Another reading session

This weekend I read half the stories in my inbox and I did hold a couple. My favorite? One in which unrelated elements all came together at the end, building the character and world into a cohesive whole. In other words, I never saw it coming.

Based on yesterday's reading session, I would also suggest writers take a close look at lengths. We are well aware we accept stories longer than comparable zines, and heck, we like 'em. Many markets prefer to cap at 5000. Remember, though, to only use the words it takes to tell your story. In my experience, many rejected longer stories are so long not because more events fill the space between A and Z, but because of narrative and exposition that does not further the plot. We have, and will continue, to accept longer stories. But remember you do have to hold my interest longer.

I think our response times are longer this summer, for a few reasons. First, it's summer. Everyone moves slower. Also, submissions are better in quantity and quality, which is exciting because it only makes for a better magazine. Thirdly, we're entering Conference Season here in Colorado. First up, World Science Fiction Convention, fondly known locally as Denvention, held in Denver 6-10 August. The Electric Spec staff will be there every day promoting the magazine, so if you want to meet any of us, keep an eye on this space and the main Electric Spec site for forthcoming details.

Next up is Colorado Gold, 11-14 September. It's a great conference, well worth attending. A bit more intimate, and the agents and editors are always top notch and generally available for smoozing (including yours truly). I'll be speaking, so come on and see me.

Then MileHiCon, our local SciFi Con, held 24-26 October. There's always a great writing track, and the Electric Spec staff are still working out details of our participation.

To tell or not to tell...

Advanced writers have had drilled into them "show, don't tell"--but is this a hard and fast rule? In the July/August 2008 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact there's a very interesting article "Hook, Lure, and Narrative: The Art of Writing Story Leads" by Richard A. Lovett. There's a lot of good information here, but I'm going to focus on only one of the rules: "Rule 2: Know when to show and when to tell." The gist of the rule is "showing isn't always better", and he gives some excellent examples, e.g. A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.", Stranger in a Strange Land: "Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith." Can you come up with some other good examples?

A survey of first sentences from The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction shows the MAJORITY of the first sentences are telling, e.g. (quotation marks mine), "There is a principle in nature I don't think anyone has pointed out before.", "I awoke this morning to discover that bioengineering had made demands upon me during the night.", "I live in the oldest city in the world.", "Everything felt like a dream.", etc., etc.

Thus, if you want to submit a story with some telling to Electric Spec, this editor says, "Go for it!"

Sexism in spec fic lit?

Author Nicola Griffith posted a provocative blog entry yesterday "fainting, shame, and obviousness", which begins by comparing the relative number of male and female authors who've been awarded Hugos and Nebulas. Do you think more women or more men have won spec fic awards? I think we all know the answer to that question! Nicola goes on at some length, even quoting Lisa Tuttle from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Check it out if you're interested in such things.

At Electric Spec, I must admit I don't pay any attention to the gender of an author. Glancing at the current issue, I see we have 75% female authors. Hhm... You might think since this is influenced by the fact we have more female editors than male. But, since our male editor is in touch with his feminine side, and since one of our female editors loves weapons/gore and general darkness/mayhem...I'm gonna say gender is totally immaterial at Electric Spec. :)

Do YOU think there's sexism in spec fic lit? If so, why?

Writing on Reading: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale

I recently reread "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale", 1966, by Philip K. Dick and watched the movie based on it, "Total Recall", 1990. This short story is excellent and I recommend it. Briefly, the plot is: an ordinary guy wants to go to Mars but can't afford it, so he decides to go to a company that offers to implant secret-agent memories of Mars. When they attempt this, however, things go wrong, and it appears the fellow really is an undercover agent with suppressed memories. The government then tries to kill him because his 'cover' is blown but he makes a deal to have his Martian secret-agent memories suppressed and in compensation, will get some other false memories implanted. When they go to implant the new false memories...real memories of THOSE events are also already there! I admit I'm being vague, but I don't want to ruin it for you. The point is, there's a twist and then there's another twist! Wow! :) Rarely do you read a short story with well-executed multiple twists.

IMHO, the movie "Total Recall" is only superficially like the story, dealing with a seemingly ordinary fellow who wants to go to Mars, can't, and tries to get memory implants but all kinds of trouble ensues. Personally, I really enjoy this movie because it is very ambiguous. Did the protag experience the adventures or were they implanted memories? Was it real? Or was it Rekall? :) I have it on good authority that the director Paul Verhoeven was ambiguous on purpose.

Upon careful review, however, I have a new interpretation: I think the entire movie is a dream. Why? Because of Melina. The protag, Quaid, dreams of Melina in the first scene...what if he never wakes up? I don't see any other way for the SAME woman to appear in Quaid's dream, on Rekall's computer, and on Mars. If Melina is a real woman, Quaid could dream about her and interact with her on Mars--in this case the events are not implanted memories--but then how would she be on Rekall's computer? On the other hand, if Melina is an implanted memory, she would be on the Rekall computer and in the fake Mars events--but in that case how would she be in his dream before the protag goes to Rekall? Moreover, at the end of the movie, Quaid asks 'What if this is all a dream?' and Melina says, 'Kiss me quick before you wake up.'

What do you think?

sad news: Thomas M. Disch

I was sorry to hear we lost Thomas M. Disch, an award-winning science fiction author and poet over the weekend. Thomas won the Hugo Award for best related book in 1999, and he had two other Hugo nominations and nine Nebula Award nominations to his credit, plus one win of the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, a Rhysling Award, and two Seiun Awards, among others. According to Locus Online Thomas committed suicide on July 4.

What is your guide?

I am noodling a new short story right now. In the midst of some heavy novel revisions, I feel the need to draft something. I actually like the white page after staring at the same 85,000 words for awhile. I have a world with a couple of values primary to the story, a vague sense of character (that's the part that seems to write itself), and some semblence of a plot. But right now I can't start writing because the plot just isn't there. I haven't pounded out a thoughtful enough synopsis. Worst of all, I don't have an ending.

I have to see the end before I can start writing. Otherwise I end up with half a story languishing on my hard drive. Do you? If not I envy you. But I actually know very few published writers who don't know where they're headed when they start. This is not to say that they don't sometimes end up somewhere unexpected. I just mean that most published writers I know have a synopsis somewhere, be it in their head or a notecard, before they start to write. I can't find my direction within 2-5000 words without such a compass.

Do you like the stars, a compass, GPS, Mapquest? What's your guide from Point A to Point Z when writing a short story?

The Nebsite

Outgoing SFWA President Michael Capobianco tells me there's a new Nebula Awards website open for beta testing. Michael says it will be focused around frequently-updated blogs and interviews and its goal is to encourage public interest in and appreciation for science fiction and fantasy literature. Electric Spec is all about those goals too! So, check out The Nebsite.

We're Live!

And we're live! Check out the new issue of Electric Spec! Thank you authors and editors for your hard work!

The Setting Leg

Regular readers know I espouse resting my stories on a three-legged stool of plot, character, and setting. I didn't invent the notion, and I'd give credit, but I have no idea who did. : ) Anyway, there's been some discussion in various internet quarters about plot v character and which should come first in your consideration. I've been surprised to see setting so neglected in these discussions. For spec fic purposes, I believe grounding readers in the story's world is essential, because spec fic always takes place in another world or a variation of this one. In fact, if I had to pick one aspect that draws spec fic readers, I'd say they come to visit new places where extraordinary things happen.

Dave spoke recently about developing ideas to their fullest, and sometimes in short stories, world-building gets short thrift, because we don't have a lot of words to spend. I see this most in urban fantasies where the writer assumes the reader is grounded because it takes place on this planet--even if it is a planet inhabited by werewolves (which are apparently in, if our inbox is any indication). But there are ways to show this strange new world your characters inhabit that don't take up a lot of real estate on the page.

--Dialogue. How do your characters relate to each other? Not like you and I would in ordinary conversation, I hope! How do they show respect; what constitutes an insult? What does their slang sound like? What are the little shortcuts or accents or usage that sets them firmly inside their world?

--Focus on the most important elements that make your world different. You should know of several, but what are the two or three that inform the reader they're not in Kansas anymore?

-- Attraction. What makes for a physically attractive "person" in your world and why? What are valued qualities based on world conditions? (Clue: use them in characters you want the reader to admire).

--Speaking of values: how does your world condition affect personal values? I'm reading DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? right now. In the Real World most everyone I know has a dog or a cat. We all value our pets, of course. But Dick elevates the rather common phenomenon of domesticated animal to status symbol and it says things about his world without exposition.

--When your character is confronted with a crisis, what is the one thing he or she might do that ties her to her world? A Christian might cross himself, a sailor might curse. What does your character do that sets him firmly in his world?

--And while we're on the topic of crisis, is yours intrinsic to your world? The most interesting crises can only happen in the world where they're set.

