Critters^TM Workshop

Weekly Notes

Notes for 19-Nov-2025...

Critters is 30 years old this week!

Thank you all for making Critters the success it's been! I can't believe it's been 30 years. At this time in 1995 I was sitting in my office on campus fiddling around with these new-fangled things called "web pages" for the "world wide web," thinking how it would be cool to use this web thing to do a writers' workshop. People hadn't done much at all with the web, nobody else had done a writers' workshop, so I figured I'd give it a shot. You couldn't even center text in a web page at that point. I really didn't expect to be still doing this 30 years later, but here we are! Not to mention it's incredible how much has changed since then. Looking back, I see I had predicted a lot of it reasonably accurately in our computer science department newsletters back then, but still, actually seeing it unfold, and having unfolded, is incredible. Seeing that Critters has helped nearly 40,000 authors with over 32,000 manuscripts, in around 500,000 critiques, spanning over two hundred million of words of critique comments... that's just staggering! Wow. Just wow. Thank you all so much for making this ride possible!

                                   -+-

Since we're talking about where the future is going... proceeds helping out the Critters Fund Drive this week we have a little something I wrote, with even more thoughts about where it's all going. I made some decent guesses before -- If I'm anywhere even near the ballpark, the future will be totally mind-blowing. So I'm putting my own SF novel up for the fund drive this week:


	TERMINATION OF SPECIES by Andrew Burt - $9.99

		ReAnimus Press Store: www.ReAnimus.com/1733
		Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHFYBF41/?tag=critters3a-20
		 (available in ebook + hardcover + paperback)

	
Not too far in the future, terrorists who hate modern civilization hope to wreak unrelenting destruction when they get their hands on powerful military AI software -- ultimately forcing life altering decisions in a race to save the very existence of humanity. Against this backdrop, Weston Foard must juggle a championship chess match while falling in love with Jasmina Simonis, the soulmate who would upend his life; Chris Giordano is writing a book about the best people on Earth while being stalked by a terrorist; and software genius Martin Sandoval is recruited to work with a mysterious woman to disarm the terrorists' software while trying to prevent his prosthetic arm from going amok. It's about the future of AIs, biotech, immortality, the perils of technology--so, the future of humanity--plus a bit of chess, a bit of humor, a bit of romance, a bit of philosophy on how society would deal with such threats and opportunities, and much more.
 
"In Termination of Species, Andrew Burt puts so many pieces into play--ideas and warnings and opportunities that may lie just ahead--that 'The Future' will never be the same." 
--David Brin.
 
"A very intriguing, multiway view on the future of AI. It's not just the humans who have something to worry about."
--Vernor Vinge

                                   -+-

Thanks for the donations, folks!  We are 61.1% of the way to the 2025 fund drive goal with contributions from 139 donors, leaving about $2700 to go.
Thanks especially to

	Robert Harpold
	Belinda Shewamke
	Rachel Messinger
	Mae Carmel Walters

for their recent donations to help keep Critters going. Much appreciated!

Stats by month...
Jan: $564.88 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $18.12 for the month
Feb: $206.50 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $376.5 for the month
Mar: $320.92 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $262.08 for the month
Apr: $142.18 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $440.82 for the month
May: $839.87 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $256.87 for the month
Jun: $606.85 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, exceeded by $23.85 for the month
Jul: $181.72 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $401.28 for the month
Aug: $162.91 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $420.09 for the month
Sep: $325.75 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $257.25 for the month
Oct: $436.75 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $146.25 for the month
Nov: $511.95 received toward $583 monthly fund drive goal, short by $71.05 for the month

=> short by $2112.72 of annual fund drive goal to date


[See https://www.critters.org/donate.php for more information.]


                                   -+-
Woohoo!  Congratulations to...

	- Chris Hepler, who sold his (Critter'd) short story, "This Thing
	of Darkness" to the anthology "High Class Muscle" by Raconteur
	Press. {Big thanks to everyone who critiqued it! The feedback was
	encouraging and very helpful in the revision and editing process.}

	- Becky Neher, who sold her (Critter'd) short story, "Toxoplasma
	and the (not so) Eternal Reign of the Felords" to Schlock!.


