Yzabel / March 30, 2007

Good news

As usual, I don’t have too much time to write in here these days, but since I have something nice to share…

I got an answer regarding one of the short stories I had submitted a few weeks ago, and it was a positive one, which will be… the first time ever for me. No need to say I’m pretty happy about it, because no matter what, whether it is in a paper anthology or in a webzine, I had never been published before (save for a couple of articles in a fanzine, but that was long ago, and it didn’t have to go through a screening process first).

I don’t know how it goes for other authors. In my case, I… didn’t sleep during that night, out of being so excited (I got the answer at 11:30 PM), then lived on a happy little cloud the day after. It’s a small step, yet one that will definitely hold much importance to my eyes. It’s also one of the short stories I’ve had the hardest time writing, because it dealt with a sort of ‘borderline’ theme that could’ve quickly fell into exaggeration, and I constantly was under the impression that I was ‘going too far’. So, I’m sort of twice as satisfied.

In any case, Yza is happy (and may now proceed to decide on a pen name at last, because she’s going to need it * chuckles *).

Yzabel / January 8, 2007

Short Stories vs. Novels

A little question has been wandering in my mind these last days, and I’ve decided to write it down here.

Those of you who are writers, are trying to be published, or are simply readers, do you think that the best course of action is to submit short stories in an attempt to be published in magazines, fanzines and anthologies, instead of working on a novel? Or, on the contrary, is publishing a novel or two first the right solution, before dispatching short stories around?

On the one hand, one could present the argument that it is best to be known through short stories before submitting a novel, because this sort of legitimates the author–much like a company would ask for previous experience before hiring you.

On the other hand, the format of the short story isn’t as evident as it appears to laymen’s eyes, and since selling such texts isn’t the easiest thing, what are the real chances given to unknown people in that area? Is working on short stories a waste of time? Should they focus on a novel instead?

I’m wondering about that, since myself am not the best judge in that regard. I’d rather leer toward the first solution, given my professional orientation, in which lots of previous jobs = valuable experience, not instability. But am I not too inexperienced in terms of writing to really have an opinion on that?

Is this only a question worth being asked, or am I nitpicking?

Yzabel / August 25, 2006

A Tale of Woe

[Since I haven’t been posting much lately–that’s the least we can say, hmmm?–here’s a little “fan-fiction” story. It’s nothing original in itself, and far from being my best, but it kept me writing in English all the same.

For the record, it’s set in the Warcraft universe, more precisely after WC III: Frozen Throne (I happen to like this world somehow, even though it’s quite a simple and basic one). The human kingdoms of the North have been plagued by a strange disease called “the Scourge”, turning them into mindless undead drones, and only a small fraction of them, the Forsaken, has been able to return to their “sanity” – while still remaining undead, that is. Of course, normal humans now consider them all enemies. As for Brill, it’s a Forsaken-controlled village.]Read More

Yzabel / January 18, 2006

You Want To Write In What?

No kidding, I must really be doomed when it comes to short stories.

I’m working on a quick plan for a text in French, one that I will send to the Harfang association. I don’t have that many hopes, since everybody here knows how much I suck at short stories, but one needs to start somewhere, and if I don’t try and practice, I’ll never improve.

Now that I’ve found an idea, I don’t know how to begin the story.

I’m hesitating between first and third person. However, and this is way more of a bother, I keep on feeling like I should write it in English. I’m on the verge of banging my head against the table, because this is so very stupid. For once that I decide to work on an imposed theme and try to see if I’m able to pull it through, I’m hindered by the choice of the language.

I don’t doubt that in a few days at the most, I’ll be able to go past this block and write the story for good, but this is aggravating all the same!