• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

What book is everyone writing right now?

I like it, but make sure you shrink it down to avatar size - both Amazon size & goodreads/other reader site size - and make sure the title at least is still legible. I would also guess that the title is a bit too close to the top for a paperback bleed. The font is good; fancy fonts don't shrink well, but yours is nice & simple & mechanical-looking. The illustration also indicates what it is you're going to be reading; just from looking at it, I'd guess it's some sort of sci-fi, and if I was interested, that would encourage me to at least click on it and read the synopsis.
 
Tiktaalik said:
I like it, but make sure you shrink it down to avatar size - both Amazon size & goodreads/other reader site size - and make sure the title at least is still legible. I would also guess that the title is a bit too close to the top for a paperback bleed. The font is good; fancy fonts don't shrink well, but yours is nice & simple & mechanical-looking. The illustration also indicates what it is you're going to be reading; just from looking at it, I'd guess it's some sort of sci-fi, and if I was interested, that would encourage me to at least click on it and read the synopsis.
Click to expand...
Couldn't say it any better than that. :)
 
Thanks for the responses. I got the ship model and did a proper render of it and incorporating a number of the suggestions offered up created this new version:

coverv2s.jpg
 
It's good, but for a book cover I would incorporate more design elements - white lines around the title, possibly with a dynamic progression. I don't often see book covers that are just words on a picture. Great picture, by the way - keep it as a promo poster.
 
Three of my book titles are professionally designed and are just 'words on a picture', so I don't personally have a problem with that. I like the better render of the ship; it would indeed make a nice poster! I just got a vinyl, outdoor-quality poster of one of my book covers, with grommets for hanging, for $35 at Staples. Might have been on sale, but I thought that was a pretty reasonable price and it feels pretty tough.
 
55-word stories....

Hi Folks,
Yes, I have many writing projects though doubt many will be finished. I do like writing the 55-word stories. You all should try them, they are a lot of fun. Here are a few samples.

What Goes Around Comes Around

“Believe that?”
“Yes. Universal Law.”
“How do you know?”
“Look around. You see it happen every day. If you’re nice to someone you will be rewarded.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
“A year ago I stopped to help a stranded motorist.”
“What happened? “
“He stabbed me and took my car.”
“Oh. You must have bad karma.”


In His Mid-Seventies

He started worrying about his health, life style. Rushed to his doctor.
Doctor drew blood, MRI, ECG, EKG.
Week later at the office for the results.
“Been telling you for years to stop smoking, drink less, exercise.”
“Yes.”
“Good news and bad news.”
“Good?”
“Should have died years ago.”
“Bad?”
“Should have died years ago.”


My Kid’s a Computer Whiz!

“What do you mean?”
“At 16 he can work an I-Phone.”
“And?”
“Can really get that X-Box going.”
“OK?”
“Scores high in Kill Them Until They’re Dead combat game.”
“Wow.”
“He can send those sex-text messages.”
“Can he sit down with pencil, paper, and add two numbers?”
“He’s a computer whiz, not a math genius!”


Sometimes it’s Just the Small Things

Had her for seven years; just the two of them. Eighty pounds, formidable, trustworthy, faithful, protective, fearless, used the world over by police and military.
Nightly walk in the park at dusk.
Out of the bushes sprung a robber with gun.
Took his wallet.
“Why didn’t you do something?”
“Last night, you forgot my treat!”


Preacher, You’ve Been Handling Snakes for Years

“Afraid of being bitten?”
“Been bit many times.”
“Why do you do this?”
“Bible says we should handle serpents.”
“Preachers have died of snake bites.”
“I know.”
“Why do you keep doing it?”
“God will let me die when he wants me to join him in heaven.”
“Dang, couldn’t he just call, send an email?”

Regards,

George
 
Those are quite good, George! Why 55 words? What's the history of that?
 
Tiktaalik said:
Those are quite good, George! Why 55 words? What's the history of that?
Click to expand...
I hope I'm doing this correctly... Oh, well.
Thanks for your kind words. I learned about the 55-word stories some years ago; maybe five/six/seven. I'll spare you the looooooog version.

How Did the Fifty-Five Word Story Originate?
This is the information I have on my blog: In 1987, Steve Moss, who published New Times, a weekly newspaper, announced a writing contest. Yep, must contain all of the elements of a story, but no more than 55 words. Since then, the idea seems to have taken off. Some folks have modified the concept somewhat using 100, 500, or other word maximums. Many continue with the 55 limit; in fact, some use exactly 55 words. Yes, their stories are never less nor more than 55 words.
I just went to Wikipedia (June 6, 2011) and sadly learned that Mr. Moss died. This is from Wikipedia… Stephen Donnellan Moss, died on April 24, 2005, of complications of epilepsy.
Mr. Moss was 56.
Please go to Wikipedia to learn more.


Here are a few more stories. You shouldn't have encouraged me! (HaHa)


He Seemed Depressed About Hugh’s Marriage

“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, really.”
“There is.”
“OK, Hugh Hefner just got married.”
“I read that.”
“He’s 86 and she’s 26; is that fair?”
“Don’t know how to answer that.”
“Why not me?”
“You’re 73, have 13 years to save $50,000,000.”
“Will I really need $50,000,000?”
“For a 26YO, at least.”
“What’s a 60YO cost?”




You’re All Smiles and Happy!

