So, I think this could be interesting. I've been watching a lot or panel discussions with editors and agents about the industry and what they look for and that sort of thing. And I forget who said it, but I will go back and look. If I find it I will post the link. But when asked about what they look for in submission, this one guy said he wants the story you would write if you only had a month to live. That kind of has stuck with me. If I only had a month to live, I would probably work on a really good personal essay. It's kind of funny that I've sold way more personal essays than short fiction stories, yet I spend way more time writing the short stories. I could probably do both in a month, but then when I thought about. If I had more time, I would write another essay. Why have I been ignoring that? I sold an essay not to long ago and I remember thinking that I would have rather sold some fiction. I don't know why I thought that. Maybe it's because my MFA is in fiction. All my friends in real life are either journalist, fiction writers or poets. No one else is writing essays. Should I be writing more essays? Is this my thing? I'm not just going to drop everything to be an essayist. But I'm also not going to ignore that I would choose to write essays over anything else in the last 30 days of my life. What would you write if you knew you only had a month to live? Maybe some people will say they wouldn't write. But I think a lot of us would. Are you working on something now that you would finish in your last month? Would you drop your WIP for something new? Go back to something old? Become a poet? Become an essayist? And when you really think about it, are you surprised by your choice? It's totally okay to come back and answer again if you change your mind. I had to give this one some thought.
If I only had a month to live I would finish my three short stories I've got on the go. I would spend every minute on them. It will probably give me the kick up the bum I've always needed. As for my novel, I would go over what I have written and perfect that. I wouldn't write any more of it because I don't think I would have time by then. Maybe I could fool myself into thinking this is true. It might help.
I am a serial procrastinator. I would probably put it off until the night before my last day, and then hurriedly record something on a Dictaphone. I hate the sound of my own voice but the odds would be that I would never hear myself anyway ...
What I write now, without qualifier. I am stuck with it - probably for the rest of my life anyway, what with all those interesting sidecharacters...
I'd love to try and finish my WIP that's half finished, in the hopes it could be published posthumously. But more than likely I'd spend the remainder of my time with my family and friends instead.
I would pants write my whole lief, 30 years of death metal, roxk electric awesome. No spelling, every swear, no dictionary. all the learning, fear, snow days, prayers, masturbstion, girlfirends sex, wife, kid, marines, Ieds deth, scuicides, rage, kid, brit marsoc Jordan clusterfuck, kid, japan riots near death experience, ALL the migrsines, all the pleasure. One big hedonistic braingasm. Tske it world!!
That's a heavy question, man. I have one personal story that I'd write. It's pretty different from the usual scifi/horror stuff I write, and it's a metaphor for a time in my life when I was very depressed. I think if I ever get around to it, it'll be one of those books that sticks with people. For the time being, I'm not ready to write it just yet. Dude, please write that anyway. No spelling, every swear and all. I'd love to read that.
