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Writers' Bloc - Creative Writing Off Topic Thread

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Comments

  • #1252
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    echo beach wrote: »
    You have reason to be chuffed. That is a story to be proud of even if it never got published. It held my attention from the first line and I now so want to go there.

    Thank you! :)


    I want to go back there too. Might be dangerous though :pac:


  • #1253
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    By the way, EVERYONE GO AND READ AND VOTE on our VOAT

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058138677


  • #1254
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    km85264 wrote: »
    Beautiful story, Michelle, wonderfully written. I've been trying to get into Stinging Fly for over a decade and yet to get there. Congratulations!!

    Thanks K!

    Yeah, I still can't believe it. I've been at it a similar amount of time. I've reached the peak now, I can retire!


  • #1255
    echo beach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    Das Kitty wrote: »
    Thanks K!

    Yeah, I still can't believe it. I've been at it a similar amount of time. I've reached the peak now, I can retire!

    When you reach one peak there is always another one in the distance. You have to keep going. You can’t retire now. Your fans are waiting for more!


  • #1256
    Sheridan81
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,429 ✭✭✭Sheridan81


    Congratulations on the Stinging Fly publication, Das Kitty. Good story, interesting theme, the lines

    "His lips were making a prayer of my name."

    &

    "There’s a glacier wedged on top that has a little curl of ice jutting up at its peak, like a buried woman’s finger beckoning the sky."

    Really stood out.


  • #1257
    Scuid Mhór
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Scuid Mhór


    Das Kitty wrote: »
    Huge congratulations Insect Overlord. It must be so satisfying to hold it in your hands after all that work.


    My Stinging Fly story was published today. I am chuffed.

    https://stingingfly.org/2020/12/04/magnetic/

    This is amazing, Das Kitty, well done!

    Between having writers here who have been shortlisted for the RTE Short Story Competition or had their own poetry collections published or have been published in The Stinging Fly (among other unrevealed accolades I'm sure), I think we should do what we can to keep this thread alive. It's nice to have something like this in the cybersphere with likeminded people.

    And speaking of The Stinging Fly, did anyone submit during their latest round there? For the first time, I submitted both poetry and fiction. No expectations though, given the lockdown I wouldn't be surprised if they received thousands of submissions.


  • #1258
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    I think I've written a grand total of 2 new poems since September. I had a great rhythm going for a big chunk of the summer (reading and writing) but fell out of that again after a change of accommodation. I also burned myself out a bit with two big writing projects.

    A well-respected Limerick poet mentored me with the first draft of my book back in 2018. I assumed back then that he'd be impressed with it once I followed most of his feedback. He recommended a couple of good books for advice on writing as well. I asked him to do a preview on my "final" draft last summer and he sent me back another big pile of new advice! :D Most of it was very effective, to be fair to him, and really helped me to strengthen the collection again before it was published.

    I also chanced my arm with the adults' poetry collection contest at the Comórtais an Oireachtais. They extended their deadline for entries by a week or two, so, at the last minute, I compiled a set of 40 poems that I thought worked well together. Most of them were in English so I spent a full week translating 30+ poems into Irish, and editing the others to make them a little stronger. I didn't win the competition, but I did get some very encouraging feedback from the judges.

    Between the two of those I felt that I'd drained myself creatively. It's a new year now though, so I think the energy is coming back. :)


  • #1259
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Scuid Mhór wrote: »

    And speaking of The Stinging Fly, did anyone submit during their latest round there? For the first time, I submitted both poetry and fiction. No expectations though, given the lockdown I wouldn't be surprised if they received thousands of submissions.

    1853 stories :eek:


  • #1260
    lambswool
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭lambswool


    Disappointed I missed the stinging fly window but I think it would have been an outside chance to say the least! I've tried twice before I think.


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  • #1261
    Scuid Mhór
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Scuid Mhór


    Insect Overlord wrote: »
    Between the two of those I felt that I'd drained myself creatively. It's a new year now though, so I think the energy is coming back. :)

    Try not to beat yourself up about it too much - I've found that because of the pandemic, most people's creativity has been on the decline as well. Sometimes the best thing you can do to create is to rest and revitalise yourself.
    Das Kitty wrote: »
    1853 stories :eek:

    Haha, surely at a certain quality threshold that just becomes a lottery? Or maybe they are going to have to consider bringing out more than two issues a year. I have the feeling I won't be making the cut anyway.


  • #1262
    km85264
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    I’ve been submitting to stinging fly for ten years, pretty much put something into every submission window. I have a story in for this one but I’m beginning to get the message...


  • #1263
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Scuid Mhór wrote: »
    Try not to beat yourself up about it too much - I've found that because of the pandemic, most people's creativity has been on the decline as well. Sometimes the best thing you can do to create is to rest and revitalise yourself.

    Yeah, that's the approach I've been taking to it. :) Nice and chill.


  • #1264
    Scuid Mhór
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Scuid Mhór


    Got a personal rejection for my short story that I sent to The Stinging Fly. So close, yet so faraway.


  • #1265
    km85264
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    I got the boilerplate “Unfortunately on this occasion...” email a few weeks back. One day, when I’m rich, I’m going to buy that publication and boil all the editors mwah hah hah!!


  • #1266
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    km85264 wrote: »
    I got the boilerplate “Unfortunately on this occasion...” email a few weeks back. One day, when I’m rich, I’m going to buy that publication and boil all the editors mwah hah hah!!

