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The Writing-GAF Mega Thread

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1stStrike

Banned
hGGqz.jpg



The anthology I'm featured in, Kindle All Stars: Resistance Front, now has a cover. Personally supported by the mega-iconic Harlan Ellison, this anthology features 33 authors and 500 pages of short story content from a variety of published and non-published authors, spanning ages, genders, and locales. This'll be available in December on Kindle for .99, and all proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

There will be a paperback edition as well.

Ah, nice cover. I don't really ever talk about (because I usually forget for some reason), but I had one published in a anthology a while back.

51oE9amf8mL._SS500_.jpg


My story was a first person story about some grave robbers out to dig up a freshly buried woman. However, when they get there they find someone has beaten them to it... and then things get worse from there.

Your cover wins though :)
 

1stStrike

Banned
When the next anthology is open to submissions, I'll be sure to post about it here. Anyone can submit.

That'd be cool. I know a lot of people here write short stories.

Personally, it's very difficult for me. Short for me is... 40 - 50,000 words. This short I did was just a one-off that worked out well. :)
 

Salazar

Member
Fancy reading a nanowrimo novel hot off the presses?

I urge you not to. I have literally not changed a single word, or corrected a mistake, other then at the time of writing. It is foul writing pure and simple. :p

Delighted to. I'll PM you an email address to send it to, if you like. Editing is, to a comparable or even greater degree than writing, a facility that deteriorates if unused.

And I'm in the process of writing a thesis that will require a team of editors before it is safe for consumption, so I am in no position to judge.
 

Ashes

Banned
Delighted to. I'll PM you an email address to send it to, if you like. Editing is, to a comparable or even greater degree than writing, a facility that deteriorates if unused.

And I'm in the process of writing a thesis that will require a team of editors before it is safe for consumption, so I am in no position to judge.

You are a gentleman and a scholar. This version isn't even the first draft; it's the one before that. But... it isn't a 200,000 words monster, not even a 100,000 words novel. It's 50,000 words long. And the chapters are so short, you'll be laughing... You can edit a few chapters if you prefer... I can send a chapter or two, till you are bored and move on to the next great adventure.

Here it is (in full) on gaf.

I can send a more readable word doc to any email address you give me - if you prefer that as well.

---

This is a near unpublishable experimental novel. My goals at the start were:

Ashes1396 said:
I kinda want to write 100 chapters, each 500 words each, just to show how brevity doesn't necessarily hurt a book.

I also wanted to write at least a whole chapter in a single sentence; just to show that although I may seem to be against them, sentence after sentence, I'm no hater, I can appreciate one or two really long sentences....

I also want to have a chapter in verse as oppose to prose. And another chapter entirely in script.

I also wanted to have a chapter about a side character that has no bearing on the plot, but is a hugely important character indeed.

I started with this and moved on to look at how novels are constructed; forms and formats, ideologies, genre, and what a piece of writing is supposed to do. Good luck reading. No seriously. gd luck. :/

I maintain that this book will change your life. But just not in the way you're thinking... :p

that's one editor wiped off. mwahaha
 

CzarTim

Member
Speaking of editing, anyone know a web site where you can hire one? I'm awful at missing small errors and spelling mistakes that spell check won't catch.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Speaking of editing, anyone know a web site where you can hire one? I'm awful at missing small errors and spelling mistakes that spell check won't catch.

Here's a list of respectable editors:


I have not used these, but I know other writers who have and these all come highly recommended.

Note that you should do as much editing as you can before you go for an editor, as it will vastly reduce your expenses. Editing costs add up very quickly.

My manuscript, at 114,000 words, would have cost me roughly $1,200 - $1,400 for copy editing from most editors.
 

Emerson

May contain jokes =>
Very glad this thread got made, I hope it stays active. Will hopefully keep my ass in gear a bit more if I can post actively here.

I've got a novel I've been working on for a while which has a long history but I'm very excited about where it is now. It's easily ten times better than the first incarnation.

And 100% just for fun my roommate and I are working on an anthology called A Book of Terrible Short Stories. They're either rife with genre cliches we find in somebody's horrible writing and spend some time laughing at, or just have horribly nonsensical or offensive plots.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Does this thread include essays or other "informative" writing? Currently working on one, so..

