THE Group for Authors! discussion

An open call for 'Writers in Lockdown'.

I'm putting together a book of short stories, for which the common factor is that all the authors in many locations across the world have to write their piece during the period when they were stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak. These stories are not about the virus itself but an historical snapshot of creative minds across the spectrum still ticking over during the days of the virus.

Details: Multiple subjects, any genre except fan-fiction (copyright infringement problems). Word count 2,000 to 5,000. Publication on KDP paperback and ebook. Absolute deadline 20th June. No previously published stories please, or text not written between 23 March and 20 June 2020 incl. This is non-profit publication (sale price to cover KDP production costs and cover art).

If you want to write a story for this publication and add another writing credit to your name, pm me or email [email protected] soon so you're visible. Please tell any other writers you know on social media as we have about 20 places.

I would love to do this but I am snowed under trying to finish my WIP. My mind is so overwhelmed right now I doubt I could come up with a decent idea for a story. Good luck with this.

Thanks anyway Drew. Two months, in case you change your mind.

I would be interested in this, Faith. I tend to write literary fiction, but can't promise that's what will come out! :)

Brilliant! We need some literature.

I didn't say it was going to be good literature, though. :D

I'll shoot you an email so you have mine.

Faith, can I send this info to a friend who might want to give it a try?

Hi J. Yes, please invite them.

I hope I'm struck with inspiration for this...

Hi Ville. You'll come up with something great. If I'm stuck for ideas, I open a 100 year old novel or poem and a few lines sends my mind down a new path.

I'll pass this on too - it's a good idea.

Thanks Anna

I forwarded the info.
I hope you get a decent response and some really great short stories. Makes me want to give it a try, but I have to hold myself back. This darn fantasy book 3 is killing me - it just seems to go on and on and I MUST finish it.

Hi Faith. Anna forwarded this to a group I'm in. I'm a bit swamped with other stuff right now, but if I come up with anything, I'll let you know.

Thanks Dale and Drew. I've started my own story and it's going well. I look forward to editing this collection when the others come in. There's a good response so far but it would be even better with representatives of a few more countries. I think we have 6.

How are other doing? Just curious. I hope you get a lot of good stories.

I've passed 4,000 words and am on the closing scene. I've got behind on office work though so will have to do that tomorrow.

Faith wrote: "An open call for 'Writers in Lockdown'.

I'm putting together a book of short stories, for which the common factor is that all the authors in many locations across the world have to write their pie..."

Hi, Faith. I'm brand new here and not sure I can come up with anything, let alone anything good, but I'll try if newbies are welcome :)

Hi Stella. Everyone has to start somewhere, so please have a go even if it is to write an unpolished first draft. If you would like, I can read it and suggest improvements.

Well, this is an adventure! Mine is turning out to be a piece of speculative fiction in an area I know nothing about. I needed to find a geneticist so that the piece is at least plausible.

A couple of side notes for Faith: Will you be providing short author bios? And what are the rights you're seeking?

Hi John. Authors will keep the rights to their own stories. If there's any profit after paying the cover art, we can have a collective decision on supporting a charity. A short bio for each author would be good. Did I read that you are a health worker volunteering? If so, that's impressive stuff.

Faith wrote: "Hi Stella. Everyone has to start somewhere, so please have a go even if it is to write an unpolished first draft. If you would like, I can read it and suggest improvements."

Thank you, Faith! I appreciate that very much.

Yes, I'm a retired nurse in NY. Currently I'm awaiting activation of my license so I can join the front lines, so to speak. It's really bad here. I'm grateful for the diversion that writing offers.

Hi Faith, I hope you get lots of good stories. I wasn't going to do anything and then, darn it, I just started writing. Got a couple thousand words of crap that might turn into a story or might not but I'm blaming you for this. I was supposed to be working on my novel and instead, well, that's how it goes. The muse leads wherever it wants and the writer is just along for the ride.
John, good on you. I've got two daughters who both work at hospitals and for now I'm just praying they don't catch it. All the shortages of PPE hits home here.
Stay safe everyone.

Well done both of you

"Conversation enriches understanding, but solitude is the school of genius" - Gibbon

Good morning. I am in the process of developing management skills based on stories from Panchtantra. So far, I have developed a skill :How to manage Conflict. Will it be worth to be included? Thanks
Maj Gen A K Shori(Retd)

Hello Major Shori. This will be a collection of fiction short stories, so self-improvement or non-fiction aimed at business education wouldn't naturally fit in. However, if I remember well, the original Panchtantra is a set of instructive stories for life written as fables. Fables are metaphorical fiction, which would definitely fit in. In other words, if you can adapt your managing conflict advice and present it indirectly as a new animal fable, I would be honoured to include your work in the collection. The deadline for submission is 20th June, if you would like to join.

