Writerly Ways

[cornerofmadness]

A very short one today, looking at my failure as a short story author. I know I have issues with short stories. Some of you say, why bother? There's a reason to do so or I wouldn't.

With the new digital age, they say you need to publish @ a half dozen things a year. I DO argue this point. I would rather get one quality thing than a half dozen shite ones but it is what it is. I'm not capable of churning out 6 novels a year so I do a few shorts to keep my name out there.

I am now struggling to remove @3K from Corpse Powder (and I'm halfway there). I always end up with too much story for a short.

Ironically I find writing flash fic easier than your standard short story. If you have a word count range of 5-10K you start thinking about plots, and twists etc etc. If you have 300 words you know there's no time for any of that. You slice right down to the bone.

I should thank open_on_sunday for all the training to do flash fic when I was routinely writing drabbles for them.

One day I will learn how to write short stories. I think it would be easier if I wasn't trying to write romance + other genre. I have no interest in contemporary fiction and write very very little of it. That is easier to fit into the word count. But if you add in SF or fantasy/UF then you're trying to work in world building, plot, etc to your romance. It's very easy to go over.

The person arranging the anthology Corpse Powder will be in said almost every last one of us went over badly. I know at least two had to scrap their ideas and go with another story. I just didn't have time to do that. Besides, I already have two novellas that were supposed to be shorts waiting in the wings. Hurry up semester end so I can work on that!

Yearly word count -

22685 / 115000
(19.73%)

Camp Nano -

6302 / 10000
(63.02%)

Comments

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I think I'll stick with trying to put out two books a year, for now--along with the occasional short story that usually serves to advertise a book. I can write short, but it's tougher for me than a longer work.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Two books seems reasonable to me as well. I think a lot of the 6 book a year thing is for the millenials who actually read. They want everything RIght! Now! and now they won't even read a series until 'it's done' not realizing if you don't buy the first books the publisher might say there won't be another book.

And I'm with you, a novel is SO much easier than a stupid short story.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

The only problem is my *other* full time job!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that too, and in many cases that's the one paying the bills.