It's a pleasure to behold your lovely faces again.
Since Hannah so kindly shared a lovely piece of literature, I thought I would share a piece of my own "literature".
SLOSHY THE KAPPA: What's with the quotation marks?
I assure you I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, I am going to share with you some of my "literature".
SLOSHY THE KAPPA: There it is again!
Am I going to have to bring out the rubber ducky again?
SLOSHY THE KAPPA: . . .
Anyway, I used to be an avid part of a writing site called The Young Writers Society. I don't participate it in it as often now, as the site has diminished somewhat, but it's still a wonderful place to share your writing. I used to enter some contests, and this piece I wrote is one of those contest entries.
The rules for the contest were that you had to use a random prompt generator to fuel the idea for your story, and the story had to be under 1000 words. I went through a lot of stupid ones before I found a prompt I liked. The prompt I chose was this:
"Your story is about a historian in a mental institution wandering the highlands."
If that sounds impossible to logically work with, that's because it is. So I decided to be a little crazy with it. So indeed, I did write a story about a historian in a mental institution wandering the highlands, and I'm proud of it. Please, read the story and share your thoughts.
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"Yellow Plus Red"
They put me in here because I'm afraid of the color orange.
My fear is completely logical, but they don't think it is so I'm in here. White walls -- soft, composed of thick doughy squares that look like couch cushions all sewn together. So white. Not orange.
It's completely logical that I hate the color. Let me tell you why. One, it's ugly. It's the exact color of the bloody pus that oozes out of your ear after your eardrum bursts from an infection. It's vibrant, but it doesn't belong: it clashes with any color it comes into contact with. It's an unnatural mix of red and yellow. Whenever I see an orange flower I think that that flower isn't actually real; it's just another illusion mocking me, just because I hate the color and the world knows it and it wants to show me that it knows it.
The world can't mock me because I'm behind these walls, but sometimes orange comes and prints small, bright footsteps all over my room, and I panic and throw myself against the couch cushions, trying to drown out the noise I begin to hear. The noise goes
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
and it repeats over and over and it won't shut up. I know that it's orange's fault. It's completely logical. I'm a logical man.
Yet I'm here.
I'm one-hundred percent positive that I am a historian. I know of the past, thus, I'm a historian. I have brown hair, tinged with gray, which falls past my eyes. I want to get a haircut, but they won't let me close to sharp objects, and I don't trust them around me with sharp objects. Honestly, I would give anything for a sharp object right now. I would prick my finger and I'd wait and see if blood comes out, and if I see red I'll know I'm alive. For all I know I could be dead; no one has told me otherwise. But I might be alive because in my mind I'm living, and in my mind I'm wandering the highlands.
The hills are bright green, brighter than the highlands should be, but in my place I see what I want to. The landscape rolls up and down like a blanket flapping in the wind. The sun is completely obscured with a thick layer of clouds, thank goodness. Instead, light seems to appear randomly. Everything of interest gives a light, and the most interesting thing is her.
Blank, wide, eyes stare at me. I move, but her eyes do not follow. They stay focused at the same spot. Her red lips are parted. Her skin is blanched and bloodless, with small, blue veins that branch along her throat. Her head is tilted too far to the right. It would give her a painful crick, always being like that, but since she doesn't feel anything, I think she’s fine with it. She hangs in the air, about one foot off of the ground. Nothing’s keeping her up there.
She's always hanging, and I'm always standing. It hasn't changed since they brought me here. When I choose to see her, I can never do anything except stand. I want to touch her, but I can't because the world knows I want to touch her and it wants me to know that I can't touch her.
She has a bracelet that's silver, with a small key on it that bounces off her wrist in the breeze:
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
We stand together in silent companionship, and I’m happy, I think. But then she speaks.
I've forgotten what words sound like. I began to ignore them when they took me here, after they said I had a nervous breakdown. I forgot after the antiseptic smiles phased to placid expressions, then to exasperated looks. All I have left are the voices inside my head, but I cannot actually hear them. They are whispers escaping open lips, never inflected or pronounced, yet I understand them.
So whispers escape her gaping mouth and they mean,
"Why am I here?"
So I mean back,
"Because you're my everything."
A chill runs down my spine. She whispers,
"Your Everything is Nothing."
The highlands begin to swirl. Light emanates from strange places, as if it doesn't know where it belongs. The clouds form strange shapes, unmasking the sun which covers the world in glaring light. Everything is changing, and I don't understand. What has broken? Slowly, her feet land on the ground. Her neck's crooked, but she’s closer now. I see the dark bruise on her neck. She strides away.
I hear
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
With each sound, I’m assaulted with a memory. Memories that I had repressed but were coming back. I see us walking, with her neck perfectly straight, and I wonder why we are holding hands. I remember.
"Wait!"
"Your Everything is Nothing."
Another tap and I see a rope. Tap. I see her hanging. Tap. Her orange shoes hang limply above the ground. Tap. And I cannot look away. Tap. I am paralyzed, but all I see are those shoes. Tap. Orange shoes. Tap. Why can’t I do something? Tap. Why can’t I look away?
