vapros

Today I have posted 'Missing Person', a slice of life in 2866 words. You might enjoy it.

Foul mood today. I just had a very discouraging experience on my favorite web site. Bleah!

Linda Engel: Is this your fav web site?

December 13, 2015 at 12:50PM

vapros: Just had one comment I wanted to make.

December 13, 2015 at 1:34PM

Adri7enne: Aw, sorry to hear that! He/She is definitely off my Christmas list. Chin up, my friend. Laissez le bon temps rouller!

December 13, 2015 at 3:20PM

Late last night I submitted my entry in a short story contest. We had literally several weeks of advance notice for the deadline, but I put it off until the eleventh hour and posted it with barely a half hour to spare. I guess some others may have done the same - several reservations were not used. I've done that a couple of times, too.

Mine had the bones of a fine story, but what I wrote and put up was much less. There are a hundred places where it could have benefited from more description, observation, metaphor, etc, and didn't get it. For this I feel a bit ashamed and embarrassed - 'honte', as the Cajuns would say. This tale was picked before it was ripe, and it's too late now.

So, make a note here. Before you post, be sure you have actually written something, and especially if it will have your name on it. Don't do it poorly and then feel badly about it. What goes around comes around.

Here's a question for the committee. Noting that this contest allowed for stories up to 7000 words, should such an entry have been posted all at once? (I'm someone who preaches against posts that are too long.)

nor84: This isn't an answer from the committee, but from the contest originator and a long-time member. No, you can't have two entries from the same person in a contest. The site's computer would not let you enter. Most contests that have word requirements allow up to 7000 words, but recommend something like 3000 words. I think that's what the standard template says.

December 10, 2015 at 9:16PM

giraffmang: In terms of competitions, you can't post a two parter. The site doesn't allow for it. In regard to longer posts, it depends on what you want to do. If there is no natural break in a story then it can feel disjointed to randomly break it into two posts. Some of my posts are around 6000 words and I haven't suffered because of that. You just tend to get less fluff reviews of the piece which is a good thing. In the 'real' world longer stories are the norm and the shorter posts here don't really stand up to scrutiny. At least, that's the feedback I've been given from other authors and industry professionals. All the best GMG

December 11, 2015 at 2:04AM

I offer a new writing prompt today, for those of you who can remember their first car. Who says there is nothing new in the prompt menu?

I am Cat: Does a skateboard count? ;)

November 24, 2015 at 12:12AM

I am Cat: I got my first one in 1977 I believe. I was the only kid in town with one. ;) I'm 53, hardly a teeny bopper... More of a bee-bopper

November 24, 2015 at 1:32AM

vapros: Yes, I understand you were very poor. The family was poor, and the cook was poor, and the chauffeur was poor, and the upstairs maid and the gardener, also. Everybody was very poor. :)

November 24, 2015 at 1:43AM

I am Cat: Are you always this charming? Or was it some thing I said?

November 24, 2015 at 2:17AM

vapros: Sorry about that. It reminded me of an old joke about a grade school assignment. No hurt was intended. I need to be more careful.

November 24, 2015 at 11:20AM

michaelcahill: No worries. As her entertainment director, I flew in the Stones for a surprise concert. She's on the mend. :))

November 24, 2015 at 11:34AM

I am Cat: I was hoping for Aerosmith, Mikey. ;) No worries vapros... I don't get offended easily. ;)

November 24, 2015 at 12:14PM

www.youtube.com

Thanks so much, Dawn. https://youtu.be/xe9fK7qTa3M

vapros: Well, I missed the link!

November 14, 2015 at 6:53PM

Ideasaregems-Dawn: I'm not sure what you mean - it's YouTube. No link necessary - you just go there. Google YouTube.If you scroll down your page you'll see the song, though. Were you asking how to include a video in something? (Did I misunderstand?)

November 14, 2015 at 8:57PM

vapros: No, you didn't miss anything. I could find it in YouTube, but I did not know how to post it here, with or without graphics. Any more help appreciated.

November 15, 2015 at 12:13AM

I see some writers, (John LeCarre' for example) no longer use quotation marks for dialogue. They are using the apostrophe, instead. What's the status of this shortcut? Popular?

nor84: No, not popular. I think single quote marks may be British. In the US, we continue to use double quotes.

October 20, 2015 at 8:46PM

Gloria ....: Cormac McCarthy doesn't quotation marks at all. As he says, if you write well enough and clearly enough there is no reason for quotation marks. I agree. Punctuation is only intended to enhance reading, but it's almost taken on a life of its own.

October 20, 2015 at 9:16PM

nor84: Hmm... as a prose writer, I wonder how you could identify the speaker without ".......," John said OR "....." John slammed the door. How does McCarthy show who is speaking? I can understand LeCarre using single quotes, because his writing originated overseas.

October 21, 2015 at 1:49AM

Gloria ....: Start with his book, The Road, Nor. It is an amazing read. It was so good I read it three times in a row I found it so good. There is never any problem knowing who is speaking.

October 21, 2015 at 1:53AM

nor84: Probably won't be something most writers will handle well.

October 21, 2015 at 3:09AM

Ideasaregems-Dawn:

November 14, 2015 at 6:14PM

vapros: Thanks so much, Dawn. I appreciate it. Roy Hamilton was a great talent, who died young.

November 14, 2015 at 6:42PM

Realist101: I don't like it, personally, and some are even omitting periods after Mr. or Mrs. etc...weird in my view. :/

November 18, 2015 at 2:42PM

When I write a full two line review of a post that has only 19 words, and then the program not only tells me it is too short, it also deletes what I have already done, I'm likely to decide not to review that one at all.

Serendipity!: Cut and paste the whole thing, THEN write your two line review. lol

October 19, 2015 at 5:01PM