thing as a perfect sentence. |
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FFCH2: The Very Berry Psychopath (14 points)
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Jaamz
NYC Midnight Regular Joined: 16 Jan 2015 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 392 |
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I really really need to work on number 3 lol. I write almost two stories every round.
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Lookit There
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 20 Feb 2014 Location: Portland, OR Status: Offline Points: 3920 |
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That whole David Mamet thread was a beautiful thing to behold. We have some wicked clever people here.
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FFC1 12 Gay-ngry Men
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Guests
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One thing that I learned here became apparent while I was watching my dad's game shows with him a few nights ago. He was reading an article in a magazine about David Mamet, and I said, "Oh, I know who he is! He teaches a master class that no one wants to take, and he has antennae." I never would've heard of David Mamet otherwise.
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OnyxLily
NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 20 Jan 2019 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 2674 |
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1. I found an amazing writing group during the last SSC. They are generous with their feedback and willingness to support other writers.
2. Almost all my feedback for previous efforts has included “it felt like it took a while to get going” or “you spent too long on the intro so the ending felt rushed.” I’m making the effort to try to jump into the story quicker now, and it’s better 3. There is a market for genre fiction! In New Zealand, most well known writers (for adults) write lit fic, in one way or another. Genre isn’t really taught, and there isn’t much of a call for it in NZ literary journals or competitions. But NYCM has opened my eyes to the world of international possibilities for publication.
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