Friday, May 15, 2009

I'm Getting Ready to Do Something I Probably Shouldn't

The other day, I went to a website I hadn't visited in a very long time. After browsing through it for a few minutes, I came to a decision. How momentous a decision, in the grand scheme of things, I don't know -- probably not very -- but for me, right now, it's sort of a big deal.

This is the website in question. I've been aware of Nedroid for a while, and I've always found him very funny, and an immensely talented artist. I mean, look at some of that stuff. Even the pictures that look like doodles are, I think, pretty great, and when you look at his more detailed work it's hard to not think he should be getting paid for this. And he's just throwing it up there for free. Maybe he has all sorts of deals with book companies or paying websites that I don't know about, and by all rights he should, but I don't think so.

So, I'm about to follow suit. I can't draw, so don't worry about that, but I do write stories. I'd rather not get into my personal writing history, such as it is, right now, but it's something I've done off and on (mostly, sad to say, off for the last several years) since I was a kid. And recently, for the first time in a long time, I actually finished something. Broadly speaking, it's a horror story (that's how I think of it anyway, although some may quibble with that designation), and the market for that kind of fiction is pretty abysmal these days. That might sound like an excuse to you, and maybe it is, but it's also true. There are no good magazines for it that I'm aware of, and even my decision to embrace New Technology and submit it to an on-line magazine that actually pays hit a roadblock when I discovered that my story is too long. The magazine has a maximum word count for the stories they publish -- as do all such magazines, on-line or otherwise -- and my story exceeds it.

Which leaves me where? With possibly more options than I'm either willing to admit or prepared to look into, but looking at Nedroid's site the other day has inspired me to take the step of putting my story up here, for free, for everyone to read and comment on. What I ultimately hope to gain from this, I don't really know, but I feel like simply putting it out there is a big enough step for my lazy ass that it's worth taking.

To be honest, the idea has been in my head for a few months, and one of the big reasons I haven't gone through with it is because my story doesn't have a title. I think titles are important, and I love a good title, but apparently -- lately, anyway -- I'm absolutely terrible at coming up with them. I do hope to be able to finally find the right one for my story before I actually put it up, but if I can't, then this thing'll just go up as "Untitled". I hope that doesn't happen, but the reason I'm putting up this post now, at least a few days before I put up the story, is to basically force myself across the line, the point of no return. I'm on record now, so...

A couple more things: the story isn't that long -- in manuscript form, it's a little over 20 pages, which I'd call average for a short story -- but it's long enough that I'm going to break this up into parts. I don't know how many posts this will take up, and I won't until I start actually breaking it down, but the point is that this will be a kind of series. Or serial, if you will. Also, if the story were to get an MPAA rating, it would be rated R, for Violent Killing, Suggestive Times, and Swear Talking. So if that's not your kind of thing, this counts as your warning.

Okay, well, that's it. I'm on record. Look for Part One in a few days, and please don't hesitate to leave comments on the story itself, whatever you think of it.

21 comments:

Wings1295 said...

That is very cool! Maybe you will inspire others (like myself) to do the same. Kudos to you!

bill r. said...

Thanks, Wings. I hop you (gulp!) like it...

Greg said...

I have a serial, Death Ray Daughters, that you never read or comment on! I also have another blog called The Invisible Edge that you also seem averse to commenting on. I guess you just don't like me much anymore. Regardless, I shall read and comment on yours because that's what friends do! Harumph!

Anyway, I think it's a great idea Bill. Is this the story I read a few months back? If so I think it's an excellent choice to start with. If not, I can't wait to see what it is.

And two other things: I can't access the site you link to because it's apparently banned here at work so I'll have to check it out later.

And two: Momentous, not mementous.

Ed Howard said...

Wow everyone's starting to post fiction serials. Pretty cool. I haven't written any fiction in years, maybe I should start again.

bill r. said...

Greg, I honestly keep kicking myself for not checking your other sites lately, but I just get too wrapped up/distracted with/by other things lately. I do feel bad about it, and it's no reflection on you, if that helps any.

This is the story you read part of a few months ago. Now you can find out if Sarah and Doug ever find the Lost Secret of the Druids!

God, I wish I could come up with a title...

I shall fix my spelling error. You're doing a lot of that lately, aren't you? Well guess what, over on your blog, you wrote "two" instead of "too". Jag off.

Ed Howard said...

Also, that Nedroid site is pretty cool, I like his stuff. His draftsmanship reminds me of a rougher version of Andy Runton (who draws the silent kiddie comic Owly).