These are just a few ideas of many; I'm sure you can come up with more. A final note: don't explain. Just show your characters behaving as they should in their world and the reader will catch on.

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror...

I just read about "The Saturn Awards". (They have nothing to do with the car company.) These are annual awards given out by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, a nonprofit organization founded in 1972. I must admit, I've never heard of this organization... Have you? (If so, please comment. What's the scoop?)
Our next issue of Electric Spec has an article about their Best Fantasy Movie pick (good job, Marty)! Check it out on June 30! :)

Five More Days...

Savvy Electric Spec readers and writers know that the next issue goes live in only five more days! Check it out on June 30, 2008!

Writing on Reading: Art and Physics

I don't normally post reviews of my nonfiction reading, but I couldn't resist talking about Art and Physics by Leonard Schlain. This book is a huge undertaking, basically going through the entire history of physics and art (mostly painting). It took me more than a month to get through it, which is a lot for me (I can usually finish a novel in about a week). The time was well spent, however. Schlain is a physician by training, so he does a great job talking about complex topics in an accessible way. I learned a great deal about both subjects, especially in the areas of modern art and quantum physics. It was also interesting following Schlain's premise: cutting edge artists expressed new developments in physics before they occurred. 

For those of you who write science fiction, books like Schlain's can be enlightening and inspiring. In fact, I've already written one story based on an idea from the book. So, for those of you who want some heavy summer reading, I highly recommend Art and Physics.

Chat with Kevin J. Anderson

Dune prequel author Kevin J. Anderson will be chatting with people at the Writers of the Future forum tomorrow (June 24). Kevin will discuss topics such as work habits, characterization in spec fic, submitting to the Writers of the Future Contest (he's a judge), and building a plot. Should be an interesting discussion!

Locus Award winners

Winners of this year's Locus Awards, voted by readers of Locus Magazine in the annual Locus Poll, were were announced June 21, 2008, at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Seattle, at an event led by Master of Ceremonies Connie Willis. The winner for short story was:
"A Small Room in Koboldtown", Michael Swanwick (Asimov's Apr/May 2007). Read more about it at www.locusmag.com. Congratulations to all the nominees and all the winners!

A Final Trim . . .

One of the most common changes I make as I edit stories at Electric Spec are what can be described as "final trims." Even the best stories can often be made just a little tighter by cutting unnecessary sentences, clauses, and words. Authors sometimes have blind spots about these until they are pointed out by someone else, but it's worth trying to find them before you submit to a magazine. Some of the most common areas where trimming is necessary are:

• Info. repetition. In a short story, information about plot, character, world-building, or setting should only be given once. Also, information that can be inferred from the story should not be "told" by the author--trust your reader and assume he or she will "get it." If you tell or show us on page one that sprites live in the clouds and only come out at night, don't remind us again on page 6.
  
• "Walk the dog" actions. Sometimes authors include details that are not critical to the story and only serve to slow things down. For example, if a character is taking his dog for a walk, we probably don't need to know that he called the dog, got out the collar, put the collar on the the dog, clipped the leash to the collar, opened the door, stepped outside, closed the door behind him, etc, etc. Yawn!
• Unnecessary or distracting detail. In the above example, if you include a long description for the leash, i.e. "the leash was covered with pink and purple swirls of color that flashed in the sun as dog and master walked down the street," then there should be a reason why that description is there. If we never hear about the leash again, why did we need to know so much about it? I see this a lot with eye colors of minor characters. Who cares if the waiter in the restaurant has blue eyes? This is a tougher one to spot than the previous two bullets, but I do see it a lot.
• Adjective overkill. "The dark disk floated in the blue sky. It was as black as night against the azure backdrop, like a lapis boat floating on an aquamarine lake." Okay, this is an exaggeration, but you get the picture. Pick your best adjective and move on. 

So, before you sent off you story ask yourself--"What can I trim?"

AFI's #1 sci-fi movie is 2001

At the beginning of the month, I blogged about 2001: A Space Odyssey. I thought I'd give you an update, namely, the American Film Institute declared this movie the best sci-fi movie of all time. Maybe you saw this on TV last night? If not, read more: here.
It's a difficult job to compare movies from different times; the historical context of a movie is important when judging it. Nonetheless, I don't agree with AFI's choice. What do you think? What's the best sci-fi movie of all time? (My fave is Star Wars: Ep IV)

Speaking of movies...our next issue of Electric Spec has another intriguing "Spec Fic in Flicks" article. This time, Marty will be discussing a recent fantasy movie. Check it out on June 30!

I Love Working with Pros

As an editor at Electric Spec, I've worked with authors from around the world and in a huge variety of subgenres and voices. You know who my favs are? The professionals. How do I define a professional? Not the same way SFFWA does. No, I don't care how many sales an author had or to whom. Instead, I consider a professional author one who can understand and accept editorial changes and feedback, one who understands working with a deadline and therefore responds quickly, and, most of all, one who is kind and courteous in his or her interactions with the editor.

We've been lucky at Electric Spec. The vast majority of our authors are pros. The rest? Well, they have an important lesson to learn before they are truly successful.

SFWA contest=fraud

There's been some buzz about a writing contest supposedly sponsored by SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.). This contest is bogus, hence the buzz. SFWA says it "never runs writing contests of this sort". Read more about it.

I find this whole thing rather odd, don't you? The perp was asking for a $10 fee--how are they going to get rich with that? And how did said perp think they could get away with it?

There's a good story in here somewhere...

WaterStone's postcards

I can't resist linking to the Waterstone (British bookstore chain) postcards. They say "To celebrate the National Year of Reading, 13 world-class authors including JK Rowling, Doris Lessing, Neil Gaiman and Irvine Welsh have told us their story, and we'd love you to tell us yours." Personally, I loved the Rowling and Gaiman stories! Click them all out here. Which is your favorite? :)

ooh..Friday the 13th. Spooky.

The next issue of Electric Spec will go live on Jun 30! It looks great! We have six awesome stories and some fabulous features! Be sure to check it out. :)

An Editor's job is never done, however, and we are starting to think about the next issue which will go live on October 31, 2008. Thus, it seems appropriate to say today, Friday the 13th (Boo!), that we would LOVE to get some fantastic horror and macabre for that issue. Writers, start your muses!

Sturgeon Award finalists

Finalists for the Theodore Sturgeon Award have been announced by the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas. The Sturgeon Award is for the best short science fiction of the previous year. The juried awards will be presented on July 11th. And the finalists are (drum roll, please):

• Laird Barron "The Forest"
  
• Elizabeth Bear "Tideline"
  
• Ted Chiang "The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate"
  
• Jeffrey Ford, "The Dreaming Wind"
  
• Karen Joy Fowler "Always"
  
• Kij Johnson "The Evolution of Trickster Stories Among the Dogs Of North Park After the Change"
  
• Gwynneth Jones "The Tomb Wife"
  
• John Kessel "The Last American"
  
• Ian R. McLeod "The Master Miller's Wife"
  
• David Moles "Finistera"
  
• Johanna Sinisalo "Baby Doll"
  
• Gene Wolfe "Memorare"

Congratulations to all the nominees!

And read more about the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas in my 2007 Electric Spec Interview of James E. Gunn. :)

of vampires and werewolves, part II

Lesley asked the question in an earlier post, what makes vampires and werewolves so popular these days? I think this type of urban fantasy straddles the edge of what can be read by someone without feeling he or she must bear the stigma of being a "geek" or "nerd." Many readers love speculative elements in their fiction, but (subconsciously or not) avoid the fantasy and sci-fi shelves because "only geeks read that stuff." On the other hand, it is somehow okay to read horror (aka supernatural dark suspense) or sci-fi that has been labeled as a techno-thriller (can you say Jurassic Park?).

Beginning with Anne Rice, the idea of "serious" popular fiction having speculative elements started to become "cool." Steven King has also helped nudge the fantasy envelope with this Dark Tower series. Let's hope that the vampires and werewolves continue to bring readers to speculative fiction, and that sci-fi and fantasy become "cool"--or more people don't give a damn about what's cool, so long as they enjoy what they are reading.

keyhole

I would call both stories I'm editing for the next issue perfect examples of "keyhole stories" . And it's worth noting both came in around 3000 words.

I steal the notion from Barth Anderson, author of PATRON SAINT OF PLAGUES and THE MAGICIAN AND THE FOOL. (He's also appeared in our pages.) He said in our interview:

...every sentence is like another incremental dilation of a camera lens, letting in a little more light, information, or field of vision of what we're looking at. To me that explained what short stories can do. They're like peeking through a keyhole ... more often than not, novels are the whole room. A novel rifles through the drawers and reads the diary under the bed, but a short story is just a tiny viewing through one small aperture, and that's all.

This sounds like world building, and to an extent it is, but it also refers neatly to plot, as well. We only get to see those pivotal events, short and dirty, that directly affect the outcome of the story. All else is ruthlessly thrown in the hamper (to keep the painful metaphor going).

