The “MAYBE…” at the end of the last part of Hellbender wasn’t done with the intention of provoking a response from the readers (I know a number of people are enjoying the series and was happy to continue it). The reason is that I’m thinking of going a different direction with it. The scope of the story kept growing, and I began to realize I couldn’t do a statisfying short story. Thus, though initially not quite satisified with Hellbender, I’m thinking of making it my first novel attempt, going back to the beginning and completely rewriting it and bulking it up with novel length in mind.
So, it’s a creative decision. While I will hack out humor with reckless abandon, I’m a bit more careful if I think I have a good story idea. Thus, I don’t think I’m going to finish Hellbender in its current form because I’d just be finishing it to finish it and I now have a much better story in mind.
More news as events occur…
You tease
Now dammit, you can’t just cut us off like that. I was starting to get into it!
FrankJ:
Re: Hellbender:
“The reason is that I’m thinking of going a different direction with it.”
What is this different direction?
Not crappy?
“While I will hack out humor with reckless abandon”
Other than adding a “so-called” in front of humor, I believe this sentence accurately reflects your creative writing process.
Given the results, perhaps you should go in a different direction with this process as well?
For instance, stop writing.
Or stop stealing (excuse me, I mean referencing) other people’s jokes.
Or put some orginal thought and time into what you write.
Peace,
Monkey Faced Liberal
MFL,
Jealous much?
While I don’t personally know him, what I do know is that Frank J. is a well respected humor writer with a popular website, has had many of his policy ideas read to high-ranking officials of the White House, is a budding science fiction writer with great potential (according to many professionals), is in the process of authoring what is sure to be a New York Times bestseller, and personally exposed the Glenn Reynolds puppy-blending scandal.
Why is the left so obsessed with taking Frank J. down? It must be because he’s effective!
Good day, ronin.
Oh great. If you make this into a novel you’d better self-publish so it gets to the market sooner.
PJ,
No self-publishing for SF; I want credentials.
If it will make everyone happy, I could just tell you how it ends.
You would truely make it to the “Suck A$$” line if you did that Frank. Just make sure that we get the imao.us discount when it hits the shelves…
AIC
Is that a whiff of sock-puppetry I smell?
Just do what Jim Rawles did… write a screenplay and put it up, but then publish and sell the novel. I know lots of people who bought his novel after reading the screenplay version of his work.
Please don’t let Lucas produce this. After the last Star Wars movies I’m afraid the movie would be all about Charlene killing people and action, instead of the wonderful character building you have put together. I have realized character development makes a story more meaningful. I think we all see a little bit of Doug in ourselves, Dimwitted but wanting to do good. I don’t know if it has been pointed out yet but I’m pretty sure Charlene and Lulu are a compilation of SarahK. Sweet and Innocent (Lulu) but would snap your neck if you looked at her funny(Charlene). Please finish it.
God hates a literary cocktease 🙁
Personally, though I’ve been really enjoying the story, I’ve been a little dismayed by the fact that it is only a SHORT story which seemed doomed to end prematurely. I’d be more than willing to wait for a novel that does the tale justice. Let us know what you decide…and put me down for a hard-back copy.
I’ll make you a deal-keep writing the story, and I’ll keep buying t-shirts.
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRG
I’d like to know what happens. This story has gotten better over time and I’ve looked forward to each episode.
Pork,
See, that’s the thing; I thought it started too weak. Knowing better where the story is going, I’d really like to start over and make it a better tale.
FrankJ,
I completly understand why you made that decision. You’ve really improved on your description of the characters and made the plot very intriging. I hope to see the novel on amazon or the local bookstore. hey, even just a buy me link on IAMO. Best of luck on this venture and keep up your great work!
BTW, I would still love a brief overview of the story….I’ll keep it to myself.
I’d rather wait THREE YEARS and have something really good and really long, then have something kinda funny right now.
Frank, Hellbender rules. And all stories that rule need to stew for a while to become awesomer. As an amateur writer (very amateur), I know that the story I’ve got cooking is only a good one because it’s been in the stewpot for a L-O-N-G time.
So do what it takes to RULE. If that means put it on “simmer” for a while, go to it!
I look forward to more stories from ya. I have no doubt that we will soon be seeing the next Frank J scifi book in our respective local Barnes and Noble.