  Short Stories
This week: The Horror Edited by: Shannon  
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The Unseen Playmate (1913)
by Robert Louis Stevenson
When children are playing alone on the green,
In comes the playmate that never was seen.
When children are happy and lonely and good,
The Friend of the Children comes out of the wood.
Nobody heard him, and nobody saw,
His is a picture you never could draw,
But he’s sure to be present, abroad or at home,
When children are happy and playing alone.
He lies in the laurels, he runs on the grass,
He sings when you tinkle the musical glass;
Whene’er you are happy and cannot tell why,
The Friend of the Children is sure to be by!
He loves to be little, he hates to be big,
‘Tis he that inhabits the caves that you dig;
‘Tis he when you play with your soldiers of tin
That sides with the Frenchmen and never can win.
‘Tis he, when at night you go off to your bed,
Bids you go to sleep and not trouble your head;
For wherever they’re lying, in cupboard or shelf,
‘Tis he will take care of your playthings himself!
What the...? I'm sure Robert Louis Stevenson intended the poem to be whimsical and merry, but it's creepy as hell. One gets a deep sense of foreboding after reading the first stanza, and why does "The Friend of the Children" only come out when they're playing alone?
There's something about being scared. We're fascinated by fear--steeped in it before toddlerhood: Hansel and Gretel ("You're nothing but skin and bones!" said the witch, locking Hansel into a cage. "I shall fatten you up and eat you!"), The Girl Without Hands ("My child, if I do not chop off both of your hands, then the devil will take me away, and in my fear I have promised him to do this."), The Three Little Pigs (So the little piggy put on the cover again, boiled the wolf up, and the three little pigs ate him for supper.), Alice in Wonderland ("Off with their heads!"), Little Red Riding Hood ("Grandmother, what big teeth you have!"), The Juniper Tree (she set the boy’s head again on his shoulders, and bound it with the handkerchief so that nothing could be seen, and placed him on a chair by the door with an apple in his hand.)
By the time we hit elementary school we've graduated to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, Goosebumps by R.L. Stine, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and my personal favorite: The Gashlycrumb Tinies, written and illustrated by Edward Gorey.
I have no idea how they animated this 1963 classic, but it's pretty awesome.
Are we as adults finally satiated? Not by a long shot. Just look at what's playing in your local theater to see what I mean.
FEAR
noun
1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
No one wants to be thrown off a cliff, enveloped by spiders, tortured to death, attacked by wild animals, stalked by a lunatic, lost in the woods, driving downhill without brakes, etc. Knowing what scares you is one thing, writing something scary is quite another. Here are a few things to consider:
 Show don't tell
Readers want to experience fear along with your characters. Allow them to feel her heart hammering in her chest as she scrambles for cover, hear her attacker's footsteps as he navigates the upstairs hallway to her hiding place, see the man's feet as he enters the dimly-lit room, smell the cheap cologne of her pursuer when he kneels to look under the bed, and taste her killer's sweat as it drips from the tip of his nose into her gaping mouth as he chokes the life out of her.
Prolong the suspense
If you want to speed up the pace of a scene, use short, clipped sentences. To slow things down and prolong the suspense (and the horror), use longer sentences. Minimize introspection and what your characters are thinking. Action and emotion build suspense.
Gore
It's the one thing I remember most about the classic, most successful horror films of my childhood: there is a method to their madness. For instance: 1. Freddy Krueger isn't running aimlessly amok--he has a reason (in his twisted mind, anyway) for killing: the people of Springwood Ohio cornered him in a boiler room and set it ablaze; the townspeople must pay. 2. Jason Voorhees was bullied, tossed in a lake and left to drown. No one, not one child or counselor, tried to help. Therefore, the children and counselors at Camp Crystal Lake must die. Your bad guy shouldn't go around willy-nilly, killing people for no apparent reason. There must be a method to his (or her) madness. While real-life murderers often kill at random (Ted Bundy, Andrei Chikatilo, Jeffrey Dahmer, Tommy Lynn Sells, John Wayne Gacy), readers want a satisfying ending--to know who, what, where, when, how, and why.
Redemption
One thing any Stephen King or George R.R. Martin fan will tell you is, "Don't get too attached." By the time I was half-way through book three of A Song of Ice and Fire, all my favorite characters were dead. I considered not finishing the series, but I still cared about a few of the remaining characters (Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, Samwell Tarly, Davos Seaworth, Hodor, The Hound), and they carried me through. There must be some redemption if you want readers to continue turning those pages.
