I can't remember exactly when it was that I started writing TG fiction, but it must be coming up on twenty years ago (I removed fifteen stories from Storysite in 2003).
For some odd reason, I took the time this afternoon to check just how many stories I've posted. I was surprised to note that my next story will make a nice round one hundred. The average story is about 15,000 to 20,000 words so that means I've subjected my gentle readers to the equivalent of about two dozen books. That's almost the same amount of fiction John Grisham penned during the same time period. He was paid a bit more and attracted a few more readers.
The prospect of writing my 100th story for BC is daunting. I've been thinking about a silly story for a few weeks and now I'm not sure if it fits the needs of such an august occasion. "August" in that it will take me about six weeks to write, edit, and publish, which will put the publish date in. . .August.
On the other hand, not even my mother (if she was still with us) would think that there is anything of significance in publishing 100 stories for BC. Compared to Angharad, I've just opened my bottle of ink and haven't even dipped my quill.
Now that you know I write my stories with a quill, you probably are saying, "That explains a lot."
Yep --- I'm going to go ahead with the silly story that has the same old message as the majority of the preceding 99.
I'll try to keep up to Grisham's pace. By the way, did anyone else find his latest book Camino Island less than satisfactory? It was like he had everything set up for a great ending and then decided it was too much work. At least, one of the main characters shares her name with my darling baby girl - who's teaches geometry. Not bad for a baby!
Jill
Comments
Writing with a quill
It may help to immerse into the story or start write it in calligraphy or add some pattern or draw a scene. It would be very interesting to see the result - how your stories look on paper.
Dissapointment with endings
applies not only to books but to films as well. Everything going along nicely and bang, roll the credits.
Leaves the reader/viewer wondering why? then later, why did they bother.
As you say, it is as if the writer got bored and wanted to move onto the next 'big thing' or that the Studio said, no more then 95 minutes to the director.
OTOH, there are TV series that have gone on well past their sell by date and have lost a lot of the original sharpness. Rotating teams/phalanx's of writers don't help IMHO. To keep a series really tight needs a consistent writing team.
Getting the ending just right is something that I'm increasingly aware of and is TBH, causing me a problem with one particular work in progress.
I suppose that is the difference between a rank amateur/jobbing writer and a truly great one?
Samantha.
PS, I've posted 69 different pieces here. I'm including all my multi-part works as a single item so you are ahead of me in getting to the 100 mark. Well done.