Fiftieth Story

[EmilyMiller]

I know, the usual suspects will be lining up to say they have published 5,000. But…

Tomorrow my fiftieth story goes live. It’s nothing special, a day in the life of a sex worker. But it feels like a milestone.

It's not been much over a year that I have been writing. I started out with lengthy and overly clinical descriptions of sex acts. I still do that shit, but I also now have pesky things like plot and characters and motivations to deal with.

I have what will be my fifty-first and second also lined up (chapters 4 and 5 of Teaching Eden) and a few other irons in the fire. But I think I’m gonna take a bit of a break from writing for a while. Maybe catch up on stories I promised people I’d read. Maybe reduce my beta backlog. Maybe reconnect with some friends to whom I’ve been “sorry, busy writing.” Also some important IRL things to do.

No idea how long the hiatus will be. Maybe short. It’s hard to kick the writing bug. But fifty seems a good point at which to take a sabbatical.

For the avoidance of doubt, I’ll still be annoying you here with my usual inanity, and still hitting on various female authors (you know who you are ).

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

I'm waiting for your sixty-ninth.

 

[samhasstories]

That's great, congrats. I'm impressed by, and envious of, your output. I'm a sloth.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I'm waiting for your sixty-ninth.

It’s going to feature two female authors. One South African / British, one American. It will be an in-depth character study.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

That's great, congrats. I'm impressed by, and envious of, your output. I'm a sloth.

Thank you

 

[SimonDoom]

I know, the usual suspects will be lining up to say they have published 5,000. But…

Tomorrow my fiftieth story goes live. It’s nothing special, a day in the life of a sex worker. But it feels like a milestone.

It's not been much over a year that I have been writing. I started out with lengthy and overly clinical descriptions of sex acts. I still do that shit, but I also now have pesky things like plot and characters and motivations to deal with.

I have what will be my fifty-first and second also lined up (chapters 4 and 5 of Teaching Eden) and a few other irons in the fire. But I think I’m gonna take a bit of a break from writing for a while. Maybe catch up on stories I promised people I’d read. Maybe reduce my beta backlog. Maybe reconnect with some friends to whom I’ve been “sorry, busy writing.” Also some important IRL things to do.

No idea how long the hiatus will be. Maybe short. It’s hard to kick the writing bug. But fifty seems a good point at which to take a sabbatical.

For the avoidance of doubt, I’ll still be annoying you here with my usual inanity, and still hitting on various female authors (you know who you are ).

Em

50 in a year is a heck of a lot. I've published 59 in almost 7 years, and while I know I could do better, I cannot imagine publishing a story every week, which is what you've done. Congrats and enjoy your well-earned break.

 

[onehitwanda]

It’s going to feature two female authors. One South African / British, one American. It will be an in-depth character study.

Em

Are there going to be some deeply-buried secrets to uncover? Previosly unseen... er... landscapes?

I am so terrible.

 

[MillieDynamite]

EM, congratulations on your record. Now get back to work and write another one. Loligaggers don't reach one hundred.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Are there going to be some deeply-buried secrets to uncover? Previosly unseen... er... landscapes?

I am so terrible.

There will be revelations. Unfurlings. Veils being drawn back.

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

There will be revelations. Unfurlings. Veils being drawn back.

Em

I'll stock up on the popcorn!

 

[EmilyMiller]

EM, congratulations on your record. Now get back to work and write another one. Loligaggers don't reach one hundred.

Thanks - I think I’m an addict. But need a bit of respite care .

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Fifty. Pfh, it's nowhere near the number of stories I published...

 

[BobbyBrandt]

A few months back, I went from 73 posts to 25 "stories" by having all of my individual chapters and parts of completed stories combined into single submissions and then deleting the chapters/parts.

I know a lot of authors here count every post submitted as a "story", but if it isn't a stand-alone piece of work, is it really appropriate to do so?

 

[Rob_Royale]

That's very impressive. I'm just at a year now with 16 posted. Congratulations.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I don't know.

A few months back, I went from 73 posts to 25 "stories" by having all of my individual chapters and parts of completed stories combined into single submissions and then deleting the chapters/parts.

I know a lot of authors here count every post submitted as a "story", but if it isn't a stand-alone piece of work, is it really appropriate to do so?

 

[Euphony]

I know a lot of authors here count every post submitted as a "story", but if it isn't a stand-alone piece of work, is it really appropriate to do so?

"Appropriate" suggests there's someone enforcing a standard, which there really isn't.

It's just authors talking shop. Some are motivated by numbers so maybe there's a little fluffing going on to keep motivated.

Volume (true or fudged) is a poor reflection of ability or quality.

Some of the most consistently low scores were prolific posters.

 

[EmilyMiller]

A few months back, I went from 73 posts to 25 "stories" by having all of my individual chapters and parts of completed stories combined into single submissions and then deleting the chapters/parts.

I know a lot of authors here count every post submitted as a "story", but if it isn't a stand-alone piece of work, is it really appropriate to do so?

I only have two chaptered series. One with six chapters. A current one that will have five. Everything else is stand-alone.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

That's very impressive. I'm just at a year now with 16 posted. Congratulations.

Thank you

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

"Appropriate" suggests there's someone enforcing a standard, which there really isn't.

It's just authors talking shop. Some are motivated by numbers so maybe there's a little fluffing going on to keep motivated.

Volume (true or fudged) is a poor reflection of ability or quality.

Some of the most consistently low scores were prolific posters.

Yeah - I didn’t know I was going to be audited.

Em

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Emily, congratulations on 50 submittals. After four years as a member, I'm finally getting close and hope to hit that mark soon.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Emily, congratulations on 50 submittals. After four years as a member, I'm finally getting close and hope to hit that mark soon.

Thank you - some of them are quite short. But mostly as I set myself the challenge of being impactful in under 2,000 words. I think I often achieved that.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

Fifty. Pfh, it's nowhere near the number of stories I published...

Come on! That’s not your A-game, is it?

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Come on! That’s not your A-game, is it?

Em

I am shocked by your insinuations! I was clearly telling the truth.



See? It is nowhere near!

 

[SouthernCrossfire]

Thank you - some of them are quite short. But mostly as I set myself the challenge of being impactful in under 2,000 words. I think I often achieved that.

Em

There's nothing wrong with short if it grabs the reader's attention and gives them what they're seeking. My stories tend to be a bit (okay, according to some, a lot) too wordy. As an example, my Summer Lovin' story started out as a 12 to maybe 20K word story and ended up at over 40K words (but it was a fun-to-write, and hopefully read, 40K words). If I'd skipped the contest and broken it up in three submittals like I considered (briefly), I'd have been at 50 now, too! Lol

 

[EmilyMiller]

There's nothing wrong with short if it grabs the reader's attention and gives them what they're seeking. My stories tend to be a bit (okay, according to some, a lot) too wordy. As an example, my Summer Lovin' story started out as a 12 to maybe 20K word story and ended up at over 40K words (but it was a fun-to-write, and hopefully read, 40K words). If I'd skipped the contest and broken it up in three submittals like I considered (briefly), I'd have been at 50 now, too! Lol

I kinda wish I’d split up Heaven & Hole as nine pages seems to put off readers.

Em