A book cover (front/back) is needed for the 42 Stories Anthology
Some writers have emailed asking if we had a rule at 42 Stories Anthology that hyphens counted as words.
This is not a case of "rules." Hyphens change your word count.
You can send a story that you counted by hand that's 42 words with a 42-character title and 42 word 3rd-person bio, but you didn't use wordcounter.net as we recommend and your numbers come out off.
Explanation below.
Simple solution: Use wordcounter.net as recommended and don't count by hand.
Maybe you're wondering "Why?"
No one wants to count 42 words out of thousands of stories by hand, so we use wordcounter.net.
For the title, wordcounter.net counts spaces between, after, and before as characters. Please keep that in mind with titles.
Why are some hand-counted word counts and the generators sometimes counting differently?
Look at this sentence written three ways:
Wordcounter.net recognizes the dash is not a word, so if you used Microsoft Word instead, our counts will not match. Wordcounter.net is more accurate, so we use this site instead of Microsoft Word
Below is a separated em-dash for a pause, which is what writers should use for pauses. Notice the counter on Microsoft Word recognizes that the em-dash is not a word. Microsoft Word counts the hyphen as a word and not an em-dash, because the hyphen is placed in the sentence incorrectly and the software doesn't recognize it.
Em-dash example
The theme of this anthology is to have 1,764 stories by 1,764
writers of different names, which is 42 x 42 by 42 x 42 writers. Multi-subs are
okay as long as you use a pen name for each story (max of 4 stories per writer).
If you have to ask why the need of a pen name, kindly reread the first sentence
again.
Story rules:
Each story needs a title with approximately 42 characters
(between 40 and 44).
All stories need to be exactly 42 words.
All bios are in 3rd person and exactly 42 words
long.
Use this site: https://convertcase.net/
Note: Hyphens count as a word as do ellipsis so be careful.
The subject line of an email should include 42subs, the category,
and your initials. Examples:
42subs_mystery_bam
42SUB_mys_BM
Your middle initial will help differentiate you from others.
There are 42 categories, and the subject line helps us know which category’s
readers to send your work to, so please remember this part.
Each chapter has a cover. All of the covers have been
selected except for the Crime, Fight, and
book cover. If you are interested
in drawing one, email me: 42anthologysubs@gmail.com
The publication date is TBA, but once published, a token
amount will be donated to United Through Reading. Also, the 42 chapters have a
Story of Excellence Award. Award winners receive:
$0.42, which can be added to the anthology charity.
Story podcasts and read on YouTube by the author or possibly
an actor
A 42 Anthology Story of Excellence certificate
Writing the introduction to their chapter
Possibly more
We need about 300 stories to reach our goal. Please send us
something for consideration. Keep the guidelines in mind.
Pay: This anthology will come out in all possible formats. Unfortunately,
payment for all authors cannot be guaranteed. At this time, we have no plan to
pay authors aside from award winners mentioned and authors of the Craft of Writing category. We will, however, consider
paying authors if it is possible.
When you send us a story, you agree to the terms of the anthology
and to your work being published in the Project 42 Stories Anthology. The terms and submission link are here:
https://bamwrites.blogspot.com/2018/07/42-stories-anthology.html
Or just go through Submittable:
https://42storiessubs.submittable.com/submit/202427/400-stories-of-42-words-each-needed-for-anthology
You cannot have a story in the anthology and enter this chapter.
What is your answer to this question? "If you could inspire and encourage thousands of other writers and readers with 42 words, what would you write?"
Include a 42-word 3rd person bio (highlighting why you were selected for this category)
Email: 42anthologysubs@gmail.com with the subject:
Craft of Writing and your last name (this doesn't have to be exact).
Rules
No stories currently accepted in the 42 Stories Anthology (unless you withdraw them)
You have won a writing contest or award, such as:
The Bridport Prize
Bristol Short Story Prize
Pushcart Prize
National Poetry Competition
The First Novel Prize
Flash 500 prize
Bath Novel Writing Prize
Emily Dickinson First Book Award
PEN/Faulkner Award For Fiction
Writers of the Future Contest
Or a related prize
Almost any writing award is okay. Or your story was a bestseller anywhere excluding Amazon.
