# Do people really commission stories?



## Steel the Wolf (Apr 11, 2010)

Just a quicky. I read a story on FA, and the author says that they got paid $20 for the it. Do people in the fandom really commission stories like they do art?


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## Veritas Karu (Apr 12, 2010)

Yes, indeed they do, price often varies depending on the length of story.  I usually get paid on SL though >.> I have a paypal account that I also take payments though.  But I think commissioned stores are less common than art.  Most people want something they can just look at.  But yeah, people in the fandom really do commission stories


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## Poetigress (Apr 12, 2010)

If you're willing to write adult stories to order, particularly involving fetishes, and/or are willing to work very cheaply, then yes, people do commission stories from time to time, though it's not nearly as common as for visual art.


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## Atrak (Apr 12, 2010)

Was that commission from the one that says that 4k-7k is a long story?


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## Tolgron (Apr 12, 2010)

I tried writing a commissioned story once about a few months ago last year, however it didn't really get very far. I found it hard to write with another person dictating to me details of the story and in general I found the subject matter in question unusual to work in a reasonable timeframe (I didn't want to leave him waiting for months while I tried to write it).

I'd probably be more comfortable taking commissions for art in this case, if only because I'd find it easier to deal with than a written narrative.


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## Atrak (Apr 12, 2010)

Tolgron said:


> I tried writing a commissioned story once about a few months ago last year, however it didn't really get very far. I found it hard to write with another person dictating to me details of the story and in general I found the subject matter in question unusual to work in a reasonable timeframe (I didn't want to leave him waiting for months while I tried to write it).
> 
> I'd probably be more comfortable taking commissions for art in this case, if only because I'd find it easier to deal with than a written narrative.



I would probably be comfortable with writing with a set idea by another person, but only if it gave me lots of freedom to incorporate my own style and ideas into.

Also, your avatar looks like it's from the same awesome comic as mine.


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## jinxtigr (Apr 12, 2010)

"Passages" was a commissioned story- I got $50 for it, and it's not yiff- it's basically a transformation story of a guy transformed into a NON-ANTHRO tigress, told from the POV of the scientist doing it, who hadn't intended that and doesn't really understand that the guy did really want it. The specifics were the trans part and the guy/nonanthro tigress part, the rest was my take on it 

Considering that it was once in what, ten years, I don't think it's worth trying to make a living that way


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## Tolgron (Apr 12, 2010)

atrakaj said:


> Also, your avatar looks like it's from the same awesome comic as mine.


 
Aye, that it is. But then anything with a minotaur in it immediately becomes awesome (except when it isn't awesome of course).


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## Steel the Wolf (Apr 12, 2010)

atrakaj said:


> Was that commission from the one that says that 4k-7k is a long story?


 
Actually yea, it was. I really don't think 4-7K is that long of a story. I'm working on a short story now that will probably be about 20K and I would call that getting long in the realm of short prose. It's still nothing compared to a novel.

To everyone else: I'm not looking to support myself as a commissioned writer, but if I could write to raise money to get myself to Midwest Furfest or even AC, then I would be stoked. I really wish I could do visual, but aside from ceramics, I'm not much of a visual artist.


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## Atrak (Apr 12, 2010)

Steel the Wolf said:


> Actually yea, it was. I really don't think 4-7K is that long of a story. I'm working on a short story now that will probably be about 20K and I would call that getting long in the realm of short prose. It's still nothing compared to a novel.
> 
> To everyone else: I'm not looking to support myself as a commissioned writer, but if I could write to raise money to get myself to Midwest Furfest or even AC, then I would be stoked. I really wish I could do visual, but aside from ceramics, I'm not much of a visual artist.



Indeed.

20k is my idea of a short story.


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## sunandshadow (Apr 12, 2010)

I was offered a story commission once.  I was sad that I had to turn it down, but at the time I know I wasn't going to be able to write what was asked for.

And 20k is _not_ a short story.  If a standard printed page is 250 words, 20,000 words would be 80 printed pages.  That's a novella; 1/3 of a novel.


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## Atrak (Apr 12, 2010)

sunandshadow said:


> I was offered a story commission once.  I was sad that I had to turn it down, but at the time I know I wasn't going to be able to write what was asked for.
> 
> And 20k is _not_ a short story.  If a standard printed page is 250 words, 20,000 words would be 80 printed pages.  That's a novella; 1/3 of a novel.



It's about that for me, yeah.

