Starkess

@Ordos, what genre is your book? Even in contemporary fiction, 47k is really far too short for a novel. Not sure where you saw that 50k-60k is average, because even that is quite short. If you're looking for trad pub, probably 70k is bare minimum. If it's a genre book, even higher. If your age category is YA, that reduces things a bit, but 47 is still too short. Of course, these things are just guidelines and not law, but you'd be really stacking the odds against yourself. Here's a good summary.

If you're self publishing, then I don't think it's as much of an issue.  

19 hours ago, Lord Patrek said:

Fair enough.

But a query letter requires that you pimp yourself and your work in the hope of enticing potential agents to check out your ms. It's a process that I find quite difficult and believe I kind of suck at.

Imagine trying to put a positive spin on something you consider total trash! If you manage, please let me know and I might copy your query letter for future submissions! Either way, best of luck to you! 

Yeah, well, that's the hard part isn't it!  Could be why I haven't had any luck with any of my previous querying projects. But while querying is a frustrating and demoralizing process, I'd rather give it a shot than stuff something back into a drawer.

I keep telling myself with every project that if it doesn't get picked up, then next time I'll try self publishing, but I still keep plugging away at trad pub. I just know how hard it is to self pub and I figure if I'm gonna fail, at least this way I fail quietly and no one but a few agents have to know how bad it is.

23 hours ago, Lord Patrek said:

An extra 30,000 words is a pretty big edit!

If it's total trash, why put more effort into trying to find an agent to rep it? Maybe just be happy that your manuscript is complete and begin something new?

Why not? Might as well send some queries as I start the next project. Doesn't cost me anything but some time.

Finally finished the new draft of my latest manuscript! At only 1-2 hours a week, it took a while, but it's done! The draft went from about 85k to about 115k, so it wasn't an insignificant edit. It's total trash but I guess I'll try to write a query letter just in case...

One caution I would have is that I think Fez mentioned having wave/curl in his hair, which means hairbrushes can cause poofiness!

Yep, a fine tooth comb can get the hair very smooth and neat, but sometimes a little TOO smooth and neat. For a looser texture a wide tooth comb should help, or even the good old finger comb method. But I don't know the specifics for men's combs!

I did it! Had to basically drag myself across the finish line, but I made it. The weather was unseasonally hot and humid, which didn't help, and that hip injury came roaring back with a vengeance in the back half. Somewhere around mile 18 things started to get pretty bad, by mile 23 I ended up having to walk 2 miles. Not sure if was worth it, as the main issue was muscle pain, and every step hurt whether running or walking. At least with running I would have been done about 10 minutes sooner! But when running and in pain it's very easy to think "it won't be as bad if I walk" and then hard to get started again. But at mile 25 I decided I would be damned if I didn't run across the finish line, and I managed it from there. My time ended up being 5:02:27 (so close to 5 hours!), but given my injury during training and the weather, I'm just glad it's done.

And I'm never doing a marathon again! Glad I did it (or at least, I will be once I can walk normally again), but yeah, that's too far.

Had a short story accepted at a magazine this week. It's only $10, but it's not zero! My boyfriend is telling me I should write more short stories, but honestly they're not my favorite. But I will if the urge strikes, I suppose.

On 10/4/2021 at 10:30 AM, Fez said:

2. The gel I am using (a "firm hold") only seems to last a few hours. I'm trying to keep my hair slicked back, but it doesn't take long to fall to the sides and give me an extremely '90s middle part.

If it makes you any feel better, those middle parts are extremely in now  

Alright, my longest training run is in the books. Was supposed to be 20 miles, but I knew I'd not make that so I stuck for 3 hours 15 minutes. Those last 15 minutes were...not fun. But I made it about 17.5 miles, a new record for me. And I feel confident that I can at least complete the marathon, although if that was a preview it is going to be an absolutely miserable experience in the end.

Now begins the taper. Which I'm looking forward to, gods I'm so tired, but also I've gained about 5 lbs the past month and I know I'm just going to feel even worse about it when I'm not running as much. Didn't want to try and mess around with marathon training on a calorie deficit, but after the race I'll be starting counting calories again to cut this a bit. I just feel so puffy around the middle!

