Critters^TM Workshop

Weekly Notes

Notes for 13-Jan-2021...


Thanks for the donations, folks!  Thanks especially to

	Larry Hodges
	Audrey Latimer
	Harry Burnett
	Daniel Hicks
	Roger Hetchler

for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!

[See http://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]

                                   -+-

The Critters Fund Drive is brought to you this week by the new release of...

	TURNING ON by Damon Knight - $2.99

		ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1684
		Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B08RCTKB2Q/?tag=critters3a-20
		 (available in both ebook and paperback)

Another excellent collection of SFWA Grandmaster Damon Knight's stories, including several classics.
 What would happen if you could invent any vision you liked? If you could turn back time? If vampires were plants? Turn on your eyeballs and find out...

                                   -+-
Woohoo!  Congratulations to...

	- Jude Matulich-Hall, who sold her (Critter'd) short story,
	"Birdbath" to Gypsum Sound Tales - Thuggish Itch. {Huzzah! I sold
	my short horror story "Birdbath" to Gypsum Sound Tales anthology
	Thuggish Itch.	It's in the queue but hasn't been critiqued yet.

	I also had picked up "The Pyro," an excerpt from my novel,
	by Tall Tale TV. It was critiqued by Critters.

	In addition, I have an interview on Youtube with my publisher
	about my up and coming novel, The Eversteam Chronicles - Small
	Demons, please check it out and give it a thumbs up. You can
	find it under my name.

	Thank you very much Critters! }


Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.


                                   -+-

This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 9 critiques (at time
of judging), averaging over 400 words each, goes to...

	Nicholas Marconi

To redeem an MPC, visit:  www.critters.org/usempc.ht

Congratulations!  To everyone else -- Crit early and often!

(For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.)

                                   -+-

Recommended Reading...
One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor
Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS 
http://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
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Critters Workshop
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This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
                                                 
     Title                      	Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 13-Jan-2021 (Crits due 20-Jan-2021):
 F   Who Needs Chemistry?               Adam Pitts -#29681
 SF  Warrior of the Rock                Pete Koziar -#29682
 SF  MONSTER!                           Alex Vinicius Santana Souza -#29683
 SF  Mandala Rule SYNOPSIS              AllisonEstry -#29684
 H   Clothes Make the Man               Michelle Ng -#29685
 SF  Mr. Jacobi's Day Out               Michael Stevens -#29686
 F   One Last Ride                      Chris Ross -#29687
 SF  Forever Grey Chapter 1             Greg Tracii -#29688
 F   The Pattern's Web, Chap 2          Helen Sanders -#29689
 F   The Manager of a Chicken Franchise in Vinland -v3-  Brian Lonberg -#29690
 F   Arc Jones                          Tommy Mac Bird -#29691
 SF  Bonfire of the Silver Smoke        Yacine GACI -#29692

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended books on writing:

THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
	ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
	Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI

STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad
	How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8

EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
	(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
 
Because you might enjoy it... OF WORLDS BEYOND by LLOYD ARTHUR ESHBACH, ED.
Heinlein, Campbell, 'Doc' Smith, Williamson, de Camp, van Vogt, & Taine offer some of the best explanations ever on how to write SF.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1462
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...

In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
 L   Asshole                            Mark Herrera -#29578

In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery :
 M   The Missing, Chapters 1-2          Leanna Zimmerman -#29559

In the nonfiction workshop - https://critique.org/nonfiction :
 NH  That Woman                         Wanda Little Fenimore -#29130

In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
 SC  Emergency                          Joe Latessa -#29381

In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
 BK  Monarchs of Greenwood - Fly With Me, CH. 1-3  Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#29197

In the comics workshop - https://critique.org/comics :
 CG  Magna. logline/ synopsis           Brent Claridge -#28885

In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
 W   A Message to Santa Fe, Chap 1-3    Frank Coombs -#25375

In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
 R   Love and Other Experiments: First 3 Chapters  Tabitha Hapeman -#29363
 R   First 10 pages-- The Last Prince   Brandi Cote -#29364

In the video workshop - https://critique.org/video :
 VS  The Gallery of Henri Beauchamp     Jay DeTalente -#21424

In the music workshop - https://critique.org/music :
 MP  The Shade Riders and Nocturnal Ned song  Beth Zurkowski -#21675

In the photo workshop - https://critique.org/photo :
 PH  Hawk                               Sandy Kulhavy -#29426

In the art workshop - https://critique.org/art :
 AH  Art Man, a portrait                Robert J Cleary -#27847

In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
 WW  Franklin's Palindromedary          Ray N. Franklin -#29498

In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
 F   Who Needs Chemistry?               Adam Pitts -#29681
 SF  Warrior of the Rock                Pete Koziar -#29682
 SF  MONSTER!                           Alex Vinicius Santana Souza -#29683
 SF  Mandala Rule SYNOPSIS              AllisonEstry -#29684
 H   Clothes Make the Man               Michelle Ng -#29685
 SF  Mr. Jacobi's Day Out               Michael Stevens -#29686
 F   One Last Ride                      Chris Ross -#29687
 SF  Forever Grey Chapter 1             Greg Tracii -#29688
 F   The Pattern's Web, Chap 2          Helen Sanders -#29689
 F   The Manager of a Chicken Franchise in Vinland -v3-  Brian Lonberg -#29690
 F   Arc Jones                          Tommy Mac Bird -#29691
 SF  Bonfire of the Silver Smoke        Yacine GACI -#29692
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You might also like... COSMIC COINCIDENCES by JOHN GRIBBIN AND MARTIN REES
A provocative search through space and time for a cosmic blueprint -  and the source of life in the universe.  
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1453

Standard notes:

HELP:
If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there
are FAQs and a form to ask questions.

HELPING CRITTERS:
Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to
help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit
https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!!

HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES:
Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so
I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort.
Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to
archive).  Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in
the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234.  (Conversely, if you want
ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique,
don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it.  Also -- put my current
anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)

You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht .

Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday.

DIPLOMACY:
Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here.  Be polite.  Be
considerate.  Be tactful.  You can say you thought a story was drivel in a
courteous way.  Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives
if you can.  Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story.  Authors:
Remember that some reviewers may lack tact.  Try to be understanding,
but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short
to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the
reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something
more insightful.  See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more...

CRITIQUE LENGTH:
If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for
credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put
"NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say
something like "not for credit" inside your critique.  (Remember also that
for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.)

CHATTING:
Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques,
or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the
official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht
web page for full info, guidelines, etc.)  Don't post stories or critiques
(mail those to critters@critique.org).

QUOTING:
Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!).
Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht .

EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB:
Past reviews are on the web page.  The current week's manuscripts are
also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites.  There's a Master
Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items.

AUTHORS:
Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from
me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify
I'm sending them to the correct address.  (Send me a phone# in case I
can't get email to you.)  Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure
it's all there and readable.

EMAIL ISSUES:
If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed,
SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end),
point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .  Please don't
ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore!  (E.g., if you're going
on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after
your trip.)

BACKUP SITE:
If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up
an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the
week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-).  Speaking of backups --
don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them!

QUITTING:
If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .

DONATIONS:
Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php
if you'd like to help out.

Because you might enjoy it... IN SEARCH OF WONDER by DAMON KNIGHT
The premier book of SF insight for all SF readers and writers.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1412

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