HAPPY NEW YEAR
I started my eleventh short story today. That does sound impressive, doesn’t it? The reality is nothing like the sound of it. In fact, I have written a little over 20,000 words. That would be 80+ pages, double-spaced in a twelve-point font.
Actually, I write using Verdana, which is larger than some fonts and I only get 225-250 words per page. (Of course, I change the font to New Times Roman when I submit anything.)
The cardinal rule... Don’t do anything to piss off the editor.
I am keeping the stories short so a patron of a coffee shop may read them at one sitting, while they drink their beverage.
My guidelines (which I invented for the purpose,) is between 1000 and 3000 words per story.
I am having a lot of fun, though it is a slow slog as I am only able to visit my coffee shop on the weekends.
I had dinner with my daughter and granddaughters this evening. My son-in-law is working out of town these days unfortunately. However, having a daughter that is half Mexican meant fresh, homemade tortillas and mole with rice. Yum, yum!
I confess that I am a little jealous. I was the first to blog on the site, but my coffee shop is not yet on the map...
An oversight, or perhaps a very busy crew at Coffee Shop Central?
Happy New Year all.
jaw
Comments
Short Story? Novella? Novel?
Seems there are as many definitions about what makes a short story compared to a novella and a noval as there are writers.
According to Wikipedia A short story is under 15,oo words where miriam webster says a Novella is between 17,500 to 40,00. Above that is a novel.
Back to wiki, A short story tends to be less complex than a novel. Usually a short story focuses on one incident, has a single plot a single setting and a small number of characters,and covers a short period of time.
Personally I can't seem to write anything under 20,000 words or it seems so bare and incomplete. Whatever a writer wants to write, regardless of the word count, if it feels complete and right then it is. Charles Dickins along with many others of the same era wrote many short stories with lengths of one to twenty pages and became famous for doing so.
Happy writing JAW, and thx for the comments;
TOG, Lynn
Tough
It is tough to get everything said and done in a short story, especially ones as short as I am writing.
It is also useful practice, and I feel free to experiment with POV, TENSE, Character Development and Dialogue.
I think the first rule of the short story is DO it, don't SAY it. There isn't enough time.
I find myself amazed at what I DON'T need, when I write a short.
Absolutely, you must get to the POINT.
Most of all I'm having fun and learning stuff.
Feliz Año Nuevo
jaw
I beg to differentiate.....
It is an amazing feat, to create eleven story lines, numerous characters, all with an opinion, or voice. You are on a roll, Sir Jaw. What have you been feeding your muse, spinach?
Are you putting them together as a collection? What will you call it?
Funny, I went to Mexico in my r.e.m. dreams this morning. I was looking for my protagonist, from the novel I am working on right now. Although, I didn't find her, she was on my mind.
In the dream the essences of the Mexican food, and the colorful dresses, took me to another place.
AT the end of the dream, I still hadn't tasted the fair, but was wearing a colorful dress, with a flower in my hair.
Reading about your Mexican meal, with your family, brought me back to my dream.
I love exotic foods, and aromatic spices.
You have a lovely family.
Blessings!!!
Airlover