(Untitled)

[aliquisa]

I'm laying on Sam's bed, talking to Sarah as I stare at the ceiling.  I've got on a tank top and a pair of size large flannel pajama pants.  They don't match.  I'm practically falling out of the tank top, so I'm sort of tugging at it absently as I say whatever comes into my head.

"I need to be an unemployed degenerate or something.  With a grant so

Comments

[fsl]

I started writing and posting online as I write -- no going back and editing. You saw the first part, which was just supposed to be a vignette for you -- well, it turned into a novel. I'm not that happy with all of it (though, strangely, I find the parts I'm unhappy with now are seldom the parts I was unhappy with when I posted them). And it means I won't ever get rich from it (like that was going to happen anyway). But, on the other hand, I've written almost every week for the last 6 months, and I'm into chapter 5 of something when I've never gotten past chapter 1 of anything before. And I've got over a hundred regular readers, making this the most successful thing I've ever done. :-)

For me, it's the audience that gets me to write -- they keep expecting me to turn up and tell them what happens next. When I can't -- or, more often, just don't want to -- I feel horribly guilty, and it gets me staring at it again, determined to fill the page. And, unbelievable as it is to me, it seems to usually happen. It's even got me thinking of picking up some of those other first chapters and seeing what happens.

[aliquisa]

Perhaps an increased readership might do me good. Any advice? I definitely think I'm just in a bit of a rut at the moment, and all it will take is a bit of a kick to get me going again...

[fsl]

I can tell you what you already know: short stories don't "sell". :-(

You're one of the best writers I know. Possibly even *the* best. Give it a plot, make us need to know what happens next. I know at least 3 of us who will show up, and it will grow from there.

Just so you know, I didn't start with a plot. Even now, 5 chapters in, I don't have much more than a general idea of where the *current* chapter is going, much less the next one. Write a scene, figure out who the characters are, and start putting one event after another. I won't lie to you -- it can be really hard, sometimes, to figure out what's next, but I've managed it, so far, and I'm no great storyteller.

Chris.

[aliquisa]

I'd like to keep my blog just for quick mind-floss pieces. Short, simple. Not stories, just moments. Suggestions as to where to put this serial?

[fsl]

There's a few options. wordpress.com or blogger.com will let you run the site for free -- cheap and easy, but not very flexible. wibbly.com hosts webserials, as does digitialnovelists.com. Finally, I'd be happy to host you if you want to run WordPress. Send me a private message if you want to go the latter route.