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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~
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The Bucket List
The Bucket List was a 2007 movie about two terminally ill men who meet for the first time in the hospital after both have been diagnosed with lung cancer. They become friends as they undergo their respective treatments. One of them starts writing a "bucket list", things he wants to do before he "kicks the bucket". The two embark on a worldwide road trip to accomplish the list. The last item on the list, "witness something truly majestic" is crossed off when the friends' ashes are set together at the top of the Himalayas.
What are some of the things you would like to accomplish in your lifetime? Write a bucket list. The wishes don't have to be grand, but things you always wished to do. Some things, especially in a bad economy, aren't affordable. It doesn't matter, put them on the list. Give yourself some time to develop that list.
Then take a look at your wishes. What steps could you take toward accomplishing your wishes? One of mine would be to photograph eagles over the Rocky Mountains. Since I don't have a trip scheduled there, what steps can I take toward that goal? I can study eagle behavior and migration to learn when would be the time plan a trip. I could practice photographing raptors in my area. (Photographing a small wheeling bird in the sky is hard!) Taking small steps toward accomplishing a goal helps me learn more about how to get to that final destination.
Do you have a list? Doing research can be fun if the subject is something you're interested in. Writing about a subject you're interested in can be a thrill also. An ex-military author could write about the battles he's witnessed, not just the CNN version of the story, but also all the nuances of the background that others may not know. A mountain climber could write about a Kilamanjaro climb. Not only with Time-Life photos, but about the fundraising and effort before the climb. Always wanted to sleep in an igloo? Research what kinds of snow or ice make the best igloos, what the construction demands and how you stay warm in it all night.
Learning something new with research can enhance your story and make it come alive. Write on!
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Excerpt: “Yes, Mr. Manilow,” I say as I back-pedal out the french doors with a sequence of nods. I hurry downstairs to the kitchen and begin to concoct Mr. Manilow’s favorite snack, a banana split topped with waffles, bacon, melted cheese, and other equally offensive ingredients. A Manilow Surprise, he calls it. I call it a heart attack waiting to happen.
Excerpt: Kathryn walked to where her daughter was sitting by the window. "You miss him, don't you." It was a statement, not a question. Not waiting for a reply, she continued, "I miss him too."
Excerpt: She glanced around the fancy suite. Plush carpets, satin sheets, the best champagne cooling in a silver urn by the bedside. Strawberries next to them. A shame to let those go to waste. She wandered over and plucked one up, popping it into her mouth. The sweet taste sent a smile curving over her lips. She poured a bit of champagne, toasting the body stiffening on the floor. "Better luck in the next life, Senator Thompson." She drained the glass and reluctantly sat it down on the bedside table. Time to get moving.
Excerpt: Ricky Grant, stone deaf since birth, sat with his eyes closed on an underground bench on the D.C. Metro platform. It was like playing God, he mused, having the power to eliminate at will one of his senses. But, he thought with scorn, he was better than God because he could open his eyes when he wanted to restore his sight. He wasn’t sure he even believed in God, but there was one thing he was certain of: His world was silent and there was nothing he or any god could do about it.
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Excerpt: Deep in the wilds of primitive mountains, Shelly Talbot spent her days and nights alone high up above the populated areas. She preferred it that way. Mountain folk are a superstitious lot and thought she was a witch because of her talent of communicating with animals. Even her parents were afraid of her, which is why she moved out of their home when she was sixteen. It was true that she could understand every living creatures there was and answer them in kind. She could not understand how she was able to do this; she had been doing it since she was a small child, but she accepted it as God’s Will.
Excerpt: "It's called a car boot sale, in this country."
"Like a Garage sale then ?"
"Yes dear, but in a big field, loads of people bring there stuff and sell it out of their car boot"
"'ya mean trunk ?"
"Yes Dear, they're called boots over here"
Excerpt: George thumped Mikeys head with his fingers. "In your brain, in your mind, scary things you think that aren't true like believing eagles live in closets. Geez."
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Excerpt: Once upon a time, a long time ago, there were the Pirates of the Dark Chocolate. They sailed the seven seas in their pirate ship, The Cocoa Nut.
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#656951 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: You’ve seen us on your Interstates. You’ve probably looked us over and judged us harshly -- or else envied us. There's no middle ground between the two viewpoints. We see your thoughts in frowns or smiles as we pass you, or in the middle finger or the thumbs-up sign you gesture.
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#863793 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: Samuel hobbled down the porch steps to stand in the yard. He looked to the sky, placing his hands on his thin hips still chewing the loose-leaf tobacco. A peculiar hue of yellow loomed in the heavens casting a strange tint toward the ground. A quiet calmness descended in the air, leaving Samuel feeling uneasy.
“Everything is so still,” he whispered.
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This month's question: What is on your 'bucket list"?
Last month's question: How well do you know your characters?
No replies.
Reply to: How do you envision your readers?
J. A. Buxton  : I guess it depends on what type of story I've written. Although a few of my short stories might appeal to the younger members here, I picture my long-time faithful reviewers, whom I've managed to pull along through my longer novels, as somewhat older. They've experienced whatever life can throw at them, so even my dabbling in the darker erotica genre doesn't shock them...too much.
Most of my readers probably are female, since so many of them have told me Walker or Randall is their favorite character. It's hard, though, to tell with some of the screen names, particularly the ones from Anonymous Reviewer
Send in feedback below and let your newsletter editors know you're reading their issues!
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Short Stories: June 10, 2009 Issue [#3098]
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