Many here do or have done technical writing in some shape, way or form, so I'm sure you can get some help if you mention specifics. Though, the main focus of the thread is on creative writing.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Oh, and Pill Hill Press has a lot of anthologies and the like. They also do novels, as well. It's a small press, but respectable - some good authors there. They have an anthology open right now called BUGS. The theme is... you guessed it.

Check it out here.

If accepted, you'll even get a few bucks for your story from them too.

Edit:

Also, here's a listing that was just posted on Twitter of 90 different publishers you can harass to publish your book. ;)

Click me.
 

Delio

Member
Oh, and Pill Hill Press has a lot of anthologies and the like. They also do novels, as well. It's a small press, but respectable - some good authors there. They have an anthology open right now called BUGS. The theme is... you guessed it.

Check it out here.

If accepted, you'll even get a few bucks for your story from them too.

Edit:

Also, here's a listing that was just posted on Twitter of 90 different publishers you can harass to publish your book. ;)

Click me.

Thanks for telling us this. I have a few bug related ideas stirring around in my head.
 

ronito

Member
When it comes to personal stuff I write it and let it sit for a long time before I revisit it.
I can't be the only one who sits and writes and thinks "this is gonna be shit when I get back to it. I suck. I suck. I suck."
 

Ashes

Banned
When it comes to personal stuff I write it and let it sit for a long time before I revisit it.
I can't be the only one who sits and writes and thinks "this is gonna be shit when I get back to it. I suck. I suck. I suck."

I don't think I suck. I might think my work sucks though. And that it could better. :p
 

CzarTim

Member
When it comes to personal stuff I write it and let it sit for a long time before I revisit it.
I can't be the only one who sits and writes and thinks "this is gonna be shit when I get back to it. I suck. I suck. I suck."

I do that too, but Twilight's popularity negates it.
 

1stStrike

Banned
When it comes to personal stuff I write it and let it sit for a long time before I revisit it.
I can't be the only one who sits and writes and thinks "this is gonna be shit when I get back to it. I suck. I suck. I suck."

While we all have room for improvement, I'm the opposite. I'm pretty confident in my work and when I finish a chapter my reaction is usually, "I can't wait until my critters read this."

Speaking of which, I'm going to be looking for beta readers in the near future for my second novel.
 

CzarTim

Member
Not to be mean, but man, reading some of the stuff on Critique Circle makes me feel a lot better about my stuff.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Not to be mean, but man, reading some of the stuff on Critique Circle makes me feel a lot better about my stuff.

I feel the same way at times. That's why I'm selective about who I have critique my work as I have to be able to like their writing enough to want to return the critiques. I've been there for years and I know who's good and who's not. ;)

But, overall, you need to remember that people post there for the sake of improving. So, you're not going to see the best versions of anyone's writing either. Try to go into the site with an open mind - you're there to help people improve, and improve yourself. Try posting up a chapter and you might be surprised about what people find in your writing to critique.
 

Emerson

May contain jokes =>
Not to be mean, but man, reading some of the stuff on Critique Circle makes me feel a lot better about my stuff.

I don't go there a lot but I read Absolute Write a fair amount and I feel the same way. Sometimes I do feel bad making fun of how bad some people are but some people are just so bad I can't help it.
 

Jedeye Sniv

Banned
Not to be mean, but man, reading some of the stuff on Critique Circle makes me feel a lot better about my stuff.

I love that feeling! I'm reading a novel at the moment and I thinking the prose sucks. I would love to go through it all and take out all the 'however's and 'but's and 'then's.

BTW Writer GAF, I have written this poem for my writing circle tomorrow. The brief was "humorous xmas poem, theme of Bad Santa". Any constructive criticism would be welcome! (btw, I'm english. Fag = cigarette, not homosexual). No title yet.

Remnants of a mince pie, fag ash in the tray
Footprints on the floor and marks left from the sleigh.
Toys made by slave labour, by all his little elves
He beats them and he whips them and he kicks them with size twelves.

You never got that pony
Though you wished with all your soul,
You’ll get socks and you’ll like it
Or else a lump of coal.

You’re wrong to think he’s jolly, he’s just morbidly obese
When he’s in your room, you should call up the police
Half a glass of sherry spilled all down his front
He looks nice but he’s not, Santa is a cunt.
 
