That’s the running total of how much crap I have to get done. O.O November is going to be a busy, busy-bee month, as it seems. Lots of writing stuff/lots of Apex stuff/lots of Orycon-prep to take care of. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving it all! It’s a ton of fun and I’m REALLY excited about getting to Orycon. But I’d be lying if I said I’m not going to be a teeny, weeny bit glad when it’s all done, successfully accomplished, and I can sleep in without feeling guilty. ^_^

My own writing went really well this last week. I got an average of 500 words done a night, no matter how late I was out. Before bed: 500 words. And they’re not horrible words (I think)! I’ve been really focusing on taking my time and choosing my sentences carefully. So far, at least to my own eyes, it’s paying off. The novel is moving ahead bit by bit (and I’m actually liking what I have), and I think I’ve finally found the voice for it (I hope). This month’s short story (“The Last Prince of the Sea”) is also moving along, paragraph by paragraph, scene by scene. This new technique of composing fiction is pretty grueling, but so far I’m pretty pleased with the results–it’s not that different from the way I write Thief Dilemma, either, but as you know, it does slow me down a lot.

I’m finding one of my biggest challenges when it comes to writing (or anything creative, for that matter) is battling my own tendency to hit a point of boredom that then makes me try to speed up and “just finish”. That’s very, very bad for me, I’ve found. I get really sloppy, really cheap (in terms of imagination), and ultimately, I end up with a snarled, tangled mess that will take more work to clean up than it would have taken me to write it properly in the first place. So I’m trying this later option, now, and keeping my impatient side at bay. Not always easy, but I’m trying.

Going to try to get my writing done for this weekend tonight while Andy takes his second practice MCAT. That way I can focus on Orycon/Apex submissions stuff all day tomorrow. Last weekend I got a lot of work done, so I’m hoping to feel at least that productive this weekend too!

(Here’s hoping…)

Apex’s Editor-in-Chief has posted a proposal on the Apex blog about the challenges of keeping a free-fiction magazine online and the obvious difficulties of funding it. There are a lot of different models on how to make enough profit to break even in this industry, particularly for web-based magazines. Orson Scott Card’s INTERGALACTIC MEDICINE SHOW posts a teaser of each story in each issue and requires purchase of the issue or a subscription  to read the rest. JIM BAEN’S UNIVERSE does the same. CLARKESWORLD MAGAZINE offers fiction for free, funding itself through its evolving Citizens sponsorship program and its annual revenues from publishing REALMS, the print anthology of its past year of fiction.

Needless to say, for a free-fiction magazine, making ends meet is a daily stress and continual challenge, and everyone needs a little help these days to get along. Jason Sizemore has really devoted himself to keeping APEX as free of charge as possible, and that’s a wonderful thing in an age of fees, surcharges, hidden taxes, and that persnickety fine print that seals the fate of your soul. So here is the article Jason Sizemore with APEX MAGAZINE posted containing his proposal to help APEX keep publishing all that lovely free fiction!

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There’s been some debate on the series of internet tubes about workable business models for online content. Some, like Cory Doctorow, believe free is good. If you give out a quality freebie, people will shell out money for more of that product. I like to think of this as the ol’ street dealer’s trick of giving out samples of coke to get people hooked on their drug. Others have argued to me that offering content such as short stories online, you have to go to a subscription or pay-per-play system.

I can’t say either one has worked for Apex Magazine. A combination of the two has not worked. Sponsorship worked for two months before enthusiasm for it died.

I’d like to try an alternative.

I’d like to see how many fans of short fiction (and Apex Magazine) are out there that would donate $10 (or more) on a recurring, yearly basis to help pay for magazine costs. Our yearly cost is around $10,000. Doctorow was given $10,000 to write one single story. For your $10,000, you get 24 months of Apex Magazine.

If you’d like to give Apex Magazine a hand then please send me an email to jason@apexbookcompany.com. I don’t want to start collecting $10 (or more!) from people unless I know there are enough fans interested.

Please spread the word by reposting and retweeting this blog post.

Jason Sizemore
editor-in-chief

So it’s been a little while since my last post! There’s just so much work to get done. O.O Tons of writing projects on the slate at the moment, which has been domineering most of my “off work” hours, and then there’s a bunch of stuff to get done before Orycon.

