So, as I was taking a break from my LSAT practice test (hey, a girl needs to eat), I stumbled upon a show I'd seen advertised - Sci Fi Science. It's on the Science Channel and is hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku one of the most prominent physicists in the world. (He's also the author of Physics of the Impossible, if you want to delve deeper into your science research.)
I decided to take a few moments and share this resource with all of you Sci Fi writers out there. I know, as a reader, I want a story that takes me into another place/time/world, but I also want to believe it could really happen - no matter how slim the reality may be. Sci Fi Science shows you how some of our favorite imaginings can really come to be. Remember, the submarine began as the creation of Jules Verne's mind!
Unfortunately, you can't watch complete episodes of Sci Fi Science online, but you can view short clips and there are links to articles on subjects like - Is creating an invisibility cloak possible? (More so than you might think, actually.)
The Science Channel's main page contains links to dozens more shows, articles, and there are even some games. :-) Personally, I could spend hours there but don't have the time now. However, I encourage you to go in my stead. Go forth and explore my fellow writers. Feed your imaginations and don't forget to feed your stomachs on occasion too. ;-P
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Bi-weekly "Site of the Week" -- Which Rules Aren't Made to be Broken.
So, some of you may have noticed that I've begun using a theme for the Site of the Week, since I haven't always had time to post each week. This week's theme, when not to break the rules.
When you're creating fiction, by all means break the rules of gravity, reality and even common sense if you want to. But when you begin submitting that fantastic work of fiction, that is when the rules aren't made to be broken.
Follow them.
Rule number one. In my opinion this is the most important rule -- do your research. Nothing sends your submission to the e-slush pile/trash can/file 13 faster than submitting it to the wrong market. There are so many sub-genres and blended genres out there these days you can't simply see "science fiction" or "fantasy" under the listing of acceptable submissions and assume your work is a perfect fit.
E-zines often contain free web content so you can get a glimpse of the type of stories they accept, give it a read. If you are submitting to another type of publication which doesn't have free online content, see if you can track a copy down at your local library, Amazon, or borrow one from your next door neighbor's cousin's best friend. You may even be lucky enough to find something on your local Freecycle network. If those options fail, and you really want to get published in that particular venue - buy a copy. I know that finding the extra cash can be tough in this economy, but you have to decide how serious you are. Do you really need that extra vente, double-caff, extra foam, caramel mochachino? ;-)
Rule number two. Read the submission guidelines thoroughly. Every agent, publisher, e-zine, etc. has its own rules of submission. These are published for a reason. Read them. Many of them will also include a link to what the proper formatting they expect looks like, so there is no excuse for submitting anything less than what they are asking you for.
An upcoming speculative fiction e-zine aimed at the YA market, Scape, uses this example which is the most widely used standard manuscript format. However, USE CAUTION, some agents, etc. specifically state what they expect a manuscript to look like and it is not this format.
Rule number three - Proofread before you click send. Spell check is handy. Automatic typo correction is my personal savior. But neither of them are a substitute for reading your submission and making 110% certain that you haven't made a mistake they won't catch - like a misused homonym. (This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Here is a link to a site of homonyms you can use to double check. And yes, I have posted this before, it never hurts to repost a resource like this.)
Rule number four - Proofread twice before you hit send.
When you're creating fiction, by all means break the rules of gravity, reality and even common sense if you want to. But when you begin submitting that fantastic work of fiction, that is when the rules aren't made to be broken.
Follow them.
Rule number one. In my opinion this is the most important rule -- do your research. Nothing sends your submission to the e-slush pile/trash can/file 13 faster than submitting it to the wrong market. There are so many sub-genres and blended genres out there these days you can't simply see "science fiction" or "fantasy" under the listing of acceptable submissions and assume your work is a perfect fit.
E-zines often contain free web content so you can get a glimpse of the type of stories they accept, give it a read. If you are submitting to another type of publication which doesn't have free online content, see if you can track a copy down at your local library, Amazon, or borrow one from your next door neighbor's cousin's best friend. You may even be lucky enough to find something on your local Freecycle network. If those options fail, and you really want to get published in that particular venue - buy a copy. I know that finding the extra cash can be tough in this economy, but you have to decide how serious you are. Do you really need that extra vente, double-caff, extra foam, caramel mochachino? ;-)
Rule number two. Read the submission guidelines thoroughly. Every agent, publisher, e-zine, etc. has its own rules of submission. These are published for a reason. Read them. Many of them will also include a link to what the proper formatting they expect looks like, so there is no excuse for submitting anything less than what they are asking you for.
An upcoming speculative fiction e-zine aimed at the YA market, Scape, uses this example which is the most widely used standard manuscript format. However, USE CAUTION, some agents, etc. specifically state what they expect a manuscript to look like and it is not this format.
