I'm pretty pleased with my output on the year so far.

[agilebrit]

I've completed (and sent out) five stories:
Zombunnies: 8000 words
Angry Bitter Angel: 19,600 words
Glam Ben: 5900 words
Janni's Story: 9000 words
Unquiet Neighbors: 11,100 words

For a total of 53,600 words. Before the end of April. Eldritch Plumbing will give me another 9000 or so, give or take; it's at 8800 right now and I usually add words--although at this stage it's more tweaking and refining than anything else. I should finish it up in the next couple of days, if I just sit down and do it. Considering the fact that my entire output last year was 36,200, across three stories, this is amazeballs.

I've decided I'm a unicorn, in light of this. I don't know, it seems that as a right-wing, religious, gun-toting female who writes SF/F, I don't exist. Or something. Or maybe I'm just not part of the (perceived) problem, seeing as I write gun-toting kickass protags of both sexes and my stuff falls firmly in the category of "adventure SF/F." And then I realized:

I’ve written dragons, werewolves, angels, demons, aliens, vampires, zombies, squonks, and talking cats, but never unicorns. Clearly, I’ve been slacking. Therefore, for the UFO story, I need to write something funny about a unicorn. Or an encounter with a unicorn. Or... something.

Comments

[gorengal.livejournal.com]

I'm super proud of you for writing all the things! this year. Congrats!

I don't know, it seems that as a right-wing, religious, gun-toting female who writes SF/F, I don't exist. Or something.

Maybe it's better that you don't exist in their minds....the alternative is active hatred and shunning.

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

Hee, thank you! It really does help to know I've got cheerleaders. <3

Well, at least the Larry Correia/Brad Torgerson branch of SF/F seems to like me well enough, and they're not bothered by the icky girl cooties, so :p. Probably helps that my romance bone has suffered an irreducible compound fracture and I write stories instead of "message fic." Most of the time, anyway.

And, you know, for a genre that prides itself on "inclusiveness"? People of faith, accurately depicted rather than evil caricatures who want to oppress everyone, are awfully thin on the ground as characters. And I realize that I'm butting my head against convention when I write some of the things I do (Angry Bitter Angel and Won His Soul, I'm looking at you), but I'm darned if I'm going to confine myself to the ghetto of Christian Fiction. Especially since my "religious" stuff doesn't really fit there either and the markets for short Christian fiction are (a) thin, and (b) restrictive as to content.

Someone will like it. Bound to. And if they don't, then self-pubbing no longer has the stigma it used to and it can find its own market.

[gorengal.livejournal.com]

There are going to be Christian publishers who just can't accept Story A because of Principles! and Reasons! and there's not much we can do about it. Same with secular publishers, really. *shrug* I know in Doctor Who fandom there is one female writer...Helen Raynor wrote a couple of New Who scripts. Other than that, there have been no female Who script writers or novelists. SciFi is a man's world, unfortunately, despite the legions of women and girls who watch it. (I am remembering the "I am female and I am a sci fi fan" campaign after Stargate: Atlantis was cancelled.)

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

SF seems to be more of a Boys' Club, I think, while fantasy, especially the urban branch, seems to be the province of women. In very broad, general terms, of course.

For myself, I'll continue to read and write both, as I have since I was 13, because screw convention anyway. I'm LMAO remembering my mother's horrified reaction when she realized that this had become my reading genre of choice as a teen...

[roseaponi.livejournal.com]

Can I be a unicorn with you? :)
(though I have not toted my gun anywhere, I do have one and will possibly get a CWP this summer)

[werewolf-hacker.livejournal.com]

We need more unicorns! *fistbump*

I don't tote my gun yet, either; I want to become proficient before I actually start carrying. I'll be interested to see which one I like better, the Raspberry LCP or the Micro Desert Eagle.

What kind do you have?

[roseaponi.livejournal.com]

A revolver - I'll have to check, because my husband is selling my old one back to his sister and got me a different one. I have really small hands and can't rack the slide well on other types of handguns.
My aim, however, is quite good. Beats his, with less practice :)

[agilebrit.livejournal.com]

Makes perfect sense on both counts. Women (in general) have better hand-to-eye coordination than men. Maybe because our arms are shorter? ;)

[roseaponi.livejournal.com]

.38 special, he says... :) I so need to properly research this thing.