What do you get?
- Special guest judge for one of the other 41 categories. The guest judge reads 42 stories of 42 words and selecting award-winning stories (roughly 10 pages).
- Highlighted as a special guest writer in the anthology.
- Your interview answer in the Craft of Writing chapter.
- If it fits, your name will be on the back cover of the book.
- Payment of $42 USD
In the email:
CL should mention what contest you won and a link to your story (so we can become your newest fan).
The answer to the prompt.
Your 42-word 3rd person bio highlighting your achievements. This way, you can inspire others through your successes.
Another submission method:
https://42storiessubs.submittable.com/submit/202426/42-stories-anthology-craft-of-writing
Q&A
For writers: What would you classify as a "prestigious award in writing"? Would the award be limited to stories, or would awards for plays be acceptable?
Answer: It's fine to send a submission and see if we accept it for the Craft of Writing, but the list we use of "prestigious award in writing" is above. However, we realize that "prestigious writing" is subjective, and this part is flexible to us.
For editors: Would editors who work for publications that do not pay pro rates be acceptable?
Answer: It's fine to send something and see if we decide to use the submission for the Craft of Writing, but for editors we're looking for people you can search online and see a Wikipedia page on such as David Remnick, and if Mr. Remnick is reading this, we hope you'll send something. The chapter is to inspire authors, and who better to do that than editors (and agents) writers have heard of.
For publishers: Would publishers who are involved in vanity press and/or press that does not play pro rates be acceptable?
Answer: We are looking for publishers who actively help writers and will highlight that in their 42-word bio. This isn't just including publishers, but writers as well who will highlight how they help other authors in their 42-word bios.
All kids have heroes.
My Avengers were always editors and professional readers of books:
Individuals who could take something unreadable and turn it into something great.
However, they're more like Smurfs than Avengers.
[Click the images to see credited sources. All were listed as fair use]
There are many types of readers and editors to help mold writing into readable work.
I have not listed all of them below, but have focused on some I have used and worked with over the years.
Note: I’m not a copyeditor.
My first (career) job was teaching second language learners at a university the craft of writing and helping them edit their stories and academic papers.
Since then, I have acted as what is listed below on writing projects and academic papers for over twelve years and have had my own work looked at by these types of people. Currently, I edit stories that are submitted to my 42 Stories Anthology, but there are also many editors who work on the anthology with me and they do more detailed editing than I do. The staff on the team fit all of the titles below, so I am somewhat familiar with this topic.
That said, I’d like to help others identify editors and specialized readers, because there is a lot of confusion.
If you believe anything is inaccurate, I encourage you to let me know.
BETA
READER
A beta reader does a general read through and gives a few comments here and there about a book. Doesn't edit in a professional way.
Usually, this process is done for free or by agreement such as, “I’ll read your book if you read mine.”
Some people charge for beta reading books, but it's generally not a lot.
The beta reader also might suggest a little to help with the book, but it’s very general help.
If you notice a few comments throughout your story that touch on misspellings or small suggestions on 30 of 200 pages, you’ve experienced a beta read.
Personally, when I've beta read, I've written up a summary of suggestions on a page for authors after beta reading using a sandwich effect:
Mention something strong about the story or characters,
what needs work the most,
and end with encouragement such as pointing to editors who might help get the work published.
The reason Vanity Smurf would best represent the beta reader is that often beta reading simply consists of two writers saying "THIS STORY IS SO LOVELY" to each, trying not to hurt the other’s feelings in the process. Don't feel this is negative. In fact, having a book beta read is a great first step after you complete a few drafts and a solid way to build your confidence in writing.
If you want to go negative, look to the next title:
CRITIQUE
PARTNERA critique partner is a professional reader who makes thorough comments on almost every page, which can be general comments regarding changes needed. Alternately, this reader can be very brutal and mean.