“You just ended a bad relationship.”
“I now have the greatest relationship. She’s perfect, ready to satisfy all of my wants and desires. Makes me laugh when I’m sad, challenges me when appropriate, is an unlimited source of knowledge, with me whenever I want.”
“Wow.”
“Crawling in bed with her now.”
“What’s her name?”
“Kindle.”



So Happy, Married Someone Real Special

“What’s so special about him?”
“I know where he is 24 hours a day.”
“Good. What else?”
“I know he doesn’t have a girl friend.”
“Terrific.”
“Said I’m the only one for him.”
“And.”
“He’s always there for me.”
“Nice.”
“I have control of the checkbook.”
“Wow, any more like him?”
“His cellmate isn’t married.”


Felt There was Great Disparity in Salaries

Took all science classes offered in high school.
BA degree nursing and a master’s degree in biology.
Needed plumbing work done.
She asked, “How much an hour?”
“Get $72 an hour.”
“As a nurse, I make $34 an hour and have six years of college.”
“Lady, next time your toilet is overflowing, call a nurse.”


God Really Embarrassed: No Fish or Loaves

God before thousands of people hearing his sermon. Praising and praying. Needed to be fed. He waved his arms and no fish.
“My children, I need a minute.”
God turned, whipped out his cell phone.
“Houdini residence.”
“Harry, it’s God.”
“How may I help?”
“Harry, tell me again. You know, that fish and bread trick.”


What Really Happened in Garden of Eden?

“Hey, Adam. Taste this.”
“Apple from the snake?”
“Yep.”
“He said not to.”
“It’s good. It’s real good, baby. Trust me.”
“Yes, it is.”
Voice boomed from above, “Leave the garden and forever be cursed.”
“Wow, nice boobs. What should we do?”
“Heck with him, let’s take off these stupid fig leaves and fool around.”

These are a lot of fun to write. Try a few. Don't try to keep story at 55 words...just take your idea and pound away, then start getting it down to 55. I've had some that started with 80-plus words and ended with 55.

Regards,
George
 
Some of those are really funny. They are all well written. So I don't mean anything derogatory by the question I'm going to ask.

I'm wondering what makes something a story and what makes it just a good joke?

In the writers forum I've been posting in, there's a thread on the 6 word story. "For sale, baby shoes, never worn," is the famous example, though its author is in question. People are coming up with all sorts of 6-word examples, but there's something incomplete about most of them, IMO. In the baby shoes line, the story is complete because you can picture all the story around the words. There is a parent (or two), they lost a child, they are selling the shoes in some kind of classified ad. That's a lot of story.

In some of the examples, there are six words that say something, but I question if that makes something a story. Some examples:
Pacifist wife: newest gun license applicant.

What price, victory? Death. Silence.
Peace.

"Who is that man mommy kissed?"

Father O'Reilly, "Johnny, close the door."

Fell asleep, woke up, another day.
Click to expand...
I've been thinking about what makes something a 'story' and what makes it something else.

I wrote, "Story not Hemingway's, no one cared.," but I don't think mine makes a story either. :)

Just thinking out loud here, no follow up discussion necessary.
 
Last edited:
I think you're right - many of those are not stories. The famous one is famous because it is - beginning, middle, and end. In six words, you rapidly change your perception of what's going on, and your emotions are evoked. Many of the others are just single pictures or statements, without the motion. Hard to quantify...you know it when you see it?
 
A story technically is a character who experiences an inter-connected sequence of events (plot).

I don't think any of these short "stories" are actually stories, including the famous six-word story cited. They're certainly interesting exercises, but they're not stories.
 
I would argue that the famous one has a character (the seller) and a plot (the inference that something has happened concerning a child, and that the seller is now moving on).
 
Tiktaalik said:
I would argue that the famous one has a character (the seller) and a plot (the inference that something has happened concerning a child, and that the seller is now moving on).
Click to expand...
And I would add that there is a noticible qualitative difference between the baby shoes story and most of the other attempts of a six word story that are in the writer's forum thread.

So what is it, Gumboot, if not story, that makes that difference?
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
And I would add that there is a noticible qualitative difference between the baby shoes story and most of the other attempts of a six word story that are in the writer's forum thread.

So what is it, Gumboot, if not story, that makes that difference?
Click to expand...


Well, Tiktaalik may have a point there actually, you could argue it tells a story in past tense; the seller had a baby (or was pregnant), it died (or there was a miscarriage), the seller has moved on and is selling the baby's clothes.

That's a story.
 
Okay so I did one last iteration to make the text stand out better:

coverv3.jpg


Might make some adjustments for alignment and dimensions but this is essentially it; promise. :)
 
On first glance, I'm partial to the last one. I like the box around the title but I can't say why.
 
Last edited:
On the Cosmoquest forum (formerly the BAUT and BA forums) a writer is using the ebook publisher, Museitup Publishing. I don't know how selective they are or what their cut is compared to self publishing on Amazon. But it looks interesting. Preditors and Editors has no comments on them.

This thing that struck me is people are publishing very short stories, just a couple thousand words. I have no idea what the market is for such short pieces. And I don't know if Museitup has much of a customer base or what their promotion budget is. Seems like the e-publishing field is ripe for the next EBay or Facebook to evolve.
 
Skeptic Ginger said:
On first glance, I'm partial to the last one. I like the box around the title but I can't say why.
Click to expand...
That's what I was saying. Not that it's essential, but I find that including some non-text elements brightens it up, especially when you've got a full-page image behind it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom