  Short Stories
This week: Earth Abides 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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"Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” ~ William S. Burroughs
I read a lot, seven or eight books a month, and I go through phases. For months I'll be into heavily-detailed historical fiction, then a cozy mystery will catch my eye--something light and goofy in which the female protagonist does something like bake bread for a living until she stumbles upon a corpse secreted away behind the fifty-pound bag of flour--and I'll read that genre for a few months, but one of my favorite go-to genres is sci-fi/sci-fantasy, specifically pre- and post-apocalyptic novels. I'm sure I've read hundreds, from classics like Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (one of my favorites) to self-published pieces like Ravage by Iain Rob Wright. Whether it's an unexpected EMP that stops modern society in its tracks (One Second After) or a weaponized strain of the influenza virus accidentally released on humanity (The Stand), I just can't get enough.
More often than not the majority of books I read are just so-so--enjoyable enough, but nothing I'd bother to read again. Occasionally I'll stumble across post-apocolyptic gold, and when I do I tell all my book-loving friends about it. I'll read the sequels and feel a bit sad when the series ends. It's a magical experience, and I completely lose myself in the make-believe world.
What is it that makes a story shine? Hollywood would have you believe it's copious amounts of profanity and scantily-clad women every 15.25 minutes, but I disagree. I believe there are four essentials that make a story shine, regardless of the genre:
 A flawed, sympathetic protagonist--someone your readers can relate to and are emotionally invested in. Make him likable. The best reluctant hero I've ever come across is Augustus "Gus" Berry in Keith C. Blackmore's Safari (book #2 in his four-book Mountain Man series).
 Realism. Of course a zombie apocalypse takes for grated the reader has suspended disbelief before she reads the first page, but expecting her to believe one man armed with only a filet knife and a baton can walk into an apartment complex and take out hundreds of flesh-eating undead singlehandedly is a bit of a stretch. Keep it real.
 Conflict. Is the protagonist trying to get somewhere, attain something, exact vengeance, maintain his stronghold, protect his family, or simply find enough food to survive? Give him something (or someone) to fight for, and the reader will wait with bated breath.
 Passion. When the author is passionate about what he or she is writing, it absolutely comes across on the page. The words, sentences, paragraphs, scenes, and chapters are infused with excitement and expectation, and the reader can't wait to turn the page.
Of course your story still needs to be well written and should follow a classic story arc such as Vogler's Hero's Journey Outline. . Write, edit, polish, rewrite, and edit again. Allow a few trusted friends to proofread your work. Choose people who will be honest with you as opposed to telling you what they think you want to hear. If they flag a specific scene as improbable, highlight a particular piece of dialogue as corny or obnoxious, point out a discrepancy in detail, notice an overabundance of adverbs, voice concern about plot plausibility, listen to their suggestions and make changes accordingly.
Play around with your story until it's as good as it can be, then release it into the universe and let the accolades begin.
"Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it’s work. Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything." ~ Stephen King
Thank you for reading.
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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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And if you need inspiration or just want to try your hand at something a little different, try one of these contests on for size:
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The following is in response to "Writing Creatively" :
Mary Ann MCPhedran  writes, "I enjoyed reading this newsletter and maybe the next short story. I will have one to produce as I have been working on poetry for the past three weeks. Thank you to all who have entertained me with your stories." Aw, thank you, Mary! I'm glad you liked it. 
S Ferguson~ Prepping for Prep  writes, "Lately I have been deleting my newsletters without opening them. I am so happy I was taking the time to read them this week. Sitting down to write basically ends up with me tapping my pen against the paper then creating a doodle. Sometimes I think of a story to go along with it, other times it's just a doodle. I will be making more of an effort from now on." Yay! Thank you for reading! 
ladeecaid writes, "Your newsletter has inspired me to write a blog. I've been kicking around some thoughts and questions, and I think they are ready to spill onto my keyboard. The only problem is, I don't have time to write it; not tonight, but I'm going to try." Fantastic! Send the link and I'll share it in next month's newsletter. 
Merry QPdoll  writes, "An inspiring newsletter, Shannon! I loved it. I especially like the quote: 'Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.' ~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Talk about a kick in the butt. Just what I needed." Indeed it is! (A kick in the butt, I mean.)  It's a great one to print and tape above your desk.  |
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Short Stories: April 20, 2016 Issue [#7593]
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