100 things, writing, open calls

[jana_denardo]

{Take the 100 Things challenge!}

#3 - the open call. Many publishers have these for their anthologies. I've been a part of many. I've tried for many more and failed. For example three of the stories I've sold to Dreamspinner Press were failed anthology stories, good stories just not what they were looking for (but wanted elsewhere, lucky for me).

I love the open call. I've come to realize I'm a good prompt writer. Give me a prompt and I can usually weave you a story based on them. The more vague the prompt, the easier that is of course. I started this with fan fiction and all the very many ficathons that exist out there. Little did I know they would become good practice for the anthology open call but they were.

I've answered ones for sacred sex, pirates, vacations, threesomes, angelic beings all with great success. One on BSDM, and two for Christmas met with failures but let us buy this story for elsewhere. Others were flat out failures.

I like the open call because it gives me a chance to stretch my wings. The down side of them are, I end up spending a lot of time on short stories, with low payments (for the most part) and not enough time on the novels. I know this to be true. I'm trying to be better this year and it's been easier since the two or three places I usually look have had ones that weren't for me (like asking for contemporary settings only, which I don't write). But still, they're out there like sirens.

Sometimes, however, you just know you missed the mark before you even send it out. I don't even remember what one of my failures was aimed at but I knew when I sent it out that it wouldn't be quite right. I need to rework that one for sure. I'm at that dilemma right now. I have my newest novella (which was meant to be a short story). I could slice a bit out of it to make word count but it would probably compromise the story (and I got some sound advice here, let the story take as long as it needs and I don't think it would work as well as a short). But that doesn't solve my problem.

Here's the open call

eople often say that the true perfection in the human form is in its imperfections. Scars are visceral reminders of a person’s past, a sign of an event that can never fade. Whether it was gained in combat, a traumatic experience, or part of a ritual with a lover, scars are the ultimate labels. In Storm Moon Press’ Carved in Flesh anthology, we’re looking for short stories in which at least one character sports physical scars. These scars can be injury/trauma scars or decorative scars, but they must be noticeable: visible to the naked eye, and prominent enough to spark a conversation. Emotional scarring doesn’t count. That’s cheating.

The scars must also be the erotic focal point of the story. We want red-hot scenes between men, be it a contemporary sub’s first scarification session or the survivor of an intergalactic war enjoying some scar-worship after his homecoming. Are your character’s scars a mark of possession? Shame? A part of their life they would rather forget? An HEA or HFN ending is required. No leaving your scarred character battered and broken, please. Whatever they have been through, we want to see them have at least a little respite with a partner who adores their scars. It's from Storm Moon Press which I've heard nothing but good things about.

My problem, as interesting as the open call is, I think it wants more of a fetishism of the scars. In my scarred soldier story, he is definitely scarred and they are accepted but they aren't the complete focus of the story. So now I sit on the edge. Do I send it in, knowing deep down it's probably not write, or just hold it and send it in as a novella?

I lean toward the novella but oh, how old fashioned am I? I like to hold a book in my hands. (not to mention I have trouble reading ebooks) The novellas are all ebooks (as far as I know). In the end, I think I'll have to live with that.

The open call, knowing you hit the mark or knowing you've missed it, sometimes you just can't tell. In this case, I'm pretty sure I can.

In the end, with this particular story, I think it's a good, solid story, probably one of the better ones I've written in a while. No matter what I decide, I'm pretty sure it will find a home.

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Open calls sound both intriguing and nerve-wracking, to me.

[jana-denardo.livejournal.com]

they are. It's also a very nice way to get a foot in the door, writing directly for a known publication.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Yes, that makes sense.