Because she is my Everything.
And my Everything is nothing.
I wake up screaming, ranting, raving. I thrust myself against the walls, pounding them. They pour in, and pin me down. Their tone means to say it's okay, but it's not okay. Orange foot prints stain my vision. The world knows she was all that was left of me and it wants me to know that by taking her away. Sharp, glinting needles fade away along with my consciousness. I’m going back to the highlands.
They put me here because I’m afraid of the color orange. My fear is completely logical.
Yet I'm here.
-------------
Well, what did you think?
I didn't win with this story, but I didn't expect to. It was still a great experience, and the first short short story I have ever written.
Don't be afraid of the rubber duck,
Esther
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Why Short Stories Are Amazing
Hannah has taken a brief leave of absence because she has a life and she's awesome like that. You go, girl!
Of course, this means that she has also left a hole in every one of our hearts -- a metaphorical one. Had it been literal we would have all died by now. I miss her terribly. . . How long has it been since I last read her words? A few months? Years?
Oh, a few days. I might have been getting a little dramatic, there.
I am posting two days in a row to fill the gap in our hearts with doughy lumps of love. Today, I will be writing about writing!
Gasp!
You guys might be familiar with the fact that I aspire to be a published author. If you aren't familiar with this, well, I aspire to be a published author. There, all caught up.
Recently, I have taken a break from my novel to pursue another creative endeavor: writing short stories. Short stories are wonderful pieces of fiction that average from about 1000 words to 7,500 words, and are great mediums for conveying singular ideas and morals.
Still, the short story is often underrated. When most people decide to be writers, they imagine novels or even poetry before they think of the short story. The market for the novel is more obvious. You see a lot more novels at a bookstore at a library, so isn't publishing a novel a better overall experience than publishing a short story? Shouldn't a novel offer more fame, money, and and an overall sense of accomplishment?
Even though I would love to be a novelist, I think I will always be a short story writer at heart. There is something about a good piece of short fiction that makes my heart soar. I believe that a good short story has just as much value as a novel, and certainly can have just as much of an emotional impact. (Read: The same holds for the novella. Of Mice and Men and Animal Farm are two novellas that hold a special place in my cardiac organ.)
Here are four reasons why, if you are a writer, you should pursue writing a short story, even if it's just once.
Short Stories Give You Practice in Condensing Your IdeasAre you familiar with the novel series Twilight? If you are, you know that these books are rather massive. If you have read them, you are also aware that these books are a rambling mess. Not to say that the books are bad at heart, but they are severely unorganized. A lot of pages are useless, not contributing to the overall effect of the story. A lot of other things are superfluous, which takes away from the plot. Meyer would have been able to write a more concise story if she wrote more short stories.
Because short stories are small, you have a short time to get your character development, your setting, and your plot realized. Is this impossible? Not at all. Because it they are short, short stories generally have less plot, character development, and setting than novels. But this doesn't mean that it isn't hard to fit all of those things in. Short story writing allows you to focus your ideas. By being able to focus your words into a readable story, you are also practicing your ability to pace correctly. You will learn when a scene is unneeded, or when a certain scene goes on for too long. You will learn how to make a story move without drowning it. In the end, you'll have a more focused idea that shines through, rather than a rambling mess.
Short Stories Do Have a MarketThere are several magazines, online and print, that publish short stories. They will often pay you, too. Sure, this isn't as much money as a novel (unless you are really popular) but this does give you publishing experience. It is easier to publish a short story than it is a novel, and once you have a few published short stories under your resume, the novel you do want to publish is going to look a lot more promising to agents and publishers.
For example, if I sent my book I Know Why the Caged Bird is an Exterminator to a publisher without any publishing credentials, that publisher would think I am a green horn, completely inexperienced when it comes to publishing. But, if I had been published previously, that publisher just might give Exterminator a second look.
Short Stories are PowerfulIf you read a lot of novels, there are sure to have been books that have stuck with you. Several books have stuck with me, like Lord of the Flies or The Bell Jar, but short stories can do the same thing. They might be able to do it better.
Short stories can't waste time. They have to prove a point. In this way, they can be even more powerful than novels because they are completely devoted to a theme, moral, or concept.
This devotion can allow the reader to walk away with a viewpoint on the world from reading a short story. A short story may not be able to say much, but if it is written well, what it does say can have a lasting impact. And because it is short and focused, its topics are easier to remember.
Here are two short stories that you may have already read, but are recommended.
The Most Dangerous Game -- A short story about a man who crashes on a on a desert island where he meets a strange huntsman famous for his exploits. Only does the main character know that this hunter is more than he seems . . . (One of my favorites)
The Scarlet Ibis -- A short story about a boy who is ashamed of his physically weak brother. Full of symbolism.
Short Stories are Excellent Practice
More often than not, people choose the novel as the first thing they try to write. What a mistake they make! Without having experience in plot or character development, these novels are often just average.