As editors, we're learning that shorter is often better, not because we have short attention spans, but because those shorter works often show a mastery of the form, of storytelling. And really, how many pages will your reader kneel there, eye pressed to the keyhole, before he gets a crick in his neck?

How Far Can You Take It?

As always, the editors at Electric Spec had lots of interesting discussions as we decided on the final stories for our next issue. One topic that came up quite a bit was stories falling short of their potential. Lots of times, authors introduce a great world-building idea, some device or twist that we have not seen before. Nonetheless, the story falls a little short. Why? The author does not think through all of the implications of the idea. It is one thing to introduce a concept, it is another to explore it in some depth. For example, if a story involves time travel, it should address--or at least hint at--how that time travel is going change the word, not just one or two characters. 

Anyhow, we were able to agree on six great stories for our next issue. Thank you, authors, for making our job of deciding which stories to pick so tough!

Writing on Reading: 2001 A Space Odyssey & Intelligent Design

I recently reread Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968. Haven't read it? Get thee to a library! This is a story in three parts: 1.) three million year B.C. when a monolith inspires the hominid ancestors of human beings to conceive of tools thereby awakening intelligence and leading to us; 2.) 2001 when humans on the moon have discovered a monolith--which sends a transmission to outer space; 3.) 18 months later, on a mission to Saturn, HAL-the-computer goes crazy, David Bowman enters a monolith and becomes the star child. This is classic SF at its best, full of gadgets, geeky old white men, and wonder.I also read "The Sentinel" by Clarke from 1948--which he wrote for a BBC competition and lost! (Take heart authors!) This story is basically part 2 of 2001 above. I enjoyed it more than 2001 because the first-person pov makes it much easier to identify with the protag. I also recently watched the 1968 movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, which follows the novel closely. I would have to say while there is a lot of 'wonder' in this film, it does not hold up for modern audiences (it is s-l-o-w).

Anyway, I find the central theme of these works, i.e. aliens are responsible for the evolution of homo sapiens rather disappointing. In fact, this could be considered to a form of Intelligent Design!

Purely by chance, I read another book lately that supports Intelligent Design, albeit of a quite different kind, Black Order, 2005, by James Rollins. Dave blogged about this in May. This is a rollicking thriller set primarily in Europe with Nazis, spy-types, and bizarre science experiments. It really reminded me of Dan Brown's stuff--but better. Anyway, the main idea here is "quantum evolution": human minds via quantum mechanics actually cause the beneficial mutations that lead to evolution! I had never heard of this idea, but it is also clearly a type of Intelligent Design.

Who knew there were so many Intelligent Design versions out there!

Do you know of any others? (Besides the obvious!)

of vampires and werewolves...

We have a number of finalist stories this time featuring vampires or werewolves (or vampires AND werewolves). Since they are finalists, they are well-written. Kudos, authors! I must admit however, I am a bit surprised by the influx of vamps and were. Have we published a lot of these stories in the past? No. Have we published ANY of these in Electric Spec? I'm having trouble thinking of any...

Personally, I find the vamp/were thing somewhat mystifying. They are SO popular now, especially in novels. I wonder why that is. Do they symbolize/represent the wild animal/evil inside humans? Or is it something else? What do you guys think?

Wow. Excellent hold stories

For those of you waiting to hear back about your story 'On Hold', we have our big Electric Spec production meeting on Friday (6/6), so hang in there! I have to say all the stories on hold are very good. Congratulations authors! We feel honored to get so many good submissions! If your story did not get held for voting, don't despair: competition was very fierce.

We try to be fair and quantitative with our final decisions and assign each story on hold a numerical score. This time around, we editors have quite different rankings. Dave thinks it's because all the stories are so good.

Perusing the rankings, I can see some patterns... I guess I'll just talk about my own rankings --I wouldn't want to make my fellow editors cranky! :) One thing I appreciated was beautiful writing. This is writing that flows lyrically, writing that makes you feel like you ARE in the head of the unique protagonist. Another thing I always enjoy is a unique idea. This time we had some strange and wonderful problems with human culture and extrapolations of human society. I ranked those story highly.

Our next issue is live on June 30, 2008 and whatever stories we choose, it looks excellent!

model homes, model stories

I put my finger on something recently. Good stories let the readers fill in most of the blanks.

Wow. Sounds easy huh? Yeah, well, think about it. While you do, I'll provide an analogy that, after your thinking, might confuse you even more.

Empty houses don't sell well. It's a known fact. That's why there are furnished model homes. Most folks can't visualize worth a damn, so they need some help.
The bed goes here. See, how pretty a picture looks here...

However, houses that are too stacked with the homeowners' junk don't sell well, either. People can't mentally remove the junk and put themselves and their things in that space. They see clutter, even in a big room, and think: Gaaa! There's no room for my stuff in here! The eye might fill in gaps; it does not like to create them.

So it is with writing. Too much information leaves no blanks for readers to fill in with thier own experiences, their own stuff. Too few, too spare on the details, and readers just wander through the story, feeling lost and echoey. Where does the balance lie? It's likely different for everybody. But the stories in our hold for voting box do tend to leave room for readers to actively participate in the telling of it by inserting their own perspective.

Rising Above the Rest

I've been looking at the stories that the Electric Spec editors have held for voting. This is one of my favorite parts of the job because all of the stories have something that caught an editor's eye. Now we begin culling the best of the best.

Why are these stories so good? The truth is, there's no easy answer. All of the stories have solid writing. Beyond that, they have something extra like a great plot idea, interesting world, or unique characters. Some are stronger in one area than another. It's the stories that have the most going for them that end up making the final cut.  

Submission Dos and Don'ts

I've just gotten through my share of the submissions for our next issue of Electric Spec. If your story didn't make it past the first cut, keep in mind this list for next time:

Do:

•  Trim, trim, trim. Is your story as tight as it can be? Just because we have a 7000 word limit does not mean your story should be 6098 words. Too much unncessary exposition or plotting is one of the most common problems I see. Even for may of the stories we end up publishing, the editors end up cutting out the extra.
  
• Follow the guidelines. Remember to include a word count in the cover letter. You won't get rejected if you forget, but stuff like that puts the editor in a bad mood before he or she starts reading the story
• Hook me in the opening line, opening paragraph, or opening page. If I have no idea what your story is about, where it is going, or what's interesting about it after the first page, I may decide not to read much more of it.
• Personalize your cover letter. If we've met you at a conference, workshop, or convention, remind us. If you've ACTUALLY READ our 'zine, tell us what you read and why you think your story fits. All of this will not guarantee that we'll publish your story, but a personalized touch does add a spark of sunlight to the hours we spend in a dark room in front of a computer.

Don't:

• Include information about your family, pets, day job, etc. in the cover letter. It's not that we don't care about these things . . . well, actually it is. 
  
• Include information about the plot or theme of your story in the cover letter. Hopefully, we will be able to figure that out when we read the story. If not, we won't end up publishing it anyhow.
• Use a cover/title page. It makes your story look like it was written for 10th grade creative writing class, and it makes us scroll down the screen more than we have to. Yes, we're that lazy.
• Include as a credit in your bio that you have a "novel coming out this fall." That doesn't mean anything. I have a couple of novels that I wrote sitting on my hard drive, but that does not mean they are publication credits. If you want to impress us (and it's true) say this: "My novel, The Vanquishing Sword of Death is coming out this summer and is being published by Tor." (The "published by" part is key).

demonstrate don't recount

In the Electric Spec submissions pile, I've found a few stories recently in which the author recounts the story events. This is not as effective as demonstrating the events! Our life experiences of "telling" stories may work against us when it comes time to write a story.
IMHO, what we need in a modern publishable story is something you can act out. In fact, one of my critique partners is prone to acting out scenes at critique group! Of course, your stories should also include beautiful descriptions, intriguing flawed characters, and whatever else you like. :)

Authors, ask yourselves: does your story contain stuff you can act out? If not, try writing it more in-the-moment. Demonstrate what happens!

physical description and pov

We've started working furiously on the June 30 issue of Electric Spec. This means we've been working extra hard to get through the submissions. I have some advice for authors: keep in mind pov when you're doing physical descriptions. The modern style in short stories is NOT to describe the physical characteristics of your protagonist. However, if you insist on doing so, please do not have the protag see him/herself in a mirror or glass door or similar and describe him/herself. Also please do not have your protag run his/her fingers through their auburn/blonde/gray/brown/etc. hair. Generally this introduces a pov problem because, for example, people don't sit around thinking "I brush my fingers through my purple hair", right?

Of course, now, the rest of the day, I will be thinking this, but generally people don't. :)

The deadline for submissions for the June 30 issue is today (midnight U.S. MDT)!

A day in the life of an editor

Or: Why I Take 4-6 Weeks To Read Your Story.

