Well, I hope our Brian is too busy with a new love found in his recent quest. We all wish you the best, Tallpockets. -- Dick

Have to agree with Dee-Marie - Congratulations on taking that first step. We're all proud of you. Dick

Best wishes, Sue. Now work like mad on a new story. -- Dick

Message edited on: 02/02/2006 21:13

Hi Steve, It works almost like the image upload procedure. Just cut your graphic to 300x300 pixels or less and load in Upload image slot, thumb 200x200 or less in that slot, and the text in the "Notes" box. Here is the pertinent: Writers Gallery (for more information go to http://www.renderosity.com/index.ez?viewLink=463) Art images follows the same format above except the size of the art image is 300 x 300 pixels. The character limit is 15,000. For best readability: Please double space between paragraphs. Please type directly in the upload box or copy/paste from Notepad (or something similar.) Copy/Pasting from complex word processing programs, such as MS Word, can change certain characters, especially " marks into ? marks. (Copy/Pasting from Word into Notepad, then Copy/Pasting into the Upload box usually takes care of the issue.) Note that the 15,000 character limit usually translates to 2700-2800 words. Welcome to the group. Let's see your stuff. Dick

For many years I would start writing from a strange, or awkward situation, and let it rip hoping to find out what would happen. Not good. Such writing, I found, is for "the audience of one." Most of those "forty page wonders" petered out and live in well deserved oblivion. About twenty years ago, one of them kept going, and going and going. In the first 100,000 words the main characters aged fifty years. When their children became more interesting, I stopped. Help! How do you bring a story to conclusion. What conclusion? So I started to take short courses, joined a critique circle, and floundered. What constituted a story, short or novel length? "Change, there has to be change." Well, yeah. I sort of thought so, but And still the same-old, same-old ran off my finger tips. By that time my bookshelf groaned under scores of "Writing" books and issues of Writer's Digest. In 1997 friend Hillary mentioned "Story" by Robert McKee. Oh dear lord! Before 1997 I wasn't ready to understand McKee. Pose a live-or-die story question, make the protagonist struggle, and resolve the question three parts. When the question is answered, stop writing. Whoa! That takes joy out of discovery. Well, not entirely. When writing Sudden Fiction (less than 500 words), or short short stories (less than 1500 words), I need a handle on the three main parts before the start. On longer short stories (to 7500 words), every so often I stop and write notations of the story to that point, and where I want to take it a "plotline." Some times these "plotline" notes get out of hand as I argue with myself as to the best direction. As you may guess, these pauses often show what needs to be ripped out and re-written. Once the story is in place, then the re-write for phrasing, interesting little asides, and sharper dialog. Story first, then make it sing. * * * Not knowing better, often I make things difficult. Dick

Ah-h, the problem for the flowers is the downward (glacier-facing) slope and that they have short stems. Here is one where I would (if allowed) dig a small hole, pre-set the focus on the flowers, and let the glacier blur as it will (the small aperture, of course)... and shoot several pics blind with minor adjustments of camera position. But then my camera is a cheap digital (fit in your palm) and can take the center of the lens to 1/2 inch (1.3cm) from the ground. I do wonder if a small first-surface mirror cocked at an angle could achieve the same effect as an ant's eye-view. BTW, I like the "#12 extra" perspective of the glacier better than the other, even if we lose sight of the well developed lateral moraine. More, please. -- Dick

Hooray for the Gang of Eight! Winners all for being nominated --Dick

Hey Sam,
A while back I tried to post the opening chapter of a novel in the Gallery and the post was rejected - limit of 15,000 keystrokes (c.2700 words) - and I had to break it into two postings.

Also, consider the line length in Gallery for prose - it runs toward 18 words per line, which makes for an uncomfortable read. Haven't tried posting as HTML: that may be the best way to go.

Dick

Message edited on: 11/13/2005 18:42

Thanks for checking in with the front office. Just now 8:35 pm CST the site loaded rapidly, and so did this Forum. Thank you Dick

Hi Jimdoria, Yes, ragged right is proper. What I meant was margin for the maximum line's length. And as for the extra line space between paragraphs, all programs I know let you do this. But not all websites recognize left indentation as a paragraph start. Therefore, by default, we use the extra line. Dick

Thanks for the link, dialyn. Now I'l have to go back this afternoon and re-read Brad Templeton's explanations -- Dick aka drace68

Thanks for the heads-up, guys. Dick

Wow, Dialyn is spot on. Here are other things to consider: Are you certain you want an agent? Are you published in the popular press (magazines or books)? Have you won prestigious writing contests? If not, then few agents will want to see your work. Bitter pill. [You are better off asking a publisher if they'll read your type of offering.] If you're determined to go ahead, state who you are and that you have (title and category). Add a short description (30 words or less yes, the matchbook cover cliche). Briefly state your qualifications and what you've accomplished as a writer. Next, ask if they would be interested in seeing your work Close with courtesy and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). Keep the query short, never more than one page; text centered just above page center. There can be pitfalls in the process. Good luck. Dick

No, no, no. If you record in a normal voice, you'll subconsciously compensate modulation and inflection gloss over problems in the new piece. A "cold read" is necessary. Loud speech (don't injure yourself) is unfamiliar; which is why it works. The concept is not original with me. Dick

Friends, There are a number of critique groups out there, several like "Critters" mentioned by Jon. One that I think worth looking into is: www.toasted-cheese.com Post two critiques (not soft soap and praise) and post one work. Even if you don't register and join, their front page has great stuff for visitors. The best is about the way down on the left: "Absolute Blank." Each month they post an article on the craft of writing. You can dig into the archive back to 2001. The site is run by women, excellent writers all. One or two may still be thin-skinned. The outer form leans heavily on Lewis Caroll's "Hunt for the Snark." But the touch of whimsy is a shell and of little consequence. Dick aka drace68