Helpful examples from one:
"This sentence doesn't make any sense. Delete or reword."
"You wrote mythologically instead of methodology. Haha. Dummy!"
This person is usually paid money and the amount is up to them. Paid ones don't call you dummy, but they'll be really critical and for good reason. Hearing what doesn't work about your story or writing will help more than hearing what works.
Grumpy Smurf is a good fit for this title as the person usually has blunt comments about a story that the writer might not be happy with, but the comments are honest and from experience usually.
Sensitivity READER
DEVELOPMENTAL Editor
Story/character development partner (or developmental editor):
This person looks at the story and or character and can be separately billed depending on the agreement. They suggest, in great detail, specifically how a story or character(s) can be improved upon or states what could be added to the story or character to help with a story or character.
They usually ignore details that a critique partner might pay attention to and instead they focus on story and or character specifically.
This person is paid based on rates they set. Some developmental readers even work on grammar and do minimal copy or line editing.
Handy Smurf best represents this person as they are good at working out the kinks of characters, fixing problems such as plot holes.
LINE
This editor, as the title suggests, goes through every line of a story and makes each line either shorter and or more coherent for the reader.
Original writing: She slowly shuttered upon the edges of her cackling lashes whilst they batted thereupon the quivers of her baited hairs—momentarily binding her lustful dark aqua eyes.
Line edited: She blinked.
Unlike a developmental editor, the line editor will focus on how to make the sentence, line by line, readable regardless of the story or character. To make this even more confusing, some line editors also do developmental edits.
Smurfette best represents this editor as they make the story arguably beautiful, but they don't always focus on grammar or syntactic rules. That's a copyeditor's job.
COPYEDITOR
This editor is familiar with grammar, syntax, and style rules and will often refer to rule books such as APA or MLA, knows comma rules by heart (probably), and might be kind enough to suggest style guide books. Here are a few of my favorites:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.
The Elephants of Style by Bill Walsh
The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers
This editor knows the difference between
effect, affect, and aeffect,
there, their, they’re, and theiy’re,
and all that jazz.
In short, this editor makes your book more grammatical sound and follows the rules from composition class that most of us forgot.
Definitely the Brainy Smurf of editors. You might find them annoying at times, but they save you from embarrassing mistakes.
Copyeditor: "Erm, you wrote 'your welcome in that sentence, but you meant you're welcome.' Remember, it's your turn vs. you're mistaken as in you are."
You: "Whatever! Freaking brainy know-it-all."
Copyeditor: "You're welcome."
PROOFREADERAside from proofing and checking the final draft of a book, proofreaders find technical issues and mark them thoroughly throughout a manuscript on the final draft. Also, proofreaders sometimes work and manage groups (including looking for misses from a copyeditor).
Their focus is on production errors (thank you, EAE members for pointing this out).
This editor is often the last person to read a book before it's published.
They can lead, or work on their own.
A big difference between a copyeditor and proofreader is that a proofreader might also critique, do developmental editing, line edit, and all of the above. Some of them, however, do this to a lesser extent than the above persons, which is partly why they often read a book after a copyeditor.
The proofreader also charges for what they do, so keep that in mind. Some proofreaders, in addition, specialize in specific tasks, so it’s good to make sure you have the sort of proofreader you’re looking for before hiring one.
Proofreaders would be the equivalent of Papa Smurf. They follow the rules they learned from experience, guide like teachers or mentors, and make your story beautiful at the same time if you find the right one.
Are you searching for an editor or reader for your book?
I hope that this blog helped you think of which one to hire, and strongly recommend real editor organizations to find one rather than searching the Internet.
Below is a list of where you can find editors, created by mostly the Princess of Oz:
ACES, or EFA for the US, IPEd for Oz and NZ, CIEP for the UK, South African GA, Editors Canada, The Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators in Japan, India has a guild, too.
Thank you to all of the Editors Association of Earth members for helping me catch mistakes in this blog.
[Copyright information: All images were found at Fandom.com where they state that images fall under the fair use act found here and at Pixabay.com where images are all fair use]