6 am NPR starts shouting at me about various disasters around the world, the least of which is the Democratic race for President.
6:30 shower
6:45 (dripping) Wake kids up, lay out two sets of wee clothes
7 Beg husband to boil water for tea. His answer is a blank stare.
7:26 (hair drying funny) Insist kid quits playing drums and get upstairs to breakfast. I blowdry, but it's too late.
7:52 Drop kids at school
8:15 Receive email response about a story (another zine, my story). A little back and forth.
8:20 Various other emails and visit blogs. Write a quick post since it's been a week.
10 Remember I should get a chapter out to crit group. Read over chapter so I don't make a complete idiot of myself.
11 Remind myself to read stories. Take a gander at cover art instead and lose myself in artist websites.
12 Lunch. While munching a salad I write exactly two sentences on the chapter I was supposed to finish yesterday.
1 A low buzz of panic sets in. The kids come home in an hour-and-a-half. In a classic display of Avoidance Tendancy, I put another load of laundry in.
1:30 Finally bang out some pages on the WIP, completing yesterday's goal of finishing the chapter.
2:35 (late, as usual) Pick up kids from school. Snack. Homework. Whining. Drum practice. Repeat.
3:17 Finally open story box. Read stories. One lacks commas. One starts well, but doesn't complete its own arc. Microsoft word count clocks two stories at well over seven thousand words. As this is our upper limit, I'm willing to slash if the story is grand. They aren't. One story is intriguing; I save that for voting. The last uses passive voice in the first sentence.
4 (yeah, I know, I'm a fast reader) Off to kid's drum lesson
5:30 Try to make hair look like something.
6 PTA meeting.
10 Fall into bed. Read The Tempest for a class I'm taking. Note extensive use of backstory. Realize I've retained something of my year of college Shakespeare. The Bard still makes sense.
11 Fall asleep, dreaming of Ariel and commas...

Lessing: Nobel win a 'disaster'

I reported Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize in Literature here a while back. It's apparently time for an update. Now, according to BBC News, she says "...winning the prestigious award in 2007 had been a 'bloody disaster'. The increased media interest in her has meant that writing a full novel was next to impossible... Since her Nobel win she has been constantly in demand, she said. 'All I do is give interviews and spend time being photographed.' Speaking about her writing, she said: 'It has stopped, I don't have any energy any more.'" Read more.

I'm sorry to hear about her troubles. :(
I guess the lesson for authors is: don't get distracted from writing!

Deadline looming!

The deadline for our next issue (June 30) is looming! It is May 15. Send Electric Spec those stories ASAP. Our submission instructions are here.

Writing on Reading: Magic for Beginners

I recently reread Kelly Link's short story collection, Magic for Beginners. Link is one of my favorite contemporary genre short story writers, and Magic for Beginners shows why. Although these days "fresh" and "original" are so overused they've become cliched, Link shows what it means to create a voice and a style that stand out from everyone else out there. The originality of her characters and description blows me away.  Even though the theme of some of her stories seems beyond my grasp, all of her stories reward me with the unexpected, if not the understood.

Some to think of it, Kelly Link would be a very interesting person to interview for Electric Spec. Hmmm . . .  

Writing on Reading: Anansi Boys

I recently read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. Gaiman says it is a "funny, scary, romantic comedy, thriller about Gods and the Supernatural and the power of stories and so on. I guess it's about how to survive families".

I say, "Wow, this was excellent! I highly recommend it." The prose, characterizations and plot are excellent.

Very briefly, Anansi Boys is the story of Fat Charlie (who isn't actually fat) a timid accountant living in London, whose wedding preparations are interrupted by his father's death in Florida. At the funeral, Fat Charlie learns he has a hitherto unknown brother AND his father was an incarnation of the West African spider god, Anansi. Antics ensue. :)

Interestingly, Gaiman withdrew Anansi Boys from consideration for the Hugo Award. He said in August 2006, "I suppose partly I did it because I have three Hugos already, and I felt it was better to get more names on the ballot that weren't mine, and partly because I think I feel more comfortable when the things of mine that get Hugo nominations are marginally closer to SF than to pure fantasy, but mostly because when they told me Anansi Boys was nominated it just felt right to say no thank you, this time. Obviously I'm grateful to everyone who voted for it, and happy for the other awards that it's won and is nominated for, but on this one, well, it just felt right to say no. So I did."

Wow!

Dark Fiction

There was some discussion about the Internet last week on dark fiction, its definition and boundaries. Dark fiction, especially dark fantasy and dark urban fantasy, is mostly defined in the marketplace by publishers. There's an idea, a valid one, that folks likes their urban fantasy dark. Sometimes, I have trouble figuring out what makes such work dark. To me, this means dark themes left in the wake of grim plot events; perhaps to other publishers it means that the whole story happens at night.

For instance, I've never heard George RR Martin's work called dark in marketing copy, but he tortures his characters so violently and permanently, I fail to see how it could be considered anything but. He eloquently deprives each character of that which they most covet (for instance, a bastard loses his father, a romantic never finds love, a warrior loses his hand, a rambunctious child loses the use of his legs) leading to an overarching theme best stated as: It's not darkest before dawn, but right before your worst nightmare.

For Electric Spec's purposes, we like our dark themes truly dark. I rarely see stories in my slush that push the boundaries of dark fiction. Usually it has to do with under-developed internal conflict. So many writers fail to discover that which drives their protagonist, what makes him feel alive and who he is, and then steal it within the context of external conflict. If we can identify with the protag in real crisis, then the veil of suspended disbelief starts to fall over our eyes. How the protag strives to get it back makes for the plot events that build themes. This might include horror, macabre, even tragedy, but above all, it requires deprivation. Deprivation, often with permanent consequences, is at the heart of every good dark story.

Drink out of the fire hose?

I've been following a discussion slightly related to Dave's yesterday post over at agent Nathan Bransford's blog, in which he says the publishing industry "somehow manages to be seen as being in decline while growing at 3%, and where 400,000 books were published in the last year but (seemingly) fewer of them are published by mainstream houses who are (seemingly) focus on a narrowing slate of blockbusters." This has the corollary: "As the spigot of publishing opens up wide, we're going to have to find a way to drink out of that fire hose." and "what is going to take for the good books to stand out?"

As a reader, I must admit I'm not concerned about the fire hose at all. I just discovered a fabulous new-to-me author this week (I'll blog about it next week).

As an author, I must admit I'm VERY concerned. How can authors make a living in this market where you can download stuff for free and the traditional publishers are going away?

Maybe it's time to give up the old author paradigm? It is a dinosaur? Maybe we should all publish our stories and books for free on the web and make our livings off of ads or other-idea-yet-to-be-invented?

What do you all think?

Reproduction 101

Let's skip the birds and the bees and go directly to flowers--dandelions in particular. A dandelion may produce 2,000 seeds per year. Lots of those seeds may end up in places where they can't grow, but even if only two end up sprouting, that's another 4000 seeds.

This information goes a long way toward explaining the state of my front lawn, but it also has some use to authors, says Cory Doctorow in the May issue of Locus. 

"If you blow your works into the net like a dandelion clock on the breeze, . . .  the winds of the Internet will toss your works to every corner of the globe, seeking out every fertile home that they may have--given enough time and the right work, your stuff could someday find its way over the transom of every reader who would find it good and pleasing."

In case you're wondering, Mr. Doctorow thinks that, in the right circumstances, such reproduction is a good thing. No, you may not make a buck or two off the story, but you may hit a home run with an agent or editor who reads your work, likes it (or hears how many others like it), calls you up, and says "do you have anything else"?

Submission deadline May 15!

This just in...
The Electric Spec submission deadline for our June 30, 2008 issue is midnight (U.S. MDT) May 15, 2008! I just posted it on the webpages. We will, of course, accept submissions after that for our next issue, Oct 31, 2008. :)
Send those stories in!

Future Ain't What It Used To Be?

There's a funny/interesting post by spec fic author Mario Acevedo over at Eos Books blog, in which he states "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be". Mario refers mostly to pulp SF visions of the future including floating bubble cities, unisex silver overalls, rocket packs, etc.

IMHO, speculative fiction has come a long way since the pulps. Reading their 'gee-whiz' naivete is a charming form of time-travel in which the authors believe in the best of human beings. It was never realistic. Today's spec fic authors have embraced the full gamut of human qualities from evil to, yes, naivete. :) I like that better, personally. In fact, the best authors extrapolate the realistic problems of technology (aerial rocket pack jams?) in addition to showing their 'gee whiz' qualities. Send Electric Spec some stories like that!

What do you think? We are living in yesterday's future. Is the future what it used to be? :)

Rock On, Orson!

