  Short Stories
This week: Let the Pains Begin Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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I have a brother whose life is like an HBO Special. Time after time he makes one bad decision after another: drugs, alcohol, womanizing, six children by five different women, an inability to maintain employment (he was fired from his most recent job for driving the company vehicle while under the influence after having been employed for less than a month) ... I could go on all day. I've been expecting "the call" since he was 20 years old; he recently turned 42. It hasn't happened yet.
I can't help but wonder what the last straw will be. What, if anything, will be rock bottom? What God-awful cataclysmic event will incite change? When will he realize that his choices have destroyed his life as well as the lives of so many others? If he were one of my characters, what would be his moment of truth?
Sometimes in writing, as in life, there is no redemption. Just read anything by Daniel Woodrell, for instance. The semi-autobiographical Leaving Las Vegas by John O'Brien also comes to mind (the author committed suicide two weeks after production of the film adaptation began). Sometimes people don't change. They don't want to change. Sometimes people choose to barrel toward the precipice while stepping on the gas, but not everyone enjoys the ride.
Keep this in mind as you write. We long for people to see the err of their ways. We want those we care about to stop their destructive behaviors and say yes to a happier, more productive life. We love to root for the underdog. The average reader doesn't want to read page after page of depravity only to find the protagonist is just as bad (if not worse) at the end of the story as he was at the beginning. We feel gypped. We want our favorite characters to change for the better, damn it, and we want to experience their journeys right along with them.
If you haven't read The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler, I highly recommend you add it to your to-do list. The above image was culled from the internet (link to host site below photo) and details the step-by-step structure of Vogler's Character Arc: limited awareness, increased awareness, reluctance to change, overcoming, committing, experimenting, preparing, big change, consequences, rededication, final attempt, mastery. Our goal as writers is to get our protagonist from point A to point B, or from Limited Awareness to Mastery. Everything in-between is what he or she does, says, experiences, and overcomes along the way.
Readers love happy endings, but they don't like to be lied to. They want the truth, and the truth ain't always pretty. Even if your story is dark from start to finish, people will forgive you (and likely come back for more) if you disclose the darkness honestly.
Shine the light of truth center stage, introduce your hero, and let the pain begin.
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
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The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (January 29, 2013)" :
Zeke  says, "Maybe lefthandedness is related to left brainness." I prefer to believe left-handedness is related to braininess in general. 
willielinn  says, "A Good article. Inspiration truly is everywhere. Find something that truly motivates you and the energy gained can't help but show up in your writing. P.S. Where would the world be without left handed pitchers?" That's so true! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. 
shoumojit says, "I agree with your nice article: you were trying to highlight the way a new and different thing is seen and answered by all of us. We need to evolve to broaden our horizons." Yes, it seems anything unusual or unfamiliar is greeted with contempt and negativity. I prefer open-mindedness, acceptance, and love. Thank you! 
Mara ♣ McBain  says, "I love the way your mind works. Your personal stories are always so awesome and lead to something that gets me thinking. Thank you.  " That's quite a compliment coming from you. Thank YOU, Mara! 
Turkey DrumStik  says, "Your mentioning of The Help was rather interesting, mostly because at the time of the film's release some historians blasted it as being inaccurate, and I can kind of see the potential cues that would prompt people to cite one of its overarching themes as the white man's burden. What are your thoughts on those criticisms and what the words in those writings mean?" While there IS controversy surrounding the book (the author's brother's real-life maid, Ablene Cooper, said one of the book's main characters, Aibileen Clark, is based on her and sued), I think there are people out there just itching to criticize something ... anything. The Help is a brilliant book, regardless of whether or not it's "historically accurate," and the writing is stellar. The author states it's "basically fiction," but we all know blacks were discriminated against. We all know they were horribly overworked and underpaid. We know they were treated as sub-human and sometimes not as human at all. Do the details of HOW they were discriminated against, overworked, underpaid, and mistreated have to be exact, or is it okay to give fiction authors a little creative rein? And white man's burden? I believe The Help is about shining the light of truth on injustice in an attempt to right a wrong, but again, some people would rather criticize than congratulate. Thank you so much for your thought-provoking comments! 
Quick-Quill  says, "RE:P.S. I don't see the difference. Someone tried to push you into their box. Same difference. I too have read most of your book list. Some I will offer as book club reads. I am just finishing a book about a blind couple who lived on a ranch in CA. It's sure interesting how they managed. Funny and emotional." I'm sure we've all experienced being compelled to be or act like something or someone we're not. It's an unpleasant feeling, but unfortunately some have experienced it to the nth degree. And what's the name of the book about the blind couple? 
aralls says, "Thank you for highlighting It was Decided. It is an honor." You're welcome, Audra! The honor was all mine.
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Short Stories: February 26, 2013 Issue [#5530]
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