Snippettsvile: Story Accepted/Declined Discussion

[Guest]

 

[wildsweetone]

Just wanted to say I appreciate everyone helping out with this part. Thank you for your help.

Will put up the next four in about 12 hours - my eyeballs are spinning.

 

[Alex De Kok]

PierceStreet needs a seconder

so I say 'aye' to all four.

Alex

 

[wildsweetone]

next four

Accept or decline?

1. Scared of Heights by PierceStreet.

2. I Get My Looks From My Pa by Alex De Kok.

3. Later... by Alex De Kok.

4. Untitled beginning 'What a place to break down.' by Rainbow Skin.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Accept or decline?

1. Scared of Heights by PierceStreet.

As this was apparently at least partly inspired by my own story 'A Natural Viewpoint', I have to say accept!

2. I Get My Looks From My Pa by Alex De Kok.

3. Later... by Alex De Kok.

My own stories - no vote from me

4. Untitled beginning 'What a place to break down.' by Rainbow Skin.

Different, and welcome, although I have to say that I wasn't sure which 'her' was who in the last paragraph - accept

Alex

 

[Guest]

Read all, no critiques, accept all.

Perdita

 

[champagne1982]

Accept or decline?

1. The Golden Oak by wildsweetone.

2. Senior Superiority by wildsweetone.

3. Ellen by PierceStreet.

4. Liz by wildsweetone.

They're all wonderful... I second Perdita.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Ye gods! I missed this one

Accept or decline?

1. The Golden Oak by wildsweetone.

2. Senior Superiority by wildsweetone.

3. Ellen by PierceStreet.

4. Liz by wildsweetone.

(Obviously this was back in the days when I used to write! lol)

I missed this one, must have been on the page change. As Perdita and Champagne 1982 have already given their approval, mine is redundant but I offer it anyway. Accept all.

Alex

 

[wildsweetone]

a seconder required for these please:

2. I Get My Looks From My Pa by Alex De Kok.

3. Later... by Alex De Kok.

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

An enthisiastic third.

Perdita

 

[Alex De Kok]

Breathing sigh of relief...

Thanks folks, I was getting nervous!

Alex

 

[wildsweetone]

Accept or decline?

1. Stars Over Snippettsville by Quasimodem.

2. Through my rain splattered... (untitled) by jon.hayworth.

3. Hannah by jon.hayworth.

4. The Ghost by Quasimodem.

 

[Guest]

 

[gauchecritic]

All four good as far as I'm concerned.

However I will add, for Quasi's edification, that there is something odd about "The Ghost" I can't lay my finger on it. It's nothing mundane like spelling or layout or anything. I haven't read it critically (as uncritically as a writer can) but after I'd finished the 4 stories this one stood behind (not out from) the other three and in no way an inferior behind standing.

Not in style or "worth" or inventiveness just difference.

I've purposely not read it again because I'd likely spot something and that wouldn't be at all what made it that way for me.

Doubt if it helps. Just an obeservation.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

Sorry, The Ghost had the same effect on me, just doesn't 'fit'. If you reqiure particulars I'll reply. Or perhaps Quas has further plans for the ghost?

Otherwise OK on the others.

Perdita

 

[Quasimodem]

I see nothing especially objectionable about "The Ghost," but I definitely reject "Stars Over Snippettsville."

I would appreciate hearing Gauche's and Perdita's objections to "The Ghost."

I'd also like to know their rationale for passing "Stars Over Snippettsville."

 

[wildsweetone]

I see nothing especially objectionable about "The Ghost," but I definitely reject "Stars Over Snippettsville."

I would appreciate hearing Gauche's and Perdita's objections to "The Ghost."

I'd also like to know their rationale for passing "Stars Over Snippettsville."

Thanks for checking in Quasi. I too would like to hear Gauche and perdita's thoughts.

to all
Please feel free to speak your thoughts, this is to be merely a way of voicing opinions. In giving a measure of reason behind how the opinions were formed we will all be learning how to improve ourselves as writers.

 

[Quasimodem]

It occurs to me that I am guilty of doing exactly what I objected to Gauche and Perdita doing. I rejected a story, without giving my reasons.

“Stars Over Snippettsville” was the first story I wrote for Snip. At that time, I was still a little hazy about what was being attempted, and much of the realism for which we have been planning and plotting these last several weeks, had not taken place.

By itself, “SOS” is a vaguely humorous piece, with some oddly noted sexual conduct in it. Its strong suite is humour, but its sci-fi background runs completely counter to all the fidgety-detailed realism with which we have been struggling to endow Snippettsville.

If the time ever comes, where we envision releasing a special “Halloween Issue” and can come up with several other tales of unnatural, or supernatural happenings within the confines of Snippettsville, which when over, leave Snippettsville unchanged, I might be persuaded to relax my objection.

At the moment, however, I vote against it, for the reasons stated above.

 

[gauchecritic]

Ok. I like "Stars". Maybe just save it 'til the town is more established. But where it lies now is fine with me.

The Ghost. I thought I wouldn't be able to spot why the story is 'wrong' with a second read. Fortunately I've had a drink tonight and can say what it is that bothers me about it.

600 words isn't enough for that story. There is masses that I need to know as I read it that isn't there. I get the feeling that there are words, sentences and whole paragraphs missing.