I'm having a lot of trouble re-writing a short story that's due Monday. I actually often have times with edits (I'm awesome at first drafts though!), as this is a bit less of a "tinker" edit and more of a "broad sweeping changes when it comes to a couple of main characters".

Basically I've figured out what needs to change in terms of those characters (and giving them extra scenes), but I'm having such a hard time trying to shoehorn more material into an already long short story. Spent 5 hours today just staring at and pondering the piece and maybe got 20 minutes worth of work done.

Anyone have any advice when it comes to making big edits to short stories?
 

1stStrike

Banned
I'm having a lot of trouble re-writing a short story that's due Monday. I actually often have times with edits (I'm awesome at first drafts though!), as this is a bit less of a "tinker" edit and more of a "broad sweeping changes when it comes to a couple of main characters".

Basically I've figured out what needs to change in terms of those characters (and giving them extra scenes), but I'm having such a hard time trying to shoehorn more material into an already long short story. Spent 5 hours today just staring at and pondering the piece and maybe got 20 minutes worth of work done.

Anyone have any advice when it comes to making big edits to short stories?

Have some one read over it and give you feedback. That's usually the best way to find potential issues that you normally wouldn't be able to spot yourself.
 
Have some one read over it and give you feedback. That's usually the best way to find potential issues that you normally wouldn't be able to spot yourself.
It's been dissected in a workshop by 12 people, so I have a mostly clear idea of where it needs to be improved - I'm just having difficulty getting those improvements in. Small things like grammar, language, etc. I have no problem with, but I spend so much time working on the structure of my pieces right from the start that I find it difficult to mess around on a larger scale with scenes. Blargh.
 

Ashes

Banned
It's been dissected in a workshop by 12 people, so I have a mostly clear idea of where it needs to be improved - I'm just having difficulty getting those improvements in. Small things like grammar, language, etc. I have no problem with, but I spend so much time working on the structure of my pieces right from the start that I find it difficult to mess around on a larger scale with scenes. Blargh.

What is the point of the story? and how far do the additional storylines stray? You're a good writer Mike Works. One of the best I know on gaf. So make the judgement call.

Short stories aren't minimalist art, nor junglesque novellas, but the canvas sure is smaller. So don't drown out your point, nor leave it shallow. Make the judgement call... You've written enough stories dawg...
 

1stStrike

Banned
It's been dissected in a workshop by 12 people, so I have a mostly clear idea of where it needs to be improved - I'm just having difficulty getting those improvements in. Small things like grammar, language, etc. I have no problem with, but I spend so much time working on the structure of my pieces right from the start that I find it difficult to mess around on a larger scale with scenes. Blargh.

Ah, well in that case try reading the whole story out loud. Often times I find things that sound fine on paper don't always sound right when read out loud. In this case, you pretty much have all the kinks worked out, so you may be reading it and just run across something that sounds off that you might want to change.

Otherwise, at some point in your writing you have to decide that you've done enough and quit trying to edit your story. You can go on editing forever and never actually get anywhere.
 
What is the point of the story? and how far do the additional storylines stray? You're a good writer Mike Works. One of the best I know on gaf. So make the judgement call.

Short stories aren't minimalist art, nor junglesque novellas, but the canvas sure is smaller. So don't drown out your point, nor leave it shallow. Make the judgement call... You've written enough stories dawg...
Thanks for the encouragement. The story is a ~6500 word satire that's set in Vancouver in the year leading up to the Stanley Cup riot that focuses (on the surface) on a once-diehard hockey fan who's losing his faith in the team, and deals subtextually with his lack of faith in marriage and relationships (his father, who got him into hockey in the first place, abandoned his family later on).

One of the biggest shortcomings my first draft had was that I didn't make his potential love interest a full enough character (which I knew at the time I was submitting it). This is where I'm having the most trouble, because I know I need to give her more scene time, but I'm having a hard time finding a place to flesh her out that doesn't disrupt the flow that I have with the chapters as is. It's frustrating, but something I know has to be fixed.

Otherwise, at some point in your writing you have to decide that you've done enough and quit trying to edit your story. You can go on editing forever and never actually get anywhere.
The story is due on Monday for a university class. Trust me, I'd love to shelve the fuckin' thing right now so much.
 

