  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Greetings! I’m honored to return as your guest host for this week’s WDC Short Stories Newsletter
“All that I see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”
Edgar Allan Poe
“Good things come in small packages - why not savor a short story ~ aloud ~ today.”
|
| ASIN: B083RZJVJ8 |
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
Not currently available. |
|
Greetings, thank you for allowing me this brief intrusion into your virtual home. Just as novels come in a variety of sizes, some to fit a pocket or purse, others only a briefcase will hold; so too the short story comes in a variety of ‘sizes.’ Nope, no ‘one size fits most,’ here. And although short stories are available in a gamut of sizes, genres, voices, and points of view, they do belong to the same ‘family’ as their ‘big brother/sister’ novels.
With Nanowritemo just around the corner, you may be outlining a novel and need a bit of a breather or, perhaps, your life schedule or inclination precludes the intense immersion at this time. Explore with me an alternative; and keep writing!
Flash fiction can be drafted in a creative breath, then refined, reworded, sometimes all in a day. A short story anywhere from 30 words to about 3000 is considered ‘flash fiction.’ And even tighter, a complete story of 10-300 words has been dubbed 'micro-fiction.' But these are not merely a scene, or expository. Flash fiction and micro-fiction have all the elements of a novel: beginning, middle and end. They arise in any genre – mystery, adventure, horror, comedy, … - that incites the Muse Creative to write, with mainly a single point of view, a story to delight, incite, or inspire readers. Being that they are short in length, and each word has to be selected with care, I think they’re fun to read aloud; to embrace the actual spoken tone of the writer, savor the sound and taste of the words, the images thus evoked to convey the story.
 A Drabble is one form of ‘flash,’ a complete story that is exactly 100 words in length. It challenges writers to convey an interesting and meaningful story under extremely confined parameters. Each word has to count for something. It’s gained popularity in science fiction and fan fiction over the past several decades, and mainstreamed into adventure, comedy, mystery. The term and idea originated in the ‘70s, in Monty Python’s Big Red Book, originally a word game challenging participants to be the first to write a ‘novel’ in 100 words. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drabble) Other parameters may be added to challenge or inspire the writer, i.e., a picture prompt, using a specific point of view, all dialogue, or perhaps no repeated words
A Ficlet or short-short story is also a form of ‘drabble’ that can run up to 1,000 words. These are often used in fan fiction, where brief, tight writing , vivid scenes, propel action-adventure and sometimes romance.
Going the other way, one can write a dribble, or a complete story in 50 words, or a “droubble” (double drabble) of 200 words.
All of these ‘drabbles’ and their derivatives have one thing in common – they are complete stories, plotted and driven from beginning to end by the writer’s insightful choice of words.
So, why not give it a try ~ and ‘drabble’ in vivid imagery to create a story though brief in length, replete in breadth, and a delight to read aloud And do read a few of the drabbles and dribbles and flashes offered for your reading pleasure by some of the writers in our Community.
|
Check out some drabbles and other shorts offered for your reading (aloud, I hope) and commenting (review, I hope) pleasure
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1482615 by Not Available. |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1474933 by Not Available. |
| |  | Unpalatable (E)
Won Honorable Mention in 100 Words No Repeats contest, October 2008
#1483651 by Madi  |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1484658 by Not Available. |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1381359 by Not Available. |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1344659 by Not Available. |
| | | Fallen (E)
Legolas refuses to believe Aragorn is dead. Drabble
#1277108 by Leila |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1481457 by Not Available. |
Like to try it out - How about a few challenges for the muse creative - a drabble, a dribble, 'micro-flash'
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1409861 by Not Available. |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: B07K6Z2ZBF |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99
|
|
Thank you for welcoming me into your virtual home, albeit for a 'short' while. Before I overstay my welcome, I bid you each ~
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Keep Writing!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading
|
| ASIN: 1945043032 |
|
Amazon's Price: $ 13.94
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
Short Stories: October 15, 2008 Issue [#2661]
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
