GUD for U

Every author has their secret gauge for our peer's work. Some people will tell you that they can guess how long it will take you to be published by the number of adverbs you've used, or by how similar to Tolkien you write, or by the number of steamy kisses in the first chapter.

Here's my secret litmus test for writing:
- If I read a chapter, walk away, and can't even remember the basic plot of the chapter in a week the work has a long way to go.

- If I read a chapter, walk away for a week, and can come back and pick up the book as if the intervening week hasn't happened the work is pretty solid.

- If I read a chapter and either can't put the book down, or can't stop myself thinking about the world and characters when I walk away, it's time for that manuscript to hint the shelves.


What does this have to do with my beloved GUD4 and the reading challenge? Well, it blows my theory out of the water honestly.

Or... maybe not. Maybe it just points out how subjective reading is. All of the stories in GUD4 were chosen by the editors because they clicked with the editor. Because someone loved them. Because they haunted the editor, even if they didn't haunt me.

I did find several of the stories that made me want to hunt the author down because I loved their style. And one peculiar story where the style didn't grab me at first, but the writing and story did. Who knew you could find a new writing style to adore in your old age (of 26)?

I also ran into my first #authorfail.

Let me repeat just one more time: PLATFORM!!!

If you are going to get published find a way to make your mark on the web. Please? If I go to Google you, I better be able to find you. And not just listed in the glossary of the book/anthology/magazine I'm currently reading.

I'm just saying... if I love your work, don't make me work to find you. You're losing a sale.