tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44826823939287136212024-03-20T08:27:48.627-07:00Rachel RobinsR²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-86246535741706529472022-04-22T14:52:00.001-07:002022-04-22T14:52:14.474-07:00What... is Time?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kMT63MhRfSYPXwbf3zA_6WpOpA04SoDK-b7HON5pDrp7gAySoXUfXGSzDsXkr-ef96o2c1tUKfZOomPHfmdx-p-_BHSdrRlaJ-JrHdcef27SDE4v9iDw9ezHyCNOQvD0kGOBamKHjB8_5f98PIwIA6bGpvb65exiMgprqISfWopgR9qe-4AkLTym/s625/whatistime.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kMT63MhRfSYPXwbf3zA_6WpOpA04SoDK-b7HON5pDrp7gAySoXUfXGSzDsXkr-ef96o2c1tUKfZOomPHfmdx-p-_BHSdrRlaJ-JrHdcef27SDE4v9iDw9ezHyCNOQvD0kGOBamKHjB8_5f98PIwIA6bGpvb65exiMgprqISfWopgR9qe-4AkLTym/s16000/whatistime.png" /></a></div><p>In this post-COVID times, I feel like this is nearly a universal sentiment. For a long while there, time seemed to stand still, moving yet not moving, things happening and yet not happening. The passage of time seems forever changed from the Before times.</p><p>For me, this is how the last few years have gone. Yet, while in this vacuum of time, a few things did happen. I've published two short stories, and I became the Assistant Editor to a femme and nonbinary zine dedicated to art in its various forms, I, Enheduanna.</p><p>I still feel a bit dazed, though, from this timeshift caused by the panini. Anyone else feel like they are both here and not here at the same time?</p><p>...No? Just me then?<br /></p><p></p>R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-40159982908539308742019-04-29T11:55:00.000-07:002019-05-22T12:10:13.065-07:00Your Name Is My Name, Too<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
It took some time, but my story in <em>The Hamthology</em> is live. Help yourself to a heaping pile of ham sandwich goodness by clicking on the link in my sidebar, eh?<br />
<br />
For the most part, it's been a smooth process for this anthology. The only real hiccup came from sorting out my name on Goodreads for the book. I've always known that there are quite a few Rachel Robins's--I'm like RachelRobins.46 on Facebook. I often joke that there's an army of Rachels out there, and once in a while, I go out of my way to follow all the Rachel Robins's on Twitter in my attempt to rally the troops. You know. For funsies.<br />
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It's a less fun experience when your work gets originally attributed to another author, though. <br />
<br />
It took a while to track down a Goodreads librarian to sort it out, but we ended up having to correct it twice. The first Rachel Robins does a lot of non-fiction apparently, and I'm straight up jealous of the hunky headless torsos gracing the covers of the second Rachel Robins. I definitely appreciate the cut of her jib.<br />
<br />
Who knows? Maybe I'll track her down and ask her for a contact on who did the cover art. I'm always down for a good recommendation.<br />
R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-69578546351546610082018-12-31T12:29:00.000-07:002019-02-25T12:30:16.492-07:00Out with the Old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the rough and wild ride that 2018 has been, in terms of meeting goals and making progress, I'm going to use a rare sports analogy here and say I feel like I knocked it out of the park. I'm not generally one who does new year resolutions, but last year I gave it shot. Instead of a list of chores to get through, I gave myself a theme; 2018 was my Year of Self Care. <br />
<br />
I've been ill for a while, but in the last ten years I've been getting progressively worse. As opposed to just suffering through the symptoms, I decided to actively devote much of my efforts this year to heal. That meant a solid year (and still going) of physical therapy, traditional therapy, tracking water intake, and trying to sort out my complicated feelings regarding my writing. I also wanted to get something sold/published. Lord knows, its been a while.<br />
<br />
So for 2019, I wanted to repeat the magic. It took me a while to decide what I wanted. It's not as catchy sounding, but 2019 is going to be My Year of Doing More of What I Love. So I'm going to continue my physical therapy (likely until I die), treat myself nicer, and focus more on what'll make me happy. That includes establishing and maintaining a writing schedule that doesn't stress me out or guilt me and making more stories that make me happy. I've a couple ideas rattling around already.<br />
<br />
Despite the epic shitstorm that the next few years look to be, at least this way there will be a balancing counterpoint. That's the goal anyway.<br />
