tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post7732738138523525068..comments2023-09-30T10:31:07.390-04:00Comments on Short Fiction. Write it. Sell it. : Appearing in issue #34, August 25, 2014 Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-34689170568530587362014-09-05T01:39:49.709-04:002014-09-05T01:39:49.709-04:00@ Anonymous. Although you didn't leave your n...@ Anonymous. Although you didn't leave your name you seem to be indicating that you are Shannon. We all know that our stories are changed, and almost never for the better in our eyes. I too have seen stories where there are contradictions and clues left out. What is WW thinking? I ripped apart this story as it appeared after they fiddled with it. I know a bad review hurts. Been there. And it's frustrating when it's out of your control. This story had so many problems I couldn't give it a pass. Myself, and the readers of this blog (who are worldwide by the way) are trying to analyze the weekly offerings and figure out just what the heck WW wants from us. After doing this for close to two years...I still don't know. And we can't figure out why WW doesn't just leave a good story alone. On my stories I've had them change the color of a dress, a silver frame to a teapot, and add a brother -- all silly things. There must be a reason. But we can't figure it out. You're way ahead of most of the readers of this blog. You got a contract. With success comes critiques and reviews. I spoke to Nora Roberts at a conference one time. She told me she gets slammed all the time and you have to build up a hard shell. You can't please everyone all the time. So to heck with them ... in this case me. You've got what it takes to get published. Hold your head up.Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-76751269794322111462014-09-04T22:06:41.953-04:002014-09-04T22:06:41.953-04:00I get the distinct impression (from the stories of...I get the distinct impression (from the stories of mine that WW has published) that there is more than one editorial hand at work. Some of the edits are so wonderful I slap my forehead that I didn't think of it in the first place. And some are so ham fisted they all but ruin the story. (I once had a story where info in the body of the story was contradicted by info in the solution. Yes, Jody ripped me mercilessly, and no, I didn't submit it like that.) We know the EIC has finally say on submissions; perhaps someone at head office is monkeying with the stories after Johnene passes them on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-42465825286274655852014-08-23T15:56:06.176-04:002014-08-23T15:56:06.176-04:00Maybe the WW editor does read your blog, Jody. But...Maybe the WW editor does read your blog, Jody. But we all know there are some people who do not like to be told what to do. That is a shame because you do offer an education here.Mary Jonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-43857076885949722172014-08-23T15:03:31.291-04:002014-08-23T15:03:31.291-04:00@ Joyce. Such is the crazy life of a magazine fic...@ Joyce. Such is the crazy life of a magazine fiction writer. It's not all unicorn hats and rainbow poop, that's for sure. And when the time comes that our story is chosen, we will say it was because of the fabulous writing...when deep down we know that it's just luck. Maybe we should chip in and send Ms. Johnene some chocolates. :) Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-31754052521245670722014-08-23T14:55:14.021-04:002014-08-23T14:55:14.021-04:00@ Mary Jo. They just have to read my blog for a f...@ Mary Jo. They just have to read my blog for a few weeks. Without joking though, I have to assume (and we all know how that goes) that WW has qualified, talented and experienced editors that know what they're doing when it comes to pleasing their readers. Or most of their readers. Some of their readers. A few anyway. The fact that they offer diversified types of stories, different styles of writing, and they are all over the map with no consistency in the product, tells me that any one of our stories could make it. It's all in the timing and the whim of the editors. Every one of your stories that I've seen is better than this week's selection. Why it was chosen is the real mystery. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-74388021435502639642014-08-23T14:44:42.612-04:002014-08-23T14:44:42.612-04:00@ Tamara. RE: hiring me as a consultant for the m...@ Tamara. RE: hiring me as a consultant for the mysteries. That's Johnene's job. But even for their lowly intern first-reader position they wanted a degree in journalism. But thanks for the thought. Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-9278990692253263242014-08-23T14:43:21.821-04:002014-08-23T14:43:21.821-04:00Now Tamara has the right idea. WW would be worlds ...Now Tamara has the right idea. WW would be worlds ahead if they ran their mystery choices by you before making the final cut. How often is a story spoiled because neither the author nor the editor know the protocol? Mary Jonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-35376363560644029992014-08-23T12:23:24.493-04:002014-08-23T12:23:24.493-04:00I didn't read this story, but Jody, your summa...I didn't read this story, but Jody, your summary/critique was so funny! Although I didn't read this one, your remarks make me wonder why MY little story made it all the way to Seattle but didn't make the cut. I don't understand how some of these mysteries wind up in the magazine and others that seem to be well-written with good structure are turned down. Ah, sweet mystery of life...LOLJoyce Ackleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16628063943686030106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-70400129052601223222014-08-23T11:13:48.623-04:002014-08-23T11:13:48.623-04:00Well, I hate to sound (read) like a broken record,...Well, I hate to sound (read) like a broken record, but Jody, you should be writing sitcoms. Your hilarious comments made my day. Aside from that, it occurred to me that WW should hire you, with your knowledge, as a consultant for their mysteries. Tamaranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-36313374661453826832014-08-23T10:25:14.001-04:002014-08-23T10:25:14.001-04:00Just thought of something else. I (me, myself) do...Just thought of something else. I (me, myself) don't like the writing on this story. A critique is very subjective. Many times those two movies critiques would disagree and one would give it a thumbs up and the other a thumbs down. So this blog is only MY opinion. Someone else might just LOVE this story. Like...um...her mother. :)Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-10535076187540663292014-08-23T10:17:18.001-04:002014-08-23T10:17:18.001-04:00@ Mary Jo. I know, right? We're trying to fi...@ Mary Jo. I know, right? We're trying to figure out what WW wants and they're all over the map. I'm thinking with their 2 million readers they're trying to throw every kind of story out there so everyone gets their favorite sooner or later. They sure don't want crisp, interesting writing that pulls all the pieces together. At least not this week. <br /><br />RE: getting paid. When actors make a movie and it gets terrible reviews and Rotten Tomatoes slams it...the actors, the writers, the directors, etc...they all still got paid. Doesn't mean the work was good. <br /><br />Jody E. Lebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-44766021090865330132014-08-23T01:48:19.855-04:002014-08-23T01:48:19.855-04:00Whew, Jody, you must have had some kind of week. A...Whew, Jody, you must have had some kind of week. Aside from jumping all over the writer who got paid after all, what about looking at the editing. Wouldn't you expect editors who specialize in the mystery story to know how to analyze the details before they sign on the dotted line? It isn't as if they didn't have more than one or two stories to choose from. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? The Shadow knows.Mary Jonoreply@blogger.com