MobileRead Short Story Anthology - [DISCUSSION & REVIEW]

[Graham]

If the worst comes to the worst, I have backups of MrMarlowe's drafts locally. I converted them to gdocs to read and review, but I could convert them back to rtf or doc format.

Graham

[Katsunami]

OK I can't make that backup because I don't know for sure which file(s) are the newest ones. Dropbox smashed everything into a neverending story... eh... recursive folder with file versions all over the place. The only thing I'm going to pick out is my Keepass database, which is easy to find (namely the one used by Keepass itself).

[mrmarlowe]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

OK, thanks

Only gmw and MrMarlowe to go

I had sent a backup zip file of the stories I had through PM a while ago. Did it help?

[Katsunami]

Hi, and thanks

I have what I needed, and the folder was sorted out. Should we close the two threads?

[arjaybe]

I don't mind if the threads are closed. I think it needs to be clear that the original intent of them and the constrictions on what we can do with the stories are also dissolved. Are we making this an official termination?

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

I don't mind if the threads are closed. I think it needs to be clear that the original intent of them and the constrictions on what we can do with the stories are also dissolved. Are we making this an official termination?

As far as I am concerned, we can call the write/comment/edit cycle a success, the anthology creation a failed attempt, remove all restrictions from the stories, and officially close both threads. If there are no objections, I'll PM Dr. Drib. (My tablet wants to correct 'Drib' to 'Frog'.... In case something is misspelled somewhere...)

[Dr. Drib]

Here I am.

Tell me what you would like for me to do, but are you certain you want the threads closed?

Can the anthology creation be saved?



Don
(Moderator)

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Here I am.

Tell me what you would like for me to do, but are you certain you want the threads closed?

Can the anthology creation be saved?

Don
(Moderator)

We don't have enough material to create a meaningful anthology. If you'd want them to stay open, a way would need to be found to come up with at least another 40-50K words or so. I think, if people would have wanted to be in this anthology, they've had quite enough time to participate, as the write/comment/edit process was active until at least the end of June. So yes, my personal opinion is that the threads can be closed

[Graham]

It was fun while it lasted.

[arjaybe]

Yes, it was valuable. Well worth the effort.

[Dr. Drib]

Perhaps a suggestion?

Why not change the focus slightly, in order to gather more stories?

There are enough writers here who would love to be in an anthology created by members of Mobileread - a book created with love and attention.

All of this could be explained with caring detail in an Introduction.


Don
(Moderator)

[Katsunami]

Do you have any suggestions regarding this change of focus, Dr. Drib?

If so, I'd of course be willing to migrate this project to a new thread to see what comes of it

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Do you have any suggestions regarding this change of focus, Dr. Drib?

If so, I'd of course be willing to migrate this project to a new thread to see what comes of it

This is your pet project, so I'm only making suggestions.

First, this is from the other thread, and concerns the PROJECT and the LIMITS:

"Current rules/guidelines to participate in this anthology

The Project
- We'll be writing a short story anthology, created by MobileRead members.
- The main purpose of the project is learning about writing, editing and publishing.
- The secondary purpose of the project is actually getting the works out there.

Limits
- The stories submitted for this anthology should not have been published before.
- We'll target a length of about 80,000 words or +/- 200 paperback pages for the entire anthology.
- This could be increased or decreased, depending on the number of participants.
- Minimum story length: 2,000 words (+/- 5 pages)
- Suggested story length: 4,000-6,000 words (+/- 10-15 pages)
- Maximum story length: 8,000 words (+/- 20 pages)
- Maximum number of stories per author: 3 (+/- 8,000 words total)
- It is allowed to submit existing stories, or stories that can be improved by editing. It is not possible to submit a story and expect it to be included in the anthology as is. All stories will be reviewed and critiqued.
- It is recommended but not obligatory that each author writes at least one (1) new story, specifically for this trilogy."

My understanding is that this was supposed to be a project where writers learn from one another - one that would be educational and entertaining as they work through various drafts, to "...learn about writing, editing, and publishing." (And please correct any misconceptions I may make in this post.)

These three things can still be accomplished, I feel, but only if the guidelines are 'relaxed' a bit.

For example (and again, I must emphasis that these are just my thoughts, and this project is your baby):

I can envision a VERY thick book, indeed, if the word count is broadened in one direction.

1) Word count: 1,000 - 8000 words.
This would incorporate the idea of including Flash Fiction in the anthology, a type of fiction that is currently enjoying great popularity.

2) Re-focus and emphasis the project to include the idea of stories by members of Mobileread. (I'll contact Alex and see if he is open to the idea of an 'Official' book with Mobileread's name behind it. And if not...then OK.)

3) The idea of an anthology edited by a member of Mobileread, one who works with various other member/writers is an attractive idea regardless of whether Alex gives Official approval. But think about this: What if there were some way to give every new member of Mobileread who joins an immediate option to download this book FREE. Of course, all of our books are free. I'm talking about having an option, upon joining, to also download this free book - to give a member a taste of what Mobileread is about and also the WONDERFUL SENSE OF COMMUNITY PRESENT IN MOBILEREAD. If he goes along with this, then having the word 'Mobileread' somewhere in the title might be helpful.

4) But....let's say Alex has no desire for any of this (for whatever reason; after all, this is his site). The project [think 'completed ebook'] could be put up on Amazon immediately upon full completion (copy-edited, etc.). Write a great blurb that emphasizes that the contributors are active members of Mobileread and that this project came about because of the the members' intense interest to help one another and that this book is the culmination of a project where members learned about the different aspects of editing, writing, and being part of a community project.

5) Start a thread here on Mobileread and follow our "7-day" rule for promotions. Don't simply copy/past your blurb - LIKE A VERY LAZY WRITER HERE WHOM I WILL NOT NAME. Get creative and make your reader (and the current members and new members here) want to download this book and read it. Encourage feedback.

6) I don't mean to be preachy. I offer my apologies if I've come across this way. I would really like to see your project and the writers here who have already committed to the idea, see the fruition and joy of their labors completed in a way that gives pride of 'ownership', rather than have this project killed.





Don
(Moderator)

[arjaybe]

I like this. This has, as George Bush I said, "that vision thing." I particularly like the idea of including shorter pieces because mine are short and it would make me feel like less of an imposter.-)

On the serious side - if the book is to be associated with MobileRead and published out there in the real world, then the stories will all have to be finished to an agreed-upon standard before inclusion. Some of the contributors might have to face rejection.

rjb

[Katsunami]

Thanks for the suggestions, Dr. Drib It's not preachy at all.

Would it go too far if we would say:

- Include whatever sort of story you want, any genre, between 1,000 and 8,000 words
- All stories are free to the use of the author, outside the anthology
- The resulting anthology will be free, and will be uploaded to one or more e-book sites/stores
- ...

Basically, the only real restriction will be that no extreme language, violence, sex, racism, abuse, and related things will be tolerated.