R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-31535353612010271902018-09-18T11:31:00.001-07:002018-09-18T11:31:06.472-07:00Resolutions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the last five or so years, I feel like I've been in a constant state of catch-up. Catch up on reading. Catch up on writing. Catch up on education. Etc. And yet, I never managed to make up the distance to achieve my ultimate goals.<br />
<br />
So 2018, I decided, was going to be my Year of Self-Care. I don't really make New Years resolutions, but I did have a couple goals on my list. Dedicate more time to my health, physical, mental and financial. Learn more about smaller forms of my craft. Read a certain number of books. Write a few short stories, and for the love of God, get at least one of them published.<br />
<br />
Now that it's September, I'm finally able to cross that last item off my list, and it's so utterly satisfying.<br />
<br />
<em>Eating the Earl</em> will be published in the upcoming anthology, <em>The Hamthology</em>, edited by David F. Shultz.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to get my hands on my copy. Especially now that I'm narrowing the distance on catching up.R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-32940768489203085852018-06-29T13:00:00.000-07:002018-07-06T13:04:15.076-07:00Ebb & Flow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's a cycle to all things: activity followed by rest; calm before storms; low tides, high tides; rampant progress followed by a screeching halt of productivity. Blah, blah, blah. You catch my drift.<br />
<br />
To be honest, I've been putting off writing this quarterly update. Partly because I've been having health complications that severely limit my ability to function and string words together, and partly because I wrote a short story to completion and I was hoping to report back with news of its acceptance into an anthology. I got pretty high in the rounds of consideration for a publication that received an unexpected couple hundred submissions, but alas, it didn't make the cut.<br />
<br />
Which is fine. I just need to find it a proper home. I was merely mistaken as to where that was. <br />
<br />
The most important thing is moving forward, even when you're tempted to let the constant crash of complications and setbacks keep you down.<br />
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<br />
<br />
photo credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/ren_derings">Ren Gooch</a>R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-37851656037037233302018-03-16T16:07:00.002-07:002018-03-16T16:07:23.647-07:00Habits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm sure that you've all heard the adage before, <em>It takes 21 days to learn a habit. </em><br />
<br />
It's certainly what I had in mind when I wanted to stick to my resolution this year to re-embrace my passion for <em>all</em> of the writing process. The best way to overcome my delays and habits of starting and stopping in fits was simple. I just needed new habits. I needed to retrain myself and get used to accommodating the act of writing in my daily schedule. So that means <em>everyday</em>.<br />
<br />
But as it turns out the familiar adage that everyone knows and loves to tout so earnestly? It's a crock of shit.<br />
<br />
According to Science, anyway. The 21 day limit is completely arbitrary. According to peer reviewed research, it takes a whole 66 days for a habit to actually stick. So all those times you tried incorporate yoga? Or go running? Or stopping swearing? IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT. You were <em>misled</em>.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, however, I'm rather annoyed to learn this fact. Mostly, because today is Day 12 of Consistent Writing. I've been doing a countdown and had a reward planned for Day 21. But now Day 21 suddenly morphed into Day 66...<br />
<br />
Perhaps I'll break down and do a partial reward at Day 33. Otherwise this is going to become quite the upward slog.R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-49588621381742950982018-01-08T16:58:00.000-07:002018-01-09T15:41:17.779-07:00Surfacing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Looking back, my 2017 has felt very akin to the sensation of being tied to the back of a dolphin as it does all the dolphiny things that dolphins do. In that, I've spent more time under water than I liked, but every now and then I'd come up for air before being jerked below again. <br />
<br />
If it sounds like a less than pleasant experience, you wouldn't be far from the mark.<br />
<br />
