Thanks, LL! I’ll check out the RPG thread and see if I have anything to contribute.
rjung, by golly, you’re a real writer if you say you’re a real writer. As far as I’m concerned, you definitely are. I considered myself a real writer before I ever got my first paycheck for it.
I am not published. I will be one day. Really. There is a truck load of utter crap in the area I like (mumblemumbleromancemumblemumble) and I know that someone will buy my crap. My crap is just as good, if not superior in its shittiness as theirs. The problem is I just have to finish one of my daydreams du jour that I like to play with. It’s like mental playdough. I take it out once in awhile and pull it around and make it different shapes. Then I go " Shit, I liked it the way it was." and I then leave it alone for awhile.
If I make money at it , it will make Mr. Ujest very happy. He desperately wants to be a “kept man.”
Now,reading the premise of some of the other stories, I think we could mix things up here:
Fundemental Christians who are cured of their fundy ways by being bitten by a werewolf and then turned into a vampire and end up writing robotic computer programming. All we need is a big white whale and a midget and we are talking Pulitzer!
Published one collaborative novel, 2 short stories, one edited volume of letters, some poems in [sub]tiny[/sub] magazines that nobody has ever seen.
Working on a screen play at present, in between trying to have a life and doing the stuff that actually pays the bills.
Aspiring horror writer. I’ve had several short stories published, and recently made my first pro sale (according to HWA guidelines). I also write erotica, and sometimes combine the two.
My bibliography is on my website.
Sheri
Speaking of fanatical Christians and horror stories, have you heard of/read Holy Rollers by James Newman? Very cool story with a great premise.
Sheri
I’ve been writing for many years now, mostly short fiction/science fiction and humor, a few screenplays, the rare poem, and occasionally some non-fiction. I’ve also written a novel but haven’t done anything with it in quite a while.
I’ve had a bunch of stuff published in the small press and have won awards in contests like Writers’ Digest, Dark Dixie, and some local colleges’ contests.
I’m rewriting a story these days about an android soldier (with a twist).
I have a couple of short stories coming out in a little anthology called CrossTIME . It should be out by the end of April. The website is at www.crossquarter.com.
was published a long time ago but by fluke, now i just write for myself and havent really persued the publishing submitting aspect.
Sounds good to me! The thought of horror/erotica is interesting. So I take it you are a card carrying member of HWA? Is it worth the fees? I’ve checked out the website a few times, but I am inherently distrustful of anything over the net. Is it worth it to join? Will they hook me up with a professional horror editor?
What do you mean by “first pro sale”? Are you published?
BTW, that Holy Rollers link was good. I have the same thoughts everytime a pair of them come to my door. Instead of a gun they are holding bibles and those small pamplets that depict all kinds of horrible events happening if you don’t join.
**
Yep, I’ve been a member for three years now. I think it’s worth the fees. It’s $55 a year. As an Affiliate, I can’t vote yet; however, I do have access to the message board (where “big” authors post and you can get advice from them), market information, discounts on books at some stores, and the advantage of making friends and contacts in the genre. When you’re a stay-at-home-mom, you don’t get much of a chance to meet others with the same interests, especially when your interests run to horror and all thing macabre! You’re also able to submit stories to HWA anthologies, whether you’re an Active or Affiliate.
They have a mentor program also. You can sign up to be matched with a professional author who will help you with manuscripts - how to edit them, prepare them for submitting, that type of thing. They will also critique your work.
As for “pro sales,” HWA defines a professional sale as three cents per word. If you get three pro sales, you are upgraded to Active, which gives you voting rights in the elections and the Stoker Awards. As an Affiliate, you can recommend works for the Stoker Award, but you can’t vote for them once they’re nominated.
I made my first pro sale to an anthology called Be Very Afraid!, edited by Edo van Belkom, to be published in October 2002. This is a collection of short horror stories for teenagers. My other sales have either been at less pay per word, or in contributor copies. But it gets your name out there to editors, which is a good thing. I know that Leisure editor Don D’Auria keeps his eyes on the small press, and some friends of mine have had books published by him.
I will admit that there are some questionable practices by some in the organization. Recently, the editor of the HWA anthology Museum of Horrors embezzled all the payment for the writers so he could make some home improvements. A lot of people are looking to make big changes and improve the organization. Many of us were thrilled when Richard Laymon was elected President. Unfortunately, he died suddenly only a couple months into his term. His position was taken over by someone who pretty much likes things just the way they are. But there are some “renegades” who have big plans once the current prez is voted out. I think there are going to be some great things in the future. And the good outweighs the bad. I don’t think I’d have gotten as far as I have if I hadn’t joined up. Granted, I’m not THAT far - but my name is out there and people know my work.
