The Beginning

As an aspiring fiction writer (and semi obsessive type, occasional insomniac/narcoleptic, and relative blog novice), I thought there could be some use and interest in a blog that could help out other aspiring writers, sharing finds, as well as observations about markets and the literary world. Having tasked myself with doing a hell of a lot more research into different markets than I've done over the past several years, it seems quite fitting to share observations and semi reviews of their pages. Seeing how, being a writer (and many of us are often starving) it's hard to hit all the great literary magazines out there on one's own.

As is befitting a beginning, though, I'd first like to recommend a site for any aspiring writers out there. It's Zoetrope. It's loosely affiliated with Zoetrope All-Story, but in fact functions as a writer's community.

It works in a mutually beneficial workshop fashion, with users required to read and critique the works of others. For those of us who are too lazy (like me) or hermetlike (again, like me) to operate in a real-world, scheduled workshop, it really is the best.

Sure, I've read some work there that is that of beginners, and really needs the help -- though I might add, beginners really tend to appreciate constructive feedback. Meanwhile, I have also read some of the most amazing, knock-me-on-my-ass pieces, by authors I'm certain will "be somebody" someday.

I'll end this first post on this note. Stay tuned for more rants and raves. Thanks for reading.

LadyLitBlitzin