In the new Tor/Forge newsletter, Orson Scott Card wrote an interesting article on why he still  writes short stories even though they don't pay the bills. He also pointed out something we strongly believe in at Electric Spec. He said:

"But I hope you’ll also remember that there are new writers out there, trying to be part of the conversation. Look for magazines — online or in print — and anthologies and collections. Give them a try. I can promise you that now and then — more often than you might suppose — you’ll find something and somebody wonderful. Because if sci-fi is to survive as a genre, it won’t be because readers stick to books with familiar names on the cover. . . .  And if a new generation is to take flight, it will fledge in the nest of short fiction."

Welcome to our nest!

Writing on Reading: The Tempest

I recently read The Tempest by William Shakespeare, dated 1610-11, generally accepted to be his last play. (You're wondering what the heck this has to do with spec fiction--but I'll get to that). A very brief plot is: A sorcerer/Duke, Prospero, and his daughter, Miranda, are stranded on an island. Prospero has magic powers and is served by a spirit, Ariel, who he rescued from a witch's imprisonment, and the witch's son Caliban, a deformed monster. Prospero raises a storm to crash his brother Antonio's ship (which just happens to be passing by), and using spells separates the survivors of the wreck into several groups. Then three plots run in parallel: Caliban falls in with 2 drunken crew members and they try to rebel against Prospero, Prospero fosters a romantic affair between Miranda and a young man from the ship (Ferdinand), and Antonio and a buddy conspire to kill the king so the buddy can be king. In the end, Prospero foils all the plots and succeeds with the Mirando-Ferdinand love affair, and they all go back to Italy, happy, and Prospero gives up his powers.

Clearly, this is fantasy, i.e. speculative fiction, with all the magic, the witch, the spirit, etc! Who know spec fic was so old? Not I. :)

Supposedly, the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet was a film adaptation of The Tempest. I recently watched this, too. Instead of a magical island, it's set on the planet Altair-IV, but there is a 'magic' scientist father and a beautiful daughter, a helpful spirit: Ariel/Robbie-the-Robot, a ship of men who crash one of whom has a romance with the daughter, and a monster: Caliban/the scientist's id. ...Okay. I must admit there are some similarities.

Supposedly, Star Trek is also based on The Tempest. Hhm...there's a ship and they have various adventures. I'm not sure I see it, but I'll keep you posted if I get any additional info.

However, a very obvious spec fic TV shows comes to mind...Isn't the plot of The Tempest basically the TV show Lost? I think so! What do you think?

New Sawyer Short Story Collection

FYI Electric Spec readers: there's a new short story collection out from Robert J. Sawyer. Red Deer Press, a division of Canadian publisher Fitzhenry & Whiteside, has just released Robert J. Sawyer's second short-story collection, Identity Theft and Other Stories. The title story was a Nebula and Hugo Award finalist. The collection also includes the Hugo finalist "Shed Skin" (which was the basis for Sawyer's John W. Campbell Memorial Award-winning 2005 novel Mindscan), the Aurora Award winners "Ineluctable" and "Biding Time," and 13 more. The book has an introduction by Hugo winner Robert Charles Wilson, and each story is accompanied by Sawyer's own commentary.
Looks intriguing!

What's Hot in Genre Fiction?

There's been an interesting discussion on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's loop, responding the the question: "What's hot in Genre Fiction?"

Here's what Carol Berg, high fantasy author extraordinaire and Electric Spec interviewee had to say about it:

"In fantasy, urban fantasy (contemporary world with "extras" like
vampires, werewolves, and so forth) is still hot, despite frequent
reports of "vampire fatigue." My editor says that they can put a new
author in urban fantasy and the books will still be snapped up. Times
are tougher for new authors in traditional/heroic/epic fantasy, and yet
two of the most acclaimed new authors in fantasy are traditional fantasy
writers - Naomi Novik, who already has a Peter Jackson movie deal for
Temeraire, and Patrick Rothfuss."

Rothfuss has one book out, called The Name of the Wind. I read it when it first came out and I thought it was excellent. I know a lot of non-genre readers who loved the book as well. I'll have to head to the library and pick up a Novik book now.

Got Plot?

Today I saw a play called "The Last Five Years." It was an excellent musical about a man an a woman who fall in love, get married, fall out of love, and get divorced. So, how could such a standard plot be made original? The man's story went from the beginning of the relationship to the end, but the woman's went from the end to the beginning. All the songs were solos, except for one duet right in the middle of the play. Pretty cool, huh?

If the plot of a story you're working on feels tired, why not see if you can tell the story in a new way--like forwards and backwards at the same time!

Friday Fun: PhD Comics

Okay, this is only marginally related to Electric Spec, but I recently found a hilarious website: PhD Comics by Jorge Cham. If you've been to grad school or have ever thought of going to grad school, you'll get a kick out of these. Happy Friday!

Writing on Reading: The Black Order

James Rollins' The Black Order is science fiction . . . or a thriller . . . or a science fiction thriller, depending on who you ask. I found my copy in the Fantasy and Science Fiction section of the Boulder Book Store, but I don't think it belonged there. The Black Order is about a secret U.S. military group that tries to stop a neo-Nazi villain who has developed new, dangerous technology. While the science it somewhat "out there" it is based on sound scientific theories that are explained in the novel. (In fact, Lesley will be interested to know that there is a lengthy explanation of the famous double slit experiment). I find the premise to be no different that other thrillers that are not categorized as science fiction, basically following the spy-novel formula. So, why was it shelved with the science fiction books? Too much explanation of the the science? Too much far-out technology? Don't ask me. It's a good read--why not try to decide for yourself?

Should Your Characters Be Sympathetic?

Here's how one of my fav authors, George RR Martin, answers that question [in reference to his Song of Ice and Fire series]:

"I don't concern myself over whether my characters are "likable" or "sympathetic." (I had my fill of that in television). My interest is in trying to make them real and human. If I can create a fully-fleshed three-dimensional character, some of my readers will like him/ her, or some won't, and that's fine with me. That's the way real people react to real people in the real world, after all. Look at the range of opinions we get on politicans and movie stars. If EVERYONE likes a certain character, or hates him, that probably means he's made of cardboard. So I will let my readers decide who they like, admire, hate, pity, sympathize with, etc. The fact that characters like Sansa, Catelyn, Jaime, and Theon provoke such a wide range of reactions suggests to me that I have achieved my goal in making them human."

Do you agree? I think a sympathetic character can be drawn that will be likable for the 

vast majority of the readers and still not come across as cardboard. However, don't be afraid to give your protagonist flaws and your antagonist positive traits. Martin takes this one step farther, drawing many characters that are hard to peg--to great effect. 

Writing on Reading: A Highly Placed Source

A Highly Placed Source by Michelle Dally is a bit far afield of my usual reading fare. It is a YA novel, and probably would not be considered fantasy. However, its a first novel by a local Denver author, which makes it interesting material for me. Source is based on a high concept premise: what would happen if God talked to a high school kid--and the media got a hold of the story? To add one more twist, God's first message to the kid is that masturbation is okay--a message sure to inflame established Christian church authorities. 

Dally has a nice voice and does a great job keeping the plot moving. However, the author's decision to tell the story from multiple POVs lessened the effectiveness for me. It did not feel as if Dally wanted to identify a central protagonist, and therefore as a reader I never felt completely grounded. Also, at certain points the POV "head-hopped" between characters within a scene, which I felt was disconcerting.   

Overall, I found her writing very promising and look forward to seeing more from her. 

Speculative Fiction Today

I liked Lesley's post on THE TIME MACHINE, but a contemporary reader might wonder what such a book offers us today. When read by Wells' contemporaries, it was a scathing commentary on the powers of the day; now it's also a wonderful opportunity to look back at how far we've come...or not. Really great speculative fiction stretches its readers this way on a regular basis. In many ways, it lives beyond its own time better than other genres.

Compare the slew of popular Cold War novels to a film like 2001. The year 2001 has passed, obviously, but the themes of the film 2001 are eternal. 2001 is not only now; it remains our past and future, and was meant to be both from its inception. Not that Kubrick would ever comment on the themes and meaning of the film; as he said: "You're free to speculate as you wish about the philosophical and allegorical meaning of the film..." (Note the verb usage.)

But back to our Cold War spy novel: we live in a radically different world now than during the Cold War. Those old spy novels are still fun reads, but we'd be hard-pressed to find social and political commentary within them that wears as well as many universal spec fic themes.

One of my favorite things about speculative fiction, besides the intense what if? factor, is the ability to comment on this world from beneath the cloak of another. This device softens brutal blows against government policies, social issues, stereotypes and prejudice, religion...the potential is infinite. Taking the opportunity to put a theme into a new world also shows universality (sometimes literally). Alongside their deeper metaphors, many sci fi and fantasy novels state plainly: Folks is Folks, no matter the trappings.

