  Short Stories
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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 me if you have an idea you would like presented.
This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~
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The Organized Writer
It's January!!! Time to take stock of your life and make some resolutions! *shudder* Besides the usual promises of a better budget, weight loss, and being a kinder planet, have you made resolutions about your writing? Let's start with some organizational suggestions:
 Your writing area:
Keep your desk free of distractions. Store your paperwork and bills neatly so you have more time to write! Reference books should be within reach. Keep pencils, pens and notecards handy, but not all over the desk surface. Sitting in front of the tv with your laptop means distraction!
 Your computer:
I know you have one.  Keep the desktop of your computer neat too! Make folders to store your work. I have ones that store "Works in Progress" and "Finished Work."
Within those, I separate "Poetry" and "Stories." Each story has a folder of its own too. Within that folder, I keep all the reference I look up during my research process. Character profiles go in there too, so I don't forget if my hero is green or blue-eyed. I also store pictures that inspired the story or characters. Submission info is also tracked within each story's folder, that way I don't submit the same story to the same publisher by accident.
I have a special folder for "Publication," it contains links and articles I've read on publishing and editing, review sites and possible submission sites. Try to keep this updated!
 Your submissions:
Submission tracking is important. Keep track of what you've sent out and to whom, note when you expect a reply, and deadlines. You can use a paper calender or one on your computer, and don't forget to check it often.
Your notes:
I try to keep these notes in a folder on my desk. I have a notepad in my car, my kitchen and my bedroom (for those middle-of-the-night-insomniac ideas). Ideas strike all the time! The important part is what you do with them after you write them down. I have a folder called "Inspiration Ideas." I keep inspirational images in it, and when I get time, I type in the snippets of ideas I've written down. I then throw all the notepaper out. This folder is a great place to poke around when your muse deserts you.
Your reference material:
Store your online links on a page in Word or as bookmarks on your homepage, under subtitles like "Characters," "Writing," and "Reference Sites."
Store your reference books within easy reach, with bookmarks or Post-It Notes on favorite pages. Tapes and CDs should be stored in boxes with titles facing the same direction.
Your TIME:
Budget some quality time to write. Don't get distracted by family, phone calls and paperwork. Give yourself the gift of uninterrupted writing time.
I hope some of these ideas will be helpful to you and I wish you a wonderful Writing New Year!
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Excerpt: It was going to be a bad day, and Joshua Winters knew it from the moment he opened his eyes. The sky was overcast, always a “good” sign in Joshua’s eyes that the day was going to be miserable, it was warm, which wouldn’t normally be a negative thing except that it was the middle of November, and the telephone had rang at least 3 times with telemarketers two hours before his alarm clock was set to go off. Yeah, the day was going to be wonderful.
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Excerpt: "Fielder" was not his name, but it served his purpose that she believed it was. If they had known that Harry Houdini, legendary escape artist and occultist, had come, it may ruin everything. Houdini was here to find his lost mother, who was somewhere where mortal eyes could not see.
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Excerpt: Lola was a tired mother indeed. She would take care of all the little spiders while trying to watch carefully what the other spiders nearby were doing.
Excerpt: Every year, when spring comes knocking on winter’s door, and the crocuses and daffodils invade Jack Frost’s crisp blanket by popping up around tree trunks like multicoloured halos, I am often reminded of an incident that happened several years ago, a moment that I will take to my grave.
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Excerpt: I always stand in the shadows. I rest on the edge of consciousness and walk on the fringe of perception, seeing all yet encountering nothing. This is not my choice. I have never asked for exile, but I am told it is my place. I am neither needed nor required to intermingle with the others.
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Excerpt: High above the bookshelves (on which manuscripts from his plays and illumination books rested) hung a decade-old painting of Maxwell the playwright and his family. It was a commissioned work by the famed artist Hensing Joy. The children were young and their faces beamed proudly, their father holding one of the puppets that boosted his career into exalted status.
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Excerpt: This story starts when the United States was in a time of war. A young soldier left for that war overseas. Each of these young soldiers’ names were listed in local papers. There were soldiers from every state. Under these names it stated;
“ If you are interested in becoming a pen pal, pick a name, write a letter and send it to the address below.”
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Excerpt: After returning from Europe, I retired to the solitude of the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to work on my next book when I got the letter. It came from my brother in Texas. My family was fine, and it inquired as to how my life was on the farm. When I read the last line my blood ran cold. Leandra had leukemia.
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This month's question: How do you stay organized?
Last month's question: Do you challenge yourself to use different Points of View?
Strange Wulf  writes: I haven't done many different points of view. Mostly I use first and third. Omniscient is boring and risky, because you're telling the reader everything. Is it not more fun to keep them in the dark only to reveal some mysterious secret later?
Still, I think I should experiment with that "Objective" one you mentioned. Sounds a bit like what you'd use for a news report. Or rather, an unbiased news report, since there's a bit of controversy over the news networks these days (which could be a good story in itself).
Didn't know about the first. I will definitely take note to try it sometime. Thanks for showing it to me.
You're welcome! And be brave, try something new!
Maimai J Saves for Upgrade submits: I feel most comfortable writing in the first person POV, though I also write in the third person POV. I sometimes get confused with the latter and the omniscient POV, though.
Anyway, nice NL!
Thanks!
scribbler says: Challenge myself? I wouldn't say that, but I do tend to write in differnt points of view. I think that it really depends on the story you are writing not the writer. A character driven story may be better suited a 1st person for example and a fast paced plot driven story by 3rd person. It all depends on the tone you want to set I think. As for jumping around in points of view, I rarely do that. The readers get lost although I have done it once or twice to make a point. :]
It is important to show your P.O.V. change clearly.
vivacious  offers: I love the challenge of writing in different points of view in my stories. It doesn't matter if the character is male, female, old, young, the good guy or the bad guy. The goal is to have the character be believable. Being a middle-aged woman and writing from the POV of a nine-year old boy can be tough, but it can also be lots of fun.
I think it's fun too!
angelaask  deems:
Not really. I like to use Omniscient POV. It's just to tempting to play God.
It is a fun P.O.V.
gaeliciriquois submits:
Thank you so much for the differentiation between the types of POV. This is something I've been trying to describe to other writers I know (online and off).
I made my first attempt at first person POV last month that has been well received. I do have a question though. Since the character is speaking the entire time, is it proper to use quotation marks throughout at each paragraph beginning? (See my story Melancholy Kate for clarification on this.)
Great article. Keep up the good work.
Doug (aka gaeliciriquois)
Answer: Not if the character is the narrator.
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Short Stories: January 04, 2006 Issue [#799]
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