In Defense of the Drabble

[harmony_bites]

It seems there’s been a recent thread on When I Kissed the Teacher on the merits of drabbles. I wish I could make my defense of the form as succinct and punchy as many a drabble I’ve read, but I doubt that, so I will mercifully put most of my defense behind a cut

Comments

[lifeasanamazon]

Amen to all that!

And I'll add that a poor drabble is a poor drabble in the same way a longer story can be poor. A good drabble, however, leaves you in awe of what can be left unsaid and still resonate. Plus, oh the joy of a well chosen word!

Hear hear to the GS100 love. It's been my only foray in HP posting so far, and it's always a pleasure to read there.

[harmony_bites]

GS100 is always good for a lift of my spirits--and believe me, lately that's been a godsend.

And yeah, again I'd agree--it's not the format, it's the writing. And at least with a bad drabble, the pain is soon over.

[kribu]

Very well said! *applauds*

I didn't think too much of drabbles when I first encountered them a year or so ago - largely because that was when I was first getting into SS/HG fanfic, and I was far more hungry for longer stories. I really only started to pay attention to them in the summer, and became fond of them after signing up to grangersnape100. There is such a rich world of drabbles out there, from wonderfully light fluffy pieces that take half a minute to read and give you a smile, to the ones that really capture your imagination and make you think and draw your own conclusions

[harmony_bites]

I find it hard to believe you're not a native speaker and writer of English. I can't pick up a trace of badly used idioms or syntax--indeed your grammar would put many a native speaker to shame. I've greatly enjoyed your drabbles and hope we'll be in for more--and when and if you're ready--other kinds of stories from you.

But yes, I think grangersnape100 is a nice, friendly place to start.

[autumnmist]

Well I'm a drabble-skeptic, not because of the form itself, but because of how (IMHO) it's horribly abused all the time. In particular I notice that your recs (which I totally second!!) do not include a few not-to-be-named serial drabbles that garner rave reviews but don't appear to have much going for them stylistically or content-wise, e.g. as far as I can tell, they're getting lots of reviews either because 1) they're just so freaking huge due to the many posts of 100 words and thus constantly ending up on the Recently Updated page or 2) because people think there's something inherently squee-worthy about any words on a page as long as the title "drabble" is assigned to them

[harmony_bites]

I think the only way I'd differ with you on the above, is that substitute the word "multi-chaptered epic" for "drabble" and I think it would still be absolutely true.

Let's face it. There's one sure fire way to BNF-dom or close to it, and it has nothing to do with quality writing. Write epics. Post updates often. Show any basic, basic competence in putting words together (this last is optional) and you'll reap the rewards. Do this with smut on the sheltered inlets of moderated archives or LJ and you'll get nothing but squees no matter what monstrosity you've written

[harmony_bites]

I'm a reccer on Know It Alls and there were do include crit in recs--have been criticized ourselves by one author for it (though that's nothing to the harrassment the site and those associated have taken for the "crime" of not reccing authors who consider a rec an entitlement. We include crit in a rec to have credibility with the reader--so they know, yes, we say the flaw--or at least this aspect of a story might not appeal to all, and we warned you.

I've also been known to include criticisms in reviews. But, when I do, I make sure to balance it with praise. There's good reason for this. Fiction isn't really like anything else. It takes a lot of confidence to put words down on paper and send them out in the world. Constructive crit can help you grow, but anything vicious can tear an author down--induce writer's block--I've not just seen or heard that--I've experienced it.

Over time you do grow calluses. And there are good and bad ways of giving crit. I recommend Peg Robinson's The Mannerly Art of Critique. In there she says two

[droxy]

Moaning myrtle started me writing. It was the mirror of erised challenge and it took me 4 hours to do it. I can do one in 30 minutes to an hour now.

What a nice list of recs! It is always great to get free advertising. :D

"SS/HG bon bons" yep, the snack food of fiction. ;D

I absolutley keep GS100 inclusive, my reason is it is where I started as a scared noob 3 years ago. As noted, we have lots of second language authors on GS100. GS100 members do tend to come and go, they get their wings and fly to longer fic formats, but many get their confidence at GS100 before making the grand transition. What is fun is they do sometimes come back and post, and you can see the changes of their evolution.

Now that the exchange is in push time, I am seeing more drabbles as writers work out their kinks and blocks using drabbles.

[harmony_bites]

I really appreciate how you've made GS100 a place where it's a pleasure to participate in every way--so yeah, I put in lots of links to it. LOL.

That's an interesting observation--about the Exchange. I know that often when I go do a drabble on GS100 it usually means either/or I'm trying to break writer's block or one of the challenges caught my imagination.

[e_danae]

LJ drabble meme last year was my first serious encounter with a drabble, and it really changed my opinion of the form.
I was amazed what a jewel could a gifted author made out of 100 words. And I also realized that more than a keyboard is needed to write a proper one. Generally, I can only second the thought that a secret of a good drabble is the same as a secret of a good novel.
It needs an original idea and the right way how to express it.

Thanks for the digest! *hurries to read*

[harmony_bites]

I found this little site on that lays down the principles of good short ficiton:

1. Use small ideas.
2. Bury the preamble in the opening.
3. Start in the middle of the action.
4. Focus on one powerful image.
5. Make the reader guess until the end.
6. Use allusive References.
7. Use a Twist.

Does a drabble need "less commitment"--sure. But less talent, less skill--no. And as a reader it can have its pleasures.

[e_danae]

These are very good advices.
I think especially "a twist" is a very usual and almost vital part of a drabble. Therefore I'm amazed when I find a rare drabble that avoids it, just building the tense from a promising beginning to an exciting end.
That one by wailing_owl on your recs list is a perfect example.

[harmony_bites]

Certainly "Hair" and "What the Heart Knows" especially are built on twists--the one on "Hair" putting your own hair on end. But you're right, "Protean" is one built completely on one powerful image.

What I like several of these, is that despite their small size, they make you think--sometimes, like the very very best of their much longer brethren, they have the ability to forever alter your perceptions. I think "Hair," "Protean," "What's in a Name" and "Secret" are like that.