I just polished and submitted the longest short work I've penned to date: "Ranching the Sleore" (a "novelette" of about 8,400 words). Let's just say it involves various bodily violations.
It is probably the foulest story I've written.
I felt physically uncomfortable putting some of those words on paper.
There are only a handful of markets for such a thing.
What the f$#&! was I thinking?
(but "novelette" is a cute word, huh?)
14 comments:
While anyone can think up the unthinkable it takes a very brave writer to put it to paper.
Okay, thanks. Brave? I'm absolutely looney.
I hope you find a home for it. I'm dubious about finding a home for my own 8k+ monster.
That's ok, I just wrote a story where a little kid is the bad guy. So we're both nuts. It'll all work out!
I agree with Jamie. It's brave.
Often the best stories involved descriptions that you're embarrassed by your ability to describe them - or observations that you're embarrassed to acknowledge.
Usually readers feel the same without the gets to put in paper.
I'll read it when it finds a market.
Is it surreal at all? You know Buckets is looking for dark, odd stories.
I fully understand the limited market angst. There's only a few that will consider the goofy stuff I write. Good luck.
Good luck with your market search. I'm willing to bet that having darker, edgier material will actually make it easier to find a market.
I am agreeing with Jamie and Benjamin. It is brave to put something on paper that may offend a certain amount of society. It is a fine line to walk, getting your point across to the reader without offending too many sensibilities. For example, when "The Exorcist" came out in the movies, there were stories about people walking out in droves because nobody had seen that sort of thing before...but it was essential to the story line. Wow, it's still shocking even for today's standards. I, too, look forward to reading it when it finds a home.
Jameson - send it to New York or Tokyo. Plenty of big monsters have had fun in those places. (okay...that wasn't as funny as I thought)
Natalie - bad guy kids are awesomeness
Benjamin - true. Of course, what I find embarassing, others enjoy.
Cate - Um..."other worldly" ranchers that inhabit the bodies of dead old folks so they can raise sperm-shaped cattle in our intestines? Where do you think I sent it? (Of course, its all about love and romance too...right)
Rebecca - A lot of markets seem to be vanishing, too. (either hiatus or goodbye, thanks for all the fish)
K.C. - you're probably right. It's about time I took off the kid gloves and got messy.
Alan - I hope I have a point to make (yikes)
Sounds great, Aaron - hope you find a good home for it soon.
Sounds awesome and I can't wait to read it. Curious...what publisher did you find that accepts 8,400 word stories? I have 3 lying around that I assumed would always be homeless because of the length.
Barry - there are a few, if you check by length on Duotrope. I don't plan on writing anything else this length.
I hope you find a market for it.
..."other worldly" ranchers that inhabit the bodies of dead old folks so they can raise sperm-shaped cattle in our intestines?
Sounds like just the type of thing I'd like to see.
I've recently retired my longest piece which came out at nearly 10000 words! What was I thinking?
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