Writing to Publish

W2P GUEST SPEAKERS

Bud Sparhawk

Mr. Sparhawk is a sucessful businessman and science fiction author.

[Technical note: from 2011 onward the chat logs appear different, because our W2P guest sessions were held in an IRC-based chat room, rather than via an AOL chat room.]

3/12 18:57:50 Opening "Chat Log 4-23-12"

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Bud: So, how do we proceed from this point now that the flock is gathering?
<> Welcome, Mr. Sparhawk.
PCarlson: Dale, any way to expand the chat's text-line window?
PCarlson: Don't see one on Safari, though Chatzilla does
Bud: Not a big issue. I've got my magnifying glass.
PCarlson: Hopefully several more participants will soon be along
Deluge7: On ChatZilla, the box is huge. Outside of that, I don't know.
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PCarlson: Hi Carol
Bud: I'm all e-ears.
PCarlson: Jeff, good to see you
PCarlson: LOL
Jeff_Corkern: zat you, pc?
PCarlson: Tis I, kind sir
Deluge7: I see that Paul has set the topic.
Jeff_Corkern: I'm gonna try and make this a regular thing, pc.
Rose: actually, I did check at the grocery store, but I wasn't surprised they didn't have it.
PCarlson: Jeff was showing me a rather intense SF story, recently. Kind of military SF, but with a strong philosophical background
Rose: Zounds! Have we returned to the Renaissance?
Jeff_Corkern: Scientific, pc. Not philosophical.
PCarlson: Not sure any grocery stores carry Analog, however B&N usually does
Rose: That's where I plan on going tomorrow.
Rose: Had other things to do today.
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PCarlson: All right, that's a good distinction
Bud: Damn, this thing doesn't scroll automagically so I have to keep hitting the scroll bar.
Deluge5: Welcome, Richard.
sunsetd: Howdy.
Rose: Hi, Richard.
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PCarlson: What browser are you using, Mr. Sparhawk?
Josiphine1> Hi Paul, and everyone
Jeff_Corkern: The Nine Point Five Theses are a scientific theory, pc. They might not look like it, but they are. Observation of human behavior, deduction of the rules governing that behavior, and a proposed experiment to confirm the deduction.
Jeff_Corkern: And I'll shut up about that now.
Bud: Chrome on a Mac
PCarlson: Guess I'm speaking in a more general sense. Many stories are kinda shallow
PCarlson: Let me check my Chrome here
Deluge5: Welcome, Josie.
Rose: Hi, Josie.
Jeff_Corkern: Not your fault, pc. You have not trained as a scientist and are not familiar with the scientific method.
Josiphine1> we have a guest tonight?
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PaulC: Testing Chrome
PaulC: Test test test
Jeff_Corkern: I am on Chrome on a PC and it's scrolling automatically.
Rose: I'm on Chrome, but on a pc. It scrolls for me.
PCarlson: Mr Sparhawk, on my CHrome for Mac, I type in the test then hit Return
Rose: LOL!
PCarlson: Should scroll after the window fills up
PCarlson: The big chat window
Bud: Yeah, that works, but not when someone else does it.
Jeff_Corkern: Hmm, that's what happened to me. Scrolls after the window fills up.
PCarlson: Saul just popped into the Writers Den
Rose: Moi, aussi.
PCarlson: Adam is coming
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Bud: I'll make do, I guess.
MorenoHill: HEY! Everybody!
PCarlson: Shall we get started? :)
MorenoHill: Chip.
MorenoHill: Other Dale.
Rose: Hi, Adam.
PCarlson: Bud Sparhawk is a long-time author, and I got to know him through his stories in Analog magazine
MorenoHill: Josie. Thanks for the link.
Josiphine1> yw:)
MorenoHill: cuebon, it's been a while.
PCarlson: He's our guest this evening, and let's go slow, as he'd learning on the job here
MorenoHill: Hey there, Jeff, PaulC, and sunset.
Bud: Hello All.
sunsetd: Thanks for coming, Bud.
PCarlson: And the podium is yours
Rose: Hi, Bud. Thanks for agreeing to put up with us!
Deluge5: Hi Adam. Great to see that you overcame technical difficulties to join us.
PCarlson: : : : drum roll : : :
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PCarlson: Hi Saul
