Toe in the Water

Official Contests

Official Contests

I have entered an annoying pattern with regard to the official WDC contests. Every month, I promise myself that I will get something done for them early so that it doesn’t hang over me for the entire month. Then I look at the prompt, have a think, and have no astounding inspiration. Often, I might have the germ of an idea but it’s not enough to start with.

So I wait.

And that, of course, is my undoing. Invariably, I have only a few days left when I have to admit that waiting isn’t going to give me a better idea. Then I start with what I’ve got and, usually, it develops as I write and I end up with something at least vaguely presentable. It gets entered just before closing date and I swear I’ll do something early for the next month.

And so the pattern continues.

I often say that most of my stories are begun before I know their ends, and it’s true. But it’s no way to live. The self-induced pressure is just as uncomfortable as it would be if applied by someone else (more so, in fact, since it’s easier to disappoint myself by giving up on it). Plus the possibility of fizzles is always present. A fizzle being a story that ends in just that, of course. I have quite a collection of those.

And now the end of May is near and I still haven’t had a better idea for Short Shots than I had when I first saw the visual prompt for this month. Once again, I’m going to have to start with that and see what happens. And it has to be good to stand a chance of placing, as usual.

Why am I telling you all this? It’s just another way of delaying the moment when I’m going to have to begin the story and see where it takes me. Procrastination is my middle name.


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