So Healing Mage story (which I'm now calling Classless) is in Critters, which means I can get back to profitable writing on Wednesday (when it makes it out of the queue). It's getting a shitload of critiques, more than any story I've ever submitted. Most people would see that a bad thing, but I think it's good. If I have so many, that means a lot of people are reading it because they enjoyed it. Otherwise they'd just say "fuck it, this thing sucks", and move on to the next story. If people want to read it, that means publishers want to buy it. Anyone can find things to criticize, no story's perfect, but if they're reading it, they're intrigued, and they finish it. Awesome.
I still think it's going to make a better novel than a story. Maybe even a fantasy series. Depending on if I ever get to that level of writing competency. Fantasy series are all the rage these days - sequels sell more than first-runs. That's a problem for me, because I don't really like series or sequels most of the time. It's too much time investment, both in reading and writing. I don't like the idea of writing a series, because when I'm finished with a story, I want to move onto a totally different story idea that I can explore.
Except for this one, because it feels so fun. It reminds me of my Final Fantasy days - the joy of discovery and magic and intrigue. Not that it's terribly original. I can already tell how that conversation with the agent will go.
"Okay, I've got this one idea. Stop me if you've heard this one, but its a fantasy series about a boy who goes to a special school to learn magic. He makes friend with a big man with a heart-of-gold, and doesn't have a lot of friends, except other outcasts. He's kind of an outcast, because he wasn't really around magic as a kid. So he's in a class all by himself, and some people disrespect him because of that. Wait? What? Harry Potter? Who's that? Another author? Doesn't he write the sports column for the NY Times? They made a movie about him? Oh, okay, one or two movies, but he couldn't have been too popular. What? What do you mean, 'billion-dollar franchise'? Well, okay, how about this - instead of magic, they're vampires, and he falls in love with a human girl? What? No, this vampire's different because he sparkles in the sun, instead of burning up. I'm calling him "Twilight the Vampire".
Nothing new under the sun, you know.Labels: Harry Potter, White Mage Story