A short story is shorter than a novel.

A novella is 1/3 of a novel.

A third of a novel is short.


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## panzergulo (Apr 13, 2010)

If you ever get commissioned, don't argue with the commissioner about what is short story, novel, novelette, novella and so on. Just ask how many words they want. And if they tell how many pages they want, multiply with 250.

I'm not sure, but isn't it supposed to be:

Flash fiction: <1,000 words
Short story: 1,000 - 8,000 words
Novelette: 8,000 - 18,000 words
Novella: 18,000 - 50,000 words
Novel: >50,000 words

I have a feeling these might vary considerably between different sources, but this is approximately what I have understood. Most novels are much longer than 50k words, and the difference between short story and novelette is pretty awkward; Personally, I regard novelettes only "longish" short stories.

But, these are very subjective. Some might think that "short story" is something that can be read in one sitting. Well, that's funny, because I've read full novels in one sitting. Does that make them "short stories"? I don't think so. Similarly, calling 4k-7k story "long story" is probably meaning "short story, that is longer than 90% of the smut the commissioner reads in FA". To many online people 4k-7k is indeed "long", they can just and just read it in one sitting.

If somebody tried commissioning me, I would laugh at their face. Heck, I can't even request myself. I have some basic ideas set when I start writing, but when I have finished, the story has gone all over the place. Most usually I break the word limit I set to myself. Sometimes I kill some main characters in the end of the story, just because it feels like it fits. I have two examples of these occasions. I make serious characters funny and funny characters serious.

No, I would be a horrible commission writer, because I couldn't keep inside the limits the commissioner gives me.


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## Toonces (Apr 13, 2010)

I've done a lot of commissions and it's usually a good time. Don't be afraid to work with the commissioner on changing certain details, but be prepared to explain why, and have a more persuasive reason than simply "I think it's better this way." You're the writer, there's a reason they trust you enough to pay you, and for the most part they'll accept your changes.

Don't hassle about the length. After you and the commissioner shape out the story, and you could start writing, give a ballpark estimate of about how long it'd be, and then work out a price. Don't charge by the page or word. Agree on a flat fee. 

Personally I'm transitioning out of doing commissions. I prefer to work with fans of mine for free as a way to give back to the people who have been kind enough to follow me.


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## DJ_KFX (Apr 13, 2010)

jinxtigr said:


> "Passages" was a commissioned story- I got $50 for it, and it's not yiff- it's basically a transformation story of a guy transformed into a NON-ANTHRO tigress, told from the POV of the scientist doing it, who hadn't intended that and doesn't really understand that the guy did really want it. The specifics were the trans part and the guy/nonanthro tigress part, the rest was my take on it
> 
> Considering that it was once in what, ten years, I don't think it's worth trying to make a living that way



Hehe wow, I think I remember reading that story a long time ago!
I have been considering opening myself up for some commission work, but so far I've only done 1 "requested" story. I took it on as sort of an experiment, and the person really liked it and almost immediately requested I do another "chapter" of the story.
Unfortunately, my free time is pretty limited and I'm already swamped with my *own* work that I'm trying to finish, much less worrying about getting something done for someone else!
But I suppose it all comes down to what you like to do. I am pretty curious if I would get any repeat business though, if I did commissioned work in the $10-50 range per story.
I can write some pretty epic stories when I get going. Latest story was just shy of 32k words and I've already had so many requests for me to continue with the story, that I am working on "part" two and have a third outlined as well.


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## Atrak (Apr 13, 2010)

panzergulo said:


> If you ever get commissioned, don't argue with the commissioner about what is short story, novel, novelette, novella and so on. Just ask how many words they want. And if they tell how many pages they want, multiply with 250.
> 
> I'm not sure, but isn't it supposed to be:
> 
> ...



I guess it depends on how fast they can read, as well as how much they enjoy it.

They'd decide what is short based that.

Maybe.



> If somebody tried commissioning me, I would laugh at their face. Heck, I can't even request myself. I have some basic ideas set when I start writing, but when I have finished, the story has gone all over the place. Most usually I break the word limit I set to myself. Sometimes I kill some main characters in the end of the story, just because it feels like it fits. I have two examples of these occasions. I make serious characters funny and funny characters serious.
> 
> No, I would be a horrible commission writer, because I couldn't keep inside the limits the commissioner gives me.



Heh.

If it feels right, go with it.

You could always say this in your commission info.

They'd hire you at their own risk.


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