Hatrack River Writers Workshop: An Introduction

This is topic An Introduction in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by goatboy (Member # 2062) on :

Belatedly, I realize I should be polite and introduce myself, to those who have been so kind as to make room for me.

About fourteen years ago, I was just starting to write decently and managed to have a short story published in the December 1990 issue of Aboriginal Science Fiction. "Henry, Have you Gone to the Moon?" paid $250.00 at the time. You can still find the issue on eBay once in awhile. (If I don’t buy it first.) I had also completed a stage play, which I passed to an agent.

Unfortunately, about that time my brother was killed in a logging accident, and there were no longer any stories that I wanted to write. I didn't even read anything beyond what I had to for work. One thing lead to another and for the last fourteen years I have built a family and a business and now a small farm.

In that time, I have forgotten more than I now know about writing. So what happened? Well, it finally dawned on me that I'm not a science fiction writer. I'm a young adult writer who does science fiction and fantasy themes. With that understood, I'm now faced with the task of relearning what I’ve lost.

So pardon me if my advice sometimes goes astray. It takes awhile to pull the answers out of the dusty corners of my brain, and sometimes even then they're wrong.

Never ever, ever quit.

Posted by Phanto (Member # 1619) on :

Bravo!

Also, 250$ for a short story? That would be even more today! Wow. Now I'm remotivated to write short stories--I had hoped to write a few and get them sold to make a quick 100-200$.

Posted by Monolith (Member # 2034) on :

I'm sorry to hear about your brother. I'd like to welcome you, and would like extend the hand of friendship. Really. I have tried for a long time to get things right with my story. I have gotten many great suggestions as well as brutally honest critiques. But other than that, if you'd like to be one of the brutally honest ones, just let me know. Maybe reading an aspiring story would knock off some of the dust you have.

Welcome once again.

-BHJr-

[This message has been edited by Monolith (edited July 01, 2004).]

Posted by Lullaby Lady (Member # 1840) on :

Welcome!

I have learned so much since I stumbled in to this place a few months back. The people here are a very talented bunch who aren't afraid to share their knowledge, opinions and advice.(As I'm sure you've seen for yourself!)

Anyway, glad to have you!

~L.L.

Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :

Welcome. We're patient around here. We don't care how long it takes to search out those bits of knowledge in the dusty corners. We value you because you give another voice, another perspective, another set of eyes that will catch things everyone else may have missed.

And, by the way, speaking for myself, we are honored to have a published writer (no matter how long ago) among us.

Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :

Welcome to the fold, goatboy. (Is it my imagination, or has there been an influx of newbies lately?)

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

There's always an influx of newbies...except that we don't call them that, remember?

Oh, right, we probably decided that before you got here

Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :

Welcome on board. I've gotta ask. Is there a story behind your name?

Posted by goatboy (Member # 2062) on :

Thanks for the welcome guys. It’s odd for me to feel that something is just out of reach and I can’t quite find it. I know what I did, but I don’t remember exactly how. Have you ever been walking in the Mall and suddenly realized you can’t remember where you left your car? You know it’s there, you just don’t know which door to go through. It’s a lot like that.

Hopefully talking with you and maybe helping with some of your story fragments will bust things loose. There seem to be quite a few talented people here, so I’m looking forward to learning and relearning.

Phanto, if I recall right, Abo was one of the smaller markets when I published. At least of the markets I looked at. Much below that they considered everything a “fanzine”, Abo was large enough in circulation and payment to be considered a “prozine”. Some of the prozines, like Omni, paid quite a lot more, but were much larger and had so much competition for available slots that I wouldn’t have stood a chance. Do they still make that fanzine/prozine distinction, or has the internet changed it? It appears the internet may have changed pay schedules, but I haven’t investigated much yet.

Monolith, I try not to be too brutal. I don’t always have a lot of time to help, but when I do I will. I will also post some of my own fragments from time to time as I get them.

Survivor, if we don’t call them newbies, what do we call them?

MaryRobinette, we have goats here on the farm. I guess you could say I have entered the exciting and high priced field of goatherd. (Notice I didn’t say paid.) They really are sweet and loving animals as long as they’re handled right, and we’ve had a blast raising them. So, if anybody is working on a story and needs first hand info on goats, just shout. (I can also explain what it feels like to gather hay when you’re allergic to the stuff.)

Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

Welcome aboard. Make yourself comfortable.

Posted by Lorien (Member # 2037) on :

Welcome! I just got here myself, so I guess that makes me a "newbie" too. Hmmm, I can see the problem with the term - it implies people are new to writing, not just new to Hatrack, when they could be already published or quite rich and famous! Ok, so I guess I still qualify as a newbie.

Any ideas for a different lable, if we have to have one?

People here are a wellspring of ideas, inspiration and useful feedback. I am enjoying it!

While we are doing introductions, I guess I could make one too. I am quite new to writing fiction in any form. I have published in the scientific literature if that counts (yah, and you pay them to do that, as some of you know!). On and off, I've written a few stories, and written a few children's books with my younger brothers (that aren't published, just for fun). I do, however, inhale books on a kind of binge reading timescale. I've recently finally had the courage to admit that I'd like to tap creativity of my own, and actually start writing consistently instead of waiting around! Thanks for your help and patience here at Hatrack.

Posted by Lorien (Member # 2037) on :

Oh, I also wanted to say that this is one of the nicest set-ups I have seen for a message board! It's efficient, easy, organized, and sortable. It's simply fabulous!

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

I can't remember what we agreed to call them (or if we agreed on anything at all), just that at some point....

Whatever. The boards have been running long enough that most notions have been kicked around a time or two. Maybe we were planning on calling them Initial Offense Novices, or IONs for short Really, that probably wasn't floated.