Please report your Woohoo!s via the www.critters.org/telldaworld.ht web page.


                                   -+-

This week's Most Productive Critter award, for 3 critiques (at time of judging), averaging almost 700 words each, goes to...

	Brian Sellnow

To redeem an MPC, visit:  www.critters.org/usempc.ht

Congratulations!  To everyone else -- Crit early and often!

(For an explanation of the MPC award, see the www.critters.org/award.ht page.)

                                   -+-

Recommended Reading...
One of the best writing books - Secrets from the 6-time Best Editor
Hugo Award Master, Ben Bova: THE CRAFT OF WRITING SCIENCE FICTION THAT SELLS 
https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Critters Workshop
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This week we have... [get from https://www.critters.org/private/mss.php ]...
                                                 
     Title                      	Author
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Week of 19-Nov-2025 (Crits due 26-Nov-2025):
 SF  The Path to Tomorrow, Chapter 7    Brian Sellnow -#32008
 F   Gems of the Forgotten Chapter 4    Erin Tunney -#32009
 F   The Case of the Misplaced Hammer   Edward Moore -#32010
 F   The Duke of Tooth, Chapters 12-15  John Rhea -#32011
 H   Camino Diablo                      Erina Gruner -#32012
 H   The Flour Sack Rabbit              Amy Adams -#32013

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended books on writing:

THE CRAFT OF WRITING AND SELLING SCIENCE FICTION by Ben Bova
	ReAnimus Press Store: https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1144
	Amazon: https://Amazon.com/dp/B006MAZPEI

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SPECULATIVE FICTION OPENINGS By (Critter member) Robert Qualkinbush
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1184 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007O272ZI

STAYIN' ALIVE - A WRITER'S GUIDE by three-time SFWA President Norman Spinrad
	How things really work in the art and commerce of publishing
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1179 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007SIC4I8

EXPERIMENT PERILOUS: THE 'BUG JACK BARRON' PAPERS by Norman Spinrad
	(A 99cent essay on SF and writing)
	https://ReAnimus.com/store?item=1180 | https://Amazon.com/dp/B007MF3MS8
 
Because you might enjoy it... THE FUTURIANS by DAMON KNIGHT
The inside, illustrated history of the brilliant Futurians  - Asimov, Blish, Pohl, et al.
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1423
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Pieces up for critique in other workshops...

In the lit workshop - https://critique.org/lit :
 L   The Schoolhouse                    Duaa -#31887

In the mystery workshop - https://critique.org/mystery :
 M   The Library Club chapters 1, 2     Don Oestreicher -#31726

In the script workshop - https://critique.org/script :
 SC  It Happened One Christmas          Robert W. Ross -#31694

In the kids workshop - https://critique.org/kids :
 YS  The Adventures of Jack, The Rabbit  Emmanuel Agyei-Boatey -#31578

In the western workshop - https://critique.org/western :
 W   Good Land for Dying                Kristen Vanderhoof -#32003

In the romance workshop - https://critique.org/romance :
 R   Embermarked, Chapter 10-12         Natalie Kalinowski -#31927

In the apps workshop - https://critique.org/apps :
 GM  Uptown Valkyries                   Arthur Sankey -#31757

In the website workshop - https://critique.org/website :
 WW  Charles Gull creative projects blog and website  Charles Gull -#31783

In the critters workshop - https://critique.org/critters :
 SF  The Path to Tomorrow, Chapter 7    Brian Sellnow -#32008
 F   Gems of the Forgotten Chapter 4    Erin Tunney -#32009
 F   The Case of the Misplaced Hammer   Edward Moore -#32010
 F   The Duke of Tooth, Chapters 12-15  John Rhea -#32011
 H   Camino Diablo                      Erina Gruner -#32012
 H   The Flour Sack Rabbit              Amy Adams -#32013
----------------------------------------------------------------------

You might also like... COSTIGAN'S NEEDLE by JERRY SOHL
  
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1359

Standard notes:

HELP:
If you need help with anything, see https://www.critters.org/help -- there
are FAQs and a form to ask questions.

