November is NaNoWriMo
For those who do not write for publication this may have no meaning.
Every November for the creative writing community is deciding whether to join, or not, and subject yourself to a frenzied bout of writing 50,000 words in thirty (30) days. I did not join, as I have two creative projects ongoing at present for which I do write daily. Although this project is meant to increase a writer's productivity, I think it may increase competition among the writing community of who has subjected themselves to this torture which ends in having your scribbled work displayed to the public.
I prefer to keep most of my creative writing under wraps until I send it out in pieces to magazines or newspapers for submission as short stories or flash fiction, while trying to interest a literary agent in representing my dark fantasy manuscripts to a publishing company. My success rate is thus nil, but only because I have just begun sending the material out.
One of my worst habits is procrastination. I sit on projects until I have to do something about them.
Recently, though, I have sent two small pieces of the first manuscript out to be viewed by the eyes and minds of writers who are experienced in their craft. The feedback was very favourable, and as a result I have nearly completed my list of submission places for the short fiction.
New writers or unpublished writers have a tough road ahead of them. They have to be persistent in their craftsmanship and have the necessary discipline to keep resubmitting their projects until receiving an acceptance letter from a publisher or literary agent. It is easier for a writer to publish short fiction in magazines or on-line e-zines despite what the nay-sayers spout off. They key is to write smoothly, like a story-teller, providing glimpses of the characters, the background, and the problem at hand. This may sound easy, but it is not.
For an exercise in writing short or flash fiction, come up with a problem also known as conflict for a story, add two or more characters, a background setting and solve the problem in an innovative manner in 1,500 words or less. Then for a second exercise, try writing the story in 500 words or less. For a novelist this can be a real challenge. There isn't the comfort zone of two or three chapters to set the scene, the problem and the main characters. It has to be done in no more than three paragraphs after setting up the initial hook for the reader in the first paragraph.
For visitors wishing to try, post a comment with your short fiction for some fun. Any topic with a PG rating since this is a public forum. For an example of flash fiction of less than 500 words go to my other website listed in the sidebar for the October 31st entry. Another site for flash fiction for the past three weeks is at charlesgramlich.blogspot.com.
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