Is there one story in your portfolio as an author that you are particularly proud of but hardly anybody has read?
If so, what is it and why do you think that it isn't popular?
Alternatively, Is there one story you've always wanted to write, but haven't because you don't think there will be very many readers?
Would you give a brief summary? What is the biggest roadblock preventing you from writing it?
There's one story I've thought about for years... I would hope it wouldn't attract many readers, but it probably would, and they'd largely be disappointed.
Basic premise: females severely troubled by recurring rape fantasies sign up for 'treatment' which includes being (at a later date they're unaware of) 'abducted and raped' by an individual in the employ of the 'treatment facility'. (The underlying premise is that rape fantasies are extremely common in females, but largely absent in the fantasies of women who've been raped. So by fulfilling the fantasy as realistically as possible (while maintaining some degree of safety for all involved) one troubled by recurrent fantasy should be freed of those fantasies.)
It was actually a universe/series idea, since there's a number of possible ways for the story to progress. (A patient whose behaviors becomes extremely high risk due to her subconscious wish to live out her fantasy attracts real trouble, the employee stalking her has to save her. A patient enjoys the experience too much, falls for her 'stalker/rapist'. The employee/stalker falls in love with the woman he's supposed to rape, and can't bring himself to do the job. A patient wants a hardcore BDSM rape, begs 'rapist' to collar her permanently. etc.)
Actually written and posted? Code Name: Wolf.
It has a lot of SOL-specific flaws.
It is too short and I called it flash fiction in the blurb. It has no sex, has graphic violence and is part of a much maligned sort of sub-genre, the "Fairytale Re-write".
I thought it was pretty good and I had fun writing it, so I hoped it would be popular. Still, it has very few readers and most of them evidently didn't like it much.
I thought it was pretty good and I had fun writing it, so I hoped it would be popular. Still, it has very few readers and most of them evidently didn't like it much.
I thought I'd remembered reading that quite some time ago. Just went and checked. Yep. I thought it was great little read, and a nice take on the whole werewolf/fairy tale thing. Short, sweet, to the point. Good short story.
It's really a twofold question.
As an author is there a story you published you wish more people would read and why do you think they haven't
The other question and perhaps the best one is if there's a story you haven't told, what is preventing you.
In my case I'll answer both questions
The best story I am writing is the current one, keeping the women folk in line, my sister's tail.
Not only is it the culmination of my experience so far as a writer, but it's a really exciting story to tell.
The best part is that it's a collaboration so I never really know what's going to happen next in the next chapter. It's all been flowing so well, and we're both so inspired that we're not having time to do the editing needed on early chapters.
As to the story I haven't written, I have a whole backlog of wonderful ideas.I catalog them and make some notes so that I can always go back
Most of my stories, involve creating some characters putting them in an interesting situation and seeing what happens.
They're usually about growth and evolution over time as the characters make mistakes, fumble, have victories and learn.
There are a couple in my list that I just can't quite picture how the situation will evolve
One example is I would like to do a story based on enola holmes.
If you recently watched the Netflix special, You might see my inspiration.. She is the eclectic little sister of Sherlock Holmes.
I feel like there's an opportunity to write a story despite it being in Victorian setting of repression that involves sexuality.
Perhaps initially she has sent by her eldest brother mycroft to a new finishing school. She escaped the last one. This one is more insidious and it insists that it's female charges remove all of their clothing So they are not tempted to escape
So it's basically a naked in school story but set in Victorian.
Naturally, she's going to escape, for what reason I have no idea? There would be a mystery and a puzzle to solve. Perhaps she ends up on a pony farm for human girls searching for her mother. Her mother is a libertine, who was looking to explore her sexuality.
All of that sounds wonderful until I start sitting down to write and realize that I need clever puzzles, Witty banter, and an actual mystery to solve that is not easily figured out by the reader long before the story ends
Much easier said than done.
It's really a twofold question.
You did say "Alternatively..." intimating that it was "If not this, then perhaps that.." kind of question! In any case, I will play along.
My white whale of a story is a believable, relatable, lesbian coming of age story that a lesbian would read and say, "Yeah... I understand that, I can relate to that."
I don't know that I have the emotional depth to write a realistic, believable and relatable female main character. I can write likeable women, even entertaining women (from the male perspective) but I never felt like they had the depth they needed to be beleivable.
I have read a lot of women growing up stories and even lesbian life stories or coming out experiences, both good and bad, in my research, but as fascinating as they are, they are, they leave me feeling like something is missing.
I don't mean that as criticism, just that I haven't found one that resonates with me, that really lays out the emotional connections between thoughts and actions in a way I can internalize and emulate in a story.
I am certain the failing is mine and that is why I will probably keep floundering. I inevitably get to a point where I realize my female MC has become a male with breasts and I either convert the story to male or just put it on the fail pile and try again.
My white whale of a story is a believable, relatable, lesbian coming of age story that a lesbian would read and say, "Yeah... I understand that, I can relate to that."
It's funny you say that about a believable, relatable, lesbian main character.
Most male fantasy authors I've read write "Basically a dude with a set of tits" when there is a female MC OR they have endless melodramtic exposition about feelings.
A notable exception I think is Honor Harrington. David Weber writes that series and at least from my perspective she comes across like a woman.
Have you ever considered interviewing a few gay women and asking them the questions you would answer in the story? drawing from their life experiences and almagmating them.
A notable exception I think is Honor Harrington. David Weber writes that series and at least from my perspective she comes across like a woman.
Honor Harrington isn't a lesbian.
Question for you. Tina Shannon Wilson, the MC in 'Love Never Changes' - IS a lesbian, and very blatantly tells people that she prefers women to men. Do you feel that she comes across as a woman?
The point I was trying to make was simply that writing a woman is difficult to get right - straight, gay or otherwise.
Their reasons for being a lesbian might be quite different than that of a gay male. Their motivations, their desires, their experience.
Difficult to conceptualilze even for a straight woman, much less one who must deal with the stereotypes, stigmas, and the desires that aren't gender norms.
I should have phrased that better.
Btw, Starfleet Carl - I started to read one of your stories. It is quite impressive. I wish very much I could write with the same sort of cadence.
There is a pacing to your writing that seems ideal for an action adventure story. I've often wanted to do a Sci-Fi story but I can't quite master it. I'd like to do a Star Trek based fan fiction.
I am hoping by reading your story I'll get better at identifying how to write.
9/30/2020, 12:56:18 PMUpdated: 9/30/2020, 12:56:45 PM
Is there one story in your portfolio as an author that you are particularly proud of but hardly anybody has read?
If so, what is it and why do you think that it isn't popular?
Generally, when a story of mine scores low, I sort of agree. Not that low, but it's not ne of my better ones.
Bottle, on the other hand, is one I'm proudest of.
I created a magical system, an outside society, and a sort of family which was compatible with both. I had a love story and a tragedy. All within a short-shot story.
Nobody else liked it.
I created a magical system, an outside society, and a sort of family which was compatible with both. I had a love story and a tragedy. All within a short-shot story.
I wrote this story about a girl who is trained by her father. She is explaining to someone who is aghast while he whips her in the living room after school.
"I used to cut myself. It was a pain I could control. I had every kind of razor blade and sharp object categorized and color coded so that I could pick my pain. When my Dad found out he offered to get me help and instead I preferred to continue torturing myself. Eventually, I came to him and he suggested this. I've found not only does it keep me from cuttng myself but I actually feel some emotional release at the end"
(Words to that affect)
Very cool premise and yet again - it's not doing well and no comments.