  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Legerdemain  
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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
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Common Errors
Errors, we all make them. I certainly make quite a few. But everyday I try to improve and learn a little bit more than I did the day before. I figure learning a tiny bit here and there can't nearly be as painful as English class was in high school. So I figured I would dedicate this newsletter issue to some common errors I see corrected in reviews and sent to my own mailbox. 
Than / Then -Than is a word used in comparisons. Then is an adverb referring to time.
A lot / Alot -A lot is an informal word for many. Alot is not a word.
Well / Good -Well means healthy. Good is an adjective and can be used with words like "be, look, feel".
There / They're / Their -There is an adverb meaning a place or location. They're is a contraction of THEY and ARE. Their is a possesive pronoun. Their comes from the word THEY, so the E comes before the I.
Doesn't / Don't -Doesn't (and does not, does) is used with the third person singular - he, she and it. Don't (and do not, do) is used for other subjects.
Take / Bring -Take means to carry from a near place to a far one. Bring means to carry from a far place to a nearer one. Brang and brung are not correct words.
Alright / All right -Alright is not a word. All right is.
Can / May -Can means "to be able to". May means "to be permitted to".
And last but not least...
Farther / Further -Farther refers to length or distance. Further refers to time or amount.
I hope some of these are helpful with your writing and reviewing. Be sure your reviews are in the spirit of kindness and truly helpful. Send a review that you would love to receive in your mail. Review a newbie! Try to make our new members feel welcome. And if you have the time, review a longer story or novel. Print a few out to take on your trips or when waiting someplace. It's easy to copy your notes into a review format later.
Happy reading and reviewing!
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Excerpt: Only two hours to go. Dr. Carmen Esposito tapped her fingers impatiently against her cold steel desk, watching the hands of the wall clock drag by with a painful, almost mocking sluggishness.
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Excerpt: I lusted after that car, and I was not alone. A 1955 Ford Thunderbird, removable hard top, pearl white, single owner, 67,000 miles. The car had never been restored – there was no need. It was perfect.
Excerpt: When a jingle heralded the exit of the student and her year’s supply of charcoal, Qing dropped her elbows onto the counter and looked at her watch. 3:29. “Is it five yet?” she groaned.
A chuckle echoed from the shelves along the back wall. Purdie knew she knew what time it really was. “No.”
Excerpt: The soft-spoken command lingered in the air, sucking the breath from the otherwise peaceful spring day. In the midst of the crowded courtyard, it created a pool of stillness that rippled outward until the very silence seemed to echo the words and every eye turned to follow the speaker.
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Excerpt: An old man hobbled down the sidewalk of Parkhaven Street balancing the weight of his body against a cane. A young lady had her arm tucked in his. She was still wondering why her old man had requested that the taxi cab stop immediately. She held her arm out as he balanced on it to get out of the taxi.
“I’m just not the same man I used to be,” he said while she helped him up. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand this.”
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Excerpt: The last time I saw my mother was fifteen years ago. On that day, my whole world changed.
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Excerpt: She knew the voice, reluctantly turning around. “Hi Sandra. Pretty good, and you?” Tammy said, forcing a smile. This girl made her skin crawl. She was glad she didn’t have to deal with Sandra on a daily basis anymore, since they had graduated from high school a month ago.
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Excerpt: The storm was reeling my ship round in circles, the force of winds buffeting my shields. I was worried we were going to crash.
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Excerpt: The heat was unbearable. Thank God for air conditioning, I thought, opening the door to get the mail. Looking down, I saw a small worm writhing on the hot surface of the driveway.
Excerpt: BY NOW, HE knew every trail she took through the woods--every path she followed, what time of the day it was by how the shadows fell around the trees, and how long it took her to get back home. She always went into the woods alone, as if unafraid of anything that lived out there. He suspected she was. Who was he to warn her otherwise? Right now, he was glad that she was so alone.
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This month's question: What are some common mistakes you see?
Last month's question: What are your favorite fairy tales??
Replies
faithjourney: Cinderella was my favorite, but I also enjoyed Alice in Wonderland, Rapunzel, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Sadly, I tried to find a fairy tale book for a friend that had a baby a year ago, and had no luck. The only ones I saw were in a used bookstore, and in poor condition. I hope they aren't on the way out. What would childhood be without fairy tales? Thanks for the great newsletter!
Little Miss Leigh-Lee  : Great news letter. I am quite the fan of old fairy tales, and never really thought to actually look to the for inspration! Thanks for the great idea! 
spidey   : My favorite fairy tale is probably Peter Pan, though I don't remember ever reading the original tale. I'm going to have to find it now! Though I love Disney's version of the tale, I'm very interested to know the original story.
Joshiahis : What's my favorite fairy tales? I suppose it's Aesop's Tales. Hearing them, watching their reenactments on T.V., I remember the clear lines between good and bad, how the bad guy always seemed to get his comeuppance in the end, and the reason why.
escapewriter: One of my favorite fairy tales is Peter Pan. I don't see anyone doing a take on that one....maybe I should? I have always wanted to fly, like Wendy.
al1801: My fave fairy tales are:
1. Billy Goats Gruff
2. Goldilocks and the three bears
3. The Magic Pudding - An australian folk tale.
I had thought about Cinderella, until I read the Bros Grimm Version and although Cinders and her prince lived happily ever after, not so the step-mother and the two sisters, who were put to the sword.
What I like doing to fairy tales, is to Australianise them, and so, as an example, I'll bitmap my parody on Beauty and The Beast. Bewdy and The Bunyip. "Invalid Item"
raynstorm: As a child, I don't remember anyone reading to me, or reading any stories myself, so it was much later in life I read the fairy tales. To say I have a favorite would not be true. If I had to answer, I think I would answer with a story that is not quite a fairy tale, but instead how I wish I would always see life, as a giant fairy tale waiting for my imagination to fill in the words. Dr. Seuss, And to Think I saw it all on Mulberry Street, brought me many smiles, and continues to do so.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a reply, it's much appreciated!
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Short Stories: September 03, 2008 Issue [#2585]
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