    I got the same. :pac:

    Is anyone doing any online courses / seminars at the moment? A pal of mine is trawling Eventbrite for stuff to attend that suit her interests. I went to a few events in Cuirt and enjoyed them.


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  • #1267
    lambswool
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭lambswool


    Scuid Mhór wrote: »
    Got a personal rejection for my short story that I sent to The Stinging Fly. So close, yet so faraway.

    Out of interest, how can you tell if it's a personal rejection?


  • #1268
    Sunny_Arms
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭Sunny_Arms


    Scuid Mhór wrote: »
    Try not to beat yourself up about it too much - I've found that because of the pandemic, most people's creativity has been on the decline as well. Sometimes the best thing you can do to create is to rest and revitalise yourself.

    how I wish I can revitalize myself in a not revitalizing environment :(


  • #1269
    Scuid Mhór
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Scuid Mhór


    lambswool wrote: »
    Out of interest, how can you tell if it's a personal rejection?

    Caveat: all personal rejections are different. But basically - and in my case - the rejection was literally personal, mentioning me and the merits of the work I submitted in a way that goes beyond form rejection. If you give it a google you will see examples of the distinction between tiered rejections.


  • #1270
    km85264
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    My last stinging fly rejection:

    Thank you for sending us ****, and for your interest in The Stinging Fly. I'm sorry to say your story has not been selected for publication on this occasion, though we're grateful to have read it and wish you luck placing it elsewhere.

    The previous one

    We hope you are well in these worrying times. Thank you for sending us your short fiction, ****, and for your interest in The Stinging Fly.
    I'm sorry to say your story has not been selected for publication on this occasion, but we're grateful to have read it and wish you luck placing it elsewhere.

    Previous:

    Thank you for sending us ****.
    We receive many submissions and unfortunately we will not be publishing your work on this occasion.

    I guess they weren’t sorry to say it on that occasion, must have been a really crap story. Or they didn’t think I had the interest in the magazine.


  • #1271
    lambswool
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭lambswool


    Scuid Mhór wrote: »
    Caveat: all personal rejections are different. But basically - and in my case - the rejection was literally personal, mentioning me and the merits of the work I submitted in a way that goes beyond form rejection. If you give it a google you will see examples of the distinction between tiered rejections.

    Thanks. I suspect I got a personal rejection when I submitted about 3 years ago and didn't realise at the time. It said something along the lines of '...we thought long and hard about this...'or something. Of course I've deleted it now. Since then, the responses have been more generic.

    Anyone else thinking of applying for the novel fair?


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  • #1272
    nigeldaniel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,429 ✭✭✭nigeldaniel


    Does anyone know about any new competitions coming up?

    Dan.



  • #1273
    km85264
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    https://dystopianstories.com/writing-competitions-contests/


  • #1274
    nigeldaniel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,429 ✭✭✭nigeldaniel


    Excellent link, thanks for posting km85264.

    Dan.



  • #1275
    FunLover18
    Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    Anyone know or hear anything about The Urban Writers, freelance/ghost writing gig - or has anyone tried anything similar?



  • #1276
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Looks like this forum (like many others on this once-great site) has died a death.

    Anybody here still writing away? I got some good news recently anyway. It looks like I'll have a second poetry collection published in the spring.

    Expecting to have approximately 10 Irish language poems published in the winter, too (some in an annual journal, some in a monthly magazine).



  • #1277
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 36,711 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121009669#Comment_121009669

    A lot of smaller fora were already quiet before the switch of software; think it just tipped many over the edge into outright obsolescence as Vanilla's learning curve and ... eccentricities put folks off.

    Creative Writing is a bit of solitary, anxiety ridden hobby at the best of times so I get how that sense of community can so easily dwindle. The writing groups I was part of in "real life" were the same; enthusiasm lessened over time 'til the groups dissolved. It doesn't take much, especially without a specific goal or purpose.

    Re. actual writing? I haven't written any creative fiction in a while but ... I didn't want to stop writing either. So I decided if I didn't have time or energy to fashion stories, I'd involve my other enthusiasm: film. I'm trying to keep up with writing through film reviews, added to my letterboxd account; not just trotting out glib summaries but genuinely attempting to write something considered, thoughtful and with a degree of what might pass for intelligence. It's not writing the next great bestseller but it makes me feel like I'm still doing what I enjoy, coupled with something else I enjoy - which is nice.



  • #1278
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    2 poems published in Comhar this month. Pretty happy with that. Hoping to see 5 more in another annual journal before Christmas.

    Two pieces away from finishing the first draft of my second published collection as well. Aiming to get that out in April.

    I've finished a second full book in English but a chunk of that is going into a bilingual collection - it all needed a bit more work/feedback/critique but at least I know some of it will be out next spring. Ditto two full collections in Irish that I put together between 2021 and 2023. With any luck I'll get a few volunteers to give me pointers on the dual-language book before the final draft goes to print.



  • #1279
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    New collection due in the first half of April. Woop-dee-doo.

    Much like this post, it's still undergoing edits. The typesetter won't be thrilled, but I want this thing to be perfect.

    On a different note, I'm hoping this one opens a few doors for me in the community. For example, I didn't know where to look to get feedback or constructive critique in Irish (despite asking on a couple of popular Facebook groups). It would be nice to get to know some more bilingual writers off the back of this.

    Post edited by Insect Overlord on


  • #1280
    Insect Overlord
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,912 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    Getting more publicity than I expected!

    https://x.com/ansiopaleabhar/status/1778135138167038363

    Post edited by Insect Overlord on


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