gideonpsmith

Dealing with Rejection

If you’ve come here looking for advice on your latest romantic disaster I’m afraid you’re in the wrong place – this is about rejection in writing! While I have experienced rejection in both, the only useful perspective I have is in the latter. So you just got an email from your dream agent or Clarkesworld,ContinueContinue reading “Dealing with Rejection”

Weighing the Value of Writing Short Fiction

Why write short fiction? Traditionally, the advice has been that you should write short fiction to get writing credits, which will open the doors for you to get a literary agent and write long-form fiction. I have certainly been given this advice, and I have heard it spoken from luminaries such as George R. R.ContinueContinue reading “Weighing the Value of Writing Short Fiction”

Short Fiction Acceptance

So I got my first fiction acceptance. Now, granted it’s only a drabble (100 words exactly) and so on the pay per word it works out at less than the cup of coffee I likely bought while writing it, but it still is nice to hear someone wanted something I wrote! Keep the faith myContinueContinue reading “Short Fiction Acceptance”

Year In Review 2022

As we close out 2022 I thought I would write a short blog on my writing journey this year. Both achievements and set-backs. And while there certainly have been a few of the latter, I will say I am quite proud of all I have done, even if it has not yet produced the desiredContinueContinue reading “Year In Review 2022”

Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Rules of Writing

All as pertinent today as when he wrote them. Plus a couple of my own thoughts on each. Let me know yours! 1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted. I take this to mean give them a satisfying story.ContinueContinue reading “Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Rules of Writing”

Guest Post: Writing for the SFWA Blog

As I stated in my last post – you may have noticed I have been a little slower with blog posts here lately as I have been fortunate to write guest blog posts elsewhere and that has kept me busy. The second of these has just come out on the Science Fiction and Fantasy WritersContinueContinue reading “Guest Post: Writing for the SFWA Blog”

Guest Post: Dan Koboldt’s Science in SciFi

So I have not posted a blog post here recently, but it is because I was fortunate enough to be invited to do guest blog posts a couple of places. The first of those to come out is a post on the Science of Skin in Fiction, which is a guest blog post on DanContinueContinue reading “Guest Post: Dan Koboldt’s Science in SciFi”

Short Story or Novel: Smart Choices Help You Write What You Intended

At a recent writers workshop I was surprised to hear repeatedly the question, ‘How do you know how long a piece should be?” and almost as equally surprised to hear the answer “You just find out as you are writing.” Now, no doubt, the writers giving those answers were writers who are more experienced thanContinueContinue reading “Short Story or Novel: Smart Choices Help You Write What You Intended”

The Justice of Kings

One liner: We follow Helena Sedanka, clerk to Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice as he investigates a noblewoman’s murder and uncovers a political plot that goes much, much deeper. The Pros: The magic is sparse, but very well done. Combining legal considerations, and investigation and fantasy is original and truly refreshing The world feelsContinueContinue reading “The Justice of Kings”

Twitter #PitchContests

So it is the evening of August 25th and I spent the day taking part in the Twitter pitch event #SFFPit. Many of you will know what this is, but for anyone that does not: it is a day where you get to tweet a 280-character summary of your novel as a ‘pitch’, once perContinueContinue reading “Twitter #PitchContests”