At Queens, writers participate in small group (3 - 4 members) and large group (7 - 8 members, comprised of small group + another) workshops. Manuscript submissions to each group are limited to 25 pages. My short story collection ms ran 25 1/2 pages. No amount of editing (or at least the cuts I was willing to make) could shorten that last paragraph. I could have done some creative font changes and page break deletions but decided against it - sticking to guidelines and all that. I'd have to cut one story.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/subcess/3723699858/ |
My current solution? Leave the historical fiction at home. I've divided up the short stories, for small and large group submissions. It makes more sense to focus on one project at a time.
I'm still wavering...I might end up making copies of the of the historical fiction chapters and bring them along, just in case I change my mind. Again.
4 comments:
Does half a page really make such a difference? Especially when you're submitting it in a workshop? I'm sure people will understand. 25 pages (give or take a page).
I sent in a writing sample to Vanderbilt that finished on pg 26 (they ask for 20-25 pages, and I didn't have a sample in that range).
In the end, it's all about your work. Yes, stick to the page count, but not so obsessively that you're fiddling with font and margins and finally dropping the story all together because of one paragraph.
What do you think?
I kept the contemporary short stories split and have copies of the historical fiction...I think (right now!)I'd like both genres critiqued (see, switched from yesterday!)
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