WTF.

[douxquemiel]

....so, Wes has challenged me to write a short story by this weekend. He thinks I should write more narratives, more novels, and so he's issued this challenge to me. We've loosely defined "short" as 5-6 pages (for now), and he gave me the prompt of "a girl loses her teddy bear at an event."

I'm stuck.

It's six pages and I'm stuck. I told him

Comments

[bzzinglikeneon]

I used to think I couldn't do plot, either, but for me the trick was having an outline written up before I started writing. Otherwise, it becomes all about rambling characterization that doesn't really go anywhere.

[douxquemiel]

See, I definitely need an outline. I just am stumped as how to even think about that. XD But some of the advice below should help.

[earlofcardigans]

She went to the town fair? With who? Why?
How'd she'd lose a teddy bear at the fair? Was it her favorite?

You've already got everything you need with that one little bit of sentence.

premise: girl in a red dress with a teddy bear at a town fair.
conflict: she loses her bear.
resolution: she finds it. or she gets a new one. or she discovers an underground ring of clown thieves.

[douxquemiel]

All of this is so, SO helpful. See, my brain starts rambling off on all these philosophical twists when I don't even have a basic premise, which is generally BAD for writing.

[deensey]

OOoh. I vote the clowns.

[douxquemiel]

....and YOU are awesome. Srsly. You get that I will end up following all those obnoxious twists and turns and emotional connections, the why behind the what and the who. ♥

[sarcasticpixie]

Don't think -- just write. Sit there for an hour and just let whatever the hell is in your brain come out, even if it involves aliens. Something useful will come out, and then those six pages will be gravy.

[douxquemiel]

Just putting words on the page usually helps a lot. I'll see what comes out when I get to work tomorrow.

goody goody!

[k2katie]

gee, glad I didn't see this BEFORE I spent 2 days with my writing trine in the wilds of Maine searching for background for my own book. I'm SO pumped! Tell you later.

…however, Wes' challenge makes me lol; plot schmlop, just write this as it tumbles out; the bear is the last link to long lost friend/parent/lover and the loss brings a flood of memories.........duh! You can SO do this.

&hearts ya,
Mom