enlightenment

[truepenny]

You want to know what my problem is? I write literary fiction about two women meeting in a train station and exchanging their life stories, except one of the women is an automaton and the other is a giant clockwork dragon. That's my problem, right there.

---

ETA: A clarification or two:

1. I actually meant that statement as a synecdoche for my career as a whole more than as a complaint about this particular story.

2. I haven't finished writing this story yet, much less exhausted all the possible paying markets for it.

So thank you for all the comments of support and interest. I do truly and deeply appreciate them. But let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Comments

[raeraesama.livejournal.com]

How is that a problem? :D

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Literary fiction markets don't want it, because it's sf. Sf markets don't want it because it doesn't have a plot.

[raeraesama.livejournal.com]

Aw. :( It sounds interesting enough that I want to read it, though.

[alice_montrose]

Doesn't sound like a problem to me. I'd read it.

[svalar-unnir.livejournal.com]

But that's exactly the sort of thing I want to read!

(which doesn't help you, I know)

[liminalia.livejournal.com]

Hmm, sounds like crowdfunding may be the answer, if the responses here are any measure of public interest.

[deliasherman.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I feel your epiphany, with witches and changelings.

[raeraesama.livejournal.com]

Yeah. If she did opened a kickstarter project or something for it, I'd be all over it.

[finnyb.livejournal.com]

*wants to read that*

[kickair8p.livejournal.com]

Plot is overrated, IMHO, but I think I got that attitude from reading fanfic. I don't normally read literary fiction, but this sounds interesting. Lulu.com or such? I'm no sure which would do less damage to your pro-rep, that or just putting it up as a freebie.

If you do put it up on a paysite I'd appreciate it if you'd post the link here -- so long as it's not in a locked-down format I'll probably buy it.

~

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

*another one here wanting to read that*

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

I simultaneously entirely understand your problem, and want to read the story.

[inizitu.livejournal.com]

*snort* Yup. That is both the problem and your superpower. =)

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Well, it's more convenient that way.

[malamutemom.livejournal.com]

Delurking to let you know, if you write it, I'll read it. You have never disappointed me yet.

[inizitu.livejournal.com]

Oooh. Yes. This too. *sends waves of fannish love, but in a non-creepy way*

[marycatelli]

Ever hear how John W. Campbell's "Twilight" was rejected by everyone until finally a pulp editor bought it to have something to keep the covers apart? To be deluged with fan letters saying "More, more, more!"

There can be a certain amount of disconnection.

[heresluck]

I *knew* there was a reason we're friends. :p

[alex51324.livejournal.com]

It's a gift...and a curse, as Adrian Monk would say.

Oddly enough, before I read your ETA, I didn't take the original post as being about a specific story at all. I took it as some kind of metaphor, and I was thinking, hm, you know, that is exactly what her stories are like....

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

It sounds like one for Interzone to me. They tend to like the literary end of things. And there is always Granta, who can be surprising. Both UK markets, but it sounds like the sort of thing we go for over here.

[tkie.livejournal.com]

OMG, that sounds awesome.

All I can say is that I try to use my buying power to tell publishers to put out more literary sf-f. Good luck finishing the story!

[penrynsdreams.livejournal.com]

Talking with my brother:

me: ooo
before you go
"You want to know what my problem is? I write literary fiction about two women meeting in a train station and exchanging their life stories, except one of the women is an automaton and the other is a giant clockwork dragon. That's my problem, right there."
Brian: Hahahaha
I want to read that
me: seriously
but I can see where it might be hard to, you know, sell

I know it's not super helpful to hear yet another couple of people saying they want to read it, but it can't hurt! :)

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

<3

[artemishi.livejournal.com]

That may be the most perfect metaphor ever. I must contemplate the visual...