What are you afraid of? Have you written a scary story you'd like to share? Respond to this newsletter and I will include your story and comments in next month's edition.
Skin Stealer (1981)
by Shel Silverstein
This evening I unzipped my skin
And carefully unscrewed my head,
Exactly as I always do
When I prepare myself for bed.
And while I slept a coo-coo came
As naked as could be
And put on the skin
And screwed on the head
That once belonged to me.
Now wearing my feet
He runs through the street
In a most disgraceful way,
Doin' things and sayin' things
I'd never do or say,
Ticklin' the children
And kickin' the men
And Dancin' the ladies away.
So if he makes your bright eyes cry
Or makes your poor head spin,
That scoundrel you see
Is not really me--
He's the coo-coo
Who's wearing my skin.
Thank you for reading.
P.S. Everyone who responds to this newsletter will receive an exclusive trinket. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket on March 22, 2017, when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
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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!
| | The Game (ASR)
Two best friends in 1978 Alaska discover the world can be a very scary place
#1231930 by Shannon |
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The following is in response to "Like a Boss" :
dragonwoman  writes: I have to have deadlines or my muse gets bored and starts acting up by sending new ideas at a rapid rate. She also tends to be lazy without a deadline. When I have one she is the most persistent pest as she tries to keep me moving.
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Sally  writes: Thank you for a great newsletter, Shannon. Thank you, too, for highlighting my 'Tweet Me a Story' contest. I do appreciate it. 
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RainbowFish writes: I've found that distant deadlines promote procrastination. Knowing I've got a month to do a small task makes me put it off and off, where as if there'd been no deadline at all I might have done it right away. Tight deadlines are a little more motivating though!
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paddy1 writes: I love deadlines! I am teaching myself to be more disciplined with my writing, and write a set amount each day, but deadlines are a great motivation too. I agree with you about entering competitions too, and getting out of the comfort zone.
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Quick-Quill  writes: I don't like dead lines. they are like mile markers. Necesary evil. You have to have them so you know where to manage your time.
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Celeste Gabriel writes: This newsletter was very informative and inspiring. Thank you!
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TheWalkerInMe writes: Hi there! I just wanted to share my opinion with you on deadlines, since you asked.  I don't really like deadlines, but, agreeing with Lori Wilde here, without deadlines, I would probably get nothing done. It's like homework; you don't want to do it and you don't have to do it if there are no deadlines, but give it a deadline and it usually gets done.
In response to the "A Word From Writing.Com" section, I do have an opinion on a book that I just read; well, it's actually a series. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.  She is an amazing author and so far my favorite! I wish The Lunar Chronicles could go on forever, because I can't get enough of it!
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spintronic writes: I'm curious to know what this exclusive trinket will be...
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Jo writes: Hi Shannon, thank you for this motivational newsletter. Last year - due to my husband's illness - we lost our home (and everything else) after 45 years' of marriage. We've since moved to a tranquil spot - a safe haven and the perfect place to write. You've encouraged me to enter WDC contests. I already review on WDC fairly often. I also want to continue with my Great African Novel. Greetings Jo (South Africa)
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brom21 writes: I can only recall one story that I imposed my own deadline. Shortly after my last birthday last year I set out to have it done and self edited by my next b-day in June. Unfortunately I have not touched it in a long time. I have just recently returned to writing but with the Writer's Cramp. I've submitted two or three entries for that contest. I want to get back in the WdC loop again. Basically, deadlines do help me but only ones that allow an ample amount of space to write. Thanks.
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Bandersnatch writes: I like your thinking, Shannon. Deadlines help us focus on what’s important. And focus is especially critical for writers.
Most jobs isolate you from distractions because you go—generally, away from your home—every day, with the intent to produce, meet your objectives, and get a paycheck.
However, writers work in the most difficult environment possible—their home—with a vague goal of publishing and possibly getting an income, or simply for the love of the craft, or worse—we can’t not write. With that kind of motivation, how do we accomplish anything?
Choosing to work in our living environment creates a plethora of pitfalls. Chores, projects and honey-do’s raise their heads and bite at our ankles constantly. Safely ensconced at our desk, the inbox, piles of papers, and folders of inspiration nag at us from the corner of our eyes. Laptop finally open and “ditto” from our computer desktop. Then there’s the daily meandering maze of the internet, of which few return unscathed.
