So, what was it like?
What was Viable Paradise like?
According to the third-century Roman senator Dio Cassius, when Emperor Hadrian attempted to give Appolodorus (the architect who designed the Markets of Trajan) some advice, Appolodorus said, “Go away and draw your pumpkins.” Hadrian did, but later, he sent Appolodorus some of his own designs and asked what Appolodorus thought of them. Appolodorus, poor man, told him. And Hadrian had him executed.
It was nothing like that. For one, nobody there had the power to have anyone else executed. Not legally, anyway. For another, the farthest thing from my mind when my work was criticized was having the critter killed. Not only did I like everyone who critiqued my work, I agreed with almost everything I heard. For the past week, though, I’ve been thinking about how to apply the specific criticisms of my submission story to my writing in general. The most common criticism I heard was, “This needs to be longer.” Or, as John Scalzi put it, “This isn’t a story. It’s a scene.” And that, right there, has been an issue in my writing all along. I write scenes. And I often fail to connect them to anything else. In other words – I don’t finish things.
That’s going to end. It’s part of the Viable Paradise Oath. “I will write,” it begins. And then it goes on. “I will finish what I write.”
There’s more, but those are the first two steps. And that’s where I’ll begin. I will write. And I will finish what I write. And I will rely on my classmates, my husband and my friends to hold me to it.
You’re all listening, right?
Holding you to it no problemo.
Can I link to this on the collected posts?
Cath
Cath Schaff-Stump´s last blog ..Drollerie Blog Tour: JA Howe
Absolutely!
And thank you.
I’m listening, and will hold you to it, not only because this is my problem with my own writing, but because I’ve loved what little I’ve read of your work so far and look forward to much more.
You’d better write! Your story has wayyy too much potential to stop now. You have the hard part: an interesting world and characters. Can’t wait to see where you go with it!
Chris Cornell´s last blog ..Viable Paradise XIII, Part 5: Random Wisdom
I’ll hold you to it, if you hold me to the same thing! I, for one, would really like to see your submission story become more polished and finished, because it was great!
In my writers group at home, we have accountability groups. I’ll add you as an honorary member
. I’ve also struggled with some of the same things, and one of my biggest wins at VP was to hear PNH tell me — twice no less — “that’s a complete story.” Sure, he had other issues with my work, but it meant I was getting better. I’ll send you something we didn’t cover in the workshop that has helped me.
Brent´s last blog ..So … what’s your story? #vpxiii
Let me know if you need a reader. I’m not sure how I’d be able to make you finish what you write, but I guess I could resort to the power of positive nagging…
Sean Craven´s last blog ..Apatosaurus louisae 6
Waitaminute. Are you telling me we’re supposed to FINISH stuff?
Annika´s last blog ..Fit Issues
Thanks, everyone, for the compliments and the offers to nag. Or at least hold accountable. I appreciate it.
And Annika – I haven’t even gotten to what you’re supposed to do AFTER you finish your work.
Yes, yes a thousand times yes.
the slackmistress´s last blog ..3:33am
You will write. And you will finish what you write! And send it out!!!
You go girl! I have never heard of Viable Paradise before this post but I am officially intriqued.
I have trouble with finishes, as well. I am happy to help you stick to it. Maybe some stick-to-it-ness will rub off on me.
Traci Shannon´s last blog ..Day Fifty – Five or Under Construction
You better keep writing. And then send it out “until Hell won’t have it.”
Steve Buchheit´s last blog ..Going Feral
they’re pretty awesome scenes tho. you could write 1/day next month and that would be, like, a whole novel.
lisa gloria´s last blog ..Roses #7