Ashes

Banned
Thanks for the encouragement. The story is a ~6500 word satire that's set in Vancouver in the year leading up to the Stanley Cup riot that focuses (on the surface) on a once-diehard hockey fan who's losing his faith in the team, and deals subtextually with his lack of faith in marriage and relationships (his father, who got him into hockey in the first place, abandoned his family later on).

One of the biggest shortcomings my first draft had was that I didn't make his potential love interest a full enough character (which I knew at the time I was submitting it). This is where I'm having the most trouble, because I know I need to give her more scene time, but I'm having a hard time finding a place to flesh her out that doesn't disrupt the flow that I have with the chapters as is. It's frustrating, but something I know has to be fixed.


The story is due on Monday for a university class. Trust me, I'd love to shelve the fuckin' thing right now so much.

Now that is a dilemma. Okay, does the story have an argument as such? And if so, what part does the love interest play?

If the love interest causes resolution X, then you are absolutely right, she got to play a bigger part. Though you could make a smaller part have a bigger influence, by their impact...

Take her out of the picture. See how that looks to the reader. then put her in again in fresh words...
 

1stStrike

Banned
Thanks for the encouragement. The story is a ~6500 word satire that's set in Vancouver in the year leading up to the Stanley Cup riot that focuses (on the surface) on a once-diehard hockey fan who's losing his faith in the team, and deals subtextually with his lack of faith in marriage and relationships (his father, who got him into hockey in the first place, abandoned his family later on).

One of the biggest shortcomings my first draft had was that I didn't make his potential love interest a full enough character (which I knew at the time I was submitting it). This is where I'm having the most trouble, because I know I need to give her more scene time, but I'm having a hard time finding a place to flesh her out that doesn't disrupt the flow that I have with the chapters as is. It's frustrating, but something I know has to be fixed.


The story is due on Monday for a university class. Trust me, I'd love to shelve the fuckin' thing right now so much.

Hmm. Have you tried an indirect approach to fleshing her out? A memory, a picture, a gesture, a song, anything like that which might trigger a "moment" in the story. You don't need to add 3 paragraphs. Just a couple sentences should do it.
 
Now that is a dilemma. Okay, does the story have an argument as such? And if so, what part does the love interest play?

If the love interest causes resolution X, then you are absolutely right, she got to play a bigger part. Though you could make a smaller part have a bigger influence, by their impact...

Take her out of the picture. See how that looks to the reader. then put her in again in fresh words...
Well one of my other main problems is there's no a good enough sense of irony in the protagonist. It's there in almost every other facet of the story, but I brought the protagonist too close to the narrator, and thus he (the protagonist) sort of became "in" with the narrator as far as pointing out the ridiculous nature of all things.

So one of the things I'm trying to do is distance the narrator and the protagonist and give him a clear sense of irony.

So what I'm thinking of doing is making him want a long-lasting relationship, but ultimately, make that impossible for him to obtain because of his inability to make peace with the past (and his parents' divorce).

Thus the love interest is vital, because I want to build up and show the potential for a serious, long-lasting relationship between them, so I can (potentially) tear it down at the end. Plus, she offers a nice juxtaposition to his stance, since she's made/making peace with something pretty traumatic from her past.

Talking with you and 1stStrike has helped out a lot though; it's really gotten my brain working at attacking and spelling out the problems here.

Hmm. Have you tried an indirect approach to fleshing her out? A memory, a picture, a gesture, a song, anything like that which might trigger a "moment" in the story. You don't need to add 3 paragraphs. Just a couple sentences should do it.
Unfortunately I need to do more than that, as in my first draft, she pretty much disappears before the climax, and I've since realized that she needs to be there. Additionally, due to its satirical nature, the story is a little dark and very sarcastic, and thus (coupled with the protagonist's views on relationships) risks coming off as sexist or misogynistic in areas. I really want to push this love interest to the forefront, because she's so awesomely flawed, and yet I think she's probably the biggest rootable interest in the entire story.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Good luck, Mike. If you ever want some outside feedback I'd be happy to give whatever you're writing a read over. All of my writing is dark, so I definitely excel in that regard. :)
 

Freshmaker

I am Korean.
I'm having a lot of trouble re-writing a short story that's due Monday. I actually often have times with edits (I'm awesome at first drafts though!), as this is a bit less of a "tinker" edit and more of a "broad sweeping changes when it comes to a couple of main characters".

