Writing about Fiction Writing
Boosting Fiction: I Want to Tell You a Story
The pair of us were up all night chatting about the most exciting area of writing on Medium… FICTION!
When I found out Grandma Smillew was writing on Medium and even had a publication focusing on the platform, I thought perhaps she had drank a few too many sherries. But then I realised she had joined out of the goodness of her heart to help her beloved grandson, Smillew Rahcuef — navigate the twists and turns, ups and downs, not to mention the ins and outs of writing.
Grandma recognised he was still a learner and her altruistic nature shone through. She sat him down and told him he must not worry any more. She would supply him with all the knowledge he needed to succeed. Or at least help him to stop hiding his light under a bushel. But rather to shine brightly as she does.
Indeed, Grandma rang me on the nana-phone and told me how she worried about Smillew and his extreme shyness. She proclaimed that if she only did one more thing before she died it would be to leave him the legacy of her extensive knowledge.
She ended the call by saying, “The way forward is Medium. Not large…”
Anyhow, enough of that. Grandma also asked me to say a few words about what I enjoy doing on this wonderful platform we have been bestowed with. Well I can tell you, the pair of us were up all night chatting about the most exciting area of writing on Medium… FICTION!
Boosting fiction my way
I came to Medium for the fiction. The self-help articles are OK — now and then. And I really like the memoirs. Learning about how other people have dealt with difficult life situations is always inspiring. The satire stories help to make me think and smile at the same time — not to mention, multitasking is super good for the brain. But… what I love to read is high quality fiction. And do you know what? There is plenty hiding on Medium. You have just got to know how to find it. Sometimes the tags such as fiction and flash fiction are misleading, as writers use those when they are writing about the topic as well as when they are actually writing in that category!
Yes authors like to confuse.
So after much consideration, I feel the best way to wrench out the finest fiction from the depths of Medium is via some of the publications. Here I am going to highlight a few for you — the avid fiction reader — to consider.
I am only including those publications which strictly publish fiction. That’s why I have not added Teaser Tales. As micro fiction and short non-fiction are both allowed on this magazine! Did I mention I am the curator?
Like flash fiction?
- Take a look at the guidelines and some of the best work from Zane Dickens the Instigator’s publication — Microcosm. For all kinds of flash fiction.
- Tantalizing Tales puts aside a day for flash fiction stories. Here you go: Micro-Monday, flashes of tantalizing fiction.
- Do you like edgy, gritty flash fiction? Then you will not be able to beat Paul Mansfield’s Magazine — Redemption, where I am an editor alongside Grimsby Hackney. We call flash fiction day, Transgressive Thursday.
Get lost in longer Fiction
Redemption Magazine is home to dark out of the box, transgressive fiction. And Tantalizing Tales, takes all genres of intriguing fiction. But as I have already mentioned them above, let’s look at some other fiction only publications.
- Pure Fiction Publication, from JA Vassili, “is designed to support all writers of fiction regardless of experience.” Check out their stories here.
- Fictions Publication, from Eric Pierce et al, wants to be a place where quality fiction is given the chance to shine. Take a look at some of their amazing stories.
- The Kraken Lore, from Bradan Writes Stories et al, aims to publish the best fantasy and general fiction tales. If you want to check these out then click here.
A handful of amazing stories
Every day I edit and publish other people’s fiction on Medium. Of course what is one man’s meat is another man’s poison. But I won’t discuss that here as I wasn’t going to include any of the spicy stuff in case Raine Lore pops over…
However, it is true we all like different things in life and the same is true of fiction reading. But as I am writing this post you will need to put up with what I think is quality fiction, and here are a few I have noticed over the last year or so. All come from excellent writers.
Just so you know, I like brave fiction with strong characters.
Historical fiction by Marcello Spektor
Small town drama by Solomon Sinn Seer
Supernatural fiction by Arpad Nagy
A short topical serial by Raine Lore
I will finish this section with my own latest longer fiction tale. Why not! It is a small town romantic drama:
Here are a few other general fiction writers I subscribe to, and you may like: Mark Tulin, Teresa Wymore 🏳️🌈, Jacinta Palmer, Michael Williams, Nikolaos Skordilis, Bob Merckel, Kristen Haveman — Plus those people I work with such as Paul Mansfield and others listed at the bottom of the post.
The future of fiction on Medium?
As an editor on a few magazines I can tell you it is work. Unpaid but satisfying. I enjoy seeing how passionate writers are about their tales. I know when I have finished writing one of my fiction stories, I feel excited and vibrant, eager to share my creations with the Medium world.
When I arrived on Medium two years ago there were many people moaning about how fiction wasn’t really supported on the platform. I think the discussions had an impact as I noticed suddenly Medium were distributing more fiction as well as visibly promoting it too.
This made me so happy. I was in my happy place, happy to be writing fiction.
But yesterday when I read the latest Medium distribution/boosting guidelines my heart sank a little, as I could not see any way that fiction will be supported as much as ideas/information posts, by the latest rules. I have left a comment on Tony Stubblebine’s article about the new boosting standards asking for clarification, and notice another fiction writer has done this too. I do expect Tony would be happy to have comments from anyone who is concerned about where their fiction stories will fit into Medium’s newest plans. Pop on over and let him know YOUR thoughts…
Anyhow, by the time I had finished this long monologue, Grandma Smillew had fallen asleep, but luckily I had made sure to write it all down so she could read it later. Then I thought, even better… I will submit it to her publication!
Many thanks to Smillew and his Grandma, and a quick mention to the amazing fiction writers I work with on Medium publications that I have not mentioned yet — including… Posy Churchgate Marsha Adams Marie A. Rebelle — who has her own busy magazine which accepts fiction and non-fiction serials. Mrs. K — has a publication called Mmm Mondays which takes all yummy fiction and non-fiction.
Thank you for reading and time to go… Here is a list of some of my distributed fiction:
May More 💜 Tales — Likes, individuals, chickens and Italian wine. Editor of Tantalizing Tales, Redemption, Teaser Tales, and Mmm Mondays… Top writer in This Happened To Me, Short Story, Fiction.