Search This Blog

Wendy Metcalfe

Science Fiction author. Writes about big cats, sentient AIs and feminist topics. Sometimes in the same character.

Posts

Showing posts with the label submission package

Show All

June 16, 2022

From the horse's mouth

Get link
Facebook
X
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps

Followers

Wendy Metcalfe: I'm a science fiction author who writes about big cats, sentient AIs and feminist subjects. Sometimes with the same character. I can be found on Twitter at @WendyMetcalfe1

Visit profile

Labels

'Dark'fiction1
'hot' stories1
'Smart and sexy'1
#TenReasonsToKeepWriting1
A Dribble of Ink1
A dual publishing strategy1
abandoning novels1
About The Children1
acting as if1
action1

action storytelling.1
active imagination1
adding new viewpoints1
Adrian Tchaikovsky1
adventure stories1
Advice1
affirmations1
Agatha Christie1
agency2
Agent submissions2
Agents4
agents and editors advice1
Agents submissions1
Agents' on-line presence1
Aidan Moher1
Alastair Reynolds2
alien descriptions1
Alien worlds1
aliens1
Aliette de Bodard1
Allen Garrett1
Alliette de Bodard1
Alternate realities1
Amazon1
An Astronaut's Guide to Life1
Analyse a story1
Andy Weir1
Angela Duckworth1
Angry Robot3
AngryRobot1
Anne Leckie2
Anne McCaffreh1
Anne McCaffrey9
Anti-gravity1
Apprentice yourself to a master1
Arkady Martine1
art as civilisation1
Asexuality1
Asking 'what if'1
Attics1
Auroradawn10
Auroradawn's Quest1
authentic characters1
Authentic passion1
authentic voice2
Author as publicist1
Author choices1
author talks1
Avatar1
Avatars1
Award winning books1
awards season1
backstory3
backstory and frontstory1
balancing story elements1
Be true to your heart1
Be your own editor1
Becky Chambers7
beginnings1
Being brave1
being selective1
Being who we are1
belief1
beliefs1
beliefs and values1
best clothes1
Beth Miller1
Big Magic2
binge editing.Jade1
BIOOC characters1
birthing stories1
Blue Monday1
Blurbs3
book promotion1
book two1
books1
Books as magic1
bookshops1
boredom1
Borrowing plots1
brain fog1
Brand1
Brendan Deneen1
brevity in synopsis1
BSFA2
Building my brand1
building readership1
Bum glue1
buried treasure1
but different1
C J Cherryh2
cafe writing1
Cambridge Fellows Mysteries1
Carl Sagan1
Carly Watters1
Carol Westron13
Carole Blake1
Categories of reading experience1
Catherine King1
challenges of communicating with aliens1
challenging humour in writing1
change to indie publishing1
changing genre1
chapter endings1
chapter ends1
chapter order1
chapter outlines1
chapter planning1
chapter plans5
character2
character clothes1
character culling1
character depth1
Character descriptions1
Character emotions4
Character empathy1
Character grid1
character histories1
character hobbies1
Character illnesses1
Character journeys1
Character meetings1
character motivation3
Character motivations1
character names2
character notes1
character possessions1
character reactions to trauma1
character regrets1
character rooms1
character sexuality1
character-led fiction1
Characters8
Characters and money1
Characters and weather1
characters emotional involvement1
Characters in danger1
Characters' clothes1
characters' history1
Characters' inheritance1
Characters' weekends1
Charlie Cochrane2
checklist for editing1
Cheetah2
Children of Time1
Choice of viewpoint1
choice of writing genre1
Choosing main characters1
choosing setting scale1
choreographing action1
choreography2
Chris Hadfield1
Chris Hammacott2
Christine Hammacott2
Christmas dinner1
Christopher Vogler6
Christopher Vogler The Writer's Journey1
circular endings1
CJ Cherryh4
CL Higgins1
Claiming our profession1
Claiming our voice1
Claiming your own voice1
cliffhangers10
clues2
Coastal Conversations1
coherence1
coherence of character1
Combined Cognition6
combining ideas2
Comfort in fiction1
commitment2
Competition win1
competitions1
Conferences1