Rose: Hi, Saul!
Rose: LTNS
saweb: The prodigal son has returned.
PCarlson: ;)
Bud: OK, so who's the moderator here, or is it anarchy?
Rose: Kill the fatted calf. Let's celebrate!
PCarlson: Bud, have you a presentation?
saweb: Been quite busy rose marketing my children's book.
Deluge7: Rose is speaking in internet chat lingo.
PCarlson: Perhaps you can tell us about your writing career
Rose: Anarchy until Paul tells us to hush.
PCarlson: Hush!
Rose: LTNS= long time, no see.
PCarlson: How did you get started in writing? Find that breakthrough in publishing?
saweb: I'm going to be at a Book Street Fair in Yonkers, NY on June 9th. Fee was $ and $ for use of a table. It's being run by the Yonkers BID.
Bud: Career? Hell, I'm a scribbler who writes short stories. We don't have careers. We have lives depending on the kindness of editors and fans,
saweb: I knew that Rose. :-)
sunsetd: Bud, I have a question. When you send in a manuscript, how much editing does an editor usually do and how does it go? Main points, technicalities, other issues they cover?
saweb: Was busy typing my message
Rose: Saul, this is Bud's first ever on-line chat.
Bud: I wrote a bunch of short stories before selling my first one to Bova back in the stone age.
Deluge7: Stone age science fiction.
PCarlson: (Editor Ben Bova, who's also spoken to W2P in the past.)
PCarlson: Bud, did you keep a day job, or go for broke?
Bud: Usually the editor says little of value. The copy editor fixes grammar and punctuation and that's about it. You have to have it right on submission because the magazines don't have enough staff for anything else.
PCarlson: (Richard/sunset's question first.)
sunsetd: Okay. Thanks.
sunsetd: Do you find your stories are mostly autobiographical?
saweb: These days a publisher wants to have a near prefect manuscript, he doesn't want his editor too spend too much editting any specific manuscript.
Bud: Schmidt sends questions that need clarifying, but mostly leaves the style and structure to the writer.
PCarlson: That's been my experience with Stan Schmidt
Bud: Right, like I've lived Sam Boone's life (g) No, I've published very few that were even marginally autobiographical.
saweb: That's what my editor is doing. Correcting grammar, punctuations, and the most dreaded foe of new writers POV [point of view
PCarlson: Bud, what was your favorite story? If you can narrow it down, at all
Bud: I had a day job for a lot of years and always managed to find a couple hours each evening to write. It got tougher when I got into upper management but i continued.
Rose: That's what mine did, too.
PCarlson: Excellent, you must have iron self-discipline PCarlson: (Not too much time goofing off, or snoozing too early)
Rose: And organization. I'm envious.
saweb: I'm still tweaking what I have. It's amazing how many small changes are still needed to get your manuscript to a state of perfection you can live with.
Bud: Favorite story woud be Bright Red Star in Asimov's. Sequels and related stories in the Defend the Future anthologies and the latest is SCOUT in the current Asimov's
Bud: I'm now in the middle of a Shardie novel that I hope to finish by the end of summer.
PCarlson: Cool
PCarlson: I wish I could read as fast as Commander Data, I'd subscribe to all the big SF monthlies
Rose: LOL!
sunsetd: Do you write a story, especially a longer one, from beginning to end or a part here, a part there?
Rose: So what or who is shardie?
Bud: Shardies are implacable aliens who attack without let and aim to eradicate humanity. Read BRS in Hartwell's Best SF # to get a more detailed explanation.
Bud: Reading that story out loud is a great editing device. Also printing it out so you see the mistakes. Too much teflon on the screen.
sunsetd: That's true.
PCarlson: A friend just spotted a typo in my current Analog story. Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! 8-0
Deluge7: The Teflon Screen?
Rose: Even the Navajos put mistakes in their rugs claiming nothing ever made is perfect unless made by God.
Bud: Don't even mention Yellow Road, which got hopelessly screwed up on the print edition.
PCarlson: Ouch
Bud: Teflon lets your eyes slide right by the mistekes.
PCarlson: Quite an honor, picked to be in one of the major Years Best anthologies
Rose: Bud, you're writing this?
Bud: This?
Rose: the Shardie novel
Rose: You said you were in the middle of it, but didn't specify reading or writing it.
Bud: If you all number the questions I can respond in kind, please.
Bud: Rose (now I got it) writing it, of course. I don't have time to do much reading.
Rose: Thanks.
sunsetd: Bud, do you bounce your stories off of someone for feedback as you go along?
PCarlson: Sorry, the questions pile up. With a larger crowd, we'd enforce protocol
PCarlson: (You're doing fine here.)
Rose: Perhaps we should for Bud's sake.
PCarlson: Just Richard's Q is open, about 'bouncing off'
Bud: Anyhow, I just did some numbers today for something else and saw that I've written about 60,0 finished words since Jan 1. That's five short stories submitted, some others in draft, and about ,0 on the novel.
saweb: SORRY PAUL BUT - I just looked who's in the room, I see you... and I'm also seeing 2 clones [cuebon_ and Paul C are they your clones?
PCarlson: Yes, different browsers. (To test Chrome and to record a clean session log)
Bud: It's a compulsion. I write a weekly blog for the discipline of doing non-fiction.
sunsetd: Does that help your fiction writing?
PCarlson: http://budsparhawk.blogspot.com/
saweb: Okay As long as you're not going to have a conversation with yourself here. --- :-D :-D :-D
Bud: I even sold two of them (g)
sunsetd: Nice.
PCarlson: Bud, do you attend many genre conventions?
Bud: Sunsetd, Yes, I found shortly after starting the the blog helped me examine whatever it was I do when I write. Usually the blog reflects things that are troublingme at the moment
sunsetd: hmm
Rose: How many words do you expect the novel will go?
Bud: PCarlson. Yes, I usually hit Capclave, Worldcon, Confluence, Boskone, Philcon, and Balticon - only this year I won't attend as I will be at a writer's camp in New Mexico
PCarlson: Cool
PCarlson: Likely passed you in the hallways, at the WorldCon in Reno
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Bud: Rose. I'm at 67k right now so it will probably run a little over 1k, depending.
PCarlson: Average for SF, long for a genre such as Romance Rose: Short for a fantasy. ;)
Bud: Paul, I didn't spend a lot of time in the hallways - they had me pretty booked with meetings.
SAUL: WANTED to see how the chat would be using CHROME. I see no difference.
sunsetd: Bud, what have you found that helps you write? camps, conventions, other authors, etc.?
saweb: THAT being the case SaWeb is leaving to give my seat over to SAUL.... BYE
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SAUL: THANKS for your seat
PCarlson: CHatZilla is different, and a software client like XChat or Colloquy more so
SAUL: :-D
Bud: My best length is novellas (.5 - K) but there's no market for them so I'm trying to write shorter pieces under k. It's hard.
PCarlson: Have you sold a PZ piece to Analog? Now that has gor to be the hardest of all
PCarlson: (Probability Zero section, quirky flash fiction)
Bud: sunsetd. I found that a quiet room with no distractions helps a great deal. I have a writing group where I get some criticism, but mainly I have only my own thoughts to guide me and write whatever I damn well please.
sunsetd: sounds heavenly
PCarlson: Yes indeed
Bud: My group has Asaro, Chase, Hemry (Campbell) among others. PCarlson: Wow!
Bud: I should mention that I have ADD and research is a black hole for me.
Rose: My nephew has/had a mild case and he just earned his PhD.
PCarlson: Awesome
PCarlson: (No, wait, did I just see something shiny over there . . . ? ) ;)
Bud: @wp2sushi Yeah, I've sold two PZ pieces - one of which (Evolution) was damn good, if I say so myself (g)
sunsetd: I'm sorry to say, But, but I'm not familiar with your work. SF is a new genre to me. Any stories you'd recommend I read to sample your work?
Bud: And yes, very hard to write. It started as a longer piece and got edited down to the essentials before I submitted it.
PCarlson: Sigh . . .
PCarlson: I just sent Stan another one, he'd rejected many a dozen. (With helpful comments, anyhow)
PCarlson: maybe a dozen
PCarlson: I recall the Emperor one, that was funny
Rose: the one you submitted to us?
Bud: I think somebody maintains a wiki on me. Catherine started it years ago, but now someone else has control.
PCarlson: Yes, Carol, it's in their slush pile now. (After some revision, of course.)
PCarlson: The mark of success. :D
sunsetd: Got it. Thanks. Are they online?
Rose: Of course. :)
Bud: I have a free story on SplinterUniverse if anyone is interested. There's a donation button but few use it.
PCarlson: Hopefully it'll add up
PCarlson: I just made my very first Smashwords online sale
PCarlson: Cleared maybe sixty cents
Jeff_Corkern: gj, pc
Deluge7: Wow!
sunsetd: That's encouraging, Paul.
PCarlson: But hey, on the net, might sell ,0 after the right mentions
Deluge7: Does that count as a professional sale?
PCarlson: LOL I wish!
Bud: Anyhow, genre writing is highly competitive. Worse, you eventually reach a point where the editors tell you that they'd accept the story if it was from a new writer, but they expect better of you.
Jeff_Corkern: "viral" is always possible on the Web.
PCarlson: The IRS does have a new form for online sales, so it sure counts to them!
PCarlson: Bud, that sounds like Stan all right
sunsetd: Ouch, Bud.
PCarlson: He's already cautioned me
Bud: I've only put a few items on Smashwords. Most of my collections are Kindle.
Jeff_Corkern: Bud, what do you think is the future of self-publishing?
PCarlson: IIRC, Smashwords offers stuff to the Amazon/Kindle and Apple/iPad libraries
Jeff_Corkern: pc, I've got The Nine Point Five Theses on Smashwords.
PCarlson: Good, Jeff
PCarlson: Link me
Bud: I don't think books are going to disappear, but ebooks are going to dominate the conversation in the future. This puts writers in the position of being editors, marketeers, publishers etc. Risk is all theirs
Deluge7: Maybe you need to join our crit group, Bud.
Jeff_Corkern: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/79
PCarlson: Including technical formatting type editors . . . grrr . . .
Jeff_Corkern: Think income will go up or go down?
SAUL: SORRY Guys Got to Run
Jeff_Corkern: for the writer, that is . . .
Rose: Me, too.
PCarlson: Adios senor Saul
Josiphine1> Night Saul
SAUL: Still want to review one more chapter of my WIP
Rose: Good night all, and thanks, Bud.
SAUL: C U next week
SAUL: BYE
Josiphine1> Night Carol
Jeff_Corkern: risk=reward, Bud. The more risk, the more reward.
SAUL: BYE
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Josiphine1> Night Paul and ty for sharing also Bud great discussion:) Night all
SAUL: NITE ALL
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Bud: I get about $ a month from epubs. Not much, but I get $ a MONTH,every month. If somehow somebody "discovers" me ....
Deluge5: I'm still here.
PCarlson: Exactly, Bud
PCarlson: A big mention on Biong Boing or the HuffPo, and zowie!
Bud: Yeah, bed time for me too. Glad I remembered to record Castle (g) Thanks for the chat.
PCarlson: Thanks, Bud
sunsetd: Thanks, Bud. Good night.
Jeff_Corkern: Thank you, Bud.
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PCarlson: We'll send out the transcript, and later, post the session on line
PCarlson: Okay! And another hour has flown
PCarlson: Jeff, Richard is "up" for review next week
PCarlson: How's about I send you that short piece?
Jeff_Corkern: Sure.
PCarlson: And before long, you can send a portion of your work PCarlson: 3 or 4 thousand words, we don't want to overwhelm folks, but can have many further sessions
Jeff_Corkern: I got tons of stories. Plus "AFTER THE SLAUGHTER" hot off the press, plus "THE FOOL KILLER" in progress.
PCarlson: One at a time, of course
PCarlson: Okay!
sunsetd: Thanks, Paul. It was an interesting chat with Bud. Good night all.

4/16/12 20:12:53 Closing "Chat Log 4-16-12"

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