tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post8690116798649693866..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Writing a Short StoryDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-20377104668987006662014-06-20T06:56:24.997-06:002014-06-20T06:56:24.997-06:00Do it, Peg. I wish I had the creativity to write a...Do it, Peg. I wish I had the creativity to write a flash fiction, but I don't. Getting from 90K to 4K was a struggle enough.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82085953526820672062014-06-19T22:05:28.139-06:002014-06-19T22:05:28.139-06:00Thanks, Polly. Great post. Shorts are always a cha...Thanks, Polly. Great post. Shorts are always a challenge and you've made me want to revisit one of mine (I think the limit was 2000 words) that received an honorable mention and maybe even try another one.Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-45963969794705526172014-06-19T19:12:15.475-06:002014-06-19T19:12:15.475-06:00It's harder for me too, Kait. Having a theme h...It's harder for me too, Kait. Having a theme helped; otherwise, I doubt I'd have tried. Thanks for the comment.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1662862071369948362014-06-19T18:07:37.965-06:002014-06-19T18:07:37.965-06:00Great post Polly. Writing short is much harder tha...Great post Polly. Writing short is much harder than writing long (OK, to me). You've cut to the chase with your post. Now I need to get the book :)Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-15809515612153082542014-06-19T12:36:50.012-06:002014-06-19T12:36:50.012-06:00Thanks, VR. Writing short stories is a struggle fo...Thanks, VR. Writing short stories is a struggle for me too. It's not a natural fit, but I'm one of those people who will try anything I don't think I can do just to see if I can do it. Everything except anything athletic. I take no challenges there. I'm not sure short story writing has no surprises, especially in the mystery category. There's always a twist, which in itself should be a surprise to the reader. Finding that twist is the struggle for me. Thanks for commenting.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-56755448384739397162014-06-19T12:19:11.998-06:002014-06-19T12:19:11.998-06:00Great advice, Polly. And congratulations on CAROLI...Great advice, Polly. And congratulations on CAROLINA CRIMES! For me, writing short stories is a struggle because I have to write to an ending, something I never do with novels. There are no surprises, which is the aspect of novel writing I love most. IMO, well-crafted short fiction requires far more discipline than novel writing. Probably because of the need to think structure first. I'm not good with either discipline or structure. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://vrbarkowski.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">VR Barkowski</a>VR Barkowskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04927993233682731113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-33919944310569578732014-06-19T07:21:23.049-06:002014-06-19T07:21:23.049-06:00Thanks, Paula. You're one of the short story w...Thanks, Paula. You're one of the short story writers who wins awards, so you're a roll model. More continued success to you.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82140336316938688282014-06-19T07:05:26.035-06:002014-06-19T07:05:26.035-06:00Polly, this is great advice on short story writing...Polly, this is great advice on short story writing. Congratulations on your success and may you find more as you continue to "stretch." Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42438972594293968942014-06-19T06:02:50.856-06:002014-06-19T06:02:50.856-06:00Absolutely, Maryann. I wrote a screenplay this yea...Absolutely, Maryann. I wrote a screenplay this year just to see if I could. I entered it in a contest and doubt it will go anywhere, but I do believe in stretching yourself.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-75015385981137084422014-06-19T06:01:49.729-06:002014-06-19T06:01:49.729-06:00As I said earlier, Christopher, the theme helped m...As I said earlier, Christopher, the theme helped me write the story. Without it I doubt I could have come up with an idea.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65100131682229394382014-06-19T06:01:02.875-06:002014-06-19T06:01:02.875-06:00I don't think I would have written a short sto...I don't think I would have written a short story if the call didn't go out with an interesting theme. Same with the second anthology. The theme helped me craft the story.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36369707509729745132014-06-19T05:59:51.492-06:002014-06-19T05:59:51.492-06:00Larry, I'm a novel writer. I prefer all the in...Larry, I'm a novel writer. I prefer all the intricacies in a long work. I didn't look at writing a novel as an expanded short story. Both are unique.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-44286379916833308202014-06-19T05:57:27.910-06:002014-06-19T05:57:27.910-06:00It was a learning experience, Linda. Not sure if I...It was a learning experience, Linda. Not sure if I'm a natural short story writer, but I liked stretching my writing skills.Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-37733640794459469182014-06-18T12:09:35.398-06:002014-06-18T12:09:35.398-06:00Good tips for tightening the writing, Polly. And I...Good tips for tightening the writing, Polly. And I loved the James Burke bit of inspiration. I have always thought a writer needs as much tenacity as talent. Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66415405412708210092014-06-18T08:33:41.591-06:002014-06-18T08:33:41.591-06:00I'll keep trying, Polly ... even if it kills m...I'll keep trying, Polly ... even if it kills me. The James Burke analogy reminded me of the guy who tried marketing the soft drinks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Up ... then quit ... one product from marketing nirvana.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-15184245322869532952014-06-18T08:30:35.494-06:002014-06-18T08:30:35.494-06:00I'll keep trying, Polly ... even if it kills m...I'll keep trying, Polly ... even if it kills me. The James Burke analogy reminded me of the guy who marketed the soft drinks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Up ... and then quit ... one product short of marketing nirvana.Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42491123207722326652014-06-18T07:58:05.027-06:002014-06-18T07:58:05.027-06:00I do agree with Larry about novel writing. Stories...I do agree with Larry about novel writing. Stories with multiple layers and numerous characters with varying degrees of depth hold more appeal for me than short stories, although I've read a few shorts that were quite compelling.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-41974239728271888822014-06-18T07:52:00.449-06:002014-06-18T07:52:00.449-06:00I have considered short stories, but never taken t...I have considered short stories, but never taken the time. I started out with poetry as a teen. When I started writing books at middle-age, I stopped reading and writing poetry. In fact, they rarely sprout in my head now. I guess you grow what you feed.Diana Hurwitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18216220574149672733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-27553377732720418572014-06-18T06:12:46.893-06:002014-06-18T06:12:46.893-06:00I cut my writing teeth on short fiction in the sci...I cut my writing teeth on short fiction in the science fiction genre, Polly, so my experience was almost the opposite of yours. A novel is not an expanded short story. It took me decades to be ready to write full-length fiction, with many lessons learned by critically reading novels from successful writers. I think what I most like about writing novels is the architectural richness of plot and subplot, a larger cast of characters, and a more leisurely and nuanced approach to character development.Larry Constantine (Lior Samson)http://amazon.com/author/liorsamson/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-37528912542304656252014-06-18T05:56:43.213-06:002014-06-18T05:56:43.213-06:00Great info here, Polly. Learning the parallels and...Great info here, Polly. Learning the parallels and the differences between novels and short stories is a must if one wishes to write in both genres. As you point out, a short story is NOT a highly condensed novel; it stands alone with its own set of rules that make it work for the reader. A perk for the writer: keeping it simple teaches new skills that may, one day, be transferable to another genre.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16056682992943171805noreply@blogger.com