Mostly, my 2017 has been filled with micro-successes, largely having to do with my struggling health. Proper medication makes a difference, but when the diagnoses change or no longer make sense, any real progress becomes short-lived.<br />
<h4>
NaNoWriMo</h4>
My biggest success so far this year has been NaNoWriMo. I didn't win, BUT this is the first year where I even hit the half-way mark for word count! Between starting late due to traveling for World Fantasy and becoming wretchedly sick off and on throughout the month, I thought that this was pretty respectable progress for me. It's also allowed me to dive into several projects, so I'm hoping this was just a spark for a larger fire in 2018.<br />
<h4>
Crit' Me</h4>
In pursuit of fanning the flames of this fire, I began leading critique groups in the north Seattle area. Looking for a critique session of your own to attend in this year? Wanna rip into my stuff? RSVP at <a href="https://www.meetup.com/North-Seattle-SFF-Writers/">Meetup.com</a>. I look forward to seeing you there. :)<br />
<br />R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-72903613700686834292017-10-01T00:00:00.000-07:002018-03-16T15:47:57.280-07:00It's Time to Flash Some More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The more I write, the more I learn. Especially things like, don't lose your original graphics file if you're going to be writing a small series of blog posts about flash fiction. Because then you'll have to photoshop a shoddy attempt at consistency, and Lordy, what a bear that'll be.<br />
<br />
I've tried my hand a bit at the following formula and I've noticed that the end result can look a lot alike the end result for my first post in this series, <a href="http://www.rachelrobins.com/2012/09/wherein-i-flash-everybody.html">How to Write Flash Fiction in 5 Easy (or Not So Easy) Steps</a>. But please, whatever you do, don't confuse it for <a href="http://www.rachelrobins.com/2012/09/ill-flash-you-two.html">How to Write Flash Fiction Using the A-B-C-D-E Plot Structure</a>. It's different, y'all.<br />
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<h3>
A-B-D-C-E Plot Structure</h3>
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<strong></strong><br />
<strong>A is for Action. Show us your character in motion!
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<strong>B is for Background, because context or the lack of it can kill your story.</strong></div>
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<strong></strong><br /></div>
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<strong>D is for Development. There is stuff <em>happening</em> in this story, right?</strong></div>
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<strong></strong><br /></div>
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<strong>C is for Climax. Time for a plot twist!
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<strong></strong><br /></div>
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<strong>E is for Ending, because it can't go on forever.</strong></div>
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<br />
Again, you know the drill. It's meant to be keep in chronological order, lest you want things to go seriously dodgy. Hopefully, one of these formulas will help you on your way to writing the next bomb ass story.R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-31383126936157366972017-08-25T16:24:00.001-07:002017-08-25T16:30:34.580-07:00Emerging from Darkness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Dear God... It's not only 2017 but nearly <i>nine months into it already</i>.<br />
<br />
What the hell happened?<br />
<br />
Obviously, unforeseen and unavoidable life stuff arose that had kept me down for far too long. It's taken me this long to scratch and claw my way back to the surface.<br />
<br />
It's so ... bright up here.<br />
<br />
I'm sure that'll take some adjustment. With time.<br />
<br />
So here are my goals: I'm going to start posting quarterly my success and accomplishments. Will they be big? Not bloody likely. A quarterly update is stupidly easy to accommodate and gives me plenty of time to make micro successes along the way.<br />
<br />
tldr; Hi. I'm not dead. Writing stuff now.<br />
<br />
<br />R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-53356479055194850212015-02-27T17:07:00.000-07:002015-02-27T17:10:33.341-07:002015 Appearances Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Although I’m waist-deep in my current project I’ve decided to come up for air to let you all know that I’ve updated my News section in regards to the conventions I’m attending in 2015 (so far). This list may expand if exciting new opportunities arise but for now I’m confirmed to attend both conventions below.