conflict4
Conflict and friction in stories1
Conflict in stories1
conflict or challenge in stories1
Cons1
consistency1
Constructing cliffhangers1
continuity errors1
conventions1
Conville and Walsh1
Conville and Walsh Word of Mouth Prize1
Coping with rejection1
Copy editing1
cosy crime1
covid1
creating characters1
Creating new worlds1
Creating worlds1
creative marinating1
creativity12
creativity in moral service1
crime fiction1
crime in SF1
crime in stories1
criteria for a great book1
criticism versus feedback1
Critics1
critiques1
Critiquing groups1
Crysse Morrison2
cultural influences2
Curiosity1
Curtis Brown1
Darius4
Dark fiction1
dark stories1
Darkness levels in crime1
David Baboulene1
Day of the Dead1
Deadlines1
Deadly Dames3
death1
decisions in storytelling1
deepening and widening1
Deepening the story1
definitions of success1
degrees of danger1
Degrees of planning1
Della Galton1
Description4
description in writing1
designing characters1
detail3
Details2
Dialogue1
disability in fiction1
disabled characters1
discovering backstory1
Distractions1
diversity2
diversity in fiction.Lucy V Hay1
Diversity in SF2
Diversity in SFF1
don’t tell1
Doreen Virtue1
downside of social media1
Dr.Jago Cooper1
dragons1
Drama in stories1
drawing1
Drawing on the right side of the brain1
Drawing readers in1
driverless cars1
Dublin 20193
Dublin Worldcon1
Dunford Novelists1
Dunford Novelists weekend1
Dysprosium1
dystopia1
Dystrophy fiction1
Eastercon2
ebooks1
edgy and experimental1
Editing29
Eileen Robertson5
EJ Swift1
elevator pitch1
Elizabeth George2
Elizabeth Gilbert2
Elizabeth Moon6
emotion2
Emotion in fiction1
emotional attachment to stories1
emotional depth1
emotional depth in writing1
emotional richness1
emotionally satisfying endings1
Emotions in writing1
Empathy1
ending stories1
Endings6
endings.resonance.sequels1
Engaged creativity1
English examinations1
erasure1
Eric Faisel1
Eric Maisel3
Essential support1
Ethics1
evaluating editing changes1
evaluating feedback1
evil1
exorcising critic ghosts1
exoticness1
Extrovert and introvert characters1
Eyemind28
fact and fiction1
fake it til you make it1
Familiar and unfamiliar tropes1
fantasy1
fantasy stories1
Fantasy tropes1
Fantasycon1
faster than light travel1
feedback7
feedback on stories1
Feedback on writing1
FEM-SF1
feminism1
feminism in SF short stories1
feminist issues1
feminist stories1
Fight scenes2
fight scenes. choreography1
Filling the well1
finding our home1
Finding the energy to write1
Finding time to write1
finishing stories1
first lines1
first page1
First pages1
flash fiction1
Fleet of Knives1
focus1
focus in writing1
focus on violence for sales1
folklore1
follow your passion1
foolproof technology1
Forced relationships2
forests1
form and function1
forms of conflict2
Free publicity1
Full Steam Ahead1
funeral scenes1
Gales1
Gareth L Powell1
Gareth Powell3
GarethLPowell1
Gemsigns1
gender in SF2
Genehunter5
genre2
genre mash-up1
genre mash-ups1
getting published1
getting story ideas1
Gifts2
giving feedback1
goal setting1
goals1
Gollanczfest2
grabbing attention1
Grimdark3
Grit1
Grounded SF1
Groundedness in sf1
growing old1
Guardian1
H1
hand-waving1
handling violence1
Handwavium1
Harry Potter1
Havant and District Writers' Circle5
Havant Literary Festival1
Helsinki1
hidden Imposter.self-rejection1
High concept1
historical writing1
home1
hooks1
Hope and joy in books1
Hope and survival1
Hope in stories1
Hopepunk7
horror stories1
Hothouse creativity1
How you tell it1
Hugh Howey2
Hugo awards1
Hugos1
Humour in stories1
Hybrid authors1
IAM writing festival1
Ice in weather and characters1
Ideas7
identifying strengths1
If only1
Imposter Sundrome1
Imposter Syndrome10
Independent publishing1
indie publishing3
indie publishing business1
indie versus mainstream publishing1
individuality1
influences1
Info-dump tricks1
info-dumps1
information versus info dump1