BTW, we also have chapter meetings. I see you’re in DC; we have a Baltimore-Washington Chapter that gets together every other month for meetings (and sometimes between meetings just to hang out). Here’s the website for the chapter. We have an email list where we plan our meetings or just chatter. If you’re interested in attending a meeting, let me know. It might be a good way to determine whether you’d be interested in a membership. Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 2. Brian Keene is our chapter president; Karen Taylor is our vice-president.
Feel free to email me at crwhite@earthlink.net if you’re interested in the meeting, or have anymore questions. 
Pick up the book (actually a chapbook) if you can. You can order it at Darktales Publishing. It’s definitely a fun read.
Hope all this helps!
Sheri
I’ve got a non-fiction manuscript and an agent. I’ve paid the retainer and the last communication I heard from my agent was that he would begin shopping my book proposal to publishers on March 15th. I haven’t heard from him since then, so I don’t really know when things are going to get rolling.
I can’t really talk about what my book is about until I have a contract.
Wish me luck :D!
I have an astronomy book out now and a few magazine articles and the like. I write an occasional piece for astronomy.com (two are online now).
I have a great science fiction novel planned out in my head, with a preface written and no future for it at all. 
I also have a children’s story that my 6-year-old daughter loves, but getting published in that field is like trying to dig a hole in water. I’d love to get it published, but even people I know in the childrens’ book biz tell me to forget it! Oh well.
I’m working on television spec-scripts right now. Maybe shop around, look for an agent once I’ve polished them.
One is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer script (which I am actually surprised there isn’t more hapless/wannabe writers pumping out scripts for that. All the fan fiction seems to be Spike f-ing Buffy/Dawn/Xander stories) Another is a Gilmore Girls script and one is an original pilot.
I used to write for my college paper as the A&E Editor. I hadn’t read any of that stuff for a few months but I found them while moving. And not to sound full of myself, but damn I’m good. My Shrek review is a work of art!
I am currently the Northwest editor for Yesand.com It’s the premiere improv comedy website. My first article is currently under the spotlights section on the opening page. It’s a promotional piece about an all female comedy troupe from Portland, “All Jane No Dick”
I’d love to get paid to write some day… that would AWESOME!
:eek:
::electronic voice:: Paging an editor, paging an editor.
Ah-hem, that should read- That would BE awesome
I’ve written stories, though I haven’t had anything published, unless you count online publications. I’m about to start graduate school in creative writing, so that I can teach fiction and poetry writing as well as composition on the college level.
I published “Lay This Body Down: The 1921 Murders of Eleven Plantation Slaves” a couple years ago. (www.laythisbodydown.com)
And my next book is coming out in July. It’s “Sailors to the End: The Deadly Fire on the USS Forrestal and the Heroes Who Fought It.” (www.sailorstotheend.com) I just found out that Kevin Conway, a very experienced character actor, will read the audio book. Apparently he played some Star Trek character.
Congrats GregAtlanta! I haven’t been to the site links yet, but I assume you work in the realm of Nonfiction?
Darkwriter, I sent you an email and eagerly await your reply.
And yes to all who point this out, I do realize this thread has been done before, in fact I think I started a thread exactly like this one several months ago. But times change rapidly and in an effort to keep track of how the writing doper population is doing I think it’s nice to start this thread over again.
One book of poetry published. Another coming out this fall.
I’m on a shelf near you.
John
I have two children’s book (fiction) manuscripts written, but I’ve been lacking in motivation as far as submission goes, because as was noted above, getting published in that field is well nigh impossible.
I also wrote a research article, “Bones of Contention,” which was just recently published in The Baseball Research Journal (a product of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). Didn’t get paid for it, but it was pretty cool to have somebody print up my words. (An expanded version of that article is currently listed on my personal website–click below–if any baseball fans are interested.)
I also have a short story or two in process, but I haven’t done anything on them in a while.
As for getting published, I’m beginning to think self-publication is an option. Today, with digital print production, it’s actually fairly cheap to get a short run of relatively nice looking books printed up. Of course, distribution and marketing are another matter…
I don’t know whether or not to start a new thread for this question, but I’m interested in know how dopers actually work on their writings? Do you go somewhere relaxing or do you need pressure to get you to focus?
Me, I write in my down time, so that means it could be for an hour or two or even as little as 15 minutes. I write where ever I happen to be (as long as there is a computer available.) I have two disks and two hard drives that my manuscript is backed up on. I carry one disk with me at all times (not for protection, but in case I have an epiphany.)
Unpublished.
Currently working on a novel. It’s a mystery story with fantastic elements. The next novel will be a detective story taking place in Pittsburgh in the 1890’s. Ideas sketched out for numerous mystery, fantasy and science fiction novels, children’s stories, and some short stories. Some of the ideas are pretty good, but so far I don’t write worth a damn. Have written some decent poetry.