leverhelven Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 So it's been a while since I'm considering trying to write something for the Neopian Times. I finally have an idea, and I'm ~trying~ to work on it. I'm a perfectionist, though. So I was wondering: how long do you NT writers take to finish up an article/short story, excluding the "getting an idea" part, I mean from sitting in front of your pc and starting to type to finally submitting the finished thing? Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxen Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I've written two articles now. One was accepted and the other was rejected cause of too many entries (650 fever!). I'll resubmit it when all that's over *crosses fingers* XP The first one took me about 2 and a half hours in total with editing and everything, and the second took about 6 hours as it was a two-parter. I'm one of those perfectionisty people; I didn't want to submit it until I *knew* I'd done my absolute best :P I wish you good luck with writing your article ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leverhelven Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Cool!, Has your accepted article been published yet? If so, please post the link, I'd love to read it! :) By the way, TNT says the minimum is 1000 words for an article, but how many pages is that? Like, Microsof Word pages? I hate it when people use the number of words instead of the number of lines or pages, it always confuses me, but I guess that's common in the US/Europe, right? :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedwallflower Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I've been wanting to write for the NT for ages, never have the time though. I've always considered it to be a huge undertaking... By the way, TNT says the minimum is 1000 words for an article, but how many pages is that? Like, Microsof Word pages? If you go by Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, 12 pt. 1000 words is like a two pages (give and take paragraph spacing). leverhelven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 If you're using Word, Lev*, there's a word-count feature in it. (Especially 2010 and later...it shows WC at the bottom of the screen, in that case.) I'm not going to say how long it can take me to write a paper/essay for a class, because if I was on the reading end and I wasn't me, I'd be all, "Curse you, Daya!" :P | Plus, how long it takes me to write depends on what the topic is and how fast I can get those synapses to fire. :D *I don't know if you want to be called "Patricia", "Patty" or what, so I'll just leave it at Lev. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leverhelven Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 If you're using Word, Lev*, there's a word-count feature in it. (Especially 2010 and later...it shows WC at the bottom of the screen, in that case.) I'm not going to say how long it can take me to write a paper/essay for a class, because if I was on the reading end and I wasn't me, I'd be all, "Curse you, Daya!" :P | Plus, how long it takes me to write depends on what the topic is and how fast I can get those synapses to fire. :D *I don't know if you want to be called "Patricia", "Patty" or what, so I'll just leave it at Lev. :) By all means, call me Patty! :D Well, you're a writer so you'll probably understand me... I *should* be studying for the test I have tomorrow. *Should*. But guess what I'm doing? Preparing my NT article! :P :P Oh, the humanity! Novelista 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Pfft. Join the party. I should be looking for work, but I just transferred my TL to a petpage and will shortly add caps to it. I should also work on a novel...some novel, any novel!...so the next time you or someone bumps the writing thread, I'll have something to show for myself. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I've always wanted to try, but my major problem is that I can't think of a topic to write about that hasn't already been done before. Ranaki 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I've written two articles! one of which hasn't been accepted yet -_- I really just do cartoons but the articles I've written haven't taken as long. Coming up for an idea for a cartoon takes me forever. So I usually collaborate with someone XD I should be a perfectionist though because *hides NT article* I've made some ..err...mistakes :/ I've gotten some facts wrong ...but hey! they published it ;) hahah I actually got neomails from people telling me I got one briefly stated fact wrong..haha, like I GET IT!! it drove me a little nuts o.O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 *taps you on the shoulder* I want to write for the NT, but I have no ideas. Want to collaborate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrtbrk Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Good question. You're not alone. Mouseykins and I have been writing a NT artcle for an honest 3 years now >.> We finally started a planning stage a few months ago. Go us! leverhelven and Ruto 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruto Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I had been working on a series before getting an idea for a short story and just sitting down to type it. Took about 3 hours to get the story written out, then I slept on it, edited for about an hour total and sent it in. It was accepted too! And I still haven't finished the series yet. :P If you can, try to quieten the perfectionist while you write your article. You'll have plenty of time to edit it later. I find that simply getting the story written down takes a load of stress off, since you shouldn't have to worry about getting it absolutely perfect the first time. leverhelven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leverhelven Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Good question. You're not alone. Mouseykins and I have been writing a NT artcle for an honest 3 years now >.> We finally started a planning stage a few months ago. Go us! 3 YEARS?! Now that's what I call... perseverance? xD *taps you on the shoulder* I want to write for the NT, but I have no ideas. Want to collaborate? I think we should definitely work together on something, Daya! But does TNT accept an article by two users? I know little of the rules for NT submissions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Yes, ma'am. If you have a co-author, you can tell TNT in the comments area of your submission form. I'd like to work with you, Shelley...both of you eventually...whatever. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_lady_j Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I recently submitted a short story. It took me 2 - 3 hours to write, then some editing, but even longer to gather the courage to submit it. I was pleased to get the 'under consideration' message, but that was a couple of weeks ago. I've heard it can take up to a month to get it into the NT. Anybody else have a long wait time? And can I re-submit it after a certain amount of time passes? My only other experience was submitting to the Poetry Contest, but that one got accepted right away. It's so difficult to be patient sometimes. *taps foot* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxen Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Cool!, Has your accepted article been published yet? If so, please post the link, I'd love to read it! :) By the way, TNT says the minimum is 1000 words for an article, but how many pages is that? Like, Microsof Word pages? I hate it when people use the number of words instead of the number of lines or pages, it always confuses me, but I guess that's common in the US/Europe, right? :P Here's the article that was accepted ^^ Also, I use http://www.wordcounter.net/ to count how many words I've written, as I don't have Word on my computer. I recently submitted a short story. It took me 2 - 3 hours to write, then some editing, but even longer to gather the courage to submit it. I was pleased to get the 'under consideration' message, but that was a couple of weeks ago. I've heard it can take up to a month to get it into the NT. Anybody else have a long wait time? And can I re-submit it after a certain amount of time passes? My only other experience was submitting to the Poetry Contest, but that one got accepted right away. It's so difficult to be patient sometimes. *taps foot* Mine took three weeks to actually be in the NT, so don't worry, just wait and you'll get another mail saying whether you got in or not very soon ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I finally came up with an idea! So far, I've written in two spurts of about fifteen minutes each...I just don't know how many words I have, because the second block was written on a legal pad and I haven't typed it up yet. :P (Went out application hunting today and was so hot and tired that I stopped and had a drink at McDonald's and wrote some. ^_^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_lady_j Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Mine took three weeks to actually be in the NT, so don't worry, just wait and you'll get another mail saying whether you got in or not very soon ^^ Just found out it got accepted! *doing the happy dance* They already awarded me a trophy too! Woo-hoo! I'm wondering if it goes into the next issue? That would be issue 650 -- what is it that I'm forgetting about issues that end in a 5 or 0? Is that an avatar or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 You got into 650? Congrats! Yes, that's the NT avvie with the white weewoo. (I think the one with the quill is the one for 10 entries.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedwallflower Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 The quill avatar is the most beautiful of them all though, isn't it? I have a neofriend who uses it and I get so jealous (though he totally deserves it)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_lady_j Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Wow.... ten entries for that avatar? I guess I better get busy! And I'm not sure if I got into issue 650.... It just accepted my story for a 'future issue'. If I assume that's the next one, then it will be. *fingers crossed* Novelista 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's probably not issue 650. I come by this theory simply because writers climb all over each other in a giant stack to get into such issues (much like the lemmings in "Pearls Before Swine") and they may not have room for you. *chuckle* Oh, good...I found a picture! (Not the one I wanted, but that link didn't end in a photo suffix. :P ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovedwallflower Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 So does it basically depend on luck for that Weewoo avatar? I think it would be very difficult to time your entry just right though you could increase your chances by submitting articles frequently of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Novelista Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 No, I think they start submitting weeks or even months in advance. Since it's been a standard award since issue 200 or something (I forgot what I read recently), people know in advance when an opportunity is coming, so they pitch and pitch to get in. There's a comments box on your submission, I gather, so if you were to start, say, at 670, you could probably write in, "I want this to be for 700". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_lady_j Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 As it turns out, I DID make the 650 -- though it was purely by lucky accident. It was the first time I submitted anything, so I wasn't thinking about the number issue it might get into. I submitted 3 - 4 weeks ago, and after waiting so long, didn't think I got in at all. When I got the notification it made it, I didn't know what issue because it just said a 'future issue'. Today I received my email congratulating me on getting into number 650 and awarding me the avatar. So -- while I'm absolutely beside myself giddy, I need a little bit of your help. I was warned of the possibility of fan mail after being published, and while that hasn't happened -- I never knew about all the neomail I'd get for offers to buy this coin I won. I never even knew about the coin. Period. I'm hoping you guys know what I'm talking about, 'cause this is new to me. So now I'm at a loss of what to do. I collect for my stamp album, so my first instinct is to keep it. But I'm being offered more neopoints than I ever hoped to acquire on my own -- ever. So while I desperately need some advice, I also need some information. Is this something that is earned every time you get published? Only when you get into an issue ending in 0 or 5? Or maybe only the first time you get published? (I have veteran users with the writing trophy making me offers, so I'm wondering why they want it if they already have one.) Any help will be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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