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Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Heads Up: A Fun, New Crit Round

In the spirit of better communicating what's coming up on MSFV, I give you this Advanced Warning of an upcoming critique round.

(Note:  The following idea was Adam Heine's.  I loved it immediately.  I think you will, too.)

Event:  EXPLOSION CRITIQUE ROUND
Submissions:  Monday, May 27, noon to 8:00 pm EDT.  Lottery.
Number of entries:  50
Entries will post:  Wednesday, May 29

Sometimes, a good explosion is just what a story needs, right?  So if you've got an explosion in your novel and you want to make sure it's working, this crit round is for you!  The explosion can be large- or small-scale; your scene can lead up to and end with the explosion, or it can detail the aftermath.  At any rate, you'll have 250 words plus a 50-word lead-in to show us the action.

Detailed submission guidelines will post on Monday.

(This is the moment when you pop this event into iCalendar or tattoo the date on the back of your hand or something.)

And, yes, this critique round is for agented and unagented authors, and is open to WIPs as well as completed manuscripts.  My only requirement is that you please send A CLEAN, CAREFULLY EDITED PAGE.  Because being in the middle of writing a novel is no excuse for submitting a sloppy excerpt, right?

Questions below!  This has the potential to be a fun round.


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21 comments:

  1. VicorvaMay 22, 2013 at 8:17 AM

    Wow, sounds fun! I think I might have something that'll fit -- I'll take a look and see whether or not it could be technically described as an explosion.

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  2. HEATHER LYNNE DAVISMay 22, 2013 at 8:19 AM

    Do you mean only physical explosions or emotional ones as well?? Great idea either way!

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  3. AuthoressMay 22, 2013 at 8:22 AM

    Heather -- I mean real, physical explosions. :)

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  4. HEATHER LYNNE DAVISMay 22, 2013 at 8:47 AM

    Cool, I just so happen to have one of those handy...

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  5. tarakMay 22, 2013 at 9:52 AM

    Got an explosion already drafted. Just need to make it shiny!

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  6. J D WayeMay 22, 2013 at 10:26 AM

    Oooo... cool idea. I like the longer submission window, and the fact that the passage can be from a WIP.

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  7. Amanda HelmsMay 22, 2013 at 10:31 AM

    Cool idea! But alas, Wish I had to cut my explosion scene from my latest round of revisions. Maybe next time...

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  8. Amanda HelmsMay 22, 2013 at 10:32 AM

    Erm, "Wish" should've been deleted from my post. Mea culpa!

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  9. AnonymousMay 22, 2013 at 12:13 PM

    New work/unpublished only? I have a self-published explosion that's not bad.

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  10. AuthoressMay 22, 2013 at 12:14 PM

    Except, if it's already been self-published, what would you do, exactly, with the critique? ;)

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  11. AnonymousMay 22, 2013 at 1:09 PM

    Maybe learn something!

    It's not like I'm knocking the world dead with sales.

    Of course, if there's a limit on number of entries I wouldn't enter it.

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  12. Karen DuvallMay 22, 2013 at 1:10 PM

    Bummer, I don't have an explosion, but I do have a supernatural storm that's pretty explosive. Oh, well. Maybe next time. :)

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  13. Tracy GoldMay 22, 2013 at 1:42 PM

    Oh man, I have an awesome explosion! But I wouldn't want to take someone's spot since I was just in Secret Agent. Plus the awesomeness stretches beyond 250 words. Explosions take time!

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  14. StephscoMay 22, 2013 at 2:16 PM

    This is hilarious.

    For research purposes, I highly recommend YouTube. I am always impressed with what instantly populates with really cryptic search terms. Lots of people burning stuff on YouTube and filming it.

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  15. Rebecca M.May 22, 2013 at 2:18 PM

    Too bad my explosions are all of the emotional variety... but I look forward to reading the entries. :)

    Authoress -- I came across last year's Public Slushpile critique while browsing the archives recently. If you are looking for ideas for future crits, I would love to see that one again.

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  16. Jessica SilvaMay 22, 2013 at 6:08 PM

    perfect. I have two!

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  17. AightballMay 22, 2013 at 9:15 PM

    I have to see if I have any explosions...I have an emotional one, but not sure about physical. If I find one, I want to enter, for sure! Esp. since we can do a WIP...and I think I have a WIP with an explosion!

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  18. DJMay 22, 2013 at 10:26 PM

    I love the idea
    If, however, you get 50 explosions then I will have to eat my hat.
    personally, I want to know what everyone else is writing....what short stories they have pubbed and where I can read them. Why not let everyone have a say where we can see what they have "out there"?

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  19. VicorvaMay 23, 2013 at 7:22 AM

    Yuck, a thorough check-through, and I don't actually have an explosion. I have a torrent of fire, but nothing blows up. I'll have to sit back and critique this one.

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  20. Tara DairmanMay 23, 2013 at 8:47 AM

    Love this!

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  21. ReeseMay 23, 2013 at 12:36 PM

    Okay. So the topic sparked an idea for a story and I've been working on it ever since - both on the page and in my head.

    So many possibilities!

    So, since I am into the story of it, it would technically qualify as a WIP, no? Eligible? Yes?

    ReplyDelete