Just published and so excited! - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

Robert Williams · 10th April 2002, 03:41 PM

Hi all!

This is my first posting to this forum. I just published my first nove, it's a sci-fi tale called "The Remembrance," and I would really love it if you guys would check it out and give me some feedback! I've set up a website for the book, it is:

http://www.geocities.com/theremembrance_novel

I'm concerned: Does the description on the website interest you? How about the cover/title, do you like it? Most importantly, How is the writing?

The site has links to free sample chapters, basically the whole thing if you have time to read it over the net. I look forward to hearing to from you!

Thanks,

Robert Williams

ray gower · 10th April 2002, 10:30 PM

Congratulations!

I hope it does well for you!

Without wishing to be critical, the cover would not persuade me to pull it off a shelf in the bookshop (that is a personal thing and no guide) and the theme is well travelled by both good and bad writers (then everything has).

I have not had the time or the eyesight to read enough to find the 'edge' that makes it different. But the first chapter seems sound and patiently built, which bodes well for the rest of the story. I'll try and get back to read more.

Again Congratulations, good luck and welcome to Ascifi

Legolas · 10th April 2002, 10:39 PM

wow Rob that sounds amazing - I am SO gonna read that! I never usually go for sci-fi stuff but the description seens like a good read...not to sure about the cover tho...seems kinda dreary.

Will get back 2 u when i find it in the library and read it. May even consider buying if i like it enough!
:flash:

Robert Williams · 11th April 2002, 02:23 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys! I appreciate you checking out the book. Since the book is so new, you might have to request it to get it at a library. Just give them the title, author, publisher, etc. and they'll get it for you.

Cheers,

R.W.

Jessa · 13th April 2002, 03:36 PM

wow! that sounds really good! i should ask my librarien at skool to get it!

and congratulations! i hope u have lots of stories published. (i know i'll read them

)

Robert Williams · 14th April 2002, 04:30 AM

Thank you, Jessa! The response for this book has been very positive, and I'm so glad you all have taken the time to check it out.

JACKER · 17th April 2002, 03:10 AM

Any advice for a struggling writer Robert Williams?

Robert Williams · 17th April 2002, 01:47 PM

Well, in a word: Persevere. I struggled for five years to get this book out, getting rejection letter after rejection letter from publishers and agents. The key is to understand that they reject almost all writers who haven't yet made a name for themselves on their own. A way to make your name known is to submit short stories to magazines that publish fiction, they are more receptive to new writers, but be prepared to be rejected most of the time. Another good route are print-on-demand publishers. Yes, you have to pay them to publish the book, and you are responsible for all promotion, but it gets your work out for people to read, and discussion forums like this are filled with great people who will check out your work. It really is a business where you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Just keep trying, don't be fazed by rejection, and write as much and as often as you can.

Good luck!

R.W.

Jessa · 19th April 2002, 10:53 PM

your welcome Robert, and even tho i is only young, people say i have a real talent for writing poetry and stories. one of my poems got published when i was at primary skool

Robert Williams · 21st April 2002, 01:17 AM

Wow, Jessa, good for you! Keep working at it and I know you'll go far.

R.W.

Jessa · 21st April 2002, 02:46 PM

thanxs R.W i hope u have many more publishings!

Bayleaf48 · 11th August 2002, 12:05 PM

Well done & congratulations on getting your 1st novel published, hope that it does well & you continue to write them

Robert Williams · 11th August 2002, 09:50 PM

Thank you, Bayleaf48. The positive response for this book has been instrumental in encouraging me to keep writing. I really appreciate it.

I updated the website last month with all the new things that have been happening with my writing, including a short story of mine that has been posted on a horror fiction site. Check it out!

Thanks again!

Robert
http://www.geocities.com/theremembrance_novel

Bayleaf48 · 12th August 2002, 11:13 AM

Any time & good luck with it & lets hope that more get published over time of yours as both are very good indeed

EmilyH · 29th August 2002, 04:36 AM

Congrats. I have had some poetry published in the small press and online zines (no, not including my own web site, although I do post there as well). I haven't had much luck with my original short stories, since the only short ones have had children as main characters. Even though they weren't written just for children and I've gotten excellent feedback from adults who liked them, sci-fi publishers lump them into the "children's fiction" category and avoid them like the plague.

