Exhausted
A Story Every Day in 2024 July 4th 186/366
"Sir, I think we have a problem."
"Oh yes? With what?"
"With Rachel Deeming, sir."
"Remind me - who is she?"
"She's a writer, sir. Not famous, sir but she is one of our most prolific."
"Mmmm, her name doesn't ring a bell. Should it?"
"Well, she's been responsible for quite a few creations, sir: assassins, wizards, psychopaths, mothers as well as some animal characters to name just a few, and as I said, sir, she has been prolific, writing 366 words and more a day for many days."
"Mmm, sounds hard-working and driven. Wish we had more like them!"
"Well, yes, sir, it would help with our fictional population targets, for sure."
"Sterling work then. Good on this Rebecca for her determination. Thanks for letting me know."
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"There's a problem?"
"With what?"
"With Rachel?"
"Rachel?"
"Rachel Deeming, sir. The writer we were just talking about."
"Wasn't she called Rebecca a minute ago?"
"No, sir."
"Ah."
"She's floundering, sir."
"Floundering?"
"Floundering."
"Floundering? Like the fish? Ah, forgive me, but could you explain?"
"I think that something may have blown inside her, sir. Something significant and important and integral, sir."
"Like what?"
"Her brain, sir."
"Oh, yes, that would be significant."
"Yes."
"And is it the writing that has done this, we think?"
"Yes, sir. It is believed so."
"Were there signs to indicate she was struggling?"
"Well, yes, sir. There were signs of weaker plots and less rounded characters; repeated themes and the same words being used. Motifs of dubious significance. I understand too that there were some outside factors that have had a bearing on her performance."
"Such as?"
"Interrupted work time; extra demands made on her; a nasty paper cut on her index finger which made typing tricky; trying to be healthier by sitting less."
"I see. So, where does this leave us?"
"She's committed to produce for another 65880 words."
"Mmm. So, can we get someone else in?"
"No."
"Support her?"
"In what way?"
"Financial rewards? Spa days? Gin box?"
"Er, no, sir."
"Well, then I guess we'll just have to monitor her and see how she goes."
"Yes, sir. I'll set up a live feed."
"Very good."
"Right-o, sir."
***
366 words
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186/366
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Comments (33)
CREATIVE WORK MAAM
Very entertaining, Rachel! Congrats! I can only take my hat off to those who embarked on the Story-a-day challenge! I wish I had the time and brains for it. Where about in the US are you heading to?
This was fun Rachel!! Very humanizing for those of us that love a good story of yours!! Congrats on a well deserved Top Story!!!
Very funny and creative. Congrats on Top Story!
Extremely meta and clever
Really enjoyed this one. A great read.
hahaha, very funny, Rachel! Congrats on Top Story. Quite a clever one; I haven't noticed any overuse of the same words or plots (and famous writers use the same ones over and over with slight twists, don't they?). I'm the spoiler - is this an error? Sterling work then. Good on this Rebecca for her determination.
I bet that's why you're going on vacation, to reboot. Congrats on Top Story and have a great time. Just keep writing!
Oh, Top Story, for sure!!! 🏅
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
So relatable! You can do this! Congrats on Top Story!
I relate. Well done!
This reminded me of the narration and it’s a wonderful life. Very, very good.
Congratulations on Top Story! Sending hope of financial rewards, spa days, and Gin boxes! 🥳
Boom! Congrats on Top Story, Chum!
I feel you! 💖
Lol. That was brilliant. Hang in there. You got this. Congrats on the TS.
Hahahahahaha!. I've been floundering too. I just stopped for a while, so well done you for persevering. It sounds like your brain needs a massage. I suggest Monty Python or Mel Brooks.
Have been reading and nodding: yes, this is how it feels... But this is coming from someone who has to chew on an idea (and sit on it, and sleep with it) for a few days if not weeks before it takes shape on paper. So what do I know, really? Despite its extremely rubberbandy structure, my imagination probably doesn't stretch far enough to fathom what it's like to come up with a story every day and let's not pretend otherwise. But please, keep going! Btw.: who are these guys and why aren't they be more helpful if they are as interested as they seem to be? The Ministry of R. Deeming?
Well-wrought! Don't worry, probably a pizza party in your future. That's the eternal corporate band-aid, eh? Haha. All three of you are doing spectacular! Insofar as I can keep up, I've not read a bad story. It might perhaps behoove you to collect these together in a book at the end where you can revise them to your preference and release them as an unabridged anthology. It's been quite an interesting experiment all around!
Loved the humor in this! Kudos for sticking with the story a day pace! The seventh month must be like Wednesday in a work week when you know you just have to push through to make it to Friday and the weekend
I'm sorry to laugh, but this was quite funny. What a predicament! Perhaps you need a new strategy. Could you write several in one sitting, then take a break?
Very humorous piece! The dialogue was wonderful! Understandable that you’d be exhausted! I’d have been incapacitated 100 stories ago! What you’re doing is no small task! Terribly sorry about some of those outside factors (except the walking more, time consuming but not inherently bad). Hope you can experience some source of reprieve! And your stories have been gems day after day!
This made me laugh a lot. Not least of all, as others have pointed out, for the old imposter syndrome and doubt-driven lines about your quality waning. uttery horsemanure, chum. I know how it feels though...when you feel like you're running on empty. From our POV...that's not the case...but internally in the mind of the Deeming, probably a bit different. It constantly ravages me. My own doubts etc. And the more I write...the more I feel it...so I get it...doing a story a day would do that. Hang in there, you're still producing fine fine work and if it's not feeling good...you'll know how to fix it when it's time. Paper cuts...damn them to fucking hell though. Nightmares indeed! Papercuts and when you get like a cut or sore between your fingers, like, right at the deepest part of the valley between fingers - ahfuckno, that's horrible. Anyway, sorry you're feeling as you are - know it too well and hopefully my ramblings lift or something? This was a great little story and love the self-referencial stylings!
"weaker plots and less rounded characters; repeated themes and the same words being used." That's bullshit in it's purest form!! Like whattttt????? Super Rach, there's these two people who are talking smack behind your back! I don't know their names but I would love to rip their heads off for you!!