A little book called THE ROAD recently came under a great deal of acclaim. Now, I think THE ROAD is a good, deserving book. However, its post-apocalyptic setting--and examination of parental love, the destruction of social convention, and the loss of what we believe makes us human--don't bring anything particularly new to the speculative fiction reader's bedside table. Even McCarthy's use of unconventional punctuation and grammar to exemplify base need and the destruction of society (a friend joked that all the commas must have been lost in the war), while clever, artistic, and appropriate, doesn't seem all that original to someone who reads science fiction's depiction of various forms of communication. I've even taken part in extensive discussions on how to treat telepathy in fantasy.

Fortunately, (and unfortunately, to some pulp fans) the bar has been raised for speculative fiction. The market expects a fresh, perhaps more literary approach. With all the real fears people face in the world today, the macabre must sting us in new, previously forbidden places. Some say sci-fi is dead because The Future Is Now; I say there's never been a greater need to examine where our burgeoning knowledge will lead us. In times of war, fantasy trope--that hero/ine who sweeps in to save the day--is always in high demand. Fictional heroes give us a more palatable vehicle in which to hope and grieve for our real heroes. Politics notwithstanding, humankind has rarely seen a time more ripe for social commentary, and writers are hard-pressed to find a better genre than speculative fiction in which to do so.

Writing on Reading:The Time Machine

Recently I reread The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, published in 1895. The prose in this book is fabulous, with lots of big words. :) The entire book is basically a monologue in which the protag tells the story of his travels to his friends. That would never fly today. There is also a pov shift in the epilogue. Note: The Time Machine is more complicated than it appears; the science fiction in it is NOT the time machine (which is insufficiently explained) but the sociological extrapolation of the British class struggle as seen by Wells. The Morlocks are the working class; the Eloi are the aristocrats. This is exemplified by The Sphinx that figures prominently in the story and refers to Thomas Carlyle's 1943 essay "The Sphinx" about the organization of labour in Britain.

As an American, the class struggle does not resonate with me very well. I also watched the 2002 movie "The Time Machine" and based on that, the story appears to be more about reason/science versus emotion/love. The protag is initially conflicted about whether to be with his girlfriend or work in his lab. There is a tragedy and he turns to reason/science at the exclusion of all else. Clearly the Morlocks, who still deal with machines, represent reason/science and the Eloi who can only love represent emotion/love. In the end, the protag destroys his machine and choses love among the Eloi. :)

Whatever you think it means, it is clearly an intriguing story on many levels. Send Electric Spec your multilayered stories!

Nebula award winners

The Nebula Award winners were announced this past weekend. The winner for Short Story was "Always" by Karen Joy Fowler. Read more about it at SFWA Nebula News. Congratulations to all the winners! Was anyone there at the Nebula Weekend? If so, post a comment! :)

Re: meme

Bets, one of our editors and also the keeper of the not-so-secret identity Sex Scenes at Starbucks, informed me that I have to do a "me me." Knowing her secret identity, but not being familiar with a "me me", I figured it was something kinky. Not so. Turns out it is a blog chain letter sort of thing. I'm willing to go along to a point, but, as it turns out, I don't know six bloggers I can "me me" back, so I'll be one of those dead end links.

Anyhow, six random facts about myself:

1. When I was around 18 years old, I was pulled over by the police as a suspect in a bank robbery. They got really nervous when I reached down to unbuckle my seatbelt. Apparently, bank robbers are not good about "clicking for safety."



2. In college, I was approached by the police for suspicious broomball activity. Apparently, walking down the street with a broom covered in duct tape is a suspicious activity.



3. I have studied four different martial arts, but I don’t remember much about any of them. So, go ahead, kick by butt.



4. I’m a Unitarian Universalist. I don’t have all the answers, but if you need questions, I’m your guy!



5. The first story I ever wrote was a story about giant red shoe. Good to know my brain worked funny even back in third grade. (And thanks, Mom, for saving the story).



6. In college, I used to woo chicks with my singing/songwriting abilities. As my wife will be happy to confirm, my chick wooing days are over, but I still occasionally play some guitar.

what is SF?

What is SF? The issue has come up a few times with story submissions we've received at Electric Spec. If you read the interview we did last year of James E. Gunn you'll know he says Science fiction is the literature of the human condition experiencing meaningful change. Very nice.

One of the Electric Spec editors has written a very nice legal thriller with extraterrestrials. I say the inclusion of aliens in the story makes it SF. There are some other things that IMHO, if in a story, automatically make it SF. These include: intelligences (human or otherwise!) in space or on other planets, time travel, alternate history, robots, AI, the singularity/post-singularity, apocalypse/post-apocalypse/utopia/dystopia, cloning/genetic engineering of people, and insert-your-idea here. I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

What do you all think? What is SF?

Science update: dark matter

The DAMA (DArk MAtter) team, led by Rita Bernabei of the University of Rome claims again that they have detected dark matter. See the New York Times article. The DAMA group basically has a big vat (500 pounds) of sodium iodide nearly a mile underneath the Gran Sasso mountain in Italy. They claim to record flashes of light when a WIMP smashes into it because of the Earth's passage through a 'wind' of dark matter particles as it goes around the sun. The flashes of light come about because the sodium iodide is a scintillating material. This method utilizes the idea that the change in the Earth's orientation as it orbits the Sun varies, on a seasonal basis, with its interaction with the cloud of WIMPs that is believed to fill the Solar System. The DAMA team's results are exciting, but so far, no other group has been able to verify them.

A bit of background info. Dark matter is a form of matter that does not emit or reflect enough electromagnetic radiation to be observed directly. We have a lot of indirect evidence, especially gravitational effects on visible matter, for dark matter, but we don't know what it is. A WIMP is a 'weakly-interacting-massive-particle' and is one leading candidate for dark matter. Note that WIMPS only interact through the weak nuclear force and gravity.

Suffice to say, I'd love to read a story featuring dark matter! :)

Writing on Reading: Turning Angel

I've been falling behind on my book reviews, mostly because I've been reading some non-fiction lately that probably would not be interesting to our blog readers. 

Turning Angel by Greg Iles is a thriller about the aftermath of a murder of a girl in a small city. Iles does a great job hooking the reader at the beginning and ramping up tension from chapter to chapter until the climax. I only had two complaints about the book. First, the teenaged women in the book seemed too mature. In the acknowledgments, Iles indicates he spoke to numerous highschoolers to find out what life was "really like" in high school. If so, then high school students today are more emotionally mature and sexually experienced than college co-eds were in the late 80s (when I went to school).  I hope that's not true--especially as the father of two daughters. I realize girls get exposed to mature subjects earlier than ever before, but does that really make them "women of the world" by the time they are seniors in high school?

My second criticism is that Iles left out an explanation of a plot detail that I thought was important. (Or I missed the explanation). 

Overall, however, I'm impressed with Iles and his ability to create a gripping story.

Barth Anderson's new book

I want to take the opportunity for a shout-out and blatant promotion for friend Barth Anderson. Since appearing in the pages of Electric Spec, he’s just released his second novel: THE MAGICIAN AND THE FOOL. Reviews promise a rollicking ride of mystery and magic, circling around the history and legends of Tarot. Compelling characters guide readers through an intriguing non-linear plot. I've personally loved everything I've ever read of Barth's, so I might be a tad biased, but the first chapter was so evocative I couldn't help but run out and buy me a copy. But gee, don't take my word for it. Read it for yourself.

Sorry, honey, but I'm curling up with a book tonight...

be consistent

The great Polish writer, Stanislaw Lem (he wrote the novel Solaris among other things) developed a theory of fiction writing based upon the idea that no matter how far-fetched the story or how wild the setting, that it should nevertheless be internally consistent down to the tiniest detail. Then and only then, will the far-fetched or even the impossible not only become believable, but also make a world we could live in.

Good advice! Authors, be consistent!

Keep sending those stories into Electric Spec.

some Hugo finalists--for free

I know all of you are planning on going to World Con 2008 Denvention 3 this summer, right? So, you'll be busy now reading the Hugo finalists, which I blogged about earlier. Ms. Williams over at Asimov's has kindly posted all the finalists from Asimov's Science Fiction on-line for free: here. Thanks, Sheila! I highly recommend everyone click them out. :)
Blog readers know my philosophy: good reading helps lead to good writing.

Seeing Another Dimension?

Once in awhile, someone comes along who cannot only see length, width, and height, but also space/time. A premise for a science fiction story? Perhaps, but it was also one of the many fascinating ideas presented by Dr. Leonard Shlain at a lecture I attended at the Conference on World Affairs. Dr. Shlain has written three books (which have now been added to my reading list), and his forth, on Leonardo DaVinci, is coming out soon. One of the questions Dr. Schlain tries to answer is what was it about DaVinci's brain that made him brilliant in both science and art? Of course, there's lots of possibilities, but one idea Dr. Shlain poses is that DaVinci was one of those rare human beings who could see what most others cannot--a fourth dimension. Wow! It is certainly an idea that got my brain churning.

It's not fair

I've come to the realization that my fellow editors and I have different taste in spec fic stories! What does this have to do with me, you-fabulous-authors ask? A lot. Here at Electric Spec editors get assigned stories randomly. So, it's just the luck of the draw which editor you get, and your story may or may not be among their preferences--or pet peeves. I'm sorry about that; it's not fair.
Another thing that's not fair is: you can have a very good story, even a great story, and if it doesn't fit what we happen to need, we'll reject it. :(
All authors run into that problem. Personally, I'm planning on writing FOR specific markets in the future.
Anyway, the point I wanted to make is, please don't let anyone--certainly no editor (or agent)--discourage you from writing! Good luck!

Art v. Craft?

In Gary K. Wolfe's Locus column this month, he theorizes that "there's always been an odd tension between craft and art in the SF field." He goes on to explain that "the crafts of SF, fantasy, and horror aren't exactly the same as the craft of the short story, even though the art--the why [the story is written]--may be very similar."

I disagree. Any tension (also an inapt word in this context) between art and craft in SF is no different that the tension between art and craft in any other genre. The craft of any short story, be it speculative fiction or not, is similar. Setting, character development, deft prose, crisp dialogue, plot development, etc. are tools of the craft of writing regardless of your choice of genre. Furthermore, the art isn't "very similar"--it's identical. Writing fiction is an art and its writers are artists. The "why" and "how" of their art, and especially the quality of their product, does not change the fact that it is art.

If you want to write high quality speculative fiction, you'd better be familiar with the genre. If you want to paint well in the abstract expressionist style, you'd better be familiar with the masters. Studying your milieu is not an issue of craft, its an issue of medium. 

Guidelines for Authors

I read a very good blog entry yesterday "10 Guidelines for Aspiring Speculative Fiction Authors by Robert Rhodes" on storycrafters.blogspot.com. A summary follows:

1. Read read quality spec and non-spec fiction
   
2. Pay attention and take notes you never know when an idea might strike
   
3. Master the basics
   
4. Create a complete, vivid story good stories integrate (1) a compelling character (2) in a fascinating setting (3) overcoming vast difficulties (4) by his or her own efforts and (5) achieving a worthwhile goal.
   
5. Reach for the stars write your best story
   
6. Beware of infatuation gain emotional distance so you can revise
   
7. Be open to criticism
   
8. Be--or pretend to be--a professional identify markets, follow submission guidelines, proofread, etc.
   
9. Reward yourself
   
10. Never, never, never quit

I couldn't have said it better myself! :)
Keep sending Electric Spec your stories!

Stoker Award Winner

The Bram Stoker Awards were announced this past weekend at this year's World Horror Convention in Salt Lake City. The short fiction winner was: “The Gentle Brush of Wings” by David Niall Wilson. Locus Online has more info. Congrats to all the winners!

Don't forget to send Electric Spec your horror stories!

What is He Thinking?

I have a critique partner who often writes the comment "What is he (she) thinking?" in the margins of the submissions she is reviewing. It's a good reminder. As a writer, you should always know what the characters in your scenes are thinking, and your reader should have a good idea what your protagonist is thinking. Sometimes, even unconsciously, we writers get away from our characters' thoughts. Common reasons for this are (1) we are concentrating so much on the plot that we plunge forward with the action and forget everything else; (2) explaining our characters' emotions is too dang difficult, so we cheat and try to leave it to our reader's imagination. 

In many instances, however, leaving out our character's thoughts is a mistake. The advantage of first person or close third person POV is that the reader "becomes" the protagonist. Readers can't become the protagonist they are not in the character's head, following the important thoughts.  And the complex thoughts and emotions are  the most interesting. So go deep and show those thoughts--it may just turn a good story into a great one.

On one of my writing loops, someone asked how much of a role to give her bit players. Now this was in reference to an epic fantasy novel, which often has a "cast of thousands." As for short stories, a lot of the advice we hear amounts to "less is more." With this in mind, peopling our stories effectively is perhaps one of the most difficult things we do. One of my longer short stories has a cast of about fifteen identified characters, with others milling about. I thought about cutting it back, but the protag is a soldier in an army. He has only his own head for privacy. The story needs to feel crowded.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, I've read stories with one character: the protagonist. This is rarely enough because the most interesting antagonist is an actual character. But whether you prefer a minimalist approach or a more populated cast, one thing is clear. Every character must serve to forward the plot, setting, and characterization. The test: if a character is removed, can the story still progress? If so, kill that darling.

Earth Hour

At the risk of blogging too much about enviromental stuff...
Are you going to participate in Earth Hour? On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.

Earth Hour was created by WWF in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and in one year has grown from an event in one city to a global movement. In 2008, millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organizations in nearly 200 cities around the globe will turn out for Earth Hour.

Join people all around the world in showing that you care about our planet and want to play a part in helping to fight climate change.

Join me in the dark! :) Hhm. Lots of story ideas here...

your biggest obstacle?

Today's the last day of Pulse Blogfest, where 120 Simon & Schuster authors answer questions. Today's question is "What was the biggest obstacle you faced in becoming an author and how did you overcome it?" The answers are interesting. Click it out! :)

What's your biggest obstacle?

Some of the archives are also particularly interesting:
Tips for aspiring authors, Have you ever written something that made you feel uncomfortable?, Do books you read inspire what you write?, etc.

Science update: Antarctic shelf

From today's BBC News: Antarctic shelf 'hangs by thread'. "A chunk of ice the size of the Isle of Man has started to break away from Antarctica in what scientists say is further evidence of a warming climate." and "Professor David Vaughan of BAS said 'I didn't expect to see things happen this quickly. The ice shelf is hanging by a thread - we'll know in the next few days or weeks what its fate will be.'"
Wired also has an article on this: Huge Chunk of Antarctic Ice Breaks Loose.

Uh oh.

Send Electric Spec your global warming story!

Award news

The results of the 2007 British Science Fiction Association (BSFA)
awards were announced March 22, 2008 during Orbital, the British
national science fiction convention (aka Eastercon), at the Radisson
Edwardian Hotel in London. The winner for BEST SHORT FICTION was "Lighting Out" by Ken MacLeod (from disLocations; Newcon Press). Read more about it at SFWA. Congratulations to all the winners.

Denvention 3, the 66th World Science Fiction Convention to be held August 6-10, 2008, in Denver, has released this year's Hugo Awards nominations. There were 483 valid nominating ballots. The nominees for Best Short Story are:

• “Last Contact” by Stephen Baxter (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Solaris Books)
  
• “Tideline” by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s 6/07)
  
• “Who’s Afraid of Wolf 359?” by Ken MacLeod (The New Space Opera, HarperCollins/Eos)
  
• “Distant Replay” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s 4/07)
  
• “A Small Room in Koboldtown” by Michael Swanwick (Asimov’s 4/07, The Dog Said Bow-Wow, Tachyon)

Congratulations to all the nominees.
The ElectricSpec Editors hope to see you at WorldCon 2008!

Tips for authors

I went through a bunch of submissions yesterday. Thank you for submitting to Electric Spec! Since we can't do personalized rejections, I have some general tips for authors:

• your story should not consist of ONLY dialog
  
• your story should contain some dialog
  
• your story should make sense and the reader should be able to understand it, e.g. What is the point of the story? Or: Why does the protag have super powers? Or: Is the protag attacked by a vampire or an alien? etc.
  
• your story should have a plot arc (something needs to happen, and hopefully the protag makes it happen)
  
• your story should not have really bizarre formatting
  
• your story should not be a cliche. This means vampires, werewolves, aliens, other planets, space operas, robots, androids, genetic experiments, transformations, ghosts, magic, witches/wizards, etc. MUST HAVE A NEW TWIST.
  
• the ending of your story should not be obvious in the first paragraph

I could go on, but I don't want to seem overly negative. The quality of our submissions is generally good.
We've said it before, but it's worth saying again. A good story combines at least two things and they mesh perfectly. This could be an internal and external plot, or a "cliched" story with humor to make a spoof, or a combination of "cliches", or your-idea-here.
Good luck!

interesting advice

Found via fellow blogger and writer Josephine Damian's blog:

quoted from a crime writer named Benjamin Schultz (RIP), in particular about short stories, edited here for brevity.

...Generally, they are time-bound tales; the clock is ticking; something terrible must be averted. I use time to compress my stories, to give them shape and limit. As such they function as mini-thrillers. Pace is very important. You have to lay out the challenge, introduce the protagonist and get moving. Without that, the heart will not race. Many stories begin with the hero ALREADY engaged in the central action of the story...

...Time also provides the pressure for Hemingway’s dictum “Courage is grace under pressure.” What is that “grace?” For me, and my characters, it’s the ability to keep a clear head and fashion effective actions when there are very high stakes, and “failure is not an option.” It’s also the ability to keep a clear moral compass, when the gales of seduction and danger threaten to throw you of course. That’s a tall order for twenty pages. So economy of language is important; you don’t have any words to waste. Misdirection to the reader to preserve suspense is often the result of ambiguity in the text. Ambiguity is achieved by precision of expression. What is revealed and what is omitted, and how that is done. These were elements I had to learn and relearn as I wrote short stories; pace, economy, precision...

