Stephen Avitabile Writing

I was taught as a kid that the dollar sign is just an S with... your choice... one or two vertical lines through it. Did everyone else learn this or learn it was one way or the other? What are the preferences? I prefer the double line myself. Feels like it means more money...

I don't think my mind ever goes blank but I think there are times when the only thoughts in my mind are very boring and unshareable.

I was writing scripts for the most part, but back in August of 2021, I started writing short stories... and then novels. I've been working on them almost exclusively since then.
In trying to organize my stories, I decided to count how many I have (published and not published.)
156 short stories and 1 completed novel.
The novel - 100,627 words.
The short stories combined - 416,877 words.
In total, that's 517,504 words.
I decided to test something. Granted, there is the idea stage... outlining... multiple drafts... but I wanted to know, on average, how many words do I type per minute?
67 words per minute.
So, if I only look at those words that I typed (not multiple drafts, not outlining, etc.) then I spent 7,723 minutes typing my stories over the last 28 months. That's 128.7 hours.
However, that's only 4.6 hours per month.
That suddenly doesn't seem like so much time.
A little bit of dedication... 156 short stories and 1 novel... in 28 months. Now, the question of if they are any good... well...

They’re technically navyberries, but alright.

The only knolls I know are the grassy one and the Beyonce one.

'Write what you know' is pretty rude advice. What if the person is dumb? They're not allowed to write about anything?

"Watching too much TV rots your brain."
"Yeah, but I watch with the captions on. So, it's like I'm just reading a ton of books."

New Short Story: "Gold, Red Berries, Rosemary, and a Lilac-Colored Vine." What happens when the only thing that can save you will keep saving you again and again? Should someone want to be saved forever?

Gold, Red Berries, Rosemary, and a Lilac-Colored Vine What happens when the only thing that can save you will keep saving you again and again? Should someone want to be saved forever?

It’s not an opinion, it’s true, the first one was invented in 1964.
Just the fax!

We’re being more PC in our typing tests today and taking everyone’s complaints about the subject matter seriously, so the fox will no longer be quick or brown and the computers will no longer be lazy or gray and the fox will only jump if he feels like it and if he doesn’t he will be allotted 30 minutes of screen time.

When you weren't going to work on your story today but the rain and the Elijah are calling you to write! I'd be so productive in Seattle... or near the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky...

I enjoy toast. I used to make it in the toaster oven. Lately, I have been having it for my first meal but quite early in the morning. It's so early, and I'm so tired, and the toaster oven is in a place which requires some effort to retrieve it, and I just don't feel like it. So, I have resorted to microwaving the bread. But I began to think, we know it's toasted bread, but the only reason we call it toast is because we toast it. I am no longer toasting it. Can I still call it toast? Am I just eating... microwave? In any event, three pieces of microwave with my morning coffee is a great way to start the day.

Listen, in all honesty, it should be called either, a pair of denim legs, or... a jeans. Not a pair of jeans. I hold one garment in my hand. It is not a pair of anything. The fact that it has a pair of legs on it is meaningless, as it is meaningless that a shirt has a pair of arms on it... it is not a pair of shirts. It's a shirt. It's a pants! Or a pant...

I realized I use a calculator a lot when I write. I'm not writing math-based stories. But I just always find myself needing to know how fast a plane is flying and how quickly it would cover how much distance, or how long it would take to walk a certain amount of miles, or fast someone would fall from a high height before reaching the ground. You know, the usual stuff.

Alphabet is an interesting word. Because the thing it defines is the same thing that allows it to exist.

I've heard that intermittent fasting is supposed to be good for your life. I've tried it and had some great results so far! I've actually been able to afford my rent!

