Forum / what?

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 12:25am

tell me what I should write that you'll read.

James Lloyd Davis
Feb 21, 01:37am

Can only speak for myself. I never know what people here will pick up on. But, personally, I just like a good story, something exciting, dangerous, or something funny and noirish, but not silly. Humor is difficult. Slap-schtick is easy.

A lot of people write about themselves, or, put another way, they write about tragedy from a personal perspective. Some write about about the absurd ironies. Maybe a lot of people write about the absurd ironies these days, trying to emulate Jon Stewart in literary form. Some write poetry... many people write poetry, but even in a poem, I like a story, something that stands out, something different without stretching reality with shock tactics.

Never read a vampire, werewolf, or zombie story, but thought Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was cool, or Bram Stoker's one hit wonder.

I just like a story that mirrors or even enhances real life, but not to the extreme.

But that's me, what I like to read. For me, story is everything. A story well written.

Carol Reid
Feb 21, 01:42am

A collection of short stories in which characters and settings pop up several times, in different but recognizable guises. I'd like to see an engaging, messed-up but fundamentally good character get what they want. If there were some 1960s icons and music thrown in, I'd enjoy that. And have New Mexico in there somewhere.

Sally Houtman
Feb 21, 01:44am

I like writing that serves some artistic end.

Writing that doesn't care about the number of faves it get.

James Lloyd Davis
Feb 21, 02:19am

I can do New Mexico. Yeah.

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 02:49am

Thank you. JLD, I try to do that, I hope I do that. Carol, well, not sure I can manage the 1960's, icons. I did love living in New Mexico. Sally, yeah.

SO thing is, I don't care about favs. But did you read my latest? Because I think it's one of the best things I've ever posted here. And it's sliding away unread, and I don't understand why. Bad title? Stupid blurb? No one knows who I am? I don't know. The reader count I do have comes from outside the site. Here, I don't know. Why did I post it here?

And yet the silly things I post, they are devoured.

And I'm an obnoxious whiner. It's just when I like something I wrote, that's rare, so rare. I'll hate it again in a few hours. I'll take this down soon and maybe send it out, maybe let it fade into digital bits that once were. But

screw it. Going to go read a book.

(Thanks for answering, I do appreciate it.)

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 03:01am

What's the point?

Sam Rasnake
Feb 21, 03:56am

I think your latest is well-written, Lynn - as I commented. Good piece in showing the value of what's needed, what's most important - in a very matter-of-fact way. Caught between extremes. Sometimes we find a clean, well-lighted place in the back seat of a police car.

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 03:58am

Sam, thank you.

Sally Houtman
Feb 21, 04:27am

"What's the point?"

I can name that tune in...one not.

Forum — What's the point? — Fictionaut

:)

Sally Houtman
Feb 21, 04:29am

Okay, two notes.

http://fictionaut.com/forums/general
/threads/2302

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 04:33am

Holy crap, I'm that girl who keeps getting involved with the boys who are bad for her and then complains about it even after she's been told that she keeps getting involved with the boys who are bad for her because I'm that girl.

Sally Houtman
Feb 21, 04:39am

And I'm the one who takes three tries to post a link properly.

http://fictionaut.com/forums/general/threads/2302

:)

Lynn Beighley
Feb 21, 04:41am

I love you, Sally Houtman

Sally Houtman
Feb 21, 05:03am

You are *SO* getting a fave for that.

Letitia Coyne
Feb 21, 07:30am

No Favs for you, Sally!

Now I'm like TOTES depressed. I had forgotten those days and was happily purple hazed. Now I've read and read and read to the end and I can't unread.

*sigh*
Lxx

Letitia Coyne
Feb 21, 07:37am

Lynn. This:

"Holy crap, I'm that girl who keeps getting involved with the boys who are bad for her and then complains about it even after she's been told that she keeps getting involved with the boys who are bad for her because I'm that girl."

- reminded me of the story of a girl with a history of violent relationships with drunks. In an effort to have her realize how she was perpetuating her own sadness, her counselor pointed out that she had met her last three abusers at her local pub. What, he asked, can you do to help change your outcomes? She said, maybe I could try a different pub.

To fictionaut or not to fictionaut; where-else is the question.
Lxx

Adam Sifre
Feb 21, 07:22pm

Please write something with zombies in it.

Ann Bogle
Feb 21, 08:03pm

Pubs are good, no violence there (for girls). Violence, the newspaper said is for women at home, for men at pubs (a lie by comparison); therefore, go to the pub to avoid violence, pick a good pub. Ale pubs less violent than A.A. to religion. Take a taxi or walk or take the bus. Anagrams for H-U-R-R-I-C-A-N-E: raunchier; arch inure; hear incur; a rich rune -- ideas.

I'll read your new piece next.

Lynn Beighley
Feb 22, 12:10am

Took piece in question down, sending it in to a pub.

Letitia Coyne
Feb 22, 12:42am

:)
Bottoms up!
Lxx

James Lloyd Davis
Feb 22, 02:44am

I leave my manuscripts at home and send myself to pubs. It's easier to deal with rejection when you're snockered.

Michelle Elvy
Feb 27, 04:21am

Lynn, I came to this late but I want to read the piece in question. Don't worry so much about what people are reading and what they are not. I don't think you can start by asking "What do you want to read?" I think you've got to start from "What do I want to write?"

Fn is not the end-all of your reading audience. It's a place to share, to read, to enjoy - emphasis on enjoy, for me anyway. Take it lightly; take it in stride. So many stories and poems are posted here that go unnoticed -- it's the nature of the beast. No one should take it personally.

I sound like some professorial lecturer there. Didn't mean to sound that way -- but I hope you're not dwelling on what's NOT getting read here.

Curious to hear more about the story in question.

I love JLD's last comment. He's got the right idea.

Lynn Beighley
Feb 28, 06:13pm

Awright. Didn't mean to come across all I'm-taking-my-bat-and-ball-and-going-home.

It's up again:

http://fictionaut.com/stories/lynn-beighley/theres-no-you-without-whats-around-you

Thanks for reading, if you read it. Thanks for listening to me rant, either way. <3

Michelle Elvy
Mar 02, 03:50am

Lynn - it's a good story! Glad you re-posted. :)

Oliver Hunt
Mar 03, 12:06pm

Sometimes I'll think maybe fictionaut isn't really the audience for one thing or another. But then fictionaut's been a good and receptive place to experiment with a kind of writing I hadn't done much, previously.

Michelle Elvy
Mar 05, 06:18am

Fictionaut is a collection of random writers who create one audience, in my view. Not the best, not the worst. Just _one_. If you think of Fn as a tool for critique, feedback and experimentation -- and most of all a damn good place to come read other writers' work -- then you'll feel good about it. It is certainly not the audience for some things, I agree.

I don't think any writer should take any of this too seriously. Enjoy the ride; glean what you can; share as you feel you are able. Be generous and have a good heart when it comes to other writers -- and be honest, too. Don't let the *s either inflate your ego or depress it.

That's what I try to do, anyway. When I come here, I'm always surprised, and pleased. When I'm away I get distracted by other things, and sometimes it takes a while to come back. I'm not the best 'community' member, because I'm not so regular here. But balance and perspective are important -- which is why I felt interested enough to comment on this thread in the first place.

And Oliver: I've really enjoyed reading your stuff here.
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