Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Call For Submissions: Talkin' Heads

Okay, folks, here's something new for you.

This week, we're going to focus on our MCs. Send in an excerpt (roughly 250 words) of a dialogue-rich scene that bestows a sense of EMPATHY for your main character.

The emphasis here is dialogue, not action. Tags, internal dialogue, and a bit of action are fine. Just try to find something where your MC's dialogue with another character(s) is the main thrust of the scene.

And by the time we reach the end of your excerpt, we should REALLY CARE about what happens next.

Or, at the very least, we should be INTERESTED to find out what will happen to the MC.

Capiche?

Email your submissions to facelesswords(at)gmail.com by 9:00 am EDT on Thursday, June 26.

Post your questions here.

And here's a tip for you, so that you get the most out of this exercise (and subsequent exercises). Don't write something just for this submission. Find something from a work that's well on its way to polishedhood. Find something you feel confident about, but could use some fresh eyes for. Find something that could really benefit from some good feedback here.

And if you can find a way to email me a slice of key lime pie, feel free. I am burdened with an inexplicable craving for one right now.

Looking forward to your submissions!

10 comments:

  1. Cool! I'll have to look through my stuff and see what I can find...

    I'm in a phase where I think all my characters are rather dislikable in one way or another. :P *snickers*

    We'll see... I need sleep to think on it first.

    ~Merc

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  2. I'll have to skip this - still got heaps more polishing to do! Yuna

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  3. Hmmm... I'll have to think about this. Most my characters don't have a single DL scene that works for this.

    But I'll go looking. I'm sure I can find something that will pass the test :o)

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  4. Should we restrain ourselves to one submission? Or shall the Wulfing begin?

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  5. Hmm. Not sure I have a scene that is short enough to qualify. I'll have to root around a bit...

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  6. Let the "Wulfing" begin! :) You're a "member in good standing," as it were. I don't think there's any such thing as "submission spam." Is there?

    Remember, too, everyone, that you don't have to find One Perfect Scene that encompasses your MC's complete psychological profile. Just something that is compelling enough to really make the reader CARE. Whatever that means to you.

    Looking forward to your submissions!

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  7. 250 words that make the reader care about my MC?

    Drat..... I'm not sure I have an MC people won't want to take outback and shoot at least once during the book.

    (goes digging)

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  8. You said multiple submissions, right?

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  9. What email addy should we use. :)

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  10. I sent mine to you Tuesday, and you usually reply, but this time you didn't. So did you get it? Or do I need to resend? It's from my steampunk UF.

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