Freelance Writing Gigs: I will need you to ghostwrite the 100K novel for me, no credit, I will also need you to do most of the research, I have a one-page document of the research I started, but please be able to research the history of Scotland from 1600-1800, essential for the job, and after writing the book, I will give you edits and want you to rewrite it to be more in my voice, pay is $20, I am not flexible on this, don't ask, but you will be happy with all the experience you gain from this and it will be better for you than any amount of money I could give you!
Before I respond, let me double check and ask my landlord if I can pay in "Scottish History Book Writing Experience."

Even if you don't like coffee you should like the presence of coffee. It helped create so many stories, many of which you inevitably love.

I feel like I write best when I wear black clothing. And I can't explain it. And I don't want to explain it. I just accept it as the truth.

As many of you know, I write a lot of my stories and share them on the site Vocal. Recently, Vocal has had a big contest going on. Today is the last day to submit. I have submitted 10 stories across 4 different categories in the contest (there are 8 total categories.) The way the contest will work, a panel of judges will select the 10 best stories in each category and then put out the lists for the Vocal community to vote. My hopes, of course, are that one or more of my stories can make one or more of those lists. However, the people voting on the stories need to be Vocal+ members. That's the other thing about today, today is the last day people can sign up to become Vocal+ members in order for them to have the ability to vote on this contest.
Yes, it costs money. But yes, you also become a Vocal+ member which has its benefits as well. I just wanted to put this out there as a little nugget for anyone who may be interested in signing up. No pressure! Of course! But I am hopeful that MAYBE I could end up on one of the short-lists and then if so, would love the support/votes of anyone out there. October 15th is when the short lists are announced, I believe. I will share more info then.

Vocal Vocal is a platform for supporting, discovering and rewarding creators.

Thinking of writing more by candlelight. It always seems that in movies when someone writes by candlelight they create such profound things. The fire must have an effect on the written word. I don't know if I have any candles on hand, perhaps I can just start writing by any open fire. I do have the burners on the stove...

I'm not interested in righting the ship. But as a nautical novelist, I am interested in writing the ship.

New Short Story: "Primordial Magic: Cells for Spells" In a world where monstrous beings wield magical powers, limited magical powers have been granted to humans. However, some of the humans are revolting against those that gave them the powers, intent on taking more, and a small group of people must band together to stop the rebellers before an all-out war breaks out. https://vocal.media/fiction/primordial-magic-cells-for-spells

Finally completed the third (and maybe final) drafts for 12:33 UTC! My goal was to land somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000 words. Meaning each of the 12 stories had to be on average 8,333. Originally, it all came out to around 113,000. So, many edits needed to be done. Got it down to 100,624. I feel like that’s an accomplishment enough. I feel like it’s ready to show.

New Sci-Fi story! "Red Rocks and Green Skin" When aliens arrive on Earth with valuable materials and are taken into custody, a jobless, single father sees it as an opportunity to earn money in order to care for his ill daughter.

Red Rocks and Green Skin When aliens arrive on Earth with valuable materials and are taken into custody, a jobless, single father sees it as an opportunity to earn money in order to care for his ill daughter.

A great feeling is writing so many words and forming a long story. Another great feeling is going back and trimming away so many of those useless words like a cavalier pirate with your sharp sword. "Be gone useless words! I slash thee in half and let ye fall overboard and sink into the depths of the ocean... the ocean being the white part of the page... the page on the computer... yarr..."

You know what's a pain in the arse? Editing your work, but changing it from present to past tense. My D key is getting a serious workout.

I don't fish for compliments.
No, I'm vegan. I tofu for compliments.

New Short Story! "Language Barrier" sees the human race having traveled to the planet Polytimer in search of obtaining minerals. Here, they try to communicate with the alien race in order to orchestrate a trade.
This story can be found in the Member's Area on the site:

Flash Fiction Stories | Sci-Fi Shorts Sci-Fi Shorts offers the best science fiction short stories and flash fiction online from emerging authors.

Upon speaking with a friend, we determined there are parts of the English alphabet that it is difficult to remember the order without singing the song. Like H, I, J, K, L and also U, V, W...
Which part is the hardest to remember?