Paula Cappa
asked
Forrest Aguirre:
Forrest, this question is in the advice for writers category. What are the three key ingredients to writing quality science fiction short stories for today's publishing market?
Forrest Aguirre
My answer would be the same regardless of genre:
1. Don't follow trends; make your own trends. Know what's happening in your genre, but don't let it infect your work. Note: this is not as easy as it sounds.
2. Craft your story, but not to the point where you bleed out all the raw creativity with which you began. When (not if) your story is rejected, you need an anchor, and that anchor is the kernel of an idea with which you began. You can dress it up different ways, but if you deny that creative kernel for the sake of pleasing some editor, you are denying your inner self.
3. Don't follow advice for writers. You are you, and because they are not you, they are probably wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong, though these answers are right for me.
:)
1. Don't follow trends; make your own trends. Know what's happening in your genre, but don't let it infect your work. Note: this is not as easy as it sounds.
2. Craft your story, but not to the point where you bleed out all the raw creativity with which you began. When (not if) your story is rejected, you need an anchor, and that anchor is the kernel of an idea with which you began. You can dress it up different ways, but if you deny that creative kernel for the sake of pleasing some editor, you are denying your inner self.
3. Don't follow advice for writers. You are you, and because they are not you, they are probably wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong, though these answers are right for me.
:)
Forrest Aguirre
My answer would be the same regardless of genre:
1. Don't follow trends; make your own trends. Know what's happening in your genre, but don't let it infect your work. Note: this is not as easy as it sounds.
2. Craft your story, but not to the point where you bleed out all the raw creativity with which you began. When (not if) your story is rejected, you need an anchor, and that anchor is the kernel of an idea with which you began. You can dress it up different ways, but if you deny that creative kernel for the sake of pleasing some editor, you are denying your inner self.
3. Don't follow advice for writers. You are you, and because they are not you, they are probably wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong, though these answers are right for me.
:)
1. Don't follow trends; make your own trends. Know what's happening in your genre, but don't let it infect your work. Note: this is not as easy as it sounds.
2. Craft your story, but not to the point where you bleed out all the raw creativity with which you began. When (not if) your story is rejected, you need an anchor, and that anchor is the kernel of an idea with which you began. You can dress it up different ways, but if you deny that creative kernel for the sake of pleasing some editor, you are denying your inner self.
3. Don't follow advice for writers. You are you, and because they are not you, they are probably wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm wrong, though these answers are right for me.
:)
More Answered Questions
Mir
asked
Forrest Aguirre:
Did you have to opt-in for this "ask the author a question" feature, or was it automatic?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more