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<br />
Norwescon 38 in Seatac, WA<br />
Dates: April 2-5th
<br />
<br />
WorldCon - Sasquan 2015 in Spokane, WA<br />
Dates: August 19-23rd
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<br />
I’m super excited since I’ve yet to do any proper conventions in Washington state and after looking at the programming guide for Norwescon alone, I can tell that I’m in for some great content and even more amazing people to meet. I’ll be sure to blog about the two of these after the events. If you follow my twitter account, feel free to connect with me for the panels and events I’ll be posting at the time. It’d be great to meet you, too. R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-30797418459784380352014-08-20T06:00:00.000-07:002014-08-20T06:00:01.558-07:00IVONA Reading: Sample Scene 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
A while back I did some playing around with a text-to-speech software called IVONA for some editing purposes.<br />
<br />
Before my trial expired and I moved on to the installed, but not nearly as good, software already installed on my iMac, I was sure to download this minute-long excerpt for your entertainment.<br />
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Even though my protag is a woman, I still find the male, british voice reading this so entirely delightful.<br />
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::sigh::<br />
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R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-89006133628910365352014-07-15T13:56:00.000-07:002014-07-15T13:56:03.916-07:00IVONA Reading: Sample Scene 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-beMjcnMoetg/U8WUM_VJNII/AAAAAAAADZI/vAKS17R8pIo/s1600/IVONAReading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-beMjcnMoetg/U8WUM_VJNII/AAAAAAAADZI/vAKS17R8pIo/s1600/IVONAReading.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
On twitter I'd mentioned how silly some of my IVONA readings were going, so I decided to record a few small snippets and play the files here. Like I said there, some of these were far too good not to share.<br />
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I should note that my protagonist is not a British male, but part of me now is having second thoughts.<br />
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A larger part of me is wondering though if I mostly enjoy making this guy ramble off a bunch of slang and curse words.</div>
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Lemme know what you think and if you'd like to hear more of these.</div>
R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-28517934706928582542014-07-12T18:16:00.004-07:002014-07-12T18:16:52.883-07:00Saturday Sum Up: Editing with Ivona Reading Software<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5MVGCDRFVM/U7hB24-7T7I/AAAAAAAADYE/h6Q8HYvSxPE/s1600/update4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5MVGCDRFVM/U7hB24-7T7I/AAAAAAAADYE/h6Q8HYvSxPE/s1600/update4.jpg" /></a></div>
This week has been a busy one.<br />
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I'm excited to continue polishing <i>Ex Nihilo</i>. Last week I've been able to cut about 1,200 words in the first 50 pages, so I'm really hopeful that as I progress from here I can shrink this novel down a size or two. It'd be nice if EN ended up at about 95k. It's not as great as 85k, but I fear that I would have to seriously sacrifice some content in order to make that happen. Oh, these first person POVs. They're always such a bloated bunch.<br />
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One of the new tools that I'm using is a text-to-speech program called <a href="http://www.ivona.com/us/" target="_blank">Ivona</a>. So far I'm really digging it. I'm the sort of writer who often doubles up or skips words when I'm writing. Having a computer-generated voice read everything back to me is proving incredibly helpful in picking out awkward phrasing, misused words, and missing/doubled words. Often, a writer's brain will just insert what is already missing or reorganize the words so that it makes sense. But Salli at Ivona doesn't have that problem. She gives it to me straight, with no extras in between.<br />
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So yeah. The diet seems to be working great.<br />
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<b>Current Focus This Week</b>:<br />
+ Polishing <i>Ex Nihilo</i><br />
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It's no real surprise what the focus is this week. Last weekend I managed to clear 50 pages. This weekend--though I appeared to have a slow start--will be to see if I can get through 100 pages. I've been traipsing all over Seattle the last few days, however, so I could really use the break of putting ass-to-chair and ironing out some minor wrinkles. The goal is to have it finished ironing by the next two weeks.<br />
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Then that's where the real fun begins. Are you excited? Because I am. :)<br />
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Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/21421897@N00/2908092283/">Slaff</a> R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-56014687747550656432012-09-26T03:00:00.000-07:002018-03-16T15:10:07.058-07:00I'll Flash You - Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTz0f8aemGU/U5OgQyg7emI/AAAAAAAADV8/hJyZd8GDteg/s1600/howto2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WTz0f8aemGU/U5OgQyg7emI/AAAAAAAADV8/hJyZd8GDteg/s1600/howto2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ever have those shitty days where nothing seems to work for your story? Not even tried and true formulas.<br />
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Well, I have a suggestion to fixing that!</div>
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MORE formulas! :D Because formulas make everything better.</div>
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Seriously, Sarah asked me to share <i>all </i>my tips on flash fic, and I shamefully admit, my last post? I was withholding a teeny bit. </div>
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/shame</div>
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So I've decided to make up for it and pass along another formula for all of you to enjoy. It's called:</div>
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A-B-C-D-E Plot Structure</h3>
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It's meant to be in kept strictly in chronological order, lest you want things to go seriously dodgy.</div>
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<b>A - is for Action. Start with it!</b></div>
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<b>B - is for Backstory. </b></div>
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<b>C - is for Character.</b></div>
