Tuesday 1 February 2011

If Trains Puffed Green Smoke

I try not to edit while drafting a story--and usually fail in the case of short stories and first chapters--but I'm considering following my five-year-old niece's method.

How to write according to Amy...

Write two sentences.
Cross out any misspellings or loose words.
Spend next half-hour drawing pretty and gruesome illustrations.
If you can't find a green crayon, add snot. ("Everyone has green up their noses," she said at my yuck!)
If you can't find a red crayon....use a pink one instead. Phew!

You may want to attempt the above method while writing a steampunk story for the below--though I recommend you don't.

Sean Wallace is looking for stories for The Mammoth Book of Steampunk to be published by Robinson in the UK and Running Press in the US in 2012. Deadline is April 1st, 2011 and the pay rate is five cents a word.

Get to.

5 comments:

Aaron Polson said...

She is a future bestselling author/artist. Multimedia at such a young age...and yes, I was talking about the snot. ;)

Anonymous said...

Wise beyond her years...

Kara McElhinny said...

I like how you joined those two thoughts Cate :)

Sadly, I don't write Steam-punk, but I will take Amy up on most of her advice, she seems very in touch with the force.

Hope you're doing well, lady!
Happy writing!!

Michael Stone said...

I can see the blurb in twenty years' time: "Free DNA with every book! Clone your own bestselling author!"

Cate Gardner said...

As long as she doesn't become snotty, I'll be proud, Aaron. ;)

Very, Milo

She is the force, Kara

No cloning. There's only one Amy. :D