I was a little disappointed that so few responded to my request to compare the two stories I posted on the weekend and tell me which was the early one and which the more recent.
I still feel that I am very new to this fiction writing gig, although I am always writing for work and some of my colleagues accuse me of fiction.
I am just curious as to whether I am getting any better or falling away under the burden of prolificacy.
Maryanne
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Comments
Links
https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/91873/new-plumbing
https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/91874/peer-pressure
No disrespect
but not everyone reads blog posts. Even though I just posted one of my own, I have no expectation that more people will read it than any story that I post.
Perhaps????
You could attach a note to the story asking for the comparison?
As for writing. Even people who have been writing for years and years can turn out garbage. I've spent the last few days battling with a part of a new story and no matter which way I go with it, it ends up being rubbish. As it stands, it won't be published anywhere which is a shame because the first 3000 words or so shows great promise.
Writing competency evolves over time. Very rarely does an author have a Eureka moment and from then on the work that had been garbage becomes worthy of the Pulitzer prize.
Don't get too depressed. I enjoy reading your stories.
Samantha
I could not decide!
Therefore (mistakenly) I declined to comment. You did not actually give an obvious reply address, and your tail-end to each of the two stories was rather cryptic!
As I have often commented, I your stories are well written, and (usually) enjoyable even if, at times, unsettling.
Please keep on writing
Dave
IMHO
The intro sentences of Peer Pressure seemed more forced and less refined than New Plumbing, so If I didn't know better I would have guessed it the earlier story.
Although once past the clumsy beginning (I say that for lack of a better way to describe how it felt) In Peer Pressure, the story took off and was very entertaining.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
I was just curious...
As I was chatting with somebody here I talked about "New Plumbing" (which is the earlier story) and realized that it was not here when I thought it was. I thought that I might compare it with the story that I had only just finished and post them together. But my own conclusion is that I have not changed much as a writer since I posted my first TG story on Fictionmania 4 years ago this month. I still make the same mistakes and rush things at the beginning and the end. I very much go where the story takes me.
Thank you to everybody who responded, including PMs
Maryanne.
I KNEW I'd Read it Before...
The Wayback Machine says you posted "New Plumbing" here on January 14, 2020. URL was https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/82849/new-plumbing . The story continued to show up on your author page from then through 5/31/2021; but had disappeared from there by the Wayback's next scan on 6/7/2021. (The 82849 page is now coming up "Access Denied".)
The only time the Wayback actually scanned the story itself was the day after it was posted, 1/15/2020. So I can't tell whether or not it had become a dead link by the time it disappeared. But "New Contract", the previous story on the alpha list, wasn't scanned between 2/20/2020 -- the day after it was posted -- and this October. And "No Longer a Secret", the following story, was only scanned the day, 1/20/2021, after it was added. So that seems to be Wayback's SOP here.
The current version of "New Plumbing" has a different URL from the original: https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/91873/new-plumbing#new .
Eric
The Wayback Machine??!!
This is really interesting because I had though that I had posted this story here years ago, but it is not on my list or searchable.
I went through my Fictionmania list and I found some others that I thought I had filed but are also not here.
Could you access this time machine of yours and look for:
"Aunt Katherine"
"Best Wife"
"Biker Chick" - I thought only months ago
"Brothers"
"Drag Race Oklahoma" - I wrote this for a certain cowgirl!
"Farmers Wives"
"Fishing Trip"
"Guardian"
"Mother Love"
"Orphans"
"Penalties"
"Promotional Advantage"
"Top Man"
"Voice"
"You Wear It"
I think that I have posted all of these stories, but then with all these stories I am lost. I need a wrangler!
Could you, Eric?
Hugs
Maryanne
Turns Out...
...that according to the Wayback site, 18 of Maryanne's BC stories disappeared between May 31, 2021 and June 7. I've PMed Erin and Maryanne with the titles and URLs. (If anyone else wants them, PM me.)
It doesn't appear that some of the stories Maryanne mentioned above were ever posted here (or at least, a thorough search didn't turn them up): "Aunt Katherine", "Best Wife", "Farmers Wives", "Orphans", "Promotional Advantage" and "You Wear It".
Best, Eric
Many of these...
Many of these were published here and unpubbed because they appeared in one of your books. I can repub them but it is with the risk that Amazon will complain. Of the last six listed, only "You Wear It" seems to have been published here.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Needs and Desires
I applaud your efforts.
I’m consumed by my stories and my need to write then rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Most of what I compose never sees the light of day because I don’t think it’s good enough.
Picasso was able to sketch a horse with just a few brush strokes. He was an artist.
I’m more of a hack who keeps drawing, erasing, then drawing again.
We all have our own desires to satisfy.
The search for Perfection
Leslie,
You are not alone and your attention to your work does not make you less of an artist.
Some of the great masters painted over their work up to a dozen times.
On the other hand when Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel with egg tempura on wet plaster he had less that a few hours for each panel after which the dry plaster would need to be chipped off. But his tiny errors add to his genius.
I suppose my only advice should be that imperfection is at the heart of art, so just stop and say "that will do".
I would not like to think that we are being denied masterpieces because of your search for the unattainable.
Maryanne
Thank you
Thanks for taking the time to respond with your compliments and advice.
But, I’m not frustrated with my writing style because it’s who I am. I’m content with my efforts here and on Amazon. I’d much rather have a few stories that I’ve worked hard on, but that’s just me. One thing that is rewarding is the exposure that Amazon has provided. It’s personally encouraging to read the comments people add. And book sales boost me up, too.
When I went back and rewrote my Wildcats opus, I loved the year I spent immersed in the story. Obviously, I write for myself and that’s my way.
We are all different.
Now, about you. You are the genius of a minimalist few brush strokes to create your art. Your stories are colorful and complete.
Each time you produce, it’s a bullseye. You are a master at telling a story. Bravo.
I really wanted to read them
But I haven't been in the mood to read much in the way of new stuff lately. I am mostly re-reading old favorites. Sorry.