Broken Ink

[Dan]

I submitted another story to the literary magazine at my school that published Jennifer's Body last year. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted on whether I get in or not. They're offering cash prizes this time, so that would be cool! But, I'm not worried about that, I just want people to see my stuff. More news as soon as I get it.

 

[jon_forward]

Good Luck.....and dont spend the cash till you have it in your sweaty hands!!!

 

[lilywhite]

Good luck to us~ You know, we will feel the same if you win

 

[winston churchi]

Yes good luck.

If they reject do they critique it? That is always helpfull.

Is this the goal in your life? To write? I have this story in my mind I one day will put to paper - and complete (being the key word here). Unlike most of my story telling, it is not morbid, or as morbid as the others are. People who have read it so far say it is a great story but I waste too much time in the begining detailing the scenery. That is my problem...

 

[Dan]

Yes good luck.

Thanks!

If they reject do they critique it? That is always helpfull.

No, they don't. Or at least I assume they don't, I've only submitted once, and I got in. I know when I got in, they never even told me, I didn't know until the day it came out!

I reread the story and I'm kinda pissed now, because I see a lot of problems with it that I didn't see before I submitted it. Oh, well, we'll see. If it gets in, I'll post it here, if it doesn't, I'll edit it some, then post it.

Is this the goal in your life? To write?

Yeah, it is, I've been writing for a long time, but only started thinking about making it a career in the past few years (sort of thanks to Jim, BTW). Honestly, what I'd love to be able to do is to be a writer/director of movies, but I don't know that that'll ever pan out. But, yeah, right now I'm majoring in English with a concentration in writing.

I have this story in my mind I one day will put to paper - and complete (being the key word here). Unlike most of my story telling, it is not morbid, or as morbid as the others are. People who have read it so far say it is a great story but I waste too much time in the begining detailing the scenery. That is my problem...

One of the hardest things to do is to decide what details to put in, and what to leave out. When I first started writing a lot, I used to worry that I didn't include enough details, but sometimes I don't think that's a bad thing. Writers like Douglas Coupland or Dave Eggers do a lot without too much extraneous detail.

 

[Dan]

I got in!

The issue comes out on the 21st (it'll be up on the website, too).

Also, very cool, I am one of four finalists in the prose section, and I have to go read my story at some ceremony they're having at school. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly happy with the story the way it is now, but I figure someone must be happy with it, or they wouldn't be publishing it, right?

 

[jimnyc]

Congrats, Dan!

Let us know when it's up on the site.

 

[winston churchi]

Originally posted by Dan
I got in!

The issue comes out on the 21st (it'll be up on the website, too).

Also, very cool, I am one of four finalists in the prose section, and I have to go read my story at some ceremony they're having at school. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly happy with the story the way it is now, but I figure someone must be happy with it, or they wouldn't be publishing it, right?

Good for you!

That is the key isn't it? People have to read your work...the more the better...I would love to read it.

Did you know (I learned this on a/e bio) that 'Dr. Suess' was rejected left right and center before someone finally published his first work 'I saw it all on Mulberry Street' - they thought it wasn't the sort of work kids would read....furthermore, he hated kids.

 

[winston churchi]

Dan are you going to have a pen name?


What is it?


Dan Swift sounds cool doesn't it? I think you should be Dan Swift...

I was thinking of the name - should I ever publish something - Doc...just Doc.

 

[Dan]

Hey, W.C., yeah, basically someone explained to me, obviously someone liked it enough to publish it, so just get up and read it. Who cares if I like it or not, my stuff is getting read (or heard), that's the important thing, and in the end, I'm way too critical of my own writing, anyway.

As for a pen name, I always felt my own name was pretty original, and if I ever got something published, I wouldn't want to go through all that work just to see someone else's name on the cover.

I'll post the link for the story as soon as they post it! I'll let you all read it and make up your own minds about it.

 

[5stringJeff]

Rock on Dan... that is excellent!

 

[musicman]

I'm really happy for you, Dan. I hope this is only the first success in a series of many!

 

[Joz]

Much Luck!

 

[Dan]

Hey, thanks a lot, guys, I really appreciate it!

 

[Dan]

Broken Ink came out today.

I guess I can now call myself an award-winning writer, even though I placed fourth in the little contest they were doing. Still not bad, considering I still think the story's total crap.

I didn't end up going to the reading last night because I talked to a couple of my friends who were supposed to be there said they weren't going to go. Now I sort of wish I had. Oh well.

And they changed the title of my story without telling me! They changed it from "The Eyes of God" to "In God's Eyes" so it wasn't a complete change, but it still sorta bugged me.

They haven't updated the site yet, I'll let you guys know when they do!