Basically I've figured out what needs to change in terms of those characters (and giving them extra scenes), but I'm having such a hard time trying to shoehorn more material into an already long short story. Spent 5 hours today just staring at and pondering the piece and maybe got 20 minutes worth of work done.

Anyone have any advice when it comes to making big edits to short stories?

I like to do a full rewrite from a printed copy when I'm revising. Tends to make me think about what I'm reading more than I do when I'm just trying to pick around inside the word processor.

Also easier to keep your place on events (post it notes, highlighter etc) so that your changes don't make the story seem all patchwork.
 

1stStrike

Banned
I love all these neat things you post here for us. Going to try this ^_^

No prob! I always seem to come across cool shit. Sharing is caring, as they say.

I just finished writing my nightmare in novel form - a spider scene. I'll probably have nightmares about this scene for a week.

Long story short, this guy in my story is at a camp fire when a spider creeps over to him. He impales it on a stick, and then suddenly becomes aware of... something else. He stands up, looks around, and then looks up - and his gaze is returned by that of thousands of eyes.

He then freaks the fuck out as hundreds of spiders drop from above and start chasing after him. They eventually catch him, wrap him in their webbing, and drag him off into the swamp.

More shit happens from there, but yep, that's pretty much nightmare material for me lol.
 

1stStrike

Banned
All plausibility as a character would desert him if he did not.

Yeah, agreed. I seem to take one thing that absolutely grosses me out or terrifies me and insert it into each book. I guess sharing is caring. :p

In the first one there's a scene where this girl is possessed and her bones are popping and snapping in her flesh as this creature rages inside of her. Anything that involves bones poking through flesh always gives me the shivers. I think the scene is better, overall, because I'm drawing directly from my own fears. It definitely creeps some people out, however, based on the feedback I've gotten.
 

1stStrike

Banned
For anyone that's on Critique Circle, chapter 4 of my second book is up for critique (the first 3 chapters are there, as well, with the next two chapters on the way over the following two weeks). I'm using the public queues to garner interest before I take the rest of the book to a private queue (cheaper on credits).

If anyone's read book 1, it's a good way to get a free read of book 2 and have a chance to help shape the follow-up book as well. I'm happy to return any and all crits.

All chapters are rough draft chapters, so there will be some clunkiness here and there, but nothing too bad.

I realize most of you aren't on CC, but figured I'd just toss the offer out there in case any where interested in helping out.
 

bengraven

Member
Am I the only one who has this problem?

It seems like whenever someone asks me about my book...it's always the people who:

1) really are not interested in it
2) get silent after you give them the gist of the book, then say "oh that's nice"
3) say "oh well that's not something I would read"

The people who ask me what the book about are always the most distantly related or related through marriage and I swear they only ask because they're bored at a family function or because they think it's "adorable" that I write on the side. It's always like a second cousin's wife or an elderly woman. The type of people who ask me and I actually freeze up and almost say "well you wouldn't be into it".

Kind of makes me laugh actually.
 

1stStrike

Banned
Am I the only one who has this problem?

It seems like whenever someone asks me about my book...it's always the people who:

1) really are not interested in it
2) get silent after you give them the gist of the book, then say "oh that's nice"
3) say "oh well that's not something I would read"

The people who ask me what the book about are always the most distantly related or related through marriage and I swear they only ask because they're bored at a family function or because they think it's "adorable" that I write on the side. It's always like a second cousin's wife or an elderly woman. The type of people who ask me and I actually freeze up and almost say "well you wouldn't be into it".

Kind of makes me laugh actually.

Use them for practice. They often say that you should have a quick 200 - 300 word summary of your book memorized just in case. This could be if you run into an agent or an editor at a convention, or for whatever situation.

If you can sell your family on the book then you can probably sell an agent or editor on it enough to at least give you their card or schedule a reading session.

