Ginny's Fiction Writing Blog

A question came in last week from Justin, a writer influenced by anime and fantasy. I wanted to share it because it's pertinent to many writers, and because I hope other fantasy/science fiction writers will offer advice geared to his particular situation.

Justin wrote, "One of my passions is writing & this story has just stuck with me for the longest time. I have character names, a huge setting in a fantasy kingdom & well . . . just about everything but the plot line. I have no idea where to begin & each time I have started to write the drafts, I kinda get stuck & just wish I could skip the beginning altogether."

My advice was to go back to the basics: introduction, rising action, climax, denouement -- all those things we learn in school. I also directed him to the excellent book suggestions offered by other readers in an earlier blog. As for beginnings: "It's OK to skip the beginning and come back to it later. For me, beginnings are also the hardest part, so I often leave them until the end." Plus, having written the rest of the book, I have a better idea of how to frame the story. It pays to be strategic about the beginning, and this way, an author can write the beginning that best sets up what follows.

Any other thoughts for Justin, on beginnings specifically or plots in general? And for fantasy writers: how do you shift from universe building to plot? This must be a common problem, so please share your experiences and solutions.

With the economy going haywire on us, it seemed a good time to revisit an interview with Amanda Clayman, a psychotherapist specializing in financial wellness. For years, she has counseled artists through the Actors Fund in New York City, helping them bring money into balance while pursuing their artistic goals. So, yes, it's time to be smart about money, but that doesn't mean you have to give up writing. Clayman shows how your life can accommodate both.

I got word this week about an upcoming contest deadline from American Short Fiction, and wanted to pass it on:
The contest is open from September 15 to December 8. All entries will be considered for publication. The entry fee of $20 includes a copy of the contest issue. (You may upload only one story per entry, but you can enter as many times as you like.)
The lucky first prize winner receives $1,000 and publication.
Second prize is $500.
Final Judge: Sam Lipsyte
See full guidelines at http://www.americanshortfiction.org/contest_rules08.htm.

A reader wrote in this week asking, “What exactly do literary journals want to see when they ask for a ‘brief bio’”? It’s a question a lot of writers have – I know I did when I first started submitting work – and I wanted to share the Q&A, and to see what other people had to contribute.

My answer was that editors want a short paragraph or a few lines about the author, in part to provide context for the work, but also so they’ll have something for the Contributors’ Notes at the back of the journal if they take the story. By getting the bio in the beginning, they save time and hassle later.

If you have any publications or pertinent degrees, you'll want to mention them. If you don't, that's fine, too. Say what you do for a living or where you go to school, where you live, and what projects you're working on:

"I write for About.com and live in Brooklyn, NY, with my 18 Persian cats. I'm currently working on a murder mystery set on an emu farm."

You can see more examples (ones people have actually used) here.

The one journal I read submissions for sent us packets with the cover letters stapled behind the work, so that we encountered the writing first, without knowing who submitted it. If the work was shoddy, I didn't care if it turned out someone famous had sent it in. And if it was really good, I didn't care if they hadn't published a word. I think (or very much hope) that that's the spirit at most journals, and especially at the ones that say they're open to new authors.

But what’s your take on all of this? Do you have tips that have worked for you? Share your advice, thoughts, or sample bios below. I can add 'em to the list.

Stephenie Meyer announced that she has quit work on her next book in the Twilight series, Midnight Sun, after a trusted reader leaked part of the book on the Internet. Meyer said that she knew who had released the partial draft, as she had only given out a few copies, each of them slightly different. "This has been a very upsetting experience for me, but I hope it will at least leave my fans with a better understanding of copyright and the importance of artistic control," Meyer wrote, according to Reuters.

I understand why she's upset -- she should get to dictate exactly when her work is made public -- but is this fair to her fans? Is this like making the whole class skip recess because one person cheated on the test? What do writers owe their fans?

I was updating some of the small press profiles and came across a piece of advice that struck home in a way that it didn't when I posted it however many years ago:

Try writing all kinds of different works -- cultivate recognition by journalists. We are currently talking to a writer who has written three novels, one of which won the Somerset Maugham Prize, but the other two failed to sell and his large press dumped him unceremoniously. He then decided to write a TV play, two episodes of a murder TV show, is currently writing a screenplay for the BBC, and has a documentary lined up to accompany the non-fiction book we are talking to him about. Along the way, he has picked up recognition, a following from a regular radio slot, and a lot more writing skills. He is still not yet ready to write another novel, but his family has eaten for the past four years and he feels good about himself.

I like the emphasis on feeling good about himself...And her thoughts on agents are also worth checking out, especially if you've been turned down by the big presses and are thinking about going this direction.

This week I thought it might be helpful to provide a little inspiration for those who're getting back into the swing of things after summer. Start by choosing an image from these six options, or one of your own. Then see where freewriting takes you. Hopefully something from your freewrite will be worth developing into a story. But even if a story doesn't come of it, at least you're writing, which is the most important thing.

In the newsletter, and to a certain extent on this home page, we've been thinking all month about goals for the fall. Though we should all enjoy this last weekend of summer, next week it's time to start making those goals happen. If you haven't already, figure out when you have time to write, and then consider that time sacred every week for the next few months.

So happy Labor Day, everyone. Enjoy the long, (hopefully) labor-free weekend, and wake up on Tuesday knowing you'll have time that day for the work closest to your heart.

Earlier this year I had the chance to talk to Alan Ziegler, a longtime professor and administrator at Columbia's MFA program, about his book The Writing Workshop Note Book (Soft Skull Press). With back to school season here, the interview to mind. Whether you're taking a creative writing workshop or teaching one, Ziegler's book is good to have on the shelf. His thoughts and advice would certainly help make the workshop a better place.

Photograph © Erin Langston

If the Olympics have piqued your interest in Chinese culture, trade in your TV remote -- or your mouse -- for a good book. You might start by checking out Wolf Totem, by Jiang Rong (pictured here) which got the gold at last year's Man Asian award ceremony. Or check out the entire shortlist from last year; many of the books received contracts as a result of their nomination.

For a different focus, Pen USA offers a list of writers imprisoned in China, with samples of their work.