There are a lot of artists who post their comics online these days; with newspaper comic strips more or less dying as a form, it seems to be the main way that current artists can work in the strip format. I don't know if you've ever seen it, but one of the best online comics is Achewood, which once you get to know the characters a bit, becomes one of the most consistently hilarious things I've ever read. There's no good place to start because it's so dependent on character humor, but here's the introduction of Nice Pete.

Greg said...

Well yeah, but spellcheck doesn't catch "two" because it's spelled correctly. "Mementous" indicates you did even bother running spellcheck in the first place. Who's got egg on their face now sucka?!

Now you can find out if Sarah and Doug ever find the Lost Secret of the Druids!..

Brother, that's your title right there: Sarah and Doug Find the Secret of the Druids.

I can hardly wait to find out what the secret is. I bet it's that they use oregano in everything. I bet that's it!

Greg said...

By the way, you and Ed now each have a new follower. He's a gentle soul and may comment from time to time.

bill r. said...

Ed, I used to read "Achewood" religiously, but I dropped off, for some reason, and now I feel a bit lost. I guess I'll start back somewhere in the section I know I've read, and just continue from there. But for anyone who's never read "Achewood", Ed's right: that comic is fucking brilliant. No joke.

Greg - I can't tell you the secret, of course, but here's a hint: the revelation of what the Druids have been up to makes things awfully spicy!! LOL!!!!!

And I saw my new follower. I'm glad to have him on board. He's a nice guy, who suffers daily at the hands of a horrible bully, so I hope he finds comfort here.

Ed Howard said...

I was in the same situation with Achewood; I only recently caught up with by going back through the archives and reading through to the present. So much great stuff. I went to the site to grab the link for here and the next thing I knew I'm reading through the whole story arc where Ray and Little Nephew exchange rap disses.

Greg, I noticed my new follower as well, he's my first non-human reader. I'm honored.

Marilyn said...

Dude! This is amazing! Looking forward to it. I love horror stories, especially ghost stories.

Marilyn said...

Oh, btw, get your asses over the the Large Association of Movie Blogs and vote for me. I'm nominated in the Most Likely to be Paid and Brainiac categories.

Ed Howard said...

I voted for you, Marilyn. I'm nominated for a bunch of awards too. I'm drafting my acceptance speech now. So then when I don't win the paper will be soaked through with my tears.

bill r. said...

Thanks very much, Marilyn, although this isn't a ghost story. Forget I called it a horror story at all, actually. I'm worried people will think it's something that it's not...

Marilyn said...

Ed - You really should win in every category you're nominated in. None of those blogs can hold a candle to you. And what about that name "Spaghetti Sauce and Sweet Peas"? Yup, that says film blog to me all right.

Patricia Perry said...

Wow, Bill, that is great. I will definitely look forward to reading your story.

(On an entirely different note - I will also be interested to hear what you think about "Never Let Me Go.")

bill r. said...

Thanks, Pat!

And halfway through the Ishiguro. Very good, thought not at the level of The Remains of the Day, at least not yet. But it would be beyond selfish of me to demand perfection from him every time.

I'll let you know what I think of it overall when I'm done.

Krauthammer said...

Ah cool. From what I remember of The Kind of Face You Slash, we have similar tastes in horror fiction, so I'll be eagerly awaiting the first installment.

Oh, and oh shit Nedroid. Always loved his stuff, if we're namedropping comics now, I'm a huge fan of Horribleville. I've always been meaning to check up on Achewood, as there are a few fantastic strips I've seen, but the archives are intimidating.

Bob Turnbull said...

Bill, that's great...I love your attitude of just putting it out there. Looking forward to reading it. In my jammies. Under the sheets. With a flashlight.

bill r. said...

Krauthammer, thanks, I hope you like it. And the archives for Achewood are pretty intimidating, but I say just start at the beginning and go. It's worth it.

Thanks a lot, Bob. I hope you like it, too. I'm tempted to say "It's not that kind of horror story, really", which I've just said anyway, but maybe I should quit trying to qualify my earlier statements and let the story speak for itself.

I really appreciate everyone's support.

Ryan Kelly said...

I think it's a great idea, Bill. You're something of a wordsmith and I'm sure you'll be able to tell a wonderful story in your own unique way. I look forward to it. And please don't hesitate or worry about what people are going to think or any crap like that, I'm sure it will be most enjoyable.

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