… I have been writing stories and talking about people, places and other thingies, generally playing with words and stepping back once in a while to admire the effect. As the Alter-Ego bloke warned me the other day, unless I announce from tree tops (roof tops?) that I pretend to know the art of holding a pen, no one will ever even think of the possibility.
My faithful readers, (Are you there? Hello? Anybody home?) please hop over to this link at the Mag, and do let me know what you think of the stuff I made up – Do they make any sense at all?! Don’t forget to come back here and let me know your thoughts, because The Mag sometimes takes a while to approve comments, and unless they do, I don’t get to read them.
Tell me, should I trash the rest of the unpublished stuff hogging my PC and my work table?
Ah… I see you leave one by one. I’ll be right here when you’re back.
Why don’t you leave your sandals here, so you don’t have to take them off at the door of The Mag.
Let me now wait for the brickbats…
I won't comment on the stories themselves, but on the question you ask. I'll assume that you are not entirely happy with the stories or you wouldn't ask the question.
There are people — writers and artists — who periodically destroy their backlog in order to always move forward. I am not one of those people, and I find that, every once in awhile, I'll remember something I did years ago and will dig it up. Sometimes, I'm delighted by it. Sometimes, I sigh and say, "Well, no, that wasn't very good …" But there is the possibility of saying, "That could have been better, and I finally understand how."
Surely, these stories can't be taking up that much space on your computer. The question is, are they clogging up your mind? And I don't know the answer to that one.
Ah, re-reading your post, you DID ask for input on the stories. I think they're quite good. I sometimes feel you're reaching for the largest word possible when a smaller, simpler word would do, but there are other times the more flowery word is better. Yes, they are worthwhile. Don't mistake market success with literary success.
Thank you, Mike! Appreciate your comments more than you know.
No one else has bothered to read and/or comment! 😉
I think I grew too tired of using the simpler words that I began experimenting with those from the thesaurus! 😀
But I understand what you mean, because I have felt the same way when reading some others' work too.
Regarding why I raised this question… it's one of those days (weeks? months?) of uncertainty and doubt, and of asking myself,
'Am I doing the right thing?'
'Am I doing the thing right?'
Of course readers do come back and read. Even readers go through rough patches in life. So may not be able to leave comments everytime. Keep writing, the stories are lovely.
an