HELPING CRITTERS:
Critters is donation funded & volunteer run, so if you'd like to
help out with our current fund drive or otherwise, please visit
https://www.critters.org/donate.php -- Thanks!!

HOW TO SEND CRITIQUES:
Remember to send the critiques directly to me, critters@critique.org, so
I can forward them to the authors _and_ give you credit for your effort.
Please send only one critique per mail message (makes it easier to
archive).  Please make sure the "#" symbol and manuscript number are in
the email Subject: line, like Subject: #1234.  (Conversely, if you want
ol' Aburt to personally read the message, i.e., it's _not_ a critique,
don't put a "#" in the subject or I won't see it.  Also -- put my current
anti-spam code word in there: see https://www.critters.org/antispam.ht .)

You may also send your critiques via https://www.critters.org/webcrit.ht .

Note that all critiques will be available to everyone to read the next Saturday.

DIPLOMACY:
Remember, authors and critiquers, we're all friends here.  Be polite.  Be
considerate.  Be tactful.  You can say you thought a story was drivel in a
courteous way.  Try to point out the good and the bad; offer alternatives
if you can.  Never, ever, attack the author -- only the story.  Authors:
Remember that some reviewers may lack tact.  Try to be understanding,
but if you get any that you feel are just plain mean-spirited, too short
to be of any use, or too "feel good," let me know and I'll withhold the
reviewer's "credit" for that story and/or cajole them into something
more insightful.  See https://www.critters.org/diplomacy.ht for more...

CRITIQUE LENGTH:
If you want to send a short critique that you know is too short for
credit (200 words or less of your own meaningful content) please put
"NC#" in the Subject (NC=No Credit, like Subject: NC#1234) -and- say
something like "not for credit" inside your critique.  (Remember also that
for MPC purposes, a critique must be 300 words or more.)

CHATTING:
Comments -other- than critiques (such as discussion of the critiques,
or Woohoo! announcements, or chit chat) should be posted to one of the
official Critters discussion forums (See the https://www.critters.org/newsgroups.ht
web page for full info, guidelines, etc.)  Don't post stories or critiques
(mail those to critters@critique.org).

QUOTING:
Please pare the ms. down if critiquing in-line (don't quote the whole ms.!).
Other format rules are at https://www.critters.org/format.ht .

EVERYTHING'S ON THE WEB:
Past reviews are on the web page.  The current week's manuscripts are
also there, as are prior mss. and even some rewrites.  There's a Master
Page Index (site map) with tons of links to common items.

AUTHORS:
Authors for this week -- if you aren't getting email'd critiques from
me (as they come in) within a couple days -- ask me and we can verify
I'm sending them to the correct address.  (Send me a phone# in case I
can't get email to you.)  Check the format of your story ASAP to make sure
it's all there and readable.

EMAIL ISSUES:
If you want to change your email address or preferences (# mss. emailed,
SF/F/H type, or whether you get the huge critique batches at week's end),
point your browser to https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .  Please don't
ask me to do this by hand, it's quite a chore!  (E.g., if you're going
on vacation and want to suspend mail from me -- do this before/after
your trip.)

BACKUP SITE:
If you're unable to reach www.critters.org to get manuscripts, I've set up
an emergency backup site at https://backup.critters.org where you can get the
week's manuscripts (but not much of anything else :-).  Speaking of backups --
don't forget to back up your own manuscripts so you don't lose them!

QUITTING:
If you want to quit or go inactive, drop by https://www.critters.org/admin.ht .

DONATIONS:
Critters is funded by donations, so visit https://www.critters.org/donate.php
if you'd like to help out.

Because you might enjoy it... BY THE SEA by HENRY GEE
A gothic modern scientific fiction horror mystery...
https://reanimus.com/store/?item=1410

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