A while ago (during November, to be exact) I blogged that I was using NaNoWriMo as a framework for trying to finish a story I was writing. I wrote that I had no intention of going for a 50k word count and simply wanted to use the structure of NaNoWriMo. It took me reasonably far. Then I decided to plan an entry into Cartridge Lit’s Push [START] To Begin Chapbook Contest , again mainly as an incentive to actually finish. The Dec 31st deadline approached and I realised that, to even remotely have a chance of finishing something I could submit, even though it was far from what I intended, I had to cut what I was working on in half.
Essentially the story originally followed two characters and I simply focused on the point of view of one. I submitted the truncated story and was, not unsurprisingly unsuccessful. Anyone in the market for a 14k word story set in the West of Ireland about a disillusioned computer game designer? I thought not. Back to the drawing board, or rather rewrite board.
In better news, I have a story forthcoming in Issue 9 of Alt Hist which I will post more on in due course.
And I am submitting a story which I have tweaked in response to various feedback to Sci Phi, a journal about science fiction and philosophy. The Sci Phi site itself is beautiful and full of interesting stuff. This is their self-description:
Sci Phi is an online science fiction and philosophy magazine. In each issue you will find stories that explore questions of life, the universe and everything and articles that delve into the deep philosophical waters of science fiction universes.
Séamus Sweeney 