Also, I’ve been in the process of setting up my writing space in the apartment. Since we’re not exactly sure when we’re moving again, depending on how the dice fall this spring, it seemed silly to keep postponing something that means a lot to me. So I went for it, and it looks *awesome*! ^_^ I’m so happy with the space. It’s just what I wanted.

Now I’ve got a place to spread out and settle into, rather than just taking over the kitchen table or the sofas. >.O

Writing Stuff:

Lots of writing projects in the works. Besides the YA/SF novel, I’ve also been working on Thief Dilemma a lot this last week. After three failed starts (which is pretty usual), I think I may have struck on the right path for chapter 18, as yet untitled. Thinking I might keep a running count over on the side of the blog somewhere, rather than reposting it every time… Not sure yet, though.

I’ve also got a couple new short projects I’ve been eyeing for the past week. Still needs a little plot work (but so does Chapter 8 of “the novel”). I’m also setting aside a day to go over all the stuff I should have submitted at the moment. Right now, I’ve got one story out looking for a home, but I’ve got a couple that should be out of my hands. Need to get those on their way again.

NOVEL PROJECT:

THIEF DILEMMA:

So I’m thinking Thief Dilemma is really going to be more in the 120k-150k, if I’m being realistic. There is no way this is going to be done in two more chapters, and there’s still a bit to cover. Maybe–if it moves fast enough–I might be able to get it done in ten chapters. With each chapter being at least 6k, that would end up around 150k. That feels about right. And I’m going to see about revising my schedule to make TD updates closer to bimonthly, rather than “whenever the heck I get a chance to do it”. I really love this story, and I’m looking forward to getting it to completion. Only 60k more to go! XD

Oddly enough, Me + Ice Cream Bowl ALSO = Obsession. I wonder if evolution has something to do with that… Hmm… Will ponder in greater depth later.

Mei is normally a skittish cat, but if ice cream is involved (which we do not voluntarily give her), she will become the most ravenous, courageous, sneaky cat alive. She gets crazier than she does on catnip, which is pretty crazy. I guess it’s good though: it means we put our ice cream bowls in the sink immediately after using them so she can’t get at them. That seems to dissuade her.

Week (haha, “week”–it’s Monday, for goodness sake.) has been fine so far–back to the usual routine of work, Apex, dinner, and writing–but it’s only Day One. The weekend was pretty swamped with lots of things to do. Did get to go rock climbing again on Sunday morning, though I underestimated how hard I’d pushed myself Friday, which made even simple climbs downright impossible! But it was good fun all the same! (We did get our own gear on Friday, though, so now we don’t have to rent harnesses and shoes! ^_^)

Still trying to figure out a better day to post “SLUSH LESSONS” since Sundays are turning out to be much busier than I anticipated… Will ponder in greater depth later.

Writing Stuff:

Making slow but steady progress on the novel. Jonesing for some short fiction writing, but I’m sticking to it for now. I’m much too easily distracted once I start straying from any set path. The writing itself still feels a little like I’m trying to force a car to shift from first to forth gear going thirty mph, but at least the car’s still moving and I can still see through the smoke!

So it’s now official: I’ll be on two panels at this year’s Orycon at the Doubletree in Portland! I’ll be on the panel “Drowning in Slush”, with fellow Apex editor Deb Taber, as well as editors Colleen Anderson (ABERRANT DREAMS and CHIZINE), Camille Alexa (ABYSS & APEX MAGAZINE), and Lou Anders ([TOO MUCH TO LIST!] and ORYCON EDITING GUEST OF HONOR). Then immediately after that, I’m on the panel “How to Prepare a Manuscript” with Edd Vick, Rhea Rose, and Elizabeth Engstrom (whose book, WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US, Apex has just reprinted!).

