I've noticed that recently there has been a lot of argument in the Fragments and Feedback threads over the thirteen line rule. I'm not against those arguments (though sometimes the tone of discussion could use improvement), but I do tend to believe that we should keep them out of the F&F threads themselves. Hence this topic.
Argue about the thirteen line rule here all you like. It's okay. Much better than arguing about it in F&F or breaking it constantly till the administrators get on your case. Just follow the usual standards for posting on the writer's forum.
If you like to get some of the history of this debate here on the writer's forum, you can try searching for "13 lines" and so forth. You can also google terms like "slush pile" and "submission guidelines" and find out some interesting things about the industry. Okay, scary things.
Whatever. I have to admit that I'm not particular about the 13 line rule. I know that it exists, and some of the reasons why. I'm much more concerned about the waste of paper involved in asking people to submit manuscripts (which are no longer "manuscripts" in the original sense of the word) on paper (which, sadly, has not seen quite as much noticible advancement in the last few hundred years).
But we're not having that argument right now. And when we do, I'll sit it out for the most part. I don't have a personal stake in saving trees that were probably going to be turned into something pointless and disposable anyway, after all.
Though I'll admit, being able to include an HTML link and then go back and edit it so it actually works are among the reasons I think paper has had it's day.
[This message has been edited by Survivor (edited August 04, 2005).]
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
By the way, I've changed my email address. If you've sent me something in the past week and I haven't already said I got it, try the new (it's new to you, right?) address.
Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :
I have no problem with the 13 line rule. I did have a bit of confusion at first, though. I was wondering it it was the first 13 sentences, the first 13 lines counting down, the first 13 lines if you condensed everything into one paragraph, and how much cheating is allowed. The last part I wondered, not for my own benifit, so much as to better understand when someone is breaking the rules. I figure if someone posts beyond the 13 line rule (by a significant, thumbing the nose, length) then my best response would be to not respond. If I go over (which I did once and I apologize again) then I would understand if no one replied, and would either delete or edit the post. Though I hope I never become like that.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
13 lines is thirteen manuscript lines rendered in 12 point courier or times (the two actually come up different, but this isn't an exact science). I've fudged by as much as one full line if that completes a paragraph.
Posted by Elemeno (Member # 2752) on :
I have yet to post any of my work on the F&F board, so I can't really comment on the rule from a writer's perspective, but from a reader's perspective, I like the 13 Line Rule. It makes it easier to read and critique more stories in a shorter period of time.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
I had some of my best feedback from 13 lines on my PDA, which translates to about five or six on a PC. Go figure.