...The major dangers of genre fiction are cliché and boredom. A genre’s conventions are a contract. Like all contracts, they tell you what is the MINIMUM you can expect from the tale – not the maximum. The minimum is a Sisyphean reading experience – you push the same tale with the same characters up that damn hill. Style, a unique way of telling the story, provides freshness and vitality too not-so-novel plots or characters. For me, I try to use dialogue and metaphors to make the story fresh; to put memorable lines in my characters’ mouths; provide resonant images for the readers’ minds, and pithy insights into the human condition. When successful, these tools create a depth to the story without adding length or slowing the pace...

Rest in Peace, Arthur

I'm very sorry to say I just heard Arthur C. Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90. :(
I'm sure all the Electric Spec editors, writers and readers will join me in saying this is a sad day indeed. Arthur was one of the science fiction greats. We'll miss him. Read more about it in The LA Times, or in USA Today, or elsewhere (post your links in the comments).

Rest in peace, Arthur.

Match It For Pratchett

You may have heard Terry Pratchett announced Thursday, March 13 at the Alzheimer's Research Trust 9th Annual Conference in Bristol, UK that he will donate one million dollars to Alzheimer's research at the University of Bradford. At the conference he said, "Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Terry Pratchett, author of a series of inexplicably successful fantasy books and I have had Alzheimer's now for the past two years plus, in which time I managed to write a couple of bestsellers..." "It's a shock and a shame, then, to find out that funding for research is three per cent of that which goes to find cancer cures..." "So let's shout something loud enough to hear. We need you and you need money. I'm giving you a million dollars. Spend it wisely." Read more about it at SFWA news.

Science fiction author Pat Cadigan has responded to the announcement with a challenge to Terry Pratchett's many fans and friends to "Match it for Pratchett" and contribute toward Alzheimer's disease research. She points out that it would take only a couple of dollars each from 1/2 million people to match Pratchett's generous pledge.

Let's match it for Pratchett!

Good books

One good way to improve your writing is ..reading. Shocking, I know. :)

Here are some books to check out if you haven't already, the 6 novels on the
Arthur C. Clarke Award short list:

• The Red Men by Matthew de Abaitua - Snow Books
  
• The H-Bomb Girl by Stephen Baxter - Faber & Faber
  
• The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall - Faber & Faber
  
• The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall - Canongate
  
• The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod - Orbit
  
• Black Man by Richard Morgan - Gollancz

The Arthur C. Clarke Award is a juried award that presented annually for the best science fiction novel of the previous year. The winner will receive a cash prize of 2008 Pounds ($4,058 US) along with a commemorative engraved bookend.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at an award ceremony held on the opening night of the Sci-Fi-London Film Festival.

Congrats to all the nominees!

Rest In Peace, Gary

I'm sure some of our Electric Spec readers and authors got into speculative fiction via Dungeons & Dragons. Sad news...

Gary Ernest Gygax, who co-created the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, died Monday, March 5 in his home at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, following several years of health problems including an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He was 69.

Along with Dave Arneson, Gygax developed Dungeons & Dragons in the early 1970s. They founded TSR. The game was played by millions and spun off magazines, books, movies and video games which lead some of those enthusiasts to read fantasy literature by authors such as Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and others. Many of todays authors credit Dungeons & Dragons with inspiring them to start writing.

Gypax wrote several associated books, as well as many fantasy novels, including the Greyhawk Adventures Series of novels and the Sagard the Barbarian sequence which were written with Flint Dille. Gypax's first fiction novel was an alternate history written with Terry Stafford titled Victorious German Arms: An Alternate Military History of World War II.

Rest In Peace, Gary.

Great Dialogue

I hate to admit it, but I see very few stories these days (published or in the slush) that have cracklin' dialogue. You know, the kind where you can't believe what the character just said, and you can't wait to see what comes out of her mouth next. The kind that sounds completely realistic, yet unique with a rhythm and style all its own.

Well, if you want to see it done well, go see the movie Juno. (Actually, I loved everything about the movie, so go see it before it's gone.) Listen closely to the dialogue. Every line is well-crafted and fitting. The slang is different yet believable and understandable. Even the metaphors similes are twisted just a little, to add texture a flavor. Here's a sample:

Punk Receptionist: Would you like a free condom? They're boysenberry. 
Juno MacGuff: No, thanks. I'm off sex right now. 
Punk Receptionist: My boyfriend wears them every time we have intercourse, it makes his junk smell like pie. 

And another one (about Juno's mother in Arizona):

Juno MacGuff: Oh, and she inexplicably mails me a cactus every Valentine's Day. And I'm like, "Thanks a heap coyote ugly. This cactus-gram stings even worse than your abandonment." 

And another:

Su-Chin: I'm having a little trouble concentrating. 
Juno MacGuff: Oh well I could sell you some of my Adderall if you want. 
Su-Chin: No thanks I'm off pills. 
Juno MacGuff: That's a wise choice because I knew this girl who like had this crazy freak out because she took too many behavioral meds at once and she like ripped off her clothes, and dove into the fountain at Ridgedale Mall and was like, "Blah I am a Kracken from the sea!" 
Su-Chin: I heard that was you. 

For more free samples (no, not condoms, dialogue), go to IMBD.

Master of his universe

I can't help mentioning a fascinating article I read on guardian.co.uk: Master of his universe, about Stephen Hawking. Probably most of our Electric Spec readers and authors are familiar with Hawking's science, but Rachel Cooke's article does an excellent job conveying what it's like to interact with the man, and giving us an idea of the man himself. Click it out!

Nebula final ballot

I see the 2007 Nebula Awards Final Ballot is out. And the nominees for short story are...

• "Unique Chicken Goes In Reverse" - Duncan, Andy (Eclipse 1: New Science Fiction And Fantasy, Night Shade Books, Oct07)
  
• "Titanium Mike Saves the Day" - Levine, David D. (F&SF, Apr07)
  
• "Captive Girl" - Pelland, Jennifer (Helix: A Speculative Fiction Quarterly, Fall06 Issue #2)
  
• "Always" - Fowler, Karen Joy (Asimov's, apr/may07)
  
• "Pride" - Turzillo, Mary (Fast Forward 1, Pyr, February 2007)
  
• "The Story of Love" - Nazarian, Vera (Salt of the Air, Prime Books, Sep06)

Congrats to all the nominees! Huzzah!

For some other excellent short spec fiction, check out the new Electric Spec issue!

Slush Roundup

Now that the issue is out, I've turned my attention back to our neglected slush. Some magazines close in the months prior to publication. We choose not to, mostly because we're writers, too, and we know how annoying it is to keep up on various requirements, much less which slush is open when. The flipside is that a writer has to wait longer to get a response from Electric Spec at certain times of the year. I aim for a 3-4 week turn around, and I have stories from January--eek! So, I'm reading now, and it occurred to me, reading last night, that knowing some of the problems I found could be helpful to writers out there. I know reading these sorts of things helps me--a great blog for this (on the topic of novels) is agent Nathan Bransford. But don't go there yet; I've got more to say here.

In general, your competition here at Electric Spec is tough. Our submission rates are up and the writing is solid. Grammar is correct; spellcheckers were turned on. It makes our slush a joy to read and decisions tough to make. So we get down to hooks and cleverness and that singularly most obnoxious requirement: grabbing your editor. I read ten stories last night and held only one. Many problems were beyond the "grab factor". This collection had legitimate, fixable problems and I thought it might be helpful to review the problems in a general sense.

In the realm of endings: I figured out two early on, and one felt coy even upon second reading. The story carried me to a climax I didn't understand--most frustrating.

One story was a story of someone telling a story. (Say that three times fast.) Despite the intreresting voice, I didn't understand why I needed to see the action filtered through an inactive protag. If we'd seen the action as it had happened to the character telling the story, I would have found this creative plot more intriguing.

Another piece leaned heavily on the character leg of the stool, but the characters weren't developed enough to make it quite work. Telling is tough to avoid when not much actually happens.

A few were traditional, stereotypical fantasy fare--solid writing and even included vaguely original takes on trope. (Hey, I love me some dwarves and elves and warriors. I like trope.) However, in one, I saw missed opportunities for deeper originality. And the other didn't quite stick by the rules of troped characters. If you're going to stretch a trope, push it to the outer limits. It can always be reeled in later. What doesn't work for me is ala carte trope. Makes it feel a bit...convenient.

The story I did hold? An anti-hero just trying to survive who gets everything he deserves.

Hopefully this indicates some of the problems I see on a regular basis. Most of all, I hope it helps you drive your stories into our pages. Keep 'em coming!