Short Stories: October 25, 2017 Issue [#8565] |
Short Stories
This week: Short Stories versus NaNoWriMo Edited by: NaNoNette More Newsletters By This Editor
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
Dear short story writers and readers, I am NaNoNette and will be your guest editor for this issue. |
ASIN: B01IEVJVAG |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 9.99
|
|
Short Stories versus NaNoWriMo
How can short stories help with NaNoWriMo?
Every year in November, many writers attempt to write a novel of at least 50,000 words in 30 days time. A continuous story of that length does not really qualify as a short story any longer.
Edgar Allan Poe says a short story should be as long and short enough that it can be read fully in one sitting. Whatever how long that is. So, it can be very short, or quite long, but not quite a novel.
During NaNoWriMo preparations, writers are tasked to write up lists, outlines, and even short stories about the characters in the novel. Now, it would be considered cheating to write up a bunch of short stories weeks and months before November and then just put them together as a novel in November.
Short stories, however, can help a writer with getting to know their characters and world building. The more you interact with your characters, put them into scenes and situations. The more you write about the rules of your fictional world and put it into real sentences and sound bites, you will see the world come to life.
All those short stories in your mind will help you during the 30-day sprint to 50,000. Your characters' actions will be more natural. Their habits, catch-phrases and other traits will be familiar to you.
Words about the world will flow neatly in November with all those short stories filling you up with a rich imagery and history that you created upfront.
One NaNoWriMo writer I met years ago participated in a 15-minute writing sprint and was completely stuck and ended up with a couple of sentences when I had hacked out several hundreds of words. How come? She didn't know her character's name. Something as simple as a name had her stumped.
Using characters I created in short stories, I didn't have to wonder about names, descriptions, how they feel to me, and how they would act with one another.
Short stories are your best friends if you want to write a novel in one month.
|
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2126614 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2137907 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2138567 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2138529 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2137668 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2138459 by Not Available. |
| | Invalid Item This item number is not valid. #2138438 by Not Available. |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
ASIN: 197380364X |
|
Amazon's Price: $ 15.99
|
|
ASIN: B07RKLNKH7 |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 0.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
This printed copy is for your personal use only. Reproduction
of this work in any other form is not allowed and does violate its copyright. |