Rule number three - Proofread before you click send. Spell check is handy. Automatic typo correction is my personal savior. But neither of them are a substitute for reading your submission and making 110% certain that you haven't made a mistake they won't catch - like a misused homonym. (This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Here is a link to a site of homonyms you can use to double check. And yes, I have posted this before, it never hurts to repost a resource like this.)
Rule number four - Proofread twice before you hit send.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Inspiration Needed?
For this week I'm revisiting a previous Site fo the Week, but in a different capacity. Some of you may remember my mention of Seventh Sanctum's name generators. This site has many other types of generators and so I've used their story generator with both a fantasy theme and a science fiction theme. The results are posted below. If you're going through a spell of writer's block, maybe some of these prompts will get your brain working again. :-)
And if you want to try the generators for yourself, I've added Seventh Sanctum to my list of Websites for Writers on the left side of the page.
FANTASY
1)The story is about a guild of shiftless scribes. It takes place in a war-scarred realm in a magical dimension. The story climaxes with destruction. A lost treasure plays an important role.
2)The story is about a bloodthirsty smuggler and an elementalist who is constantly annoyed by a jailer. It starts in a universe where space travel occurs by magical means. The story begins with someone going to sleep, climaxes with a promotion, and ends with an angry outburst.
3)The story is about a seer from a good family. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic in a magical universe. The will of the gods is a major part of the story.
4)This is a comedy-of-manners with a focus on self-sacrifice. The story is about an aloof prince who must work with a pessimistic king. It takes place in a magical alternate universe. The story begins with a dream. The effect of magical races on business is a major part of the story.
5)This is an epic about giving in to destiny. The story is about a watchful wizard who has a mysterious admirier: a fisherman. It takes place in a storehouse in a desert fiefdom. An ancient prophecy plays an important role.
6)The story is about a treasure-hunter, a wizard, a wizard, and a knight. It takes place in a city-state in a forest realm. The return of ancient powers plays an important part in the story.
7)This is a satire. The story is about an actor and an unstable bandit. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic. Recovering magical artifacts and knowledge is a major part of the story.
8)The story is about a farmer, an outgoing gigolo, a martial artist, and a dungeon delver who is mysteriously connected to a pompous shaman. It takes place in a legendary domain on our world in a new magical age. An important bloodline plays a prime part.
9)The story is about a shaman, a plain shaman, a vicious fortune-teller, and a rat-catcher. It takes place in a village in a religious land. An important bloodline plays a prime part.
10)This is a rags-to-riches story. The story is about a graceful scribe. It takes place on our world in a magical age. A powerful magical weapon plays an important role.
SCIENCE FICTION
1)This is a comedy-of-errors. The story is about a fearful doctor and a shiftless physicist. It takes place on a war-torn planet. The critical element of the story is the failure at a test. An accident in space plays a major role in the story.
2)The story is about a frustrated nuclear engineer, a video game addict, and a linguistics expert. It takes place in a dimensional warp. The speed of technological advancement is a major part of this story.
3)This is a story about travel and how man can better himself. The story is about a confident gambler who has a mysterious admirier: a sailor. It starts in a galaxy-spanning commonwealth. A spatial anomoly plays a major role in the story.
4)This is a tale about rebellion. The story is about a priestess. It starts in a galaxy-spanning confederation. The story begins with a sport being played.
5)The story is about a whiny plumber. It takes place in a galaxy-spanning technocracy. The differences alien societies may have regarding economics is a major element of this story.
6)The story is about an energetic baseball player, a biologist, and a committed servant. It takes place on an ancient planet. The crux of the story involves the taking of a test.
7)The story is about an acrobat who is in debt to an unpredictable scientist. It starts in an intergalactic syndicate. The difficulty of cross-species communications is a major issue of the story.
8)The story is about a secretary haunted by flashbacks. It takes place in an intergalactic federation. The blurring of the boundaries between man and machine is a major part of this story.
9)The story is about a rabble-rouser who is in debt to a park ranger. It takes place on a toxic planet. The crux of the story involves an accident at home. A rebellion against technology plays a major role in this story.
10)This is a crime drama. The story is about a CFO. It takes place in an intergalactic commonwealth. The story begins with an advice, climaxes with a murder, and ends with the paying of a fine. The effect of alien contact on business is a major part of the story.
And if you want to try the generators for yourself, I've added Seventh Sanctum to my list of Websites for Writers on the left side of the page.
FANTASY
1)The story is about a guild of shiftless scribes. It takes place in a war-scarred realm in a magical dimension. The story climaxes with destruction. A lost treasure plays an important role.
2)The story is about a bloodthirsty smuggler and an elementalist who is constantly annoyed by a jailer. It starts in a universe where space travel occurs by magical means. The story begins with someone going to sleep, climaxes with a promotion, and ends with an angry outburst.