I have a story coming out in a new anthology called Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging. The anthology is in two volumes, both available for pre-order now from Improbable Press! My story is in the Silver volume. 

Yeah some people are just really next level. Pretty nuts to imagine!

1 hour ago, Mudguard said:

Holy shit, a three hour plus training run?  My knees hurt just thinking about that.  I think I would need at least several days, maybe a week, to recover from that.  My longest run so far has been for 1:45, and I took off three days and still felt sore for an additional 2 or 3 days after I started running some easy runs again.  Good luck with the rest of your training and your race!

I've noticed that if I run for longer than about an hour, usually I'll start feeling soreness in at least one of my knees, and sometimes my muscles will also start tightening from fatigue if I'm running a bit too fast.  I think I'm going to stick to 5K and 10K training programs for a while, partly because the vast majority of the runs in this category are under an hour, so are relatively low stress and it's something I can do 6/7 days a week without much difficulty (much easier to find time for a quick run too).  It'll also help me build up my speed along with some additional strength and durability in my legs.  Not even sure I want to try running a half this year to check on my progress.  Maybe next year...

Yep, that's generally why it's not recommended to go over that, even if you're not hitting the mileage. It takes so much to recover from that it impairs your training more than it helps! Luckily this is my longest run and the peak of my plan--after this, it'll be taper time! Just a little 12 miler 8 miler the next weeks. And then I may never run again...

Okay that's not true, but it will definitely be nice to take some time off and reduce my weekly mileage!!

8 minutes ago, Impmk2 said:

Goodluck! Take it very easy. 3:15 is super long for a training run.

Yeah, I'm slow.  I cut if off at 3 hours a couple weeks ago and that was only 16.6 miles!!

Last week was my first week back to being 100% on my training plan. It was pretty hard, and my hip is still nagging at me, but I feel like at least I'll be able to get across the finish line next month!

This weekend will be my peak training run. Nominally 20 miles, but following both general internet advice and affirmation from a physical therapist, I'm too slow to do 20 miles. I'll cut it off at 3:15 instead, as the additional time on my feet will hurt more than it will help.

On 8/24/2021 at 11:14 PM, Iskaral Pust said:

I stand in awe of all you marathon runners.  I’m definitely put off by the idea of grinding through so many training miles for so many months, and the inevitable stress injuries.  I got very few injuries during many years of running miles around soccer fields (only when some external impact caused one), but running 3-5 miles on asphalt more than once a week causes more stress soreness — shin splints, lower back, etc — than any game of soccer.

My dad ran three or four marathons in his 30s, and I remember him icing his knees most nights as he trained.  Later he had his hip replaced by age 55, and still has ongoing lumbar disc problems.  Not all due to a few years of road running, but it definitely contributed.

Yeah, I love long distance running but I've always been of the opinion that a marathon is where it tips the scales into being detrimental to one's health to run that much. This is why I've not done a marathon before and why this upcoming marathon is intended to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'll be happily back to running halfs and 10ks with lots of adequate rest after this!

On 8/23/2021 at 3:59 AM, Impmk2 said:

From there - for me training from half distance to full marathon took about 14 weeks. Though at that stage I already had a very solid base from a couple years running and already knew what 30km felt like. Half the battle is not getting injured (I did not manage to get to the start line completely injury free either of the times I ran it). So taking it slow, steady and giving it a year or 2 to really condition the legs to prep for those 70km+ weeks at peak training is a pretty good idea imo.

 so true

Still working with my stupid hip and it's stupid nagging pain. It's getting better, I think, and I've been pretty good about following the exercises and stretches from the PT. But my running volume is so low for 3 weeks now, and I'm not sure how I can possibly hope to complete a marathon in 6 weeks or so. Oh well. Just gotta keep doing what I can and listening to my body and see where I end up. Today was supposed to be an 18 mile run but obviously that wasn't happening. Instead I ran 3 miles, biked 66 minutes (meant as a sub for running 6 miles), ellipticaled 3 miles, biked 33 minutes (to sub for 3 miles), and walked 3 miles. So at least I'm still trying to maintain some fitness! But if I can't manage a 10+ mile run soon, I'm gonna probably have to nix the marathon. I could attempt to walk the marathon, but that also requires a fair bit of preparation and Chicago has a pretty tight time cut-off with 6.5 hours, meaning I'd have to maintain 15 min/mi for the entire race.