Then after that, I’m half of a writer’s workshop duo with Nina Kiriki Hoffman (She’s won a STOKER and a NEBULA, and I’ve got a YEAR’S BEST FANTASY & HORROR volume with one of her stories in it!)! O.O

It’s an action/awesome-packed weekend! ^_^

I’m not going to lie, I’m quite a bit (read: F#!$!ing) nervous about all this. I am (as some of you know) a convirgin, besides a relatively new entrant into the editing world, and therefore have no idea what to expect from all this. I plan on doing a lot of research about the “dos” and “don’ts” of panelling (and attending Edd Vick’s panel on “How to be a Panelist”!), and I hope my fellow panelists will give me some good advice so I don’t make a fool out of myself! Still, I’m really excited, too! Like 80% excited, 20% nervous.

Or… more like 60% excited, 40% nervous… maybe reversed? O.O

So if you’re in the PDX area Nov. 26th-28th, stop by and say “hi!” Or stop by and give me chocolate, and rub me on the back while I sit rocking in a corner by myself, and just tell me it’s going to be okay. >.O

Went rock climbing for the third time this month. Before you ask: no, not outside. In a rock climbing gym. The goal is to eventually get to the point where I can climb outside with Andy, but for now, I’m still very much a novice. Plus I don’t have shoes or a harness, so that makes outdoor climbing sort of tricky. ^_-

My hands are tired. I actually tried following the 5.8 paths this time, and they kicked my butt. It was a great workout though. I really enjoy it so far. It takes a little getting used to leaning back on the rope to be lowered down (we’re doing only top-rope climbing at the moment), but it’s a lot of fun.

Now, time to get some writing done. ^_^

So lately, due to the work I’ve been doing for THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF, coming out this November (get it! get it! get it!), I’ve had the opportunity to learn a little more about World SF in general.

I’ve had a little taste of this with a few Chinese authors in translation, and a *lot* of international literature in general. I wish I could say I’ve read a lot more, but until now I haven’t really been sure how to get my hands on this stuff. Now, I’ve found a doorway: Lavie Tidhar, who is the editor of THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF, has over the past year put together a blog called The World SF News Blog. It features articles and news about international science fiction. It’s also a great place to start digging in and getting exposed to some truly awesome fiction. I’ve added it to my sidebar links, so feel free to head over there anytime!

Just finished reading Anna Feruglio Dal Dan’s story in STRANGE HORIZONS titled “And This Also Has Been One of the Dark Places of the Earth”. It’s beautiful and spellbinding, and short! Give it a read if you’ve got a quick ten minutes. I guarantee you won’t want to trade those minutes for anything else.

I must say, this whole experience really makes me want to beef-up my Chinese and my smidgeon of Russian. I WILL READ DREAM OF RED CHAMBERS IN CHINESE ONE DAY! (And Crime & Punishment (3rd or 4th time) in Russian!) Granted, you don’t have to speak any other language than English to get fantastic international fiction in translation! ^_^ Which is a good thing until I get better at speaking, let alone reading, any other languages.

It’s been a busy first week of being twenty-four! Not that anything has particularly changed since I was an old 23, but you know what I mean.

I’ve finally managed to get internet during my lunch break without having to drive 20 minutes to get to Barnes & Noble! Our Clearwire device works if I bring it in to work, so I’ve been plugging into that during my break in order to get loads and loads of Apex-related work done. It’s turning out fabulously. I get more work done because I’m not distracted like I am at home, and when I get home, I don’t have to do any more work. I can take some time to keep my mental sanity and actually get to hang out with the hubby and kitties! Hooray! It’s so nice. I can already feel the stress levels subsiding.

I also put up (if you noticed) TWO Slush Lessons, because this last weekend was insane, and I didn’t get a chance to put any up on Sunday. So you get two! And expect the next, as it should be, on Sunday.

Did I mention I ran TWO MILES without stopping this last week? I DID! Don’t give me those incredulous looks. I didn’t “walk fast” or even pause at one mile to catch my breath. No stopping at all! Two whole miles! And I didn’t feel like death at the end! O.O I haven’t done that since high school–no! since JUNIOR high!–when I had a few brief weeks with the high school long-distance team.

I feel so fit. (And shut up, I know there are people who run more! Andy ran eight just Tuesday. I’m still proud of myself! XP)

Writing Stuff:

Keeping decent pace with the novel work. Since I’ve switched the Apex stuff with the Writing stuff, it’s had to take the hit once or twice for the social life, but I’ve been getting a lot more words on the page, despite that. I’ve been having to stop myself not because I’ve hit a creative block, but because it’s getting late and I need to get to bed so I can get up for work in the morning.

