There putting together an anthology of everything from haiku to flash fiction (did you know this was a thing? Apparently, it is a thing) to short fiction (less than 7,500 words). It's all coming down April 11th, and it all goes to help the victims of the quake/tsunami/aftermath that has brought a very real state of emergency to all of Japan.
I'm working on a contribution of my own, and it's taking most of my stolen writing seconds, which is why there may not be an Anomaly tomorrow. The gist, if there was one, would be thus:
Amateur Writers
Get on board with an Anthology!
In fact, apply to every one you can find. It's a spectacular way to get your work and your name out there and to give yourself external deadlines that are much, much harder to cheat.
Be sure to read the anthologies afterward. Learn from your peers: they worked within the same limitations, with the same prompt. Rarely will you find as good a comparison.
Don't just look at their stylings, look at their perspective. Drink deep of the rich spectrum of human imagination, and consider if you might not be dreaming with blinders on.
Don't just look at their stylings, look at their perspective. Drink deep of the rich spectrum of human imagination, and consider if you might not be dreaming with blinders on.
Try to submit at least four a year if you can manage it. You'll rarely be asked for more than 25,000 words, which is half a month's work according to some sources. Most of the time, they're looking for 10,000 words or much, much less.
Flash fiction is becoming huge, sometimes as short as 300 words or as much as 1000. Want to stretch your writing chops? Try squeezing character, plot, and setting into the space of half a page. Now make it compelling without sounding like a bad independent film.
The length is irrelevant, the process alone will make you a better writer, deadline-keeper and all-around business person. Keep yourself on task, follow up on the submissions that go through and especially read the anthologies you fail to get into to better understand why your piece didn't make the cut.
Flash fiction is becoming huge, sometimes as short as 300 words or as much as 1000. Want to stretch your writing chops? Try squeezing character, plot, and setting into the space of half a page. Now make it compelling without sounding like a bad independent film.
The length is irrelevant, the process alone will make you a better writer, deadline-keeper and all-around business person. Keep yourself on task, follow up on the submissions that go through and especially read the anthologies you fail to get into to better understand why your piece didn't make the cut.
Go. Get started. Why are you still reading this?
Oh, you want to know where to get started. The answer is here:
Google the rest. I assure you, you needn't go far. Anthologies are more varied and specific than anything shy of porn, so it's only a matter of time before you find one that's perfect for you.
I hope to crash into you on the anthology circuit. And I hope you beat me to the cut.
Let the games begin!
I hope to crash into you on the anthology circuit. And I hope you beat me to the cut.
Let the games begin!
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