Inktober1
innocent abroad1
Inspiration for writing1
internal dialogue2
Internet1
Introvert gifts1
introverted writers1
intuition1
issue stories1
Issues in SF1
Issues in writing1
J.R.R Tolkien1
Jade3
Jealousy4
Jeanette Ng2
JK Rowling1
Joan D Vinge2
Joan Moules1
Joan Vinge. angry Robot1
Joanna Harris1
Joanne Harris2
John Berlyne2
John Downer2
John Yorke1
Jonny Geller1
Joseph Campbell5
Journalling2
joy of writing1
JRR Tolkien3
Jules Verne1
Julia Cameron7
Julie Crisp1
Juliet E McKenna1
Juliet Mushen1
jump-cuts1
Kameron Hurley1
Karen Traviss1
KarenTraviss1
Kate Mosse1
Katharine Kerr1
Katherine Kerr3
keeping going1
Keeping the faith1
keeping the faith as a writer1
keeping up morale1
kepu1
Killing characters1
Killing in books1
knowing your story world1
knowledge1
lack of respect for women1
Ladette stories1
ladies who lunch1
Landscape in story1
Language2
Larry Brooks Story Engineering1
Laura Lam Seven Devils1
Learning to be a writer1
Lee Harris1
left brain1
Left-overs1
legacy1
Lengthening the story1
letting the ideas flow1
letting the muse speak1
life purposes1
lightness1
Lightspeed Magazine1
Linear structure for stories1
linking books1
linking descriptions1
listening1
Literary dictators1
Lockdown2
Logistics1
logistics of the setting1
Loncon 33
Long and short stories1
Lorraine Mace1
magic systems1
Magical Cities2
magical objects1
main characters1
mainstream publishing2
making meaning1
making Your Creative Mark2
managing on-line presence1
manuscript critiques1
Manuscript faults1
map making1
Maps2
maps and lists1
maps in stories1
Maragaret Attwood1
Marcus Gipps2
Mark Coker1
Market requirements1
marketing4
Mars1
Martha Beck1
Martine McDonagh1
Mary Gentle2
Mary Robinette Kowal2
Measuring progress1
meditation1
Megacorps1
Memorable books1
Memorable characters1
meshing1
Messy settings1
Michael Morpurgo1
Michio Kaku1
Milford SF writers' workshop1
Military SF1
minor characters1
moods1
moral choice1
moral content1
moral content of writing1
moral responsibility1
morals1
morals in fiction1
Morals in stories1
Morning Pages1
motivation5
motives1
multi-tense1
multi-viewpoints1
multiple storylines1
My writing process1
Mysteries2
naming things1
NaNoWriMo3
Naomi Foyle1
Narnia1
narrative1
Narrative spine1
narrative timelines1
Near-future SF1
Negative monologues1
Neil Gaiman2
Nelson Mandela1
nervousness1
networking1
Never growing up1
new stories1
New worlds1
New Writing South1
New year resolutions2
Nibfest 20141
niceness1
Nicky Slade1
Nightmares1
NK Jemisin1
Nnedi Okorafor1
Nnedi Orokafor1
novel planning1
novella1
novellas4
numbers game1
Old settings1
older authors1
Older characters1
Omens1
omniscient viewpoint1
On line friendships1
Open door periods1
open endings1
Opportunity1
optimism and hope in writing1
originak creation1
Original creation2
Original creatives1
originality versus authenticity1
Otherlives2
outsider view1
outsider viewpoints1
overwriting1
pace3
pacing1
Pacing stories1
Pandemic3
Pandemic writing1
Panthea : Death Song1
Panthera : Death Plain15
Panthera : Death Song27
Panthera : Death Spiral49
Panthera: Death Soiral1
Panthera: Death Song6
Panthera: Death Spiral1
Panthera:Death Song1
Panthera:Death Plain1
Panthera:Death Song4
Panthera:Death Spiral7
parallel worlds1
passion1
Pat Cadigan1
Paying it forward2
Pens of the Earth2
Pentangle press7
People watching1
perfectionism1
performance skills2
permission to write1
Perseverance3
persistence2
Person place object cards1
personalising spaces1
personality of places1
Philip Pullman2
Phillip Reeve1
philosophy1
photosynthesis1
Pigeonholes1
Pitching2
planning3
planning a novel1
planning novels1
Planning versus pantsing1
Planning your novels1
plausibility1
plot2
Plot versus character1
Plotting1
plotting and pantsing1
Polar City Blues1
politics in stories1
portable novel kit1
Portsmouth Bookfest2
Portsmouth Writers' Hub3
Portsmouth writers'Hub1
