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Short Stories: January 13, 2010 Issue [#3502]

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Short Stories


 This week:
  Edited by: Storm Machine Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

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

About This Newsletter

I'm honored to be your Guest Editor this week.

Plot is a verb.


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Today’s Forecast: Partly Cloudy


And on Thursday morning, the sun shone brightly.

… So? Does this tell me anything about the story? What’s going on with the characters? While there is a place for weather, let your characters interact with their setting to make it real.

Meredith splashed through the puddles, tilting her umbrella to let the rain sprinkle droplets on her face.

The second example employs a showy version of the weather. The character interacts with it, and the action doesn’t stop for a description. This is just another reason why we're not supposed to start our stories like Snoopy: "It was a dark and stormy night."

Dig deeper into the story. Why are you telling your readers about the weather? How does it fit into your story? If it's just a backdrop or a way to tell a transition, you might be better off to figure out a different method. Especially if the sun keeps shining for six days in a row. Your readers might think you're trying to be a meteorologist instead of an author.

One exception is if your story is dependent on the weather. Are you writing about surviving a storm? Are your characters in conflict with their surroundings and can you make the weather a part of that?

Viktor trudged through the snow and clung to the rope that connected the house to the barn to check the animals. The wind whipped at his clothing and burned his exposed face. He was glad he had strung the rope between the buildings, since he couldn't see the barn or the house from his current position because of the storm.

I'd hate to be caught in a storm like that, but it makes for better reading than telling the reader the storm lasted 18 hours and dropped 22 inches of snow on the ground.


Editor's Picks

Let's Publish! Open in new Window. (13+)
For writers seriously interested in publishing short fiction and poetry.
#1557639 by emerin-liseli Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#559910 by Not Available.


 Help Me Get Published Open in new Window. (18+)
...and you, too!
#1631278 by Waltz Invictus Author IconMail Icon


What do you think of the weather in the following stories?
 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#671561 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#862307 by Not Available.


 Part 1: A Difficult Road Open in new Window. (13+)
A snapshot of a short story. Our protagonist, a carriage driver, on one of his runs.
#1179091 by Threil Author IconMail Icon


 Helga Blows Open in new Window. (E)
About a monster hurricane and a particular Floridian 'been there, done that' mentality.
#1365171 by HolligoLefty Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1626513 by Not Available.


Valentine's Day Open in new Window. (18+)
A lonely woman finds love in a most unexpected place.
#939010 by Waltz Invictus Author IconMail Icon


Walking On Thin Ice Open in new Window. (13+)
A vision becomes reality--or does it?
#1213063 by Lynn McKenzie Author IconMail Icon

 
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Word from Writing.Com

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Ask & Answer

This is my first Short Stories Newsletter, so I have no feedback to share.

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