Challenge Questions

As I Normally Do…

I am getting questions on these new challenges. So here are some answers.

— When can I start?

With the short story challenge, you start when you turn in a story to me. That starts the clock ticking and each week you need to turn in a story following the instructions. Any time in the next month or so.

With the novel challenge, you write me and tell me you are starting. Two months later from that date is the deadline, so you can make sure you are ready to start before you tell me, just don’t have any words written. This can be any time until the first of June unless you ask me otherwise.

— Can I Move from the Short Story Challenge to the Novel?

Yes, just write me.

— Why So Fast On the Paper Edition in the Novel Challenge?

Because I don’t want anyone waiting for my comments before publishing their novel. I am just a reader. You start worrying about my comments and you will miss the two month writing deadline on the novels and miss the short story deadline each week. Besides, it will force you to do what you should be doing and that is getting the books out.

— Do I Have to Do the Paper Edition of the Novel?

Nope. Just turn the novel into me in manuscript format in a doc or docx attached file.

— Can You Handle Erotica?

This question got me laughing. Yes, I can handle erotica. I used to write the letters for Penthouse Magazine (for good money) back in my early writing days. Wrote numbers of erotic novels as well over the years. This is open to any genre. Just have to be 40,000 words in length, so that will cut out some early reader and young adult novels. Sorry.

— Why 40,000 Words Minimum for a Novel?

Standard novel length, plus if you are writing average 5,000 word stories in the short story workshop, you would be doing about 20,000 words a month. Same as the novel challenge.

— Why Are You Doing Both of These Now?

To try to help writers get focused through the Time of Great Forgetting, to be honest. More on that in an upcoming blog.

Any other questions, feel free to write me directly or ask here.

And to sign up for either challenge, do so on Teachable.