Using the Writing Center

Writing Center, Image Source: Towsend.edu

So–yes another shorter blog entry–I’m going to the University’s Writing Center today to workshop a short-story.  The story is called Whale Song and I’ve submitted it frequently, but I’ve been told that the main character comes across as a bit of a jerk.  I didn’t really know how to fix it, so I stuck it in the “drawer.”

Well, there is anthology that is open until Nov. 1st, so I want to polish it up and send it out.  My goal is going to be to find out if the main character is a jerk and if so, brainstorm a couple of ideas that I have for a revision.

For some reason, my students are reluctant to go to the Writing Center in order to improve their writing.  I guess they see it as a mark of “weakness” or “failure” if you need to get extra help.  What I’m trying to get them to see is that the writing center gives them knowledgable people that they can bounce ideas off of.  No writing center can “fix” a paper because the paper is the tangible expression of the writer and (generally speaking) we don’t go around “fixing” people.  Maybe through my example, my students will become more used to going to the Writing Center to help themselves become better writers.

Advertisements

Skin Deep Published in Aurora Wolf!

Source: Aurora Wolf – A Literary Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy (aurorawolf.com)

SKIN DEEP PUBLISHED!

Just wanted to let you know that Skin Deep, a short-story that I’ve worked on and detailed on the blog has been published by Aurora Wolf – A Literary Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy.  Please head over to their website, read my story, rate and comment on it and (while you’re there) perhaps, read and comment on other stories that I are listed.  Right now my story is on the from page (with the above image – thanks to Aurora Wolf for letting me use the image!).  There is no cost to read the story, or  in other words, its FREE!

Skin Deep has been very much of a long-term passion project.  It was one of the first stories  I wrote with the intent of getting it published.  The story that is published in the 3rd major draft of the story.  My first draft came in the 90s and I submitted it to several markets found in Writer’s Market & Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market.  I only remember one piece of feedback that I received for it from an editor who thought the Psionics (mind powers) in the story strayed too close to magic for her tastes.

I put it “in the trunk” for a while and then I rewrote it substantially around late 2013 – early 2014.  The basis of the current version came from this rewrite.  I had the plot and most of the character, but something still didn’t feel right about the character and her motivations.  I put it up again (not submitting it significantly) until I revised it mid-2015.

As I noted in the blog about the story,  I changed the main character’s name, and really worked to increase the setting of the story and I think that’s what was missing from the 2nd draft–not enough setting to really ground the story.  In all, I’m glad I got to tell Mahalia’s story.  Please go read it if you have a chance–best of all, did I mention its FREE!

CHILDE ROLAND PUBLISHED!

In case you missed it, Childe Roland was also published late last year.  It is still up and, like Skin Deep, it is also FREE!  Please head over to ElectricSpec.com to give it a read as well if you have the time.

OTHER PROJECTS

Lastly, I’m still writing and working on other projects.  As you’ve no doubt realized by the slowness of the blog, I’m really overwhelmed with coursework and classes, but I’m trying to get a handle on the massive amounts of reading and grading that I’m having to do.  I will post more about other projects that I’m working on in the coming months.  Like a business, I need to refresh my sold “stock” with new “stock” if I’m going to make my writing career work, so I have lots of new projects in the wings.  More on these soon.  Well, that’s all for this week, and I’ll try to have a new post up next week (I promise, I really will TRY!).  See you next post!