 Short Stories: July 06, 2022 Issue [#11439] |
This week: Experimentation Edited by: Jeff  
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"Short fiction seems more targeted - hand grenades of ideas, if you will.
When they work, they hit, they explode, and you never forget them.
Long fiction feels more like atmosphere: it's a lot smokier and less defined."
-- Paolo Bacigalupi
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm a guest editor for this week's Short Stories Official Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 350 newsletters across the site during that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or the handy feedback field at the bottom of this newsletter! 
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Experimentation
Have you ever wanted to write something new but aren't sure if it'll work out? Maybe you're really familiar with first and third person points of view but are wondering if a second person point of view would work. Maybe you're used to writing contemporary romance and are wondering how you'd fare tackling a cozy mystery. Maybe you've never written an explicit sex scene or graphic violence before. Maybe you have an idea percolating that you think has potential but aren't quite sure how to flesh it out.
Short stories can be a great way to experiment with new things without expending an enormous amount of time or energy like if you were to commit to writing a full novel on the topic. Chefs don't just run out and open up a new restaurant out of the blue; they test recipes, menus, ideas before they expand into a new space. Musicians practice new pieces and experiment on their own before bringing a new song or a new sound to an album. Similarly, writers have a medium available to them in short stories that allows them to test out little bits and pieces of ideas, or even new skills.
When I first joined the Writing.com community, I had never written erotica before. But after years of reading stories where authors seemed uncomfortable with the idea of writing intimacy, I decided it was a skill I wanted to learn for myself. I certainly didn't want to write a full novel, especially while I was trying it out, but I found that writing short stories in the genre for contests and activities on this site challenged me to write something new and learn how to do it well. While I don't write erotica too often anymore, I'm confident in my abilities in the genre and, more importantly, in my ability to write effective erotic scenes into other work when appropriate.
I'm primarily a mystery/thriller and sci-fi/fantasy writer, but just like I did with erotica, I experimented through the medium of short stories with horror, comedy, drama, and a handful of other genres. Sometimes, I just want to challenge myself to do something new. Other times, I want to add a specific skill to my repertoire as a writer. And I've always found short stories to be an ideal medium for my experimentation. They don't take too long to write, and it doesn't take readers too long to process it and offer feedback, so it's an ideal form to work with if you're trying to hone a skill.
If you're the kind of writer who's looking to experiment with something new and outside your comfort zone, consider writing some short stories to tackle that challenge. It's a great way to very quickly get a sense of whether an idea you had is worth pursuing and developing.
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"Blogocentric Formulations"
"New & Noteworthy Things"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
I also encourage you to check out the following items:
EXCERPT: Morgan found it in that little antiquities shop down Ringbutton Lane. You know the one, that dark alley behind the banks in the centre of town, although you probably didn’t know it had a name. And the shop, Scruton’s Antiques, is about halfway down, in the shadow of the Commercial and Maritime Bank. It’s easy to miss, being so small and dingy, but Morgan knew it well, as one of its few regular customers.
EXCERPT: "Momma," Katie called out. "Come see."
How did that imp sneak around the eyes in the back of my head? I abandoned the dishes and raced outside. The moist summer air suffocated me. "Katie, what did I say about going outside without—"
"Look, Momma." Katie pointed to the rushes near the lake. "That kitty wants to eat that turtle!"
| | | Three Wishes [13+] #2275920
Three wishes from a Genie. What could go wrong? 1400 words
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EXCERPT: The beach was quiet; no-one was around after the raging storm of the previous night. Samantha smiled at that thought as she made her way down the wooden steps from the car-park. Having the entire beach to herself felt almost indulgent.
EXCERPT: “Run,” was the announcement over our individual speakers. Run where the bodiless voice didn’t say. Luckily there weren’t many choices. I headed off down the ravine toward our ship about three miles away. The dilapidated structure was the only place that could give us some resemblance to safety and with luck get us off this mistake of a planet. Everyone else decided to follow me.
EXCERPT: Darkness shrouded the rough, barren hills surrounding the Marine’s Forward Operating Base where Tom and Mike had spent nearly eight months together. Before sunrise, Tom’s platoon would move out and follow the ravine where the village elder said the enemy moved by night.
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