J., I thank God for them and so many others. I hope they know how much they're loved and appreciated. I know they'd rather have PPE but, hopefully, that situation will improve soon.

Get writing; I can't wait to read your "crap." :)

Faith wrote: "Hello Major Shori. This will be a collection of fiction short stories, so self-improvement or non-fiction aimed at business education wouldn't naturally fit in. However, if I remember well, the ori..."

Thanks for the quick response. Can u tell me the story should be around how many words?
P.S> My rank is not Major, it is Major General (Retd)

I think the word count should be between 2000 and 5000 words.

That's it, 2,000 to 5,000. Sorry for addressing you incorrectly, Major General Shori - I was in a hurry, as usual.

Hi Faith. I messaged you a moment ago, but just to cover the bases, I have a story for you. Found it this morning. It just needs to be written.

Great. Two slots to fill now.

Only 2 slots open? Are you kidding now that I quit working on my fantasy novel to write a story. Well, then, dang, I better email you my manuscript to hold a place even though I'm not 100% finished with it. And, hmm, my granddaughter is working on a story too. I better tell her to get a move on or she'll have done it for nothing and she'll never speak to me again.

Hi JD. I was including you in the number of authors included. Your granddaughter's page space is also reserved!

Okay. Heart rate returns to normal. Thanks.

Dale wrote: "Hi Faith. I messaged you a moment ago, but just to cover the bases."
Thank you Dale! I've got the email and you're on the list.

Am I included too? I've got as far as having an idea of what to write now.

Hi Ville. Yes, please do join in.

Okay, great. My idea starts with "What if the very bad thing that the main character was threatened with in my friend's book actually happened to someone, but the story didn't stop there?"

Ville wrote: "Okay, great. My idea starts with "What if...""

'What if' scenarios are always popular. I can think of one right now: What if I were the only one who could stop my step-sister spontaneously combusting? [Skip to Chapter 30 for the triumphant dustbuster scene].

I am also putting together a book, we could join forces, I already have poems and short stories,
My e mail is powellfrancisvid at gmail
my website is https://francishpowellauthor.weebly.c...

Hi Francis. I'll contact you separately, so this is to let people know I've replied. The separation between the two projects seems to be that your collection is work on the subject of the virus and this one is authors creating stories during the days of the virus (about other subjects). I do think it is a good idea to offer any work that doesn't get in one publication to the other publication, e.g. if one is over subscribed. I won't know if that is the case until the deadline. I just thought a whole collection about the plague would be too depressing, so this book is to show creativity goes on despite the situation.

Progress update at the two months to go mark: 3 stories have been completed so far and I've found a suitable cover artist.

Great. Thanks for the update. My story will be headed your way soon. Curious about formatting - I always use double spaced. Is that okay and do you prefer that over single spaced?

J. wrote: "Great. Thanks for the update. My story will be headed your way soon. Curious about formatting - I always use double spaced. Is that okay and do you prefer that over single spaced?"

Hi J. Either are fine, as I can always toggle between them. I hope it's going well.

Thanks for the update, Faith. I'll send something your way in the next few days or so. How is your own story (not to mention your various screenplays) going?
And can you reveal anything about the cover?

Magnus wrote: "Thanks for the update, Faith. I'll send something your way in the next few days or so. How is your own story (not to mention your various screenplays) going?
And can you reveal anything about the c..."

Hi Magnus. I've finished and submitted my screenplay (95 minute film, for a competition) although I've been doing that off and on for about six months so only the final 30 pages were in April. I've sent a 30 minute speculative script to the BBC (who closed their submission window on the 20th) and would be surprised if they didn't ignore it but I think it's something different. I finished my short story and mentally signed it off but then wondered if I should re-write it (The pattern is I get certainty and euphoric self-belief, followed by a rush of doubts that curl me up into a ball). The introduction is narrated and the second part, with a new set of characters, isn't. Somehow I need that to gel, so it fits the same journey and doesn't read like two separate pieces. I think people like me begin because they have lots of ideas but then have to learn the craft skills like calculated story planning. At least I'm better than my father, who is an expert commentator on other people's literature but can't produce original work himself.

Magnus wrote: "can you reveal anything about the c..."

I found the cover artist on Fiverr and went for one who assembles graphic designs (not a photo). Her past designs are neat and clean with plenty of space for the many author names that will need to be fitted on there. I can't order the design immediately because although I know the front and back cover size, I will not know the spine depth until all submissions are in. I've spoken to her and let her know this is coming, so at least there's more notice to think about a suitable image. The other thing, image related, is this could be influenced by one of the stories and I don't know yet what they are all about. Isn't this exciting?