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SMF dates back to at least the pulp era. It's not any one editor's notion.

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So the computers in the pulp era had to be reset from the default Times New Roman typeface to Courier?

*****

Finally, I finished something (just last week!) and still I wondered if it was the last story I had. I thought, if it takes 18 months to finish a short story, I can't really be a writer.

Then, I realized that a bunch of things I had worked on but hadn't finished I hadn't finished because the story had reached a word count that was going to be unmarketable. Unmarketable for short story markets anyway.

I've got a novel coming. I know I do. I got stuck because I kept focusing on the wrong things--word counts, names of things, how to signify sign language--anything other than the story.

I think when writers get "stuck" it's because they no longer are listening to the story in their hearts, and instead are listening to markets and editor preferences and...forum rants.

I worked on my writing future today. I worked on my novel. I worked.

Thank you for that comment.

One thing I have tried to do--not always successfully--is to turn off my Internal Editor. I get so caught up on being perfect the first time around that I cannot get anything started.

I see this as similar to your comment in that I want to do my best to just write and ignore the Internal Editors or the Popular Trends.

http://www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction.shtml#How_To_Submit

Robert, have you tried submitting to them?

The benefits found here at Hatrack are tremendous, though laced with some bitter herbs. I see only a tiny smattering of positive feedback... well truthfully, practically none. Can we not hear of the things we are doing right? Is positive reenforcement such a detriment to the writing process? Not for me. The thing I need the most from time to time is confimation that I am not 'writing with a mental crayon' so to speak. Although, if I AM writing that way I DO want to be aware, so the functional concept becomes; to strike a balance between pointing out mistakes/short-falls and showing our happy face when we read something good.

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if it takes 18 months to finish a short story, I can't really be a writer.

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I used to say the same thing about myself vs. my own level of proficiency (or, lack thereof). Even worse, some of my more involved short stories took longer than 18 months. Way longer than 18 months.

It finally occurred to me that my criticism over my slow pace was actually contributing to that slow pace. I was looking at the prize, and not the steps in front of me that led to the prize; my wanting to go faster for the sake of that prize caused me to do a lot of stumbling.

Here's an analogy I used on myself: You don't just walk up to a Tae Kwon Do master for the first time and say, "I'm here, gimmie my black belt." He (and the vast majority of his students) would clean the mat with you. But, after you work at it and improve your skills, the master will gladly hand that black belt to you. Once I saw my situation in those terms, and got it through my head that I am still learning the craft of writing, I became much more forgiving with myself about how long some of my pieces were taking. Ironic, perhaps, that during my studies to become a better writer, I have learned a few ideas on how to become a more proficient writer.

S!
S!

I have done both formal (with Roman numerals and alpha-numerical sequencing) and informal (with main occurrences simply written chronologically), and this tends to keep me from straying or getting "stuck".

I sympathize with what you are saying. I personally try to always give both positive reinforcement as well as constructive criticism.
I agree mostly with both OSC and Hemingway. I agree with what he is saying that it is easy to get lost and lose track of the story, I can feel it when it happens too. I do allow myself a bit of luxury in "trying" to write too well, but I actually have a process that incorporates a "Pre-game, Game-time, and Post-game" to the writing of a story. The pre-game is a series of exercises that keeps the story on focus. It includes OSC's index card exercise that he writes about in one of the lessons on this website.
As for Hemingway, I agree that no eyes should fall on your first draft, but I also believe the "proof is in the pudding" and therefore like to beta test my story after I have revised the story once.

My process is very similar to one of my favorite authors, Alastair Reynolds. I guess since we are both scientists I should not be surprised that we have a similar process and that I enjoy his writing so much. He writes about his process here:

This is less of an absolute for me than some of the other things I've brought up---I don't do it, but I'm not saying I'll never do it. The circumstances have to suit me. Or somebody has to ask me for something, and, if I've got anything, I'll send it on.

Fantasy & Science Fiction is another matter, as Gordon Van Gelder functions as both editor and publisher. If I had to bet on any of The Big Three biting the dust in the next five to ten years, it would be F&SF. Which doesn't have the same kind of safety net as the other two.

Fonts, margins, and other formatting don’t matter and won’t be noticed, for better or for worse; your submission will be automatically reformatted upon opening. Only boldface, italics, and underlining will remain.

@Draney,

I believe - regarding positive feedback on the 13, when someone says they'd read on, you're golden. If no one says that, it doesn't mean your story is bad, just that the first 13 lines need work. It's not always black and white - you'll get iffy feedback (I might read on if you strengthened -this-) etc, but if you're looking for positive or negative, that's it.

My suggestion is, (and I totally learned this from someone here) practice your 13's... even if you don't have a story behind it. It should teach you what works as far as openings go and focus your prose beyond that based on the lessons learned.

Look in the writing challenges section for free 13's.

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Only boldface, italics, and underlining will remain.

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I have certain reservations about that---I've had it fail on transmission on many occasions. Though perhaps they have improved the process since the last time I've tried.