In the beginning, it was savage and stern, a blackness of soul. It began like a tree of precocious growth, with rings of power and leaves of glinting copper, with fruit of gems and shafts of light that stabbed the night. The story I conceived was full-term, ready to burst forth, yet not developed enough … Continue reading And What is a Story?
#AusWriter
December, 2021
And what awaits us in the next year? As an ever-hopeful soul (put that scowl away!), I'm hoping 2022 is calmer, shorter, less fretful than the last two years. I want people to care about others, to take care in how they interact with the world, to enjoy something in each moment of every day. … Continue reading December, 2021
In the Throes of Creating a New Short Story
And didn't pre-plan a post. Whoops! However, the story I'm editing ready for publication is an Australian short story (about 6k words) about gold country. Do you remember Itchy (originally published here)? Stay tuned. He's going to make it into his own book. Photo by Pat Whelen on Pexels.com
Pop-Ups on Litopia – It’s Today!
Yes, it really is today, at 5pm (or 1700 hrs) London time (you need to check the time for your zone, because for me, it's sometime after zero-dark-hundred and before sparrow-fart (around 0130 in the blessed apres midis)). Your Chance to see what professional writers, editors, publishers, agents have to say about submissions from authors. … Continue reading Pop-Ups on Litopia – It’s Today!
Who is the Story for?
The writer gets the characters together, puts them in situations, shows their backbone - or lack of - and pushes them through plots and troubles until the lesson is learned, the question is answered, the world is set right - or the consequences are clear for all to see. That's how a writer does it, … Continue reading Who is the Story for?
Here Comes the Sun
Hang on, hang on, it's just a few minutes away. I promise. Those clouds will part and there will be the light of a bright, sunshiny day. Okay, looks like I was wrong. Again. But the days are getting longer, the mornings are lightening earlier, and the flowers are blooming. Yes, they are. The purple … Continue reading Here Comes the Sun
Conflict, suspense, and tension
(Okay, let's just pretend it's Friday and I'm doing my weekly update on the subject that came up several weeks ago) (The pic comes from Fandango and his Flash Fiction Challenge, except I'm not writing fiction -- or am I?) photo from Nicolae_Balt at Pixabay.com. Conflict: See that balloon? The conflict comes from the character … Continue reading Conflict, suspense, and tension
How to get to the Starting Point
And it's not because I forgot it was Friday again. It's about stories. Where the open lies, where the build happens, how it all crashes together to form an ending. I use a couple of methods to get the shape of the story. The first thing I do is a paragraph about the idea. A … Continue reading How to get to the Starting Point
A Day Early
And still a dollar or so short ... But, here's the 500 word max story: Gran’s Last Diary Entry The big storm. That’s when it happened. Lightning and thunder scare the grumpkins outta the dog, and she patters around, panting and whining and fretting. Nobody sleeps. That’s why I was awake, why I saw it. … Continue reading A Day Early
Where to start?
It's a story thing. When does the story start? Is it with a big bang moment, or an introduction to the normal life? None of the above, is what I'd say. Why? I read a lot of stories that open with a big moment, or a deep character moment, and after a page or two, … Continue reading Where to start?
Cage Dunn - Fibber, Fabricator, Teller-of-Tall-Tales 