Keep in mind I realize that what I'm asking for here is insane and unreasonable, but I'm posting it anyways because, in my heart, I truly am an optimist.
You've probably noticed that even the sparse amount I post here has gone down to nearly nothing as of late.
In the aftermath of this thread over on the other side, I got back to writing. I've always been a fan of Bradbury's book Zen In The Art Of Writing and have always considered writing daily to be a personal goal.
Five years ago, I met Bradbury at a signing in San Dimas. I told him, when I met him, that I loved the book. I told him the book was what I took for depression.
"Wonderful!" he said, and I think he was sincerely pleased. "Do you write every day?"
I stammered and hemmed and hawed.
He started filling in the excuses for me, telling me he was sure I was busy and so on.
I wanted to say, "No! Don't do that! Chew me out!" But the experience served its purpose. I've always had it in the back of my mind, reminding me what I need to do.
Well, lately, I've actually managed to do it. Since Card and Mel shared their thoughts in the "First Drafts" thread, I've been writing nearly every day, and finishing right around a story a week.
So now, I want to immerse myself in this for the next year. Sort of a "Boot Camp" of my own making (With a possible side trip to the actual OSC Boot Camp next year, if they still do the week long one) by the end of which, I should have figured out at least a little better what I'm doing.
So now comes the insane request.
If I were to post, over at my blog, each time I finished a story, would anybody be willing to poke their nose in there once in a while and let me know if they had time to read one?
I'm a decent writer--I had a story in The Leading Edge, have been an honorable mention in the Writers of the Future contest, and seem to be in the "nice comments from the editor" phase of my carrer.
Now I realize the usual price a writer has to pay to get readers like this is to read the stories of other writers and offer them similiar feedback. I'm open to that, to a limited degree--maybe a story or two a week--but I just don't have time to read as many stories as it would take to get feedback on the number of stories I am hoping to produce. During this year, in addition to all that writing, I'm also going to be working full-time, being a dad, trying to lose another 30 pounds, and teaching early morning seminary.
In other words, I'm making an insane request because I am insane.
Please let me know if you think there's any chance at all you could bookmark my blog and, once in a while when looking for something to read, you could poke your head in and email me to ask for whatever I'd finished that week.
I understand the answer to this is going to be mostly no--I just want to find out if the answer is entirely no, that way I won't bother with the blog. Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
I would probably do that periodically, if for no other reasons than I get bored and want something new to read from time to time. The daily writing thing has been my own new years resolution this year, except I give myself one day off each week and I'm pretty broad in what I let qualify as writing.
--Enigmatic
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
I tried to do the same thing, and the people that said they would read never did. As a result, I'd be more than willing to read your work, although I make no promises as to how often - weekly, perhaps.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
[whisper](You could always join us over at Speculative Fiction - we have critting organized over there.)[/whisper]
I'm doing much the same thing with my writing blog - reporting in (whenever I remember to) in the theory that I'll write more frequently. I'm also aiming at writing every day. Or editing, really.
Posted by xtownaga (Member # 7187) on :
I would offer to check in from time to time, but I don't think I have time and don't want to say I will and then not. However, I've found that Fiction Press will generally get you one or two "reviews" (re: comments) on a story. I haven't used it in a few years though, so that may have changed.
Posted by Parsimony (Member # 8140) on :
I am always willing to read things other people have written. In fact I am usually begging to read things other people have written. So I will definately check in from time to time if you are going to be posting stories. Good Luck!
--ApostleRadio
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
That's great that you are writing every day. I'm still trying to build that habit myself. I'll pop over to you site from time to time and see if there's anything that needs reading.
--Mel
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
Thanks, all of you.
I really appreciate it. More than I can say.
(And I think inability to express myself will earn me a writing career?)
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