Hello from Iraq!

[ScottEKelley]

I wanted to come on here and say Hi and introduce myself.

I'm a new author (as far as letting anyone see what I write) and I'm really starting to enjoy it.

I am currently deployed in Iraq for OIF and have a lot of downtime because I travel around a lot and have to wait several days usually for each flight. That and because even when I work 12 hours (which is most days), that leaves 12 more to go before the next day. If I sleep 7 hours, I have 5 to stare at the walls so I started writing. I've written some poems and a short story so far as well as half a novelette and the framework of a novel (in addition to a few articles I've submitted here for review to sell). I deploy a lot so this will be a long-term thing.

I found CC through the Internet and figured maybe I could make some money writing articles while I work on my novel. Your forum members seem to be as insightful as they are helpful and there are so many posts here it will take weeks for me to go through it.

So, from Iraq, Salaam Alaikhum!

[jak]

Welcome SEK. This is a great place to find your feet in the writing world.

[Celeste Stewart]

Welcome to you. I think that it's cool that you're able to pursue writing during your free time. Gosh, I think it's hard writing dodging toddler toys - I can't imagine doing it in Iraq. Feel free to pick our collective brains. It's the least we can do for you.

[ScottEKelley]

Thanks to both of you.

I have quite a bit of time to use on my laptop here but the internet connectivity is sparse and VEEEERRRRY slow. I got a chance to read more into the rules and etiquette of the site and realized a bit more care is taken here with reviewing submissions so I removed 3 of the 4 articles I put in so I don't overwhelm the editor(s). I hope I haven't sent that one in incorrectly somehow since I haven't been able to look at the whole site yet.

From what I see, this site is geared toward non-fiction etc. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I should consider trying to publish a psychological sci-fi short story about 4,800 words long? It's finished other than the fine-tuning of grammar and formatting it to however they want to see it.

I saw some of your work the other day Celeste. Good job. It seems as though you've figured out what sells here. I'll be watching your posts closely.

You have a very interesting blog jak. If your writing is half as good in your articles, you should be doing pretty well.

My civilian-deployed job is pretty safe. Not like my Army one at all. Here the only things I have to dodge are incoming mortars (which aren't being aimed at me personally) and IED's when I convoy, which isnt often. I almost always take a helicopter or fly fixed-wing. It will be different next year when my Army unit goes to Afghanistan.

[jak]

Thanks for the compliment, Scott. And thanks for dropping by at least one of my blogs. I'm not as prolific here as Celeste (understatement of the year) but I've sold a few. Last month was lean, but this week two pieces went 24 hours after I offered them to a customer who posts public requests about every six weeks for the next issue of his print journal. And he's also asked for another in response to a query, do I need to get writing.

[Lor]

Good morning and welcome, Scott. I'm still a newbie myself but I've found the work challenging and rewarding. It's a great venue and I've learned more about writing web content than I ever thought I needed to know. :) It's a great place to learn new skills and keep you from being sloppy, thanks the high demand for quality writing. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

You were asking about where you might find a market for novellas, short stories etc. I suggest you google "literary journals" and "literary anthologies." Hundreds will pop up. You will find online journals as well as print journals. Most have a submissions page for authors. Some pay you. Some don't. But for a beginning writer, the short term goal is to build a history. You'll find a number of journals specific to your subject ... sci fi, fantasy, dark lit, mytery, etc.

With a history or resume of published work behind you, it'll be more impressive down the road when you have a novel to flog. Agents may actually look twice. :)
All the best to you.
Lorraine

[ScottEKelley]

[quote="Lor"]Good morning and welcome, Scott. I'm still a newbie myself but I've found the work challenging and rewarding. It's a great venue and I've learned more about writing web content than I ever thought I needed to know. :) It's a great place to learn new skills and keep you from being sloppy, thanks the high demand for quality writing. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

You were asking about where you might find a market for novellas, short stories etc. I suggest you google "literary journals" and "literary anthologies." Hundreds will pop up. You will find online journals as well as print journals. Most have a submissions page for authors. Some pay you. Some don't. But for a beginning writer, the short term goal is to build a history. You'll find a number of journals specific to your subject ... sci fi, fantasy, dark lit, mytery, etc.

With a history or resume of published work behind you, it'll be more impressive down the road when you have a novel to flog. Agents may actually look twice. :)
All the best to you.
Lorraine[/quote]

Thanks lor. I'll start looking into those right away. I hope you're right about the history/resume thing. That's why I started writing the smaller stuff to begin with. I've been keeping it all in Microsoft OneNote 2007. It's also been a great way to keep track of my characters and scenes etc btw.

I think today I finished the short story I started in Africa a year ago - yay! I also wrote a technical article about RF electronics that I'm going to probably submit here. If I keep going at this rate, I may match Celeste's current submissions in a few years!

Great job jak! That's the kind of thing I'm looking forward to.

=)

[cgardener]

Welcome, Scott!

Unfortunately, I do not know where you can sell your fiction. I do know of a writer's site where someone else may be able to help you. It's called gather.com. There is a lot of fiction there, as well as creative writing.

Thank you for your service to our country, and I hope you find your place on the web, and are very successful at it.

[ScottEKelley]

Thanks cgardner. I'll check out that site.

You're welcome, and thank you for the kind words.