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<b>D - is for Development / Denouement </b></div>
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<b>E - is for Epiphany or Examination. It's over!</b></div>
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So, try it out. Lemme know how it works for you. Or if you're having better success with the first one with the 5 Easy/Not So Easy Steps. </div>
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I'm curious to see how people like the two.</div>
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R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-69373515299020570212012-09-19T03:00:00.000-07:002014-06-07T16:30:20.755-07:00Wherein I Flash Everybody<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vfpgMvlq2aU/U5OgcKu9YQI/AAAAAAAADWE/JGowEP-EK5E/s1600/howto1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vfpgMvlq2aU/U5OgcKu9YQI/AAAAAAAADWE/JGowEP-EK5E/s1600/howto1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Do you feel uncomfortable with flash fiction? Do you struggle to keep the wordage under a triple digit count? I know once upon a time I did. It just wasn't taught in any fiction courses that I've ever took. The only advice I ever got for the writing of it was as follows:<br />
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Prof: "Ya know how to write a short story, right?"<br />Me: ::hesitating:: "Uh, yeah. I guess..?"<br />Prof: "Well, you just make it even shorter."</b>
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In a way, he was right, but as far as advice goes, it's not the best.<br />
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Want some better advice? Here it goes.<br />
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I have a challenge for you. If you follow everything I state below and follow it to the letter, you will end up with a solid piece of flash.<br />
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How to Write a Flash Fic in 5 Easy (or not so easy) Steps*</h3>
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Step 1. In one sentence, give us the CHARACTER, their PROBLEM and the SETTING.<br />
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Step 2. Have your CHARACTER attempt to solve the PROBLEM, have them FAIL, but have the situation GET WORSE.<br />
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Step 3. Have your CHARACTER attempt to solve the PROBLEM again, have them FAIL again, and have the situation GET WORSE.<br />
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Step 4. Entire the CLIMAX - have your character attempt to solve the problem one last time. They can either fail or succeed. It's up to you.<br />
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Step 5. Give their VALIDATION and wrap up the story.<br />
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That's it. That above is one easy formula that should give you the very basic structure of a flash fic. With these bones, if you have the room, you can still flesh out the more visceral or more comedic elements that make your story unique.<br />
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But what about world-building, you may ask. What about characterization? What about genre? How do I squeeze all that good stuff in there without starting to bloat?<br />
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Here's my advice: unless every world-building detail you provide in your flash is absolutely <i>crucial</i> to your plot, leave it out. Same goes for characterization. We don't need more than a line or a partial phrase of telling to get your character across. We just need some gist of the main player.<br />
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As for genre...it can be a bit of a pitfall if not used with a very careful hand. Especially if a writer is trying to experiment with a new subgenre or a complex world dependent on it. I highly suggest if you think your story is too complicated to sum up in a sentence at most, save the story idea for something longer because it doesn't seem likely that it's suitable for flash.<br />
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Flash fiction is designed to give just quick taste of something <i>already identifiable </i>to the reader, so it doesn't hurt to be entirely on the nose with well-established conventions and tropes for the genre. Readers will purposefully look for these sign posts in order to orient themselves and attain a better grasp on what kind of story that you're telling. If they can't spot these conventions, the piece may confuse them, rather than entertain.<br />
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*Credits for this How-To go the fabulous Timons Esaias, author of <i>The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture</i>. Find out more about him <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5408550-the-influence-of-pigeons-on-architecture" target="_blank">here</a>, or <a href="http://timonsesaias.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4482682393928713621.post-13617965151843219842012-07-17T08:00:00.000-07:002014-06-07T16:36:58.104-07:00Moo.com on Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxC090TFdzM/U5OiC1qEWAI/AAAAAAAADWQ/s-sR6r4ZRK4/s1600/moo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxC090TFdzM/U5OiC1qEWAI/AAAAAAAADWQ/s-sR6r4ZRK4/s1600/moo.jpg" /></a></div>
The tools in a writer's toolbox are not limited to just pen, paper, or computer. One that is often forgotten or overlooked is the business card. It takes on the face of the writer in their absence, and as such, says a lot about who they are, what they write, and how seriously they should be taken. A good business card will do many things: provide contact information, hint at the writer's genre, make the author stand out from the crowd, and possibly, help market their material.<br />
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Networking is essential to a writer's success in the publishing industry, and up until this semester, I've been neglecting it. Several people asked me for my business card my first residency at Seton Hill and I was chastised twice in my second residency for still not having them.<br />
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I decided it was time to remedy the situation.<br />
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But where to start? There seems to be so many economical options available when it comes to ordering business cards online. Although this isn't the only route for obtaining them. Your local OfficeMax or Staples or Whateva generally provide this service.<br />
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However, I'm a girl who knows her way around Photoshop and a few other Adobe products. I have slightly more than amateur training, so it just feels too lazy not to design something of my own.
