Apples and Oranges

Unfortunately, the only way one who posts a story at this site has to know how well he or she did is to look at the comments, counts the kudos, and look at the number of hits vs. hits on other stories. There are many reasons to write a story, then post it. Some of us are just getting something off our shoulders, venting. Some are writing to entertain. Some of us are practicing, hoping that someday they may become skilled enough to reach other markets. Some of us are just looking for a figurative hug — so many of us need one now and then. Many who post here write some very strong statements about life and human behavior, its strengths and failings. Frequently, through the use of stories (parables), some authors are able to create some profound illustrations about conducting ones life for the betterment of everyone.

I can’t imagine that an author would post here, and never look at the responses from the reader. I can’t imagine that any of us are so secure that we don’t need to at least check on the feedback. How else are we able to find out how well we did? Therein lies the rub. Two days ago I started posting an ‘improved’ (my subjective assessment) version of a story I first posted here two years ago. There have been many new additions to our fold since then, and I felt some might ‘enjoy’ the story, especially as I had added nearly 10,000 words of additional material. Well, the response has been less than enthusiastic to say the least.

This is when I have to take a step back and do a little evaluation of my own. I looked at the stories posted just before and after I posted, and they were running nearly two to one on hits, and ten or more to one on kudos. Ouch! Wait a minute, I am being hardly fair to myself or the other authors. I am looking at ‘Bike’, Sarah Carerra, Becoming Robin, Football Girl, Sam and Jesse, a number of RetCon stories (hot, hot, hot), and other very nice stories, about young TG girls, intersexed girls, who have great support groups — not without conflict- granted, and boys who are suddenly turned into magically empowered super beings: and for all of whom the world has suddenly become their oyster (I may have the wrong metaphor there). In turn, my story is about a clueless transgendered young man, granted a woman inside, who makes bad choice after bad choice. His parents are totally non-supportive, which doesn’t help. I have tried to illustrate perhaps a more realistic, unsavory approach about what could happen when someone does not have the resources to transition. Needless to say, these first eight or ten chapters are not going to give anyone a warm fuzzy feeling.

Is my story badly written? Compared to some of the efforts I’ve seen, I don’t think so. Does the story have merit? Several people outside this community feel it does. Several people, for whom I have great respect inside this community, think it does, too. I think that’s enough. The stories in the California Saga series are intended to be more realistic, definitely not the best of all possible worlds, and I don’t think that’s what most of the readers here want. It’s probably not what I want all the time when I read, either. I really enjoy those little pieces of fluff that so many good authors at this site write. I love the deeper things, too (‘Drea).

I am very pleased with the reception my fantasy/magic series, The Cynthia Chronicles, has received. The first story has received nearly 4400 hits. These stories fall into the same pitfall my other stories have fallen into, though. The magical world where they exist is probably too realistic within the magical parameters I established. They are definitely not magic stories for children, but they are certainly not pornographic, or even close. The characters that have been endowed with powers magical have to live in a world where they are far outnumbered by the non-magical. It creates huge problems and responsibilities. After all, look at the problems a powerful young witch has playing a sport where the use of even a little magic would give her a tremendous advantage. She could, but she won’t use magic to her advantage. That’s a problem all the witches in the series face. Magic cannot be used indiscriminately.

Enough of a rant for today: the additions to Musetta’s Waltz — Revised Edition are a lead in to a new novel in the California Saga series. The Redhead and the PM is not a TG story; however, Musetta has an important role. Her TG journey is decades past, and she hardly thinks about it. She is just a grandmother. Hopefully, the novel will be ready for posting in November. I am hoping that the editing will be done by then.

Portia