tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post4095564481769173086..comments2024-03-22T17:14:36.551-04:00Comments on Wasteland And Sky: The Importance of Being BriefJD Cowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03548340507655076198noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post-16890580202785381482018-09-06T17:56:34.912-04:002018-09-06T17:56:34.912-04:00I have seen a lot of manuscripts that authors have...I have seen a lot of manuscripts that authors have sent me for advice in finishing their novel when what they need is help in editing their short story. <br /><br />And many of them get upset when I tell them what they have is a good story that needs to be tightened up rather than expanded to novel length. Misha Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16050644222308563279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post-73976529728973318192018-09-06T11:52:22.190-04:002018-09-06T11:52:22.190-04:00There are a lot of pieces, including shorter novel...There are a lot of pieces, including shorter novels, that feel much too padded. Sometimes a story is really as short as it seems and the author should let it be what it is. The bigger is better mentality has hurt more stories than the opposite ever has.JD Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03548340507655076198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post-8209291174502705182018-09-06T11:50:48.324-04:002018-09-06T11:50:48.324-04:00Practice does make perfect. I'm hoping for a l...Practice does make perfect. I'm hoping for a large return of the format within the next few years.JD Cowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03548340507655076198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post-61735956317587285892018-09-06T10:14:27.906-04:002018-09-06T10:14:27.906-04:00I find in general I find myself reading compilatio...I find in general I find myself reading compilations of short stories more frequently then full novels. <br /><br />I still read full novels, but short story collections, especially when by different authors, is often a lot of fun, especially when they jump around story to story, but stay on a common topic. <br /><br />God, Robot. Calexit. 2113. And my endless pile of horror short story collections leap to mind immediately when I say this. <br /><br />I can't imagine stuff like A Shadow In Time by Lovecraft being a full novel instead of a novella. <br /><br />And I've read a few novels where an idea that belonged in a short story gets dragged out too far. They weren't very good. <br />Spookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08964225365016966994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520528486728008071.post-89516202938519580742018-09-06T10:10:01.519-04:002018-09-06T10:10:01.519-04:00A piece of advice I often tell my clients is, &quo...A piece of advice I often tell my clients is, "Writing prose isn't painting a picture. It's polishing a window."<br /><br />The writer's job is to give readers a clear view of the story. Unnecessary words obstruct that view.<br /><br />Re: short stories, a major reason why authors shy away from them is shorts are harder to write than novels. It's the difference between painting in oils with a brush on a canvas and drawing dot-by-dot on the back of a stamp with a pin.<br /><br />Shorts definitely have their place, though. Many of the big indie authors use shorts and novellas as magnets to drive newsletter subs. These stories are mainly of the "Here's the answer to a compelling question that was left dangling in the first book" variety. Full disclosure: I'm taking that approach with XSeed.Brian Niemeierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15276948258089365826noreply@blogger.com