I’m definitely liking the flexibility writing at home offers, even with the distractions (like blogging… >.O).

NOVEL PROJECT PROGRESS METER OF D0OM!!!1!!1a:

SLUSH LESSON #4: ERR: Why Edditing is Imortant,

Sometimes I think the same people who don’t read guidelines are the same people who blatantly cast off the most rudimentary of writing basics. Time after time, I get submissions in the slush that look like the first whipped-out draft of a story. They’re riddled with grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, even on the first page, in the first paragraph, even in the very first sentence. It’s appalling to pick up a story, when you’re committing your time to reading it and give it serious consideration for the publication you work for, and to see that the author himself hasn’t even bothered to read through his own work to make sure it shines. It’s a little insulting, and it’s a waste of an editor’s time.

The writer in me finds it even more revolting, because when I submit a manuscript, I’m always filled with righteous terror that I’ll miss a comma or leave in a sentence one of my readers put in to point out a weak point in the story (which, sadly, I’ve done much, much too recently—and yes, I’m ashamed of myself). I can’t even imagine submitting something that isn’t up to manuscript standards, especially on the first three pages, without a severe nervous reaction.

Strangely, it’s common enough that on one of our Apex form rejections we actually have a check-off spot for it. So does Asimov’s, I believe, on their form letter. The thought of submitting to a pro-paying magazine without bothering to edit! I don’t know if it’s innocent ignorance or outright hubris.

But one thing I have learned from this, since this is something I knew even before slushing (though seeing how often others commit this offense has been shocking), is that your story won’t be rejected for one or two glitches. Even some of the best stories we’ve had submitted to us contain a few errors. It’s not a big deal. If the story is good, a missed period or a duplicated word can be overlooked. It’s pretty common knowledge that even when you go through a manuscript with a fine-toothed, multi-reader’d comb, things slip through (see said reader-comment left in, above).

However, this doesn’t mean you should blatantly leave in errors if you see them. Editor’s are patient, but they’re not that patient. A few isolated errors in an otherwise really well written story is no big deal; a fistful in even a tolerable story could mean the difference between a yay or a nay.

SLUSH LESSON #3: Surprise!: The good idea is at the end!

It was one of the first lessons I learned when I started slushing for APEX last year: surprise endings don’t work. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good O. Henry story—in fact, I’ve got a book gift certificate I might just spend on a collection of them—but O. Henry is I think one of the few authors who can really pull off that style of insane twist at the end. And even then, it’s not a total shock: he’d been hinting about it the whole time. The whole story is about that twist ending. It’s not isolated by itself.

That’s not what I’m seeing in the slush, and it’s not what I’m seeing when I write a surprise ending. What I see is this: the entire first half to first two-thirds of a story is just build-up to the “Ah ha!” moment at the end. This seems particularly prevalent in amateur science fiction, and I’ve seen it more than once in my own attempts at the genre. The problem is that, ultimately, the “Ah ha!” moment at the end is the strongest part of the story. It’s the idea that should have been explored throughout the manuscript, not tucked away at the end.

I can only speak from my own experience on why writers do this, but for me, I think it’s pretty obvious: I’m scared of my own idea. I write surprise endings because I’m intimidated by the idea I’m trying to work with. Either I don’t know how to explore the idea, or I subconsciously don’t feel like I could do it justice: whatever the case, it’s usually because the idea intimidates me.

And judging from the manuscripts I’ve read which have these kinds of “tuck the good idea away at the end” endings, I think that may be the case with a lot of writers. Because their “surprise” ideas are good, even really good, but the rest of the story is just a weak, cardboard prop to get you to the ending. That’s not a story. It’s boring to read, because when I get to the end—if I get to the end, because unfortunately these beginnings tend to defeat themselves–my first reaction is usually “why didn’t they focus on this?!”

So I’m starting to recognize these “surprise endings” in my own writing. They still slip out from time to time, but now I’m starting to get tougher on my revisions: if it’s a surprise ending, cut out everything that comes before it, and dive head-first into the meaty part. It may be hard, it may be scary, but in the end, it’ll make the best story.