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FOR READERS: Dialects

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FOR READERS Today’s reader topic comes from QSFer Angel Martinez: When reading dialogue and you come across regional dialects (or even made up dialects) – love it or hate it? Writers: This is a reader chat – you are welcome to join it, but please do not reference your own works directly. Thanks! Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: ARCs and Street Teams

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Jana Denardo: I’ve been seeing a rise in ‘street teams’ or ‘ARC teams’ where arcs are given out so there will be reviews on/around release day. Has anyone tried this? has it improved sales? How have you chosen your team? (I’ve seen requests go out in vast email lists which seems like an unlikely way to do it). Join the chat

FOR READERS AND WRITERS: A Very Special Valentine’s Day

spec fic valentine

In honor of the holiday, I thought it would be fun to share your favorite spec fic Valentine’s Day stories. This chat is for both readers and writers. Here are the parameters: Readers: What are some of your favorite Valentine’s Day themed stories that are also speculative fiction? Writers: Have you written any spec fic V-Day themed stories? And if not, what might you write about, if given the chance?

FOR WRITERS: Writing Flash Fiction

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Scott: With the next QSF flash fiction contest just over a month away, I thought it would be great to have a chat about how to write this unique fiction format. For those of you who have done it, and done it well, how did you tackle it? What separates a good flash fiction piece from a not so good one? How do you hook the reader in just 300 words? I’ll tag our previous winners. Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: Building an Afterlife

Afterlife

FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer MK Mancos: “Do your characters believe in life after death? Or merely a transference of energy?” I’d broaden this out a little… have you written stories based on the idea of an afterlife or reincarnation? Did you use an existing framework or come up with your own? How could this be applied in speculative fiction? Join the chat

FOR WRITERS: Mentors

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FOR WRITERS Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer M.K. Mancos: “Learning the craft from your favorite authors” It’s a great topic – and it could work a couple ways. As writers, we often look for other more experienced writers to be our mentors, to answer some of the harder questions on the writing process, submissions, and publishing in general. But we can also learn a lot from simply reading and deconstructing some of our favorite authors’ works. As a writer, do you have a mentor? How do you find one? And have you used other writer’s works as inspiration for … Read more