A 56 word story and more

Okay, I've mentioned that On The Premises mini contest with a story 25 to fifty words with no letter e. Interesting and frustrating exercise.

Anyway, I decided to post one of my rejects. I want to post some more of my stories any way. I said I would but I keep forgetting to work on that.

I might have gotten it under 50 but decided it there may not be enough story. If I could have entered twice I would have tried anyway.

The story.  "No more Horns"

Tommy ran around outdoors without pants and shirt. Horns had grown through his hair. A pastor runs up and flings holy liquid on him. 

     Tommy’s said, “YIIiii!,” and sank to ground. His horns shrunk  Fianlly Tommy in his right mind, stood up, ran for his pants. Told pastor thanks. Tommy ran back to his family, pastor to his church.

-----

I planned to post two more mini rejections but by the time I finished the other one I decided it was enough of a story, at 149 words, to send it to a flash market. I may add some more setting and human senses. 25 to fifty more words.

There's a third story I'm doing I thought would about the same but I think it will closer to 500 words.

My writing what there is of it

Worked on a story for a different Onthepremises.com contest, this one is 1,000 to 5,000 words based on myths and legends. Took a story I had already-- just finished it a month or so ago-- and added a touch more legends. I also added about fifty words which is good since it was 998 words long. Plus I improved one or two spots. Or so I hope, I have no idea if they really are improved.



I also finished that 50 words story I mentioned last note.

That's about all the writing, I've done. Oh yeah, a couple of openings on paper. I might be able to take my laptop tomorrow so I can work on that one story I referenced last time.

and there should be time tonight to do a bit of writing on "New Mage". It's been way too long since I've done any work on it and I'm feeling the strain. I want it done. I will have to redo the first three chapters, and revising and critiquing, so it will be awhile before it's fit for duty... so to speak. :) But I want it done.

New members- google+

Lot of new members to hatrack lately. That's good.


I joined something called google+ seems to be pretty much a group site, like Yahoo groups except there can be video and you can post pics etc. on the post instead of a separate area.   Seems to be more than just hatrack people on it though.

Tiny story and some thoughts on tiny stories

     Been working on a special story for the current mini contest at On The Premises. 25 to 50 words with the letter e. Egads. A side issue here, I’m more convinced than ever that these contests are writing lessons more than contests. Anyway, I made it harder on my self by misremembering it was 25 to 50 words. I finally had one with 25 words. But I made it a bit longer after I reread the rules. But as I looked it over I could hear a voice from the contest say it’s not a full story. So I slaved and slaved and now have a 49 word story with no letter e.  Still don’t know if it’s a full story but it’s got to be close esp. with only 49 words. So I will send it in later tonight-- make that Sunday.

But as I saved the second original story. 83 words. It sounds more like a story. Thought I would add a few words and let it be a less than 100 word story. I might try for a couple more. Even thought about making the original 25 word story into a twitter story. If I was able to do that the thought crossed my mind to start a tweet story mag. One per week to anyone who subscribes. Maybe a dollar a week. But I don’t think so, even if I could do that many twit tales it would take too much time.

But maybe a few very short ones I could put in a flipbook if they ever come to the US as they are suppose to.  There’s an earlier post about them but they are the size of a smartphone, except thicker, and flip upward instead of sideways. Maybe a flipbook with a bunch of less than 500 word stories. Most being less than 100.  

Well maybe. :)  

More update

I mailed the letter to the editor but forgot to sign it. I realized that the next day. I'll try again Monday-this is Saturday- this time making sure I sign it.

Still want some good news concerning my writing.

Have done almost zip writing this week and last week. Did work on a tiny story but more on that in the next post. Been doing more crits than usual even though I missed one I should have done.

Been thinking about writing, Oh, I did start a new novel handwritten on paper but that was just so I could write. Actually I did two openings and a short story opening. Thought of one today that finally might be the strange one I've been wanting to write for a while. Once the weather cools enough for me to take my laptop I will write that one first.

Misc. Stuff Again

Not getting to write... too hot to take laptop to work and doing a bunch of critiques for others. I even missed one this weekend. Oops big time.

I kind a feel like I'm going through withdrawal feeling cranky.

Wrote a letter to local paper and will send it tomorrow.

Green Lantern

Don't think I ever got around to saying anything about the movie here.


I liked it very much. Been waiting for it for ages, at least since the TV Hulk series. They changed one big thing... no one I've talked seems to know... and of course a few small things. Like how the alien, who crashed on earth and gave him the ring, died. But that wasn't so bad.

One person I talked to thought they should have spent more time with the end fight, they may have a slight point.


But here's a cartoon I think fits whatever you think of the movie.

http://www.gocomics.com/adamathome/2011/07/30/

Pardon my venting

 I've said this before here and most probably will say it again.



I need some good news about my writing. A sell or three would be best but I might settled for some longer personally notes which basically says I'm doing better and/or am close. But I guess that won't be coming either.

They did it again

For some reason whenever Fantasy and Science Fiction takes more than a week and a couple days I start feeling like this might be it. Supposedly the longer they take the more chance of them at least taking a second look at your story. My mind knows that for me time doesn't mean anything. Six weeks two months its all the same as the usual one week.


Two weeks to the day and not even the your story couldn't hold my interest, Just the it didn't grab me line.

I know its bad but every time they're late I start feeling it. It's worse now because I've been feeling that it will happen again soon. No logical reason to feel that way- you might say a supernatural reason, my wife is praying maybe that is the reason but as I said no logical reason. My writing isn't getting better, it's either getting worse or staying on the same level.

I've said that before and I probably will say it again a few times. Nothing I do helps.

Starting a new novel--story

I posted this to another blog in response to a comment the writer of the blog.

I thought it might be of interest to anyone reading this that is interested in how I write.

The subject manner is starting a novel and/or story.

I find that for me it depends. I just started a novel–mostly to get it out of my head even though I need a new one–and it’s been hard and easy. The easy part is that I know what I want for this scene and some of the backstory– the how and why he is in this situation and who he is.

But the hard part is trying to get around not using passive verbs and such. (Supposedly readers want active verbs so editors think they make a better story--personally I think it only works sometimes, other times it doesn't sound any different) 

Sometimes I write an opening– usually for a story– and it takes me twenty tries to get what I see in my mind onto the paper. I just can’t twist words around to say what I want. That has nothing to do with passive or active verbs etc., it has to do with being able to say something right.

Other times though it flows easy no problems, no worries.  

My inner critic can act up at times but so far I don’t see a pattern of when it decides to come out and play. When it does, sometimes I can ignore it but other times I spend too much time trying to placate it.

Rejections

Most editors say no in a nice way, some even try to make it sound like it's their fault that they rejected your story.


Then there are the editors who don't pull their punches.

"This is a 22-page story, and until page 10, it's just monotonous"

Of course  Ideamancer was a little better, they said another story was sweet, but not enough character development for them.