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» Hatrack River Writers Workshop » Forums » Fragments and Feedback for Short Works » Zeta Reticuli (Short SciFi; First 13 lines)

   
Author Topic: Zeta Reticuli (Short SciFi; First 13 lines)
zetars
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Hello, I am new here, and I would just like to get some feedback on my story here. So, enjoy yourself, and if you want more, ask! I have been working on this one for quite a while. It is about a meteor, or later revealed a 'meteoroid' that crashes to earth and holds something extraordinary. I have much more if anyone wishes to keep reading. Thanks for helping!

Anstor was looking over some files that had been sent to him previously. He scanned them, vigilantly, making sure that there were no mistakes. He was actually flabbergasted at the idea that the heads of the CIA would choose him, a mid-level worker to scan such high profile documents. But then, he thought, perhaps they chose him, because he held no bias about the topics the documents pertained too.

He sat in his chair, on the 5th level of the Amniplex Building, working on these files. As it was midnight, he was the only one there, and this gave him quiet, which by this point in time, he needed very badly. He veered his head to right, looking out the window, to see that it was raining. Being alone in the building sort of frightened him, but he eventually ignored this impractical fear.

[This message has been edited by zetars (edited October 25, 2005).]


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apeiron
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Here's my impression, as I read it:

-Don't need the "sent to him previously"

-Don't need the "vigilantly". Adverbs are evil. Try a stronger verb than scanned, which implies he did not read them closely, a direct contradiction to vigilantly. Maybe "studied" or "picked through them"?

-A mid-level worker? For the CIA? Or is this some sort of cast? In SF, people will wonder.

-"high profile" seems out of place. It may sound cliche, but the government actually uses classifications like sensitive, classified, secret, and top secret for information (and in that order of secrecy). And believe me, it takes forever and a day to actually get clearance to see those things. For realism, if you are curious, I know labs have two basic levels of clearance, L and Q, and that there are clearance levels above that, but they are shadier and only labeled by little-known symbols on your badge. If he gets sudden clearance, it had better be an emergency. And I highly doubt they'd leave him on a classified machine unsupervised. But then, your readers won't likely know this, so I guess you could leave that part, as it sets up the mood of the scene.

-By the last sentence, 1st paragraph, I'm wondering why you are withholding what the files contain. We are clearly in Anstor's head, so I expect to know what he knows. Fill me in soon, I'm annoyed!

-By the second paragraph, we KNOW he's working on the files. Don't need another sentence rubbing it in my face that I don't know what they're about.

-2nd sentence, 2nd paragraph needs work. Surely there is a clearer way to write this?

-Don't just tell us it's impractical. Couldn't we have some internal monologue where he tells himself he's being impractical?

I feel like these paragraphs are telling me the story instead of showing it to me.

I know my comments have been negative. Don't let them get you down! If you've been working on this idea for a while, I'm sure it has merit and that the concept of the story is a good one. However, from what I've read the style is too distant, too much telling vs showing and an unfair amount of withholding info. Don't talk about the files unless you are prepared to devote some space explaining them (well, Anstor's impression of them--no info dumps please!).

[This message has been edited by apeiron (edited October 25, 2005).]


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Kolona
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You properly identified the genre, but how long is the 'much more?'

The vagueness of 'some' makes the first important sentence weak. Also, although not truly a passive verb combo, 'was looking' would read better as 'looked;' however, as apeiron noted, something like 'studied' would probably be closer to what you wish to convey here.

The second paragraph seems especially distant. Maybe give us some of Anstor's thoughts -- but only briefly -- about why he needed quiet, and why he thought his fear was impractical. Keep us inside his head.




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zetars
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A very big part of your critiqueing (sp?)was about the documents. These, in relation to any part of this story, is nothing. They are unimportant in every single way, they just Anstor something to do. As for the classification, I will definitly change that. I will make the appropriate changes to what I see necessary. Would you like to read the rest of the story? (without changes) the whole (unfinished) story is about 2,450 words, whilst this is 2 paragraphs

[This message has been edited by zetars (edited October 25, 2005).]


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wbriggs
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So: what is the story about? That is, what's the cool thing that would make people read it? Start there, I think. If it's not about the documents, I don't think you need to show a scene in which he examines them.

Unless a werewolf is going to attack him while he's working, say! Even then, we could get some of his attitude, something he's worried about, something that hooks us.


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zetars
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No, No no, the story is nothing like that.
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zetars
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Actually, I nedd someone willing toread the full version, any volunteers who would like it e-mailed to them? It would be greatly appreciated.
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BuffySquirrel
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I like the visual of Anstor sitting reading these documents while trying to suppress his irrational fear at being alone in the building with confidential documents.

However, I tend to agree that if the documents are not important to the story, it would be better not to place so much emphasis on them. Having them in the scene is fine, but the more they're mentioned and made to seem important, the more the reader will expect them to play a significant role in the story. They will be waiting for that moment to arrive. If it never does, they will find the story less satisfying than if there were a pay-off involving the documents.

There is a lot of repetition across these first two paragraphs, and they could probably be amalgamated into one paragraph by losing the repeated ideas.

Adverbs are not evil! They're just misunderstood...

Adverbs should be used appropriately. It's often better to use a stronger verb, but adverbs too have their place. Poor little misunderstood words!


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zetars
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Thanks for your input, it has helped tremendously. I will definitly have to change many things about the beginning. Would anyone be interested in reading the full version?

[This message has been edited by zetars (edited October 27, 2005).]


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apeiron
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I'll take a look at it, though I can't promise I'll be prompt. (That's why I haven't done any crits so far.)
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Corky
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Have you rewritten the rest of the story using the suggestions on the first 13 lines?

If not, why would anyone want to keep reading the same kinds of problems for ten more pages?


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Kathleen Dalton Woodbury
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zetars, one of the purposes of the Fragments and Feedback area is to let people tell you whether they would be interested in reading more of the story after reading your first 13 lines.

The fact that only one person has said they were interested (and that after you begged) should tell you something about the first 13 lines and what they tell the reader about the rest of the story.

The first 13 lines should make people WANT to keep reading. If they succeed, then the rest of the story should continue to make the reader want to continue.

You've been given some feedback on why your first 13 lines are not making people WANT to read more. Please look at those suggestions and see if they need to be applied to the rest of the story as well.


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Survivor
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It's also early to start begging. When you've posted three complete revisions of an opening, and still have no takers and no idea why not, then you can beg.

Okay, I just made that up by myself this very moment.

Your opening does have good elements, but they quickly get lost in the shuffle. And you are shuffling here. Various points have been mentioned. The thing about that is that they aren't just nits, they are general issues that will probably appear throughout your story. In other words, you are not ready to take the critiques you will get back if some people here read the story in its current form.

Build up slowly, have patience, all that stuff.


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