This week: Do You Have a Sweet Tooth? Edited by: Legerdemain  
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Do You Have a Sweet Tooth?
A fun way of thinking about the structure of a short story is like baking a birthday cake. It's sweet, it's delicious...but you have to remember to not get carried away.
The main layers of the cake is the story structure. Having solid characters, a steady story arc and a reliable world in which they operate is essential. But like a cake, a short story can't have too many layers or it will topple. Layers upon layers atop one another or stacked next to each other means you've gone too wordy and built a novel wedding cake. While that's fine, it's not a short story. Go with a few simple layers and build from there.
Next is the filling between the layers. Those are the interesting idiosyncrasies of the characters or the luscious setting. Too many flavors in the layers and it turns into rainbow tutti-frutti and your reader will become distracted and confused. Keep it unique and uncomplicated.
Last is the icing. This is your wonderful hook at the beginning of the story and your fantastic ending. It doesn't always have to be a happy ending but it has to satisfy your reader. Leaving a little for the reader to imagine is always a delicious treat. Too much icing, glitter, candles and sparklers will have everyone jumping back and walking away dazed and confused. Trimming to the best parts of the story is recommended.
Work toward making your story simple, delicious and elegant. I guarantee your readers will be back for another taste. Write on!
This month's question: What tips can you offer others for keeping your story simple?
How do you use that in your writing?
Answer below  Editors love feedback! 
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Excerpt: Bushes cracked and swished, almost like angry claws tearing at the young woman’s clothing. Each swish of the leaves whispered in her ears
“You won’t outrun him”
Excerpt: Flash fiction is fun to read and a challenge to write. It must contain all the elements of a larger work of fiction, but in a much shorter space. Are you up for it?
Excerpt: She slammed on the brakes, and the tires locked for a moment, desperate for grip. Her car stopped a few metres short, and the man jogged to reach her.
“Good evening, madam,” he said, opening the passenger’s door, but did not leap in right away. “It was so kind of you to stop.”
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Excerpt: Edith Smithers was found dead at her home on 1213 Cardinal Drive. She was found lain face down, arms spread out in angel form, with her walker tossed aside. She clutched in her hand a single golden locket.
Excerpt: Each day around 12pm NOON WDC time, one of our dedicated volunteer judges will judge the previous day's entries and post a writing prompt.
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Excerpt: Seventy-two years ago, while he was walking in Misty Woods, a young man named Guy Brown sidestepped the beaten path to relax under the canopy of a majestic oak tree.
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Excerpt: It wasn't until they started to screw the coffin lid down that I realized I could still hear!
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This month's question: What tips can you offer others for keeping your story simple?
How do you use that in your writing?
Answer below Editors love feedback!
Last month's "Action/Adventure Newsletter (November 18, 2020)" question: How do you manage your creativity time during the holidays?
Send in your suggestions!
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Action/Adventure: December 16, 2020 Issue [#10522]
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