My other original stories usually fall into the 20-50 page length, and are too long for magazines and even most web zines that pay writers. One of them, "The Road to Teracor," will be part of a series, and many magazines don't do serialized fiction if the sequels aren't all written. It also seems that there's not much of a short story market beyond 5-10 pages or so. I've just been posting online in the hopes of getting feedback.

On the plus side, I did get paid a whole $2 for a Haiku that I submitted to the Fables website last year. I think I posted a link to it in one of the poetry posts, but if not, you can find it on my Starbase E-prime website in my sig. I'm still waiting to find out on some other poems that I sent to Star* Line last week. Even though I don't think they pay, it'll help to get my stuff out there.

I don't write for cash anyway, that's why I have a day job. I write because I love to write. It keeps me sane.

Edit:

Ok...checked out your page. My day job is a Cold Fusion web developer, so the first thing I noticed (besides the pop-up, which I detest) is a Javascript error. Fix it. Geocities free servers do cause Javascript errors intermittently. It is well worth it to pay for an upgrade. Also, people will take you more seriously as a writer if your site looks serious (no pop-ups & an actual domain). Both of my sites, not including the blog, are hosted on Geocities. Web design is my hobby as well as my job, so I take my web sites seriously.

The cover art is nicely done, if you are trying to attract people who wouldn't otherwise read sci-fi. It wouldn't make me think of sci-fi, though. Honestly, it makes me think of someone's memoirs or perhaps a poetry book. You may want to keep your audience in mind, even for something as simple as a cover.

I read the Amazon description and noticed the review. You seem to have at least one fan already.

10th April 2002, 03:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Just published and so excited! Hi all! This is my first posting to this forum. I just published my first nove, it's a sci-fi tale called "The Remembrance," and I would really love it if you guys would check it out and give me some feedback! I've set up a website for the book, it is: http://www.geocities.com/theremembrance_novel I'm concerned: Does the description on the website interest you? How about the cover/title, do you like it? Most importantly, How is the writing? The site has links to free sample chapters, basically the whole thing if you have time to read it over the net. I look forward to hearing to from you! Thanks, Robert Williams

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10th April 2002, 10:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
ray gower Registered User Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Gwynedd Posts: 3,591	Congratulations! I hope it does well for you! Without wishing to be critical, the cover would not persuade me to pull it off a shelf in the bookshop (that is a personal thing and no guide) and the theme is well travelled by both good and bad writers (then everything has). I have not had the time or the eyesight to read enough to find the 'edge' that makes it different. But the first chapter seems sound and patiently built, which bodes well for the rest of the story. I'll try and get back to read more. Again Congratulations, good luck and welcome to Ascifi

10th April 2002, 10:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Legolas something more magical Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: In a giant Oak tree in a forest not too far away... Posts: 3,970	wow Rob that sounds amazing - I am SO gonna read that! I never usually go for sci-fi stuff but the description seens like a good read...not to sure about the cover tho...seems kinda dreary. Will get back 2 u when i find it in the library and read it. May even consider buying if i like it enough! :flash:

11th April 2002, 02:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Thanks for the feedback guys! I appreciate you checking out the book. Since the book is so new, you might have to request it to get it at a library. Just give them the title, author, publisher, etc. and they'll get it for you. Cheers, R.W.

13th April 2002, 03:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jessa aka Padfoot Join Date: May 2001 Location: can't remember. if i don't know if i'm human, what makes u think i can remember where i live? Posts: 3,424	wow! that sounds really good! i should ask my librarien at skool to get it! and congratulations! i hope u have lots of stories published. (i know i'll read them )

14th April 2002, 04:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Thank you, Jessa! The response for this book has been very positive, and I'm so glad you all have taken the time to check it out.

17th April 2002, 03:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
JACKER You Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 55	Any advice for a struggling writer Robert Williams?