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My idea was: hypothetical attention-grabbing cover on one side, and basic info with a relevant image on the other. After much debate, and a faintly remembered conversation with someone who liked Moo.com, that's who I picked. (I originally was thinking Vistaprint, but this same friend said that her cards were falling apart in her wallet <i>unhandled</i>. Just being there was causing the ink to flake off, and make the card look really cheap.)<br />
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Before showing you the final product, I first wanted to demonstrate what you can expect from the difference in print quality in term of graphics. The following is my original image that I submitted. You can easily find this on my Current Projects tab above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpw-dF2pInn8UxTAOocCwK7Ayfs_TkpcmdRUxaUB_UE1GXfn3c9Z9kl2OnW3jLqFDfi9AqmmrQQUkXThSLoIL1KqB9AUcTzZeb563aRoRmY0iDVdxYgsoMEMxdcoZ8vdpYdFFyOdNCog/s1600/exNihiloCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpw-dF2pInn8UxTAOocCwK7Ayfs_TkpcmdRUxaUB_UE1GXfn3c9Z9kl2OnW3jLqFDfi9AqmmrQQUkXThSLoIL1KqB9AUcTzZeb563aRoRmY0iDVdxYgsoMEMxdcoZ8vdpYdFFyOdNCog/s640/exNihiloCover.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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Okay. So this is what I got in the mail. The first image on the right is the PDF mockup that they send to their customers immediately after purchase so that you can print out and have a fair idea of what to expect. This is just plain paper with a typical home color printer. The one beside is the one I received. I tried my best to take a shot straight down so you didn't see any glare from the matte finish, but I really wanted to note the difference in the amounts of lights and darks.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wtJKwJH9t8M/UAPBnRDIQJI/AAAAAAAAApE/t2gFVXbrF6A/s1600/FrontOnBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wtJKwJH9t8M/UAPBnRDIQJI/AAAAAAAAApE/t2gFVXbrF6A/s640/FrontOnBC.jpg" height="467" width="640" /></a></div>
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You'll notice that the edge of the face on the final product is noticeably darker, especially nearer to the mouth. Also, the scars aren't quite as vibrant. In comparison with the white streaks, it looks duller. And there's a slight yellowish tinge to the skin tones that was absent in my digital screen settings.<br />
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Now the title itself is. I think, my fault. I caught the edge of that in shadow, but this was the most accurate shot I could take to show an accurate representation with what I have bought.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1g9ToOextj0/UAPDYtBGbcI/AAAAAAAAApk/hhOZkb-G5Zo/s1600/MatteFinishBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1g9ToOextj0/UAPDYtBGbcI/AAAAAAAAApk/hhOZkb-G5Zo/s1600/MatteFinishBC.jpg" /></a></div>
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Okay, now beyond the way the paper holds the ink, there's the paper itself to consider. I choose the basic paper that Moo.com offered, and in total shelled out $25 (with shipping) for fifty cards. And I have to say, the quality of the paper is fantastic. It's a very silky matte finish, almost sensual. Above I have an example of the way it catches the light when tilted, and in comparison to bright and dark color schemes.<br />
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It just really feels smooth, nice and very professional in between your fingers. It's thick, but not thick enough to pose as any sort of detriment to shoving it into a wallet or wherever. It feels sturdy, and does not crinkle or crease easily. It very much gave me a "<i>Holy shit, this belongs to a legitimate, professional badass" </i>feeling.<br />
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Here's a shot of the side, so you have a better idea of what I mean.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gKgM9Nd-2eI/UAPDe3O8MhI/AAAAAAAAAps/Lg5qBVSnrVw/s1600/ThicknessBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gKgM9Nd-2eI/UAPDe3O8MhI/AAAAAAAAAps/Lg5qBVSnrVw/s640/ThicknessBC.jpg" height="236" width="640" /></a></div>
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Badass, right?<br />
