Kevin's Watch

Deadlines help me write in general, and I don't write stories I don't care about. The Anthology is vanity only if you choose to view it that way. I view it as writing.

*shrug* I mostly agree with Jay myself...it's just fun. But then, unlike the rest of you, I don't put any effort into it either.

Apart from the first piece in the first one, I haven't actually written anything specifically for it. I just submit a whole bunch of my old stuff and let them look at it.

Doesn't matter to me one way or another. Never expected anything from it, don't get anything from it except feeling flattered that the subs people think some of my poetry is good enough to include.

I agree with Aliantha's distinction between the Anthology and pure vanity publishing, but I do think it's a fine line, and that Cj isn't exactly wrong.

But like Jay, I think it's a nice fun thing for the forum. It's not like anybody is trying to profit from it. *shrug*

If you all still want submissions, I'll mail you a few of my old poems in when deadline comes around. Doesn't cost me anything. If you wanna postpone it, by all means. I plan on being around for a while.

--A

This whole thing was built for fun. No question. However in some instances there must be some point of view at work here that suggests a fundamental lack of respect for the material. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion but I believe that few writers are willing to be rejected 47 times. That doesn't instantly mean he or she is a hack that only deserves to be published by a vanity press. I'll grant you that not every story we've published in the Anthologies is a candidate for prestigious award but on the whole (especially in the case of the second Anthology) the quality has been excellent and I've been very impressed. I think the one thing I look forward to the most is getting to see what comes next. What surprising and thought provoking ideas our contributors create. I don't suppose I care all that much if the books are read by anyone outside our group but I wouldn't be surprised if they were and I wouldn't be suprised at all if they enjoyed what they read.

All true, Tom. In addition, for those writers who will keep on writing, it's good experience. At least two of us have made it the beginning of a career.

...I'd like to see it continue...for no other reason than it enables everyone here to be able to read a bit of what other Watch memebers are writting.

The Hall of Gifts is great...but it's hard to read a 20 page short story...if it has to be bi-anual rather than anual, I dodn't see a problem with that; most of us have full time jobs and can't commit enough writting time to finish a story in the deadline.

I wonder if it's the fact that people have had thier stories rejected...not by book editors, or publishers or agents...but by their own peers, that has kept the interest down...?
That may in turn not only keep people away from submitting...and buying...but also keep people away from volenteering to be on the submission team...for fear of upsetting other atch members...?

Perhaps NON watch members may be a better choice for a submission team.

I do agree with what Loremaster was saying...that the Second Anthology seemed to have a very unenthusiastic distribution.
Once it was printed very little interest was shown, and almost none was posted.
I know I was looking foreward to seeing what people might have said about my story (Bth positive and especially negative)- but there was nothing.

Really; the only Watch member I know that has even read my story-and had anything to say about it is Joy.

So basically, if there had ben more enthusiasm over the 2ns Anthology after it was printed, then there would probebly be more interest in a Third Anthology

I will read your story today, Drew.

I'll start a 2nd Anthology discussion thread

Although you and I will mosre than likely be the only posters.

drew wrote:I'll start a 2nd Anthology discussion thread

Although you and I will mosre than likely be the only posters.

Hey I reviewed some stories and no one really cared other than Dragonlilly. A real big letdown the response to the 2nd Anthology. I have no idea if people like our stories.

I liked your story...but I'll wait until there is a review thread to let you know exactly how I felt.

drew wrote:I liked your story...but I'll wait until there is a review thread to let you know exactly how I felt.

Thanks.

Maybe I should consider buying a copy. I've occasionally felt like commenting, but I have no idea what the finished product is like after the stories get passed along to Dragonlily.

By all means, Murrin! I'd like for you to see the results of your work.

So what about my idea of having non watch mebers on the selction team?

How could we find people who aren't family of the writers?

..Friends I guess.

They could recieve the stories "Blindly"-as in, without an authors name.

I think the submissions are already read "blindly", yes?

I liked everybody's stuff in the 2nd Anthology. It took me awhile to get around to a) buying it, and b) reading it, so I didn't post right away. But I'm pretty sure I posted *some*where about it....

Well, you did mention my piece in it...

--A

That's right. I seem to remember she said that it made her laugh out loud, same as it did me.

Haha, not necessarily the reaction I was going for...

--A

"Moving the reader to laughter" is different from "amusing the reader". It was the former.