3)The story is about a seer from a good family. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic in a magical universe. The will of the gods is a major part of the story.
4)This is a comedy-of-manners with a focus on self-sacrifice. The story is about an aloof prince who must work with a pessimistic king. It takes place in a magical alternate universe. The story begins with a dream. The effect of magical races on business is a major part of the story.
5)This is an epic about giving in to destiny. The story is about a watchful wizard who has a mysterious admirier: a fisherman. It takes place in a storehouse in a desert fiefdom. An ancient prophecy plays an important role.
6)The story is about a treasure-hunter, a wizard, a wizard, and a knight. It takes place in a city-state in a forest realm. The return of ancient powers plays an important part in the story.
7)This is a satire. The story is about an actor and an unstable bandit. It starts on our world after a disaster brought about the return of magic. Recovering magical artifacts and knowledge is a major part of the story.
8)The story is about a farmer, an outgoing gigolo, a martial artist, and a dungeon delver who is mysteriously connected to a pompous shaman. It takes place in a legendary domain on our world in a new magical age. An important bloodline plays a prime part.
9)The story is about a shaman, a plain shaman, a vicious fortune-teller, and a rat-catcher. It takes place in a village in a religious land. An important bloodline plays a prime part.
10)This is a rags-to-riches story. The story is about a graceful scribe. It takes place on our world in a magical age. A powerful magical weapon plays an important role.
SCIENCE FICTION
1)This is a comedy-of-errors. The story is about a fearful doctor and a shiftless physicist. It takes place on a war-torn planet. The critical element of the story is the failure at a test. An accident in space plays a major role in the story.
2)The story is about a frustrated nuclear engineer, a video game addict, and a linguistics expert. It takes place in a dimensional warp. The speed of technological advancement is a major part of this story.
3)This is a story about travel and how man can better himself. The story is about a confident gambler who has a mysterious admirier: a sailor. It starts in a galaxy-spanning commonwealth. A spatial anomoly plays a major role in the story.
4)This is a tale about rebellion. The story is about a priestess. It starts in a galaxy-spanning confederation. The story begins with a sport being played.
5)The story is about a whiny plumber. It takes place in a galaxy-spanning technocracy. The differences alien societies may have regarding economics is a major element of this story.
6)The story is about an energetic baseball player, a biologist, and a committed servant. It takes place on an ancient planet. The crux of the story involves the taking of a test.
7)The story is about an acrobat who is in debt to an unpredictable scientist. It starts in an intergalactic syndicate. The difficulty of cross-species communications is a major issue of the story.
8)The story is about a secretary haunted by flashbacks. It takes place in an intergalactic federation. The blurring of the boundaries between man and machine is a major part of this story.
9)The story is about a rabble-rouser who is in debt to a park ranger. It takes place on a toxic planet. The crux of the story involves an accident at home. A rebellion against technology plays a major role in this story.
10)This is a crime drama. The story is about a CFO. It takes place in an intergalactic commonwealth. The story begins with an advice, climaxes with a murder, and ends with the paying of a fine. The effect of alien contact on business is a major part of the story.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Bad Request???? :-O
I'm having withdrawals. Serious withdrawals. I just tried to sign into the Writer's Digest forums and the links aren't working! I keep getting an errror message that says the page can't be found because of a wrong address.
Oh pleeeeezzzz don't let it be another hacking incident. :-( Damn, stupid hackers screw everything up. Why can't they, along with the scam agents and all other lower forms of life on our planet, find something constructive to do with their time?
I could go on, but I'll spare you the rant. Let's just suffice it to say that I hope the forum links are up and working again very soon. I just posted something new for feedback and I'm like a sugar-high five-year-old wanting to know what people thought of it. :-D
Well, I suppose I'll just have to go and study first. Crap.
Addendum: I went to my final CASA training meeting today and they gave me my first case! Exciting and scary all at once. I won't be officially sworn in until next Wednesday in the Juvenille Court, but I can get started with some of the non-sensitive information gathering in the meantime. Just thought I'd share.
Oh pleeeeezzzz don't let it be another hacking incident. :-( Damn, stupid hackers screw everything up. Why can't they, along with the scam agents and all other lower forms of life on our planet, find something constructive to do with their time?
I could go on, but I'll spare you the rant. Let's just suffice it to say that I hope the forum links are up and working again very soon. I just posted something new for feedback and I'm like a sugar-high five-year-old wanting to know what people thought of it. :-D
Well, I suppose I'll just have to go and study first. Crap.
Addendum: I went to my final CASA training meeting today and they gave me my first case! Exciting and scary all at once. I won't be officially sworn in until next Wednesday in the Juvenille Court, but I can get started with some of the non-sensitive information gathering in the meantime. Just thought I'd share.
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