It's not choppy (although I would join some of the paragraphs together) It's not cardboard or vague. There's just not enough.

Any better?

"Stars" is entirely right and light for the series and makes a very welcome change of view of sex. I like scifi anyway and thought it was well done. So I vote again for Stars and cancel out Quasi's objection.

Gauche

 

[Guest]

I vote for “Star” too. It’s a good humorous and ‘break out’ piece.

Note to all: I especially do not want to have any rigid boundaries on what “fits” Snippetsville vis-à-vis writing style, or as Quas noted re. "realism", as long as we follow the guidelines we have now. I suppose it’s up to Quas. if he wants to pull the story, but I think it’s just fine for the posting.

My objections are not extraordinary re. The Ghost, but here they are. It seemed to me the purpose of the grey man being a ghost was to have the last word, “ghostwriter”. It’s like an elaborate joke is all. The scene would have worked fine without a ghost. It was clever in itself—the dialog and the woman’s ditzy character. It wasn’t a story so much as a contrived vignette.

Again, though—I wonder if Quas intends to do more with it.

Quas: I have to be blunt with criticism, it’s all just my opinion though.

Perdita

 

[Alex De Kok]

A couple of questions

Being sort of on the 'editorial board' of Snippettsville, I've been keeping a low profile on story acceptance, but in this last batch a couple of points arise.

Jon's two stories were written when the population of Snippettsville was accepted as being around 600, and his wording emphasises this in a couple of places.

Question: do I consider asking for a small rewrite, or should an editorial comment be made somewhere in the collective submissions that stories written up to issue X assumed that Snippettsville had a 600 population, and stories after that point assumed a population around 2000? My own inclination is for the editorial comment, as I feel it is unfair to consider asking for a rewrite which would be based on a different premise to the original.

Quasimodem's reluctance for 'Stars' to be included prompted another thought. Before we launched Snippettsville some of us wrote 600-word stories that might be worthy of a broader audience, but which don't fall under the Snippettsville banner. It seems to me that there is perhaps a case for some of these stories to be grouped together in the manner we are using for Snippettsville, perhaps under a different overall title. 'Mixed Morsels' perhaps?

Question: What do the other members of the group feel?

I suppose I could always go back and rewrite my own stories as Snippettsville pieces... [Edited to add: On reflection I think that's exactly what I'll do with my own tales.]

Alex

 

[Quasimodem]

I have been submitting stories all over the internet (non-erotic and not under "Quasimodem") and I have never encountered an Editor in the least bit shy about rejecting a story.

Also, I have often encountered Editors who asked me to do rewrites, change bits they did not like, etc.

One editor forced me to plump up a good taunt 300 word flash into an 800-word story, simply because - he said - they published longer fiction than I had submitted.

I completely rewrote the story, using foreshadowing and fleshing out characters changing it from a flash to a short-short. The Editor then ran the story with a very flattering introduction, and has since taken several of my other, longer pieces. I particularly mention this, because this month, he is running a story from another author, which at 275 words, is 25 words shorter than the story he sent back for being too short for publication in his Zine.

My point being, one of the great differences between an amateur and a professional writer - besides the money - is the ability to edit their stories to fit editorial demands.

Occasionally, a writer will withdraw a story he feels is being destroyed by editorial demands, but these are very rare exceptions.

For my part, I think there should be a single standard for all stories. Not a special category for those written before we began preparing to publish them to the Literoica's Story Archive.

If any of my stories no longer jibe with the Snippettsville as it has been designed to exist, as we begin publishing, I hope I note the discrepancy, or someone will have the goodness to point it out.



Finally, I am not certain that this Editorizing by vote is the best idea .

I think one person should be responsible for picking 3 - 4 stories, requesting what changes they wish, and placing them in the sequence that seems best to that Editor.

Eventually, this will become too onerous a duty for one person, and several, rotating Editors will be needed. Especially, if the series is successful, a number of writers contribute (prolifically) to the point that we may be putting out a new issue every week.

By then, hard and fast editorial policy will be necessary, or Snippettsville will deteriorate into a mishmash of competing visions.

 

[wildsweetone]

okey dokey to give some guidance here.

Quasi said: Finally, I am not certain that this Editorizing by vote is the best idea .

I think one person should be responsible for picking 3 - 4 stories, requesting what changes they wish, and placing them in the sequence that seems best to that Editor.

Here is my intention.

1. Put up the 4 stories so all authors can read and accept or decline.

2. Those stories that are accepted (simply on the basis of fitting into the Snippettsville ambience) are then gone through with a fine tooth comb by the Editor (me).

3. Any that need alterations will be posted with my suggested alterations into a 'proofreading' thread on the SDC.

4. The author will go back and edit the original version on the Story Thread. (this will have priority over everything else as the stories are needed to be corrected quickly for submission to the Issue)

5. The author will PM me that the corrections are complete and then the story is back in the queue for submission to Issue.

6. I will combine 4 stories all by differing authors for each Issue.

7. I will pass them on to Alex and he will do the html thingeebobs and submit them formally to Literotica.

(posting this message into the gen. disc. thread also.)

 

[wildsweetone]

on hold

Stars Over Snippettsville by Quasimodem - may be used in a future Issue.