So, if for no other reason than to make yourself sit on your aspirations and focus, give yourself a deadline. (Maybe after you get that nap out of the way.)
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Jellyfish needs more hours writes: I like deadlines but only if I know they are realistic for me. For example, I really like the "I Write" contest where you are required to write and review something every week for 10 out of 13 weeks - something like this really encourages me to write even when I might not have done otherwise and sometimes, I find that the thing I wrote ended up being a success! But a challenge where, for example, you had to write a poem a day for 30 days in a row wouldn't be realistic for me with my other commitments in life, so this is a deadline which would not appeal.
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kjodi86 writes: Deadlines - If there is a deadline attached to a project that I have agreed to do, I appreciate the finite of a time constraint. Once the goal (deadline) has been reached - It's finished, over and done. - And no matter how I performed, I can learn from it - and continue to grow.
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Future Mrs. Boo  writes: For me, it depends. Writing deadlines, no not really because they inspire me not to overthink or over-edit. If there was no deadline, I would obsess like there was no tomorrow and would never get anything done.
Now there is a deadline on immigration for me. I need to raise $5,000 by May and I'm stressing out. Actually, there is no clear deadline, but I know I need to have that money if I want to be picked for express entry. I'm stressing out because I don't make that with two jobs and I still have bills to pay from other expenses. I'm going to be freelancing, of course, but if I don't reach $5,000 by the time I will be drawn, I will have to withdraw and try again at a later time. It's scary, but you do what you can do.
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Hannah ♫♥♫ writes: Congratulations on your success, Shannon. My goal for 2017 is to simply to allow myself time to write on WDC and to have another successful fruit and vegetable garden at home.
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eyestar~* writes: Thanks for the great question to ponder. I think deadlines do give a bit of fuel and add to the challenge and I like your analogy of needing to practice. I am not too good with prompts yet I have entered more challenges this year! Out of the zone and it is good practice. I enjoyed reading your enthusiastic up beat voice.
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BIG BAD WOLF Feeling Thankful  writes: One should always do their best.
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THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  writes: I enjoy working both ways, with and without deadlines, depending on what I'm writing.
For "The Writer's Cramp" and other 'instant' contests, of course the deadline is THE thing, but for some longer works or personal pieces, I write without deadlines.
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ElizabethHayes-DaughterofIAM writes: I have to admit that deadlines are a good thing. It says, "Hey. You've got writing to do. Step to it. You have to write if you're going to move ahead in your writing dream." However, the flip side is this, to me...Deadlines seem to make me freeze up. I have yet to figure out why. Great newsletter. I look forward to the next one.
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Dee writes: Excellent newsletter and topic. I couldn't agree more about deadlines being positive inspiration. I often find I work better under pressure of a deadline, whether it's writing a story or even in my work. I believe deadlines provide more than inspiration. They bring out our best ideas and solutions that we might not have found until much later, or at all.
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Lornda  writes: Great newsletter! For me, deadlines inspire me. Initially, I write the draft of the story early, then for some reason, I walk away until two days before the deadline. I edit like a madwoman and somehow the story turns out even better than I anticipated. As far as functioning this close to the wire, it can be tricky.  There has to be complete silence in order for me to concentrate and lots of coffee. 
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Whata SpoonStealer  writes: Deadlines. Yup, I do well with them. They definitely encourage my writing. However, since I've been disabled, I've had to get used to not making all the deadlines I used to. I don't beat myself up about it-- I just plod on. I also love contests here for motivation and that extra nudge to commit to writing. Nice NSL Shannon!
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Beacon's Anchor  writes: I always take the time to read the newsletter so I enjoy reading what's happening too.
Keep it coming please.
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Dragon is hiding writes: I hate deadlines! But to be fair, I wouldn't get anything done without them.
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Elizabeth writes: I definitely work better with a deadline! If I have too much on my plate, I do tend to shut down a bit, but without deadlines, I am aimless. I write more for novels during NaNoWriMo than any other time of year because of the deadline. My most naturally written short stories are ones I did for contests or assignments that had tight deadlines. The further away the deadline, the more likely I am to procrastinate.
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Short Stories: February 22, 2017 Issue [#8105]
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