positive stories1
Possibility Quotient1
Power of stories1
practicality1
preaching1
Precise description1
professionalism1
Prostitutes in SF1
Pseudonyms1
publication2
publicity4
publishing1
publishing as a business1
publishing decisions1
publishing industry1
publishing short stories1
punctuation2
Purbeck Literary Festival3
purpose of writing1
putting opinions into characters' mouths1
quality of feedback1
query shark1
questions1
quiet conflict3
Quiet power1
Rain as character1
Raising my profile1
Ray Bradbury1
Re-read test1
re-submitting1
re-using stories1
re-writing3
reader engagement1
Reading out loud1
Reading while writing1
reading work out loud1
real science1
Real science in novels1
real women1
realism in SF1
realistic SF1
reasons for writing1
Rebels as characters1
record keeping1
Record-keeping1
reflective passages1
reframing rejection1
rejection3
rejections6
Rejections are personal1
relationship conflicts1
religion1
Renaissance2
Repurposing old novels1
research4
Research for science fiction stories1
resistance to stories1
resolution of story1
retreats1
Review of year1
revising old novels1
reworking old stories1
rewriting4
Richard and Judy bestseller competition1
richness1
Riddle quests2
right brain1
Rituals1
Rituals in the future1
Rod Judkins1
Rounded ideas1
Rudyard Kipling1
Sacred solitude1
sales1
Sam Hawke1
Sam Hawksmoor1
sandwich technique1
Sarah Cheverton1
Sarah Crossan2
Scene and sequel2
scene setting1
scene-setting1
Sci-Fi Cities1
science and storytelling1
science fiction2
Science Museum science fiction exhibit1
scientific research2
scope of SF1
Scott Westerfeld4
Seasons in writing1
secrets1
seeing trees1
selecting critiques2
Self1
self publishing2
self-belief2
self-care for writers1
self-publishing5
Self-publishing success1
self-publishing versus mainstream publishing1
self-rejection1
Self-sabotage1
semi-pantsing2
Semiosis1
series1
series books3
Series books versus standalones1
series characters1
series wriring1
serious books1
Serious feedback1
serious subjects1
Serious writing1
set-up1
setting7
Setting as story1
setting defines characters1
setting description1
Setting goals1
Setting in story1
Settings3
sex and violence in writing1
sexuality2
sexuality labels1
SF4
SF awards1
SF magazine submission requirements1
Sf magazines1
SF space opera1
SF tropes1
shallowness1
shame1
shiny new idea1
short stories8
short story revision1
short story submissions2
Short story targets1
show1
show and tell2
show don't tell1
show not tell1
Sideways publicity1
Simon Nelson1
Simple storytelling2
six honest serving men2
slowing down1
slush reading1
small scale fantasy1
smell2
Smirh1
smoothing stories1
Snowbird5
social media5
Social media and writers1
Social media support1
Social media.Imposter Syndrome1
Society of Women Writers and Journalists1
Soggy middle2
soggy middles1
Solitude for writers1
solving writing problems1
Soulship1
Soulsinger1
Spaceforce Cyborg1
Spaceships and people1
Speaking my truth1
Spirit1
Spontaneity in writing1
standalone books1
standalone novels1
Star and Crescent Pompey1
Starfire3
stars1
starships1
Starting in the middle1
starts1
Staying true to story visions1
Stephanie Salter1
Stephanie Saulter1
Stephen King1
stodgy writing1
story beginnings1
story building1
story choreography1
story details1
story endings3
story focus1
story form1
story ideas2
story lists1
story logistics1
story middles1
story mood1
story pacing1
story plotting1
story research1
Story ripening1
story smoothing1
Story starts2
story structure2
story threads1
straightforward storytelling1
structure1
Study the market1
studying favourite authors' writing1
Subaquatic Steampunk Weekend3
Subconscious4
submission package1
submission requirements1
submissions14
submissions process1
submitting work1
subtext1
success1
Sue Burke1
Supermoons1
support2
support for writers2
supporting writers1