You are writing a very dark book! Sounds interesting, though.

I've never been a big fan of traditional deadlifts, but I do Romanian all the time, one of my favorite exercises! But then I'm a stereotypical female lifter, always trying to hit the glutes.

Speaking of glutes, mine is still acting up. This started over a week ago, I was resting and icing and doing all the things. It started to feel better late last week, almost totally gone by Saturday, so I figured I'd try a nice easy 3 mile run on Sunday. But then of course I woke up on Sunday morning with it hurting a lot again?? I have no clue what could have triggered it. I did do the 3 miles, and while it didn't seem to make it worse, it didn't feel great either. So back to resting. Sigh. I've been trying to walk and stretch, but even walking is hurting now. Going in to see a physical therapist this afternoon, but I'm pretty sure they're not going to have that much more to tell me except...keep resting, icing, etc. And meanwhile today marks two months until my marathon so I am feeling hella stressed about not being able to run right now.

Lifting doesn't seem to make it feel any worse, but figured I should probably rest from that too, so skipped the gym today as well. Not only am I stressed about my race, stressed from being in pain, but also now I'm dealing with a deficit of endorphins... 

Update: The PT thought that is was primarily a muscle issue. She found an extremely painful knot in my glute med, which I'm not sure I can recreate myself but will be giving it a shot. Luckily, she thought it was unlikely that the bursa was any worse than slightly inflamed, and that with rest+stretch+mobility work+targeted release it should clear up relatively quickly. Sitting here at my desk, still in pain, I feel doubtful, but I'll just have to try it all and see. Oh and she said I could try some running as long as it doesn't actively make it worse, which is a big if but I'll probably try a mile or so tomorrow to see.

Got a short accepted into an anthology. Not a pro market, but paying, and there will be print copies so I'm going to get a contributor's copy! This is only my second short story sale so I'm pretty jazzed. 

On 7/25/2021 at 5:08 PM, Aurelius Talhoffer said:

if you don't mind me asking, how old were all of you when you started writing more purposefully? 

Me, I'm fresh off avoiding to celebrate my 40tieth. 

What I fear is, given my not so tender age, does it even make sense to give it a go?! 

As I read through this thread, I am feeling quite discouraged. I start to think it's all a fools errand.

This is a super common question among writers. You hear so much about promising young writers, "30 under 30", etc. But plenty of people have published their debut novels at ages more advanced than yours. I myself have been writing quite purposefully (ie making submissions) since I was 13, with somewhat of a hiatus during college, and have gotten nowhere fast so far (I'm 33 now).

Which brings me to the second point, is it all a fool's errand? Yes, probably. For the vast majority of us. The truth is that it is hard to get someone to publish your work, it is hard to successfully self-publish your work. But not because of your age! So...make of that you will. And if you want to write, write! Even without publication, it can be a very enjoyable hobby.

Good for him. I confess to both understanding his reluctance to take meds (I myself avoided it for 32 years and then was glad to only take a 9 month course, though only time will tell if I need them again) and also wondering why the hesitation on anti-anxiety meds if he's already been on anti-depressants? Anxiety about one's anxiety, perhaps. I understand that far too well. In any case, I hope he finds the peace he is looking for.

I've been able to add a second day of 1 hour to my schedule! Trucking right along. Think I'm about a quarter of the way through draft 2, and this section had a lot of new scenes so probably will pick up in pace.

Ooh, congrats @The Marquis de Leech! Exciting  And congrats on the sales, @Gigei! And congrats on the agent edits being done, @Derfel Cadarn! Such good news in here

Things are going steadily for me on my edit of my latest manuscript. Just finished a stretch where I had to write a bunch of new scenes from scratch, so that was painful at times, but I think it was good for the book. Given my current work/life/projects, I'm devoting only a single hour a week to writing, so I'm not expecting much progress, but it's amazing how much I can get done even with that little bit.

Unfortunately got a slew of short story rejections lately that left me a bit down about my newest stories, including one that seemed like it was in serious consideration only to have the magazine go under. Sigh.