Speculative Fiction Marathon

I'm delving into the personal today. I love summer for many reason, but one of the best writing reasons is the summer Speculative Fiction Group Critiquing Marathon over on Agent Query Connect. One of the best decisions of my writing life was to wiggle my way into this group when I was a little lost newbie.

I've found myself lifelong friends, CPs, and a strong support system there. It's my home away from home. We chat, we joke, we seek solace. 

The Summer Critiquing Marathon is a twelve week party. Each Monday you post a chapter or twenty pages. Then Tuesday through Saturday, you read and critique for a huge variety of manuscripts. Anything that falls under the mantle of speculative fiction: fantasy, science fiction, horror, paranormal, in all age categories.

The best part is getting such a wide range of feedback. People's skills lie in such diverse areas that you get help with characters, help with grammar, opinions on reading enjoyment. It's a great way to clean up your manuscript for agents or for that special agent who will send it to editors.

This will be my third year, or maybe my fourth. I've got a brand new WIP, and I'm hoping the fun and comradeship is the best yet.

Cover Reveal and Speculative Fiction Marathon

First off I want to thank everyone who is hosting me and my cover art for Kindar's Cure on their blogs this week. My face is popping up all over the internet. Besides being very exciting, it's also kind of embarrassing. This shy girl is just not used to the compliments and attention. Thanks for opening your blogs to me! There's  nothing better than great friends who will help you out. You can find me here, and here, and everywhere: 

The Helpful Writer

Yesternight's Voyage

Hugs & Kisses of Poetry

Melissa Grey

Questions and Archetypes

SC Write

Writing from the Padded Room

Oh, The Things I've Learned

Soul and Sweet Tea
Lizzy Charles: Contemorary Young Adult Author

Second, I want to get in a plug for a fantastic critiquing event. Starting in June and running all summer is the Speculative Fiction Summer Critiquing Marathon at AQC. (You'll need to petition Clippership to give you the password.) I've mentioned AQC last week, but this week I want to shout about the critiquing marathon. It's a fantastic opportunity for writers of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror both YA and adult) to get chapter-by-chapter feedback. Before you head into the query trenches, you'll want to polish those chapters to a glowing shine, and the marathon is the perfect way to get it done.

All you need is a AQC profile and a finished and cleaned-up (the best you can, no one is perfect) story. Each week you post one chapter in pdf format. There are usually between ten and twelve people participating each week, so that is a dozen different voices telling you what they think and making suggestions. With each critique comes a vote, up or down, for whether you can move ahead to share the next chapter in your story. If there are more no votes than yes, you have to rework the last chapter and try again. 

The Marathon has all ranges of talent, from beginning writers to very experienced, so don't be afraid if you are just starting. I promise the crew won't bite. Not at first anyway.

In return, you give the other participants your feedback on their work. And your vote on whether they can continue. It's an amazing way to meet new critique partners and learn what you didn't know you didn't know, if you get my drift. Plus, you'll develop the thick skin you need to query.

So if you write speculative fiction, drop by and ask Clippership to admit you. You won't regret it. I'll be there. Any questions? Leave them in the comments.

Goldmine of Information: AQC

With so many new friends stopping by the blog to check out the Query Kombat contest, I want to give a plug to a wonderful writer’s site, AQC. I was surprised the other day when someone questioned me on twitter about AQC. I thought every writer knew of about this vast mine of writing information. Apparently I was wrong.

Agent Query Connect is a huge forum with all kinds of threads. You can find discussions there ranging from the newest agents, to genre questions, to blogging. There is always someone ready to read your fledgling query letter and give you feedback. If you get a request and aren’t sure what to do: post your questions. Even the dreaded bore of the writing world, the synopsis, has a forum. There is a whole section devoted to self-publishing help. An area close to my heart that lists the upcoming contests and conferences. (Hmm, you might see something there about Query Kombat.) And for those who have a success story, there’s the Good News “Boast” Bar. That is just a small part of what is available. It would take weeks to discover it all.

But best of all, if you look down toward the bottom, there is the Member Moderated Groups by Genre. Here is the place to relax with other writers that have the same interests as you. It’s a place where you fit in, and if you spend enough time there, they’ll become your writing family. Nobody understands the ups and downs of this crazy industry like your writing family. They commiserate when your full is rejected. They cheer you when you get an offer. I'd be lost without the Speculative Fiction group for fantasy and science fiction geeks like me.

I honestly admit that I would still be the stupid newbie if not for AQC. So if you drop by, don’t be afraid to create a profile and launch a post in the Guppie Pond. I’ve never met kinder or friendlier writers. I promise they won’t bite. Be sure to give me a shout and invite me to be your first friend.