The short story is excellent practice for beginning writers. It gives writers the chance to practice all of the nuances of the writing craft without having to write a giant book. Short stories give the practice of editing, as well, so a writer can be more comfortable with editing. It is often scary to have written a novel, and then have to deal with the prospect of editing it. Having written short stories will help with this.
------
And there you go! I hope you enjoyed this post!
Don't ever be daunted,
Esther
Of course, this means that she has also left a hole in every one of our hearts -- a metaphorical one. Had it been literal we would have all died by now. I miss her terribly. . . How long has it been since I last read her words? A few months? Years?
Oh, a few days. I might have been getting a little dramatic, there.
I am posting two days in a row to fill the gap in our hearts with doughy lumps of love. Today, I will be writing about writing!
Gasp!
You guys might be familiar with the fact that I aspire to be a published author. If you aren't familiar with this, well, I aspire to be a published author. There, all caught up.
Recently, I have taken a break from my novel to pursue another creative endeavor: writing short stories. Short stories are wonderful pieces of fiction that average from about 1000 words to 7,500 words, and are great mediums for conveying singular ideas and morals.
Still, the short story is often underrated. When most people decide to be writers, they imagine novels or even poetry before they think of the short story. The market for the novel is more obvious. You see a lot more novels at a bookstore at a library, so isn't publishing a novel a better overall experience than publishing a short story? Shouldn't a novel offer more fame, money, and and an overall sense of accomplishment?
Even though I would love to be a novelist, I think I will always be a short story writer at heart. There is something about a good piece of short fiction that makes my heart soar. I believe that a good short story has just as much value as a novel, and certainly can have just as much of an emotional impact. (Read: The same holds for the novella. Of Mice and Men and Animal Farm are two novellas that hold a special place in my cardiac organ.)
Here are four reasons why, if you are a writer, you should pursue writing a short story, even if it's just once.
Short Stories Give You Practice in Condensing Your IdeasAre you familiar with the novel series Twilight? If you are, you know that these books are rather massive. If you have read them, you are also aware that these books are a rambling mess. Not to say that the books are bad at heart, but they are severely unorganized. A lot of pages are useless, not contributing to the overall effect of the story. A lot of other things are superfluous, which takes away from the plot. Meyer would have been able to write a more concise story if she wrote more short stories.
Because short stories are small, you have a short time to get your character development, your setting, and your plot realized. Is this impossible? Not at all. Because it they are short, short stories generally have less plot, character development, and setting than novels. But this doesn't mean that it isn't hard to fit all of those things in. Short story writing allows you to focus your ideas. By being able to focus your words into a readable story, you are also practicing your ability to pace correctly. You will learn when a scene is unneeded, or when a certain scene goes on for too long. You will learn how to make a story move without drowning it. In the end, you'll have a more focused idea that shines through, rather than a rambling mess.
Short Stories Do Have a MarketThere are several magazines, online and print, that publish short stories. They will often pay you, too. Sure, this isn't as much money as a novel (unless you are really popular) but this does give you publishing experience. It is easier to publish a short story than it is a novel, and once you have a few published short stories under your resume, the novel you do want to publish is going to look a lot more promising to agents and publishers.
For example, if I sent my book I Know Why the Caged Bird is an Exterminator to a publisher without any publishing credentials, that publisher would think I am a green horn, completely inexperienced when it comes to publishing. But, if I had been published previously, that publisher just might give Exterminator a second look.
Short Stories are PowerfulIf you read a lot of novels, there are sure to have been books that have stuck with you. Several books have stuck with me, like Lord of the Flies or The Bell Jar, but short stories can do the same thing. They might be able to do it better.
Short stories can't waste time. They have to prove a point. In this way, they can be even more powerful than novels because they are completely devoted to a theme, moral, or concept.
This devotion can allow the reader to walk away with a viewpoint on the world from reading a short story. A short story may not be able to say much, but if it is written well, what it does say can have a lasting impact. And because it is short and focused, its topics are easier to remember.
Here are two short stories that you may have already read, but are recommended.
The Most Dangerous Game -- A short story about a man who crashes on a on a desert island where he meets a strange huntsman famous for his exploits. Only does the main character know that this hunter is more than he seems . . . (One of my favorites)
The Scarlet Ibis -- A short story about a boy who is ashamed of his physically weak brother. Full of symbolism.
Short Stories are Excellent Practice
More often than not, people choose the novel as the first thing they try to write. What a mistake they make! Without having experience in plot or character development, these novels are often just average.
The short story is excellent practice for beginning writers. It gives writers the chance to practice all of the nuances of the writing craft without having to write a giant book. Short stories give the practice of editing, as well, so a writer can be more comfortable with editing. It is often scary to have written a novel, and then have to deal with the prospect of editing it. Having written short stories will help with this.
------
And there you go! I hope you enjoyed this post!
Don't ever be daunted,
Esther
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