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Since I have a feeling that a few people from SHU are likely to see this, I've posted a comparison shot of business cards that I've recently collected. (Admittedly, the one with the rabbit is one I got from Phoenix ComicCon this year with a shirt that reads in French: "I eat little children", but the idea is the same.)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kQg2kZyi9bk/UAPDKJxgEaI/AAAAAAAAApM/88eKTBF6lrA/s1600/ComparisonShotBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kQg2kZyi9bk/UAPDKJxgEaI/AAAAAAAAApM/88eKTBF6lrA/s400/ComparisonShotBC.jpg" height="346" width="400" /></a></div>
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This comparison shot is a large file, should you feel like clicking and inspecting for further detail. But you'll notice that Moo.com's card is a little wider and a tad shorter than any of the business cards I have pictured here. For anyone who has Tom's card, it's not as shiny but it is smoother and about double the thickness. Out of all the ones I have here, Tom's is the thickest (besides Moo's). (I don't know if you'll see this Tom, but your card is pretty awesome. It definitely pulls its weight and does a lot for you.)</div>
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But anyway, that's enough of the back. Here's what the front looks like.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmQI506x5ic/UAPDOnyHomI/AAAAAAAAApU/zkYAlibs9zw/s1600/BackBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmQI506x5ic/UAPDOnyHomI/AAAAAAAAApU/zkYAlibs9zw/s640/BackBC.jpg" height="640" width="469" /></a></div>
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All-in-all, I'm fairly happy with the way these cards came out. I still have yet to see how well these wear over time and with handling, but we'll see how that goes.<br />
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One more thing I'd like to point out. Moo has the option of purchasing special business card holders as you finalize your order. At the time, I thought, <i>Pfft. Whatevas. I already have a card holder.</i> So I didn't buy one. Even though they looked pretty snazzy.<br />
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In the end, I'm not really sure that anyone would need one. Because my cards came in this snazzy, ultra-smooth, thick box.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MXfVNMrDOpM/UAPDffUadnI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Cc4ZI2zzT80/s1600/moo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MXfVNMrDOpM/UAPDffUadnI/AAAAAAAAAp0/Cc4ZI2zzT80/s640/moo1.jpg" height="371" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing Bear Not Included</td></tr>
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When opened, I was greeted by this sight. It's really quite a handy little thing. The more you hand your card out, the more room you have to slide others into the THEIRS slot. It makes it very easy to keep all your cards in one place, and to keep them well-protected at that.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sh0pwhciR2Y/UAPDVF-g4xI/AAAAAAAAApc/WT3g71QI26Y/s1600/IntheBoxBC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sh0pwhciR2Y/UAPDVF-g4xI/AAAAAAAAApc/WT3g71QI26Y/s400/IntheBoxBC.jpg" height="400" width="295" /></a></div>
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Final Thoughts</h3>
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I love the quality of the paper, the convenience of the box, and the price was decent for the result. My graphic didn't print exactly as I would have liked, but that goes to show me that I really need to adjust my Photoshop settings to display realistic print results. For those who don't know how to do that, I'd recommend Google, or at the very least bumping up your saturation and brightness until it looks a tad blown out. Because in the end you'll get a slightly muted version of what you see on your monitor.<br />
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It should also be kept in mind that everyone's computer monitors are all a little different, so you might see things differently on your screen than I do on mine.<br />
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Cheers.<br />
<br />R²http://www.blogger.com/profile/06686599677839343904noreply@blogger.com