My family has always been really supportive of my writing and they've listened to me ramble on and on about my characters and future plans. They don't always understand everything I'm talking about, but they've genuinely taken an interest. My grandmother is a huge Harry Potter fan, and she read my book pretty quickly after it came out.
 

bengraven

Member
Use them for practice. They often say that you should have a quick 200 - 300 word summary of your book memorized just in case. This could be if you run into an agent or an editor at a convention, or for whatever situation.

If you can sell your family on the book then you can probably sell an agent or editor on it enough to at least give you their card or schedule a reading session.

My family has always been really supportive of my writing and they've listened to me ramble on and on about my characters and future plans. They don't always understand everything I'm talking about, but they've genuinely taken an interest. My grandmother is a huge Harry Potter fan, and she read my book pretty quickly after it came out.

I don't have a very supportive family to the extent of yours, but I do have quite a few supportive friends. If I want throw a story idea out, I usually use my writing groups or forums like GAF to judge it.

Example being the fantasy western I'm writing from NaNo. "It's a fantasy western set in an alternate 1867 where wizards exist and live alongside cowboys and Natives. Think high noon duels but with guns versus magic."

The people I'm aiming it for: "Jesus Christ, that's exactly what I want to read" - actual quote from Something Awful.

My best friend's wife in the case that sparked this topic: "um. nice I guess."

That's what makes me laugh. I'm obviously aiming for a select group. :)
 

bengraven

Member
I do need to finish the novel up so I can craft a better, more catchy summary. I'm fairly certain the idea is sellable, though I'm also predicting a lot of rejections.

Which is fine. The next novel will be more mainstream.
 

Switters

Member
Hi GAF, I am a supremely under educated writer that has had his comic book idea usurped by a brother who has the wit for plot structure, but lacks the facility to bring those characters to life.

Thus, it falls to the alcoholic brother (me) with a lot of free time on his hands, to imbue this massive world with the soul of something that the public would actually read.

I need an editor.

My brother and family think everything I do is great. I'm one of those types that can be creative, though mediocre, in every possible medium - right brained as fuckall, but I don't really know what I'm doing.

Can I send someone of the GAF brotherhood most of the first chapter to be critiqued?

The caveat is that this work WILL be published. He has a lot of money. I would just hate myself if it sucked.
 

bernardobri

Steve, the dog with no powers that we let hang out with us all for some reason
Hi GAF, I am a supremely under educated writer that has had his comic book idea usurped by a brother who has the wit for plot structure, but lacks the facility to bring those characters to life.

Thus, it falls to the alcoholic brother (me) with a lot of free time on his hands, to imbue this massive world with the soul of something that the public would actually read.

I need an editor.

My brother and family think everything I do is great. I'm one of those types that can be creative, though mediocre, in every possible medium - right brained as fuckall, but I don't really know what I'm doing.

Can I send someone of the GAF brotherhood most of the first chapter to be critiqued?

The caveat is that this work WILL be published. He has a lot of money. I would just hate myself if it sucked.

I'd willing to take a look, but first:

1.- Get a plot synopsis done for at least the first story arc of the series (not only the first issue, but the whole arc). Ideally one page is enough. (Tips: Keep the essential story facts, try to avoid hyperbole or ramping on too much details. The read must be clean, balanced and understable.)
2.- After that, you will be able to properly write the script for the pilot / first issue from the beginning to the end, and this will compliment the comic proposal as well. (I wouldn't expect to understand the idea you're trying to sell if I read an unfinished script.)
3.- Having the previous steps done, register the documents into the Writers Guild of America. They will assign you a number, and this will help you in order to protect your idea / script.

Once you get those steps done, I'll gladly read it and give any necessary critique you're looking for.
 

Delio

Member
Am I the only one who has this problem?

It seems like whenever someone asks me about my book...it's always the people who:

1) really are not interested in it
2) get silent after you give them the gist of the book, then say "oh that's nice"
3) say "oh well that's not something I would read"

The people who ask me what the book about are always the most distantly related or related through marriage and I swear they only ask because they're bored at a family function or because they think it's "adorable" that I write on the side. It's always like a second cousin's wife or an elderly woman. The type of people who ask me and I actually freeze up and almost say "well you wouldn't be into it".

Kind of makes me laugh actually.

I always get #2. Doesn't matter who it is. Well cept for my nerdy friends but that's only cause they understand the concept well.
 
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