supportive feedback1
Supreme Ordeal7
Suspension of disbelief3
SWWJ1
Syd Field2
synopsis2
T'Articulatiin1
T'articulation2
Tade Thompson1
Taking responsibility for my stories1
talking cats1
Teaming up1
technology in SF1
Telling and showing1
Ten thousand hours1
tenses. first person past tense1
Teri Terry1
the anti-hero1
The archeology of editing1
The Artist's Way1
The big idea1
The bungled ending1
The Code River1
the courage to be me1
The Creative Curve1
The ending1
the essentials of story1
the feast1
The first line1
the first page1
The first three pages1
The Goldeagle Courier Service1
The Hero With a Thousand Faces1
The hero's journey1
The Hobbit1
the hook1
the innocent abroad1
The Lady Astronaut1
The long tail1
The Lord of The Rings3
the magic of creation1
the Muses2
The News Portsmouth1
the other1
The Pride of Chanur2
the rules of the galaxy1
The same1
The set-up1
the ship who searched1
The slow burn1
The slushpile1
the stages of editing1
the start1
the submission package1
the Supreme Ordeal1
The voice of the story1
The why of writing2
the work of writing1
The Writer's Journey4
the writer's personality1
The writer's voice1
theme1
theme in fiction1
themes1
threads through stories1
threats1
three act structure2
three-act structure2
Tim Peake1
Time out1
Time travel narratives1
titles1
To-do lists1
Tolkien1
Tony Rossiter1
Tor UK1
Toughening up1
traditional publishing versus self publishing1
translating modern concepts into fantasy1
Trees1
trigger words1
Trilogies5
Truth in fiction1
Twist ending stories1
twists1
Twitter pitching1
Underwater Steampunk Weekend1
unexpected combinations1
University of Chichester1
unreliable narrator1
up-lit1
Ursula Le Guin2
Using colour in stories1
Using dreams for writing1
using history in SF stories1
Using issues in stories1
Using the senses2
using TV and news stories for inspiration1
using writing talents1
USP1
vagueness1
Val McDermid1
Valerie Martin1
Vatta's war1
Veronica Roth1
Victoria Milne1
VIDA1
Viewpoint2
vision1
vocabulary1
vocwbulary1
voice4
volunteering1
W1
walking1
Water Moon Down1
weather and emotions as story triggers1
weather as antagonist1
Weather as character1
Weather as setting1
weaving threads together1
weighing feedback for relevance1
Wendy Metcalfe1
Weta Digital1
WH Smith1
Whodunit1
whydunnit1
William King1
Winchester Writers' Conference1
Winchester Writers' Festival1
wish fulfilment endings1
wit and humour1
Withdrawal1
women in SF4
Women reading SF1
Women SF writers1
Women's magazines1
word choice1
word-building1
words have power1
Words in the blood1
World building3
World Science Fiction Convention2
World Science Fiction Convention.the life of an author1
Worldbuilding3
Worldcon1
Worldcon preparations1
Worldcon751
worn tropes1
Write Away1
Write what you believe in1
Writer friends1
writer friendships1
writer gatherings1
Writer's block1
Writer's choice of genre1
writer's voice2
Writers' Forum2
Writers' Forum Fiction Square1
Writers' groups1
Writers' inferiority complex1
writers' mental health1
Writers'voice1
writing3
writing a series1
writing advice1
writing and politics1
Writing as life purpose1
Writing as struggle1
writing at speed1
Writing deadlines1
writing discipline1
writing dreams1
writing events1
writing fantasy1
writing fast1
Writing festivals1
Writing for brain health1
writing for fun1
Writing for ourselves1
writing for the market3
writing formulas1
writing friends1
Writing gals1
Writing groups in lockdown1
writing like a tourist1
writing mentors1
writing middles1
writing our beliefs and values1
writing practice2
writing process1
writing rooms1
Writing series1
writing style1
writing systems1
writing targets1
writing the senses1
Writing through difficulties1
Writing to a set length1
writing to understand the world1
writing tribes1
writing with passion1
writing without planning1
your ideal reader1
Zeno Agency1

Show more Show less