Failing at IBARW, you're doing it.

This is how you DON'T do IBARW, and how you can actually end up disrespecting it and the people it's supposed to be for if you're just out looking for cookies.

I think Avalon's Willow has a really excellent post about it and her post is much better than this one is going to be, so go over there. And she also makes really excellent responses in the LJ in question, and I urge you to go read those.

The original post makes me angry, and this is why:

( Reasons for my anger under the cut )

My glamorous life as a writer in the big city

Writing to the sounds of Jackhammer Symphony #1 in C-Flat outside the window. On the plus side, it drowns out the Crying Baby Quartet downstairs quite nicely.

Yes, kids, this is the glamour of New York City. You too can move here and listen to a bunch of sweaty guys from Brooklyn in orange vests using metal machines to tear up concrete outside your apartment window on a day when it's too warm to close the windows while you're trying to write.

I now understand why people give me hilarious looks when I mention that I moved here from Florida.

That is all. As you were.

The state of things

I was taking a look at the Tower!Guy novel today, just to see if it looked any different to me after a few weeks of being put to bed. There are technical and grammar errors I'm better able to see, but characterization and structure are still the same to me. I don't have any major changes to make, only minor touch ups.

I'd still really love this novel to have a home, but it seems it's all dressed up with nowhere to go.

So I was contemplating: what about podcasting it? Or just putting it out there for free with a virtual tip jar? No, it's not publication, but this thing obviously isn't going to get published. Might as well see if I can make a few bucks off of it, heaven knows I could use the money right about now.

I thought I'd bounce the idea of the blogosphere and get opinions. Good idea? Bad? Worst idea ever?

Meanwhile, the writing of the UF!2Girls novel continues apace. I'm on the other side of 80k and about 2/3rds of the way through. I'm planning on having 120,000 words for the first draft, and being able to shave about 20-30k of those off, because I'd like to keep this novel as lean as it needs to be.

I have to say, I still love the thrill of writing a good story. Even if I'm the only one who ever reads it. Maybe I won't ever get published, but I still love doing this. I'm still glad I queried around and gave it the old college try.

I still love this. I think that's the important thing. I still love it deeply.