Lord started a short story and this is turning into a novella

[nadinbrzezinski]

Ihate it when that happens

[wryter2000]

1. That's okay

I'm about to start a novella that I think may turn into a book.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. I know was trying for a short story, that may see light of day

in main stream sci fi... oh well. when finished will send it anyway

[sybylla]

3. I just head straight for the novel

Besides, I haven't yet managed to get my head around the "trick" of creating a good short story so I don't even go there.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

4. Short stories

I just finished reading a volume of William Trevor's short stories, and I am once again convinced that it's the most difficult task a writer can take on, writing short stories. How utterly impossible they seem to me!

What's the difference between a novel and a novella? Some novels I've read recently were so slim and slight, they might - should - have been called novellas. But, I was just wondering - if not in the short story business - how a writer knows what it will be when starting out, a novel or a novella.

Mine are always novels. I don't think I know how to write anything else.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. ok here is a definittion

short short, 1000 words or less

Short story, 1000, 10k or so

Novella up to 40K

Novel, over 40K

This was suposed to be a short up to 10K, it may still be there... meant for the trades, problem is the trades like things under 5K, preferally under 3K for new writers.

Why not a novel? Well this is part of the world of Nexus... there are already two novels and a third on its way. This is a side story from one of the novels...

I would love to get some shorts in the trades, while working on publishing the game world... it is hard to get a publsiher with no "game" in the stores...

[OldLeftieLawyer]

6. Why, thank you

It never occurred to me that there were word limits on art forms, but how kind of you to give me this information. Thank you.

I went and looked up "Nexus." Interesting place.

What are "the trades"?

I'm just an old-line novelist, who writes things and has an agent who delivers them to my editor at my publisher and then books come out. Beyond that, I really am quite ignorant, and I'm curious to see how youngsters are going about the business of writing today. So forgive all my questions.

Is there any money to be made in having things published in, say, Nexus? Who retains the copyright?

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. It is my game world

so I retain the copyright... once I have money for paying writers then I will the proper contracts (whicn is more than many game companies do in teh US)... usually game fiction the weriter has no rights to teh world estcetera as this is on spec... I am still mulling over how much I want to buck that trend... and I was burned severely by one company, and a second one tried.. long story

that said the trades are the magazings, such as science fiction age. Those you cannot go through agents, but I have been trying to get one for the novels that will go with the world, any tips are very welcome. One nobel is polished the other two are in first drafts, one partially written the other needs to be edited.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. Another question

What is "game fiction"?

If you have a novel that you think is good and special and done as well as you can do it, and your ambition is to have it published by a traditional house, the kind that put the books in the bookstores, then you do have to have an agent.

How do you get one? That's maybe harder than writing the novel.

You best bet is to get a personal referral from someone who's already represented by an agent and who is also familiar with your work. Without that personal touch, I am told, there's a much slimmer chance of ever finding a reputable agent to handle your work.

In the meantime, though, you build up a portfolio and you gain writing experience and expertise, and - above all - you live a rich and full life, and you might find yourself writing very different things and the path might be very different, too.

In any event, thanks for all your patient answers.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Game Fiction is related to a game world

the most common ones are Dungeon and Dragon's Novels, which are published by Wizards of the Coast (you can still find them at oh Borders). Some other game companies have contracts withoh ROC, that publishes MechWarrior Fiction.

As to getting an agent, yes I have found this to be especially tough, and as a small company I am looking at Lulu.com, which is a Print on Demand house (especially useful for a game book, think of the core book for Dungeons and Dragons), and even for the novels, both have ISBNs and other useful data.

And building a protfolio, I have one, in the game industry... geting more work from time to time, nobody gets rich from this. Right at the moment trying to get my material out there and market it. I am slso using it as a way to yes, put my politics out there.

Oh and to answer questions, gladly.

In fact for anybody readyng this, if yuo intend to work for ANY game company in North America INSIST on a contract and an email is not one... if they are not willing to give you one, walk away.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

10. Thank you very much

POD is probably a very good idea for some of the things you're doing. As for traditional novels, I understand that's not a particularly lucrative or effective way of getting your work distributed, though.

You're really sweet. Thanks again, and the best of luck to you.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. That's how I wrote my first novel

I was writing short stories, and had sold three, I think. But most were rejected.

One of them just kept getting longer, and finally I admitted to myself that it was a full-length book. So I wrote the book and fortunately sold it.

If that hadn't happened, maybe I'd still be writing short stories that no one would buy. Instead of novels that . . . Hmm.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Well I will be sending this to Analog tomorroq

wish me luck