"There's Glass In My Thermos and Blood On My Jeans"

[mmerriam]

I've spent a chunk of this morning rearranging the deckchairs...

Wait, rearranging my workspace. That's it. Workspace. Because what I had set up in the study wasn't working for me. The angles were all wrong and the space more than a little uncomfortable over the long term. I have been working at the kitchen table or stretched out on the floor pretty much since we've moved here. The way I have it set up in the study now is more comfortable, but still not optimal. I'll keep working with it until I get it right.

The Reverend Selena, on the other hand, has discovered that the new arrangement allows for easier access to both the top of the short bookcase under the window and to the big monkey's lap.

Yesterday I posted on LJ : And as for that thing I do want to do for the rest of my life, we'll discuss that tomorrow.

Yes, let's.

I love short stories. Love them with the luurrrve. Love to read them. Love to write them. I think a well-written short story is a joyous thing to behold (and a poorly written short story didn't cost me the price of a poorly written novel). My brain simply clicks with, and prefers, short fiction. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, mystery, westerns, military, spy, and mainstream lit. Even, dare I say it, romance: it doesn't matter. I love them all. I would take them all home and cuddle them to pieces if I could.

However (What? You didn't see this coming? Come on, how long have you people been reading this journal?)...

I've decided to wrap up my last couple of short story WiP's and pretty much give up short fiction writing to focus on novels.

There are a couple of reasons for this.

1: I've started thinking in novel length instead of short stories. The last two story ideas I had both went straight to the Novel To Be Written Latter file. Even though I could have wrote those ideas as short stories.

B: I'm starting to sense I've gone about as far with short fiction as I'm going to go, at least for now. That's fine. I can live with that. I've done all right at the semi-pro level. The thing is, I feel like I learned and grew more in the three months I was working on the Phantom Streetcar Novel then I did the whole year leading up to starting it. I feel like that growth is continuing as I slowly work on Into This Land.

Third: I'd like to be able to at least pretend to make a living as a writer, and short stories simply are not viable economically. If I want to reach a point where I can have even a "meh" income as a fiction writer, I need to focus on novels. There's just not a lot of money in short fiction, even at the top levels. Yes, part of this boils down to cold, hard numbers.

I still have something like 15 pieces out on submission (I need to send a few back out today) and I plan on finishing the WiP's I have started, but after that, the focus is on novels.

Well, that's the plan. I'm not stupid enough to make some blanket statement like, "I'm not writing anymore short fiction until I can sell a few novels," because that way lies madness and the inevitable dozen or so short pieces attacking my brain out of spite. We wouldn't want that.

So there you go, the state of the mmerriam's career speech. Now I need to finish a few things around the house, and then try to squeeze some writing in before my brain shu...

Comments

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

It's possible to make a living from short stories. Edward D. Hoch does it, mostly with mysteries. He has a long streak of being published in every issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, and he's been reprinted a lot.

However, he's an exception. And the number of people who make their living from short stories may be smaller than the number of people who support themselves by writing poetry.

[aliettedb.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good plan. All the pros I've heard recommended switching to novels to make a decent living. And if you already think in novel-plots--well, you're ahead :)
Good luck!

[careswen.livejournal.com]

Don't forget screenplays and teleplays! Money there, too. You've always wanted to try it.

[navicat.livejournal.com]

It's good to have a plan :)

But it's a pity I won't see any more short stories from you!

[redheadedali.livejournal.com]

"There's Glass In My Thermos and Blood On My Jeans"

Nickels and dimes and the Fourth of July roll off in a crooked line...