17th April 2002, 01:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Well, in a word: Persevere. I struggled for five years to get this book out, getting rejection letter after rejection letter from publishers and agents. The key is to understand that they reject almost all writers who haven't yet made a name for themselves on their own. A way to make your name known is to submit short stories to magazines that publish fiction, they are more receptive to new writers, but be prepared to be rejected most of the time. Another good route are print-on-demand publishers. Yes, you have to pay them to publish the book, and you are responsible for all promotion, but it gets your work out for people to read, and discussion forums like this are filled with great people who will check out your work. It really is a business where you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. Just keep trying, don't be fazed by rejection, and write as much and as often as you can. Good luck! R.W.

19th April 2002, 10:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jessa aka Padfoot Join Date: May 2001 Location: can't remember. if i don't know if i'm human, what makes u think i can remember where i live? Posts: 3,424	your welcome Robert, and even tho i is only young, people say i have a real talent for writing poetry and stories. one of my poems got published when i was at primary skool

21st April 2002, 01:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Wow, Jessa, good for you! Keep working at it and I know you'll go far. R.W.

21st April 2002, 02:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
Jessa aka Padfoot Join Date: May 2001 Location: can't remember. if i don't know if i'm human, what makes u think i can remember where i live? Posts: 3,424	thanxs R.W i hope u have many more publishings!

11th August 2002, 12:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
Bayleaf48 Hero Of Time Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Barnstaple, North Devon Posts: 3,126	Well done & congratulations on getting your 1st novel published, hope that it does well & you continue to write them

11th August 2002, 09:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
Robert Williams Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kentucky Posts: 11	Thank you, Bayleaf48. The positive response for this book has been instrumental in encouraging me to keep writing. I really appreciate it. I updated the website last month with all the new things that have been happening with my writing, including a short story of mine that has been posted on a horror fiction site. Check it out! Thanks again! Robert http://www.geocities.com/theremembrance_novel

12th August 2002, 11:13 AM	#14 (permalink)
Bayleaf48 Hero Of Time Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Barnstaple, North Devon Posts: 3,126	Any time & good luck with it & lets hope that more get published over time of yours as both are very good indeed

29th August 2002, 04:36 AM	#15 (permalink)
EmilyH MN Sci-fi Fan Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Eagan, MN, USA Posts: 548	Congrats. I have had some poetry published in the small press and online zines (no, not including my own web site, although I do post there as well). I haven't had much luck with my original short stories, since the only short ones have had children as main characters. Even though they weren't written just for children and I've gotten excellent feedback from adults who liked them, sci-fi publishers lump them into the "children's fiction" category and avoid them like the plague. My other original stories usually fall into the 20-50 page length, and are too long for magazines and even most web zines that pay writers. One of them, "The Road to Teracor," will be part of a series, and many magazines don't do serialized fiction if the sequels aren't all written. It also seems that there's not much of a short story market beyond 5-10 pages or so. I've just been posting online in the hopes of getting feedback. On the plus side, I did get paid a whole $2 for a Haiku that I submitted to the Fables website last year. I think I posted a link to it in one of the poetry posts, but if not, you can find it on my Starbase E-prime website in my sig. I'm still waiting to find out on some other poems that I sent to Star* Line last week. Even though I don't think they pay, it'll help to get my stuff out there. I don't write for cash anyway, that's why I have a day job. I write because I love to write. It keeps me sane. Edit: Ok...checked out your page. My day job is a Cold Fusion web developer, so the first thing I noticed (besides the pop-up, which I detest) is a Javascript error. Fix it. Geocities free servers do cause Javascript errors intermittently. It is well worth it to pay for an upgrade. Also, people will take you more seriously as a writer if your site looks serious (no pop-ups & an actual domain). Both of my sites, not including the blog, are hosted on Geocities. Web design is my hobby as well as my job, so I take my web sites seriously. The cover art is nicely done, if you are trying to attract people who wouldn't otherwise read sci-fi. It wouldn't make me think of sci-fi, though. Honestly, it makes me think of someone's memoirs or perhaps a poetry book. You may want to keep your audience in mind, even for something as simple as a cover. I read the Amazon description and noticed the review. You seem to have at least one fan already.