Trying to Make a Decision
As a general musing, I would like to put forth the two ideas, since maybe typing them out I will be able to tell which one I want to write work out in a Super Short Summer Serial Contest I entered. I need to submit my story idea soon, but I don't need to start the 9-12 series of posts until July, I think.
The first idea is very fresh, and very unformed, and would either be in the form of a short story, or would be two people exchanging letters back in forth, and still a short story, but at least the serials would be short letters, and they would stop when the author was done talking. The conversation the two authors would be having would be about some of the "adventures" of their youth, growing up in an east coast suburban town. The nature of these talks would alternate from bittersweet to simply bitter, to ridiculously saccharine.
The second idea is much older, from about five years ago. It's the story of best friends in high school, Gabe and Mike. The story follows Mike's growing depression and sadness, and Gabe's attempts to help him, but it is obvious early on that Mike is unable to be helped, and he cannot help himself. Tension in the friendship will build as Gabe attempts to repair Mike's disposition while Mike's resentment at not being able to heal increases. Alongside this misplaced resentment and earnest loyalty will be Mike's insistence that Gabe is hiding some monumental truth about his past from him--Gabe being a loner except for his bond with Mike.
The story is supposed to end with Mike about to kill himself, but I'm not sure I know what to do with it then.
This was attempted when I was an undergrad, but I abandoned it when I saw how short it was and I had run out of things to say. I think I would have more things to say now. Or at least this would provide me with a way to get short spurts of things out and potentially in the future link them into something longer.
My debate is obviously whether to work with something already outlined or to start fresh and see where it takes me.
Why don't we finish our FINALS first before we start thinking about THIS. SHeesh.
The first idea is very fresh, and very unformed, and would either be in the form of a short story, or would be two people exchanging letters back in forth, and still a short story, but at least the serials would be short letters, and they would stop when the author was done talking. The conversation the two authors would be having would be about some of the "adventures" of their youth, growing up in an east coast suburban town. The nature of these talks would alternate from bittersweet to simply bitter, to ridiculously saccharine.
The second idea is much older, from about five years ago. It's the story of best friends in high school, Gabe and Mike. The story follows Mike's growing depression and sadness, and Gabe's attempts to help him, but it is obvious early on that Mike is unable to be helped, and he cannot help himself. Tension in the friendship will build as Gabe attempts to repair Mike's disposition while Mike's resentment at not being able to heal increases. Alongside this misplaced resentment and earnest loyalty will be Mike's insistence that Gabe is hiding some monumental truth about his past from him--Gabe being a loner except for his bond with Mike.
The story is supposed to end with Mike about to kill himself, but I'm not sure I know what to do with it then.
This was attempted when I was an undergrad, but I abandoned it when I saw how short it was and I had run out of things to say. I think I would have more things to say now. Or at least this would provide me with a way to get short spurts of things out and potentially in the future link them into something longer.
My debate is obviously whether to work with something already outlined or to start fresh and see where it takes me.
Why don't we finish our FINALS first before we start thinking about THIS. SHeesh.