Tsukuyomi969: There seems to be a lot of poetry here.
    nor84: There are still some very good prose writers or I wouldn't still be here. I joined in 2006. -
    Jannypan (Jan) : To each their own, but I agree with Nor. Scroll through the listings and pick and choose what interests you, then pick some new ones. You'll be surprised. -


Tsukuyomi969: Do shorter pieces get more readers?
    nor84: Probably. If you develop a character in fiction, tho, you'll get some followers interested in that character. -


Tsukuyomi969: Happy new year everyone! Here?s to a happier, healthier one.


Tsukuyomi969: Did fanstory give out free memberships?
    nor84: what makes you think that? -


FanStory wrote to Tsukuyomi969: Two by Two finished second in the contest "Storm Approaches"


Tsukuyomi969: I'm back


Tsukuyomi969: How do you deal with the frustration that comes after not winning something you really wanted?
    Gloria ....: What was is it that you didn't win that you really wanted? -
    Tsukuyomi969: Nothing in particular. I just always want to win though, and it's disheartening to learn that you don't write the kind of thing that gains attention. -
    vapros: There may be an audience that gives you the accolades you want - but you just haven't found it yet. Different strokes, etc.

    There is one reliable audience for what you are seeking, and that is you. Unless you are making serious money with your work, pleasing yourself should be the primary goal. If you think your stuff is good, then it is. Keep writing, if only to entertain yourself. You will win every time. -
    vwilks: Thank you for your response. i am actually glad that you made the very candid comment about how I showed my mom in this piece. I was actually having second thoughts about sharing it although it was a hilarious moment. I plan to not include it in my book. Thank you for your honesty.
    -
    Groshans: I did read the other stories and I did feel they were better than mine. But I'm reminded of something Richard Petty ask Jackson Brown once. He asked how to become a good song writer and Brown's reply was keep writing something will be good. -


Tsukuyomi969: Gotta get back, back from the past, Samurai Jack.

Starting the writing year in October. Better late than never, yeah?


Tsukuyomi969: How do you find time to write? Do you do it in little bursts or chunks?
    michaelcahill: I neglect all my responsibilities and live in a dream world. -
    nor84: You can't find the time, you have to MAKE the time. Some people either get up early and write while things are quiet, or stay up late and write after the family is asleep. Some people can set aside a few hours each day, at the same time daily, and that's supposed to be the best way. Makes it a habit. Writing takes the discipline to sit in a chair and keep writing. Avoid distractions, like Internet sites or checking e-mail during those periods. Some writers take their laptops to a coffee shop and write, free from home distractions. Whatever works. -
    michaelcahill: To be serious, like Nor says, you must MAKE the time. I write from around 11 PM until 2 or 3AM or even later. It's the only time there are no distractions. Yes, it can make a zombie out of me at times. But I have to write! -


Tsukuyomi969: General question:

What's one of the best stories you've ever read? One that you read repeatedly, or wish you'd thought of yourself?
    michaelcahill: Impossible. The story I couldn't stop reading was Lord of the Rings. The Prince of Tides. Here, it is usually something cuurent. At the moment, I'd like to steal LANCELLOTS four part story. "The Company" or something like that. It's running now. Great premise and writing. Honestly it is hard to go wrong with any of the top ranked authors. They all seem worthy. -
    Adri7enne: "The Necklace", by Guy de Maupassant. Also, "Rain", by Sumerset Maughm. Classics, both of them. Wish I had written either of these. -
    adewpearl: The Gift of the Magi by O Henry. I've read it dozens of times, and each time I cry like a baby. -
    Twilightspire: Hmmm. Mine is something a bit more recent. Turbulence by Samit Basu is amazing. It used to be Predator and Prey: Vampire, but that got ruined in a flood. -
    shelley kaye: uhh.... the STORY, not the stupid number game! :-P

    -
    vapros: The Yearling, without a doubt, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. The very last sentence is perhaps the finest ever written. I wish I had written it. -
    vapros: Well, here is the last sentence from The Yearling, since I cited it. I think I will invent an oxymoron - roughly verbatim.

    Beyond the sink hole, past the magnolia, under the live oak, a boy and a fawn run side by side and are gone forever. -
    Tsukuyomi969: It's interesting that most of them aren't exactly recent. -
    Twilightspire: It is, isn't it? Interesting and weird. Oh well, some of the older literature gets on my nerves for some reason. I get it, they're the best there's ever been and yadda yadda, but give me something written in the last thirty years any day. -