  Short Stories
This week: Finding Time to Write 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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Finding Time to Write
Many members of WDC and offsite are preparing for NaNoWriMo next month. Some are preparing character sketches, plot outlines and sample scenarios for their novel. But what if you're not sure you can write 50,000 words in one month? What if you've never done it before and haven't signed up this time? You could do a parallel challenge for yourself. Sit down and try to write every day. If you wrote 1667 words a day, you could meet the challenge. If you only end up writing 200 a day, you've established a routine for writing and gotten a good start on a decent short story.
What if what you want to write doesn't have enough juice to last for 50,000 words? Try a short story a week. Or a series of flash fiction pieces that relate to one another. Many successful novelists bring a secondary character from one novel back to tell their own story in a new novel. It's a great way to keep your readers familiar and interested. Looking for ideas? Think about some the work you've already written. Was there a character that you loved but really played a minor role in your story? Bring them back to tell their own story. Or was there a story written that you didn't feel was terribly successful in reviews but might be better written in a new point of view? Give it a try.
Obviously, the ultimate success for NaNoWriMo is a published novel. But a step along the way could be a renewed interest in being an author and the drive and discipline to sit down every day and write. And if you're not interested in NaNoWriMo, it's a good time to surf the short story contests on our site and enter a few. The field of entrants may be different because of NaNo and your work may get noticed and win. Give it a try and write on!
This month's question: What are your goals for the month of November?
Send in your answer below! 
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#1509567 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: The Saturday paper is spread across the kitchen table. My wife and I attempt to read it between wiping up gobs of cereal flung from our toddler's high chair. As I reach across to capture a large splatter, an advertisement in the entertainment section catches my eye.
Excerpt: Thinkin' about her birthday, I'd been eyein' the smooth, threadbare Model-A tire leanin' against our shed for a couple weeks. Last night, at wits end to find a proper rope, I told Jake about my idea. He surprised me when his face lit up. "If we hurry, I know where we can scrounge a length of rope. Be darn near perfect for a tree swing." A smug look creeped across his face.
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Excerpt: Brad steered along the winding road, as he bit down on his lip. His deep blue eyes stared straight ahead. At just under six lean feet in his blue striped suit, he gripped the wheel in obvious frustration. He refused to say anything more, or even look at me, as he cussed under his breath.
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Something to sink your fangs into. A vampire wakes up on the wrong side of the coffin.
#1623033 by leeflan  |
Excerpt: Somewhere in the town of Transfusion, a clock struck midnight. The chime signaled the arrival of All Hallow's Eve. The sound echoed in the darkened basement of an old abandoned warehouse. There, on top of a wooden table lay a coffin. The lid on the coffin was shut but there was movement coming from within. The coffin began to shake frantically. Whoever or whatever was inside tried desperately to get out. One final blow caused the lid to break free. There was a moment of silence and then gasps of breath seeped out from the small opening. The lid slowly crept open. A pale hand with long, sharp fingernails extended out and gripped the side of the box. Without warning a gust of wind rushed down the staircase, connected with the lid and caused it to slam shut onto the hand.
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Excerpt: The sun slowly rose on the old city, silhouetted in purple under the new light of the morning skyline. It seemed to me like it was still trying to wake up, quiet and asleep waiting for the six a.m. commute to begin. I remember coming out here with Jennifer in the hills years ago-maybe twenty years?-sitting with her and watching the city slowly begin to come alive in the haze of the early sun and mild smog.
Excerpt: A click and a whirr and Ismail froze his son. It didn't matter that Samir was asleep, one arm curled around his soft gorilla. It didn't matter that the boy squirmed, scratched his nose and nuzzled into his pillows. It didn't matter that he had to leave tomorrow. Ismail smiled, put the camera down and tiptoed to his side, crouching to kiss his forehead.
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Excerpt: Vivien turned in her computer chair and stared at her son. "Another unpaid parking ticket? Why didn't you pay it?"
"It slipped my mind, and then I didn't have the money."
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Excerpt: He used to say, "When your mother Anathi woke up each morning, the first thing she would do would be to greet the animals living in the glade close to our camp. She was such a trusting young woman in those days. Anathi would come home after the sun went to sleep beyond the mountains and tell me of her excitement for new discoveries of this animal or that. Your grandmother would throw her hands up and storm back into our hut.
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Excerpt: "M'lord," cried the young cabin boy, terror causing his voice to shake, "it ain't safe to be up here." Twelve-year-old Robbie, hired only recently for his first ocean voyage, couldn't know that his master had spent most of his youth aboard ships. Lord Norton Edgeworth, a wealthy nobleman from Derbyshire, had apprenticed Mitchell at the age of seven to the fiercest captain in his fleet. The captain told the young boy that Lord Edgeworth hoped Mitchell would die at sea before he had to acknowledge his illegitimate child.
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This month's question: What are your goals for the month of November?
Send in your answer below!
Last month's question in "Short Stories Newsletter (September 29, 2010)" was: What fun titles have you given your characters?
A.T.B: It'sWhatWeDo replied: I love your newsletter topics, Leger.
The only 'unique' title I've ever employed in a work would be 'Highlord' for a royal-born General...but thus far he's still Lord Gideon in court and Sir on the field.
Han Solo refers to Princes Leia as "Your Worship" once, I can't remember but that might've been an improv.
The next is from "The Queen," in which the old foppish manservant lectures the new Prime Minister and his wife on courtly etiquette.
"And it's Ma'am as in Ham, not M'arm as in Farm." And of course, as I'm sure was intended, as a American-English speaking Southerner I heard absolutely no difference between any two of the four...for us, Ma'am sounds more like "May-um" - which just makes me picture a condiment I'd probably decline.
Nice work as always!
Cynaemon  answered: In Catuary the rulers are called Makrael and Makraela. So the ruler was referred to as The Makreala Princess Hemanji, or the Makrael Prince Zepi. You can read tales of Catuary here at WDC.)
LJPC - the tortoise said: Hi Leger! Thanks for the helpful list of proper title address. Who'd have known the Dalai Lama should be referred to as Your Holiness?  On a related topic, I always have trouble convincing people not to capitalize "sir", "ma'am", or "honey" etc. when included in dialog (unless the Sir is actually a knight). I must admit that the rules can be very confusing...  -- Laura
Brooklyn  commented: Hi Leger, what a great idea for a NL topic. It's very important to use the right titles in a story to keep your characters believable. Keep up the great work - I really enjoy your editorials. ~ B
Tick submitted: Thank Legerdemain for another great newsletter. I think the list of Titles is a very helpful resource for some writers and something to keep in mind when you have characters with titles. I also like the feedback about the slang of the day. If a story takes place is a certain decade the writer should know the lingo in use at that time. Makes the story more believable.
laydiemensah answers: I like your letter. It is informative, not boring or overdone! It is to the point and easy reading. Good job "Lady Editor"!! LOL
LaydieAdaeMensah***
BIG BAD WOLF is hopping  says: Titles are always interesting, be they for people or for stories.
Replies from "Short Stories Newsletter (September 1, 2010)" , where the topic was "Using the vernacular of a particular region or era can lend authenticity to your story."
atwhatcost sent in: Ah, man, age is kicking in! I've just read feedback to your question about idioms used when we were teens, and now understand - I thought 1980s and 1990s slang was still in. I guess I'm out of the loop for making modern stories about teens. I sure hope I can find enough info online to catch up, because I plan to write YA stories one day. Question for members of this generation - is Urban Dictionary generally accurate?
It's about as accurate as any other internet resource. 
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Short Stories: October 27, 2010 Issue [#4043]
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