Horror/Scary: May 23, 2007 Issue [#1724]
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Horror/Scary


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  Edited by: Nikola~Asked Santa for a Pony! Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Men fear death as children fear to go into the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other.
~Sir Francis Bacon


No passion so effectively robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
~Edmund Burke


When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.
~Nietzsche

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
-- H. P. Lovecraft.

Fear of monsters attracts monsters.
-- Unknown.


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Micro Fiction

Have you tried your hand at micro-fiction? Would you like to? If you answered yes to either of these questions, there are some things to keep in mind to write good micro-fiction.

Micro-fiction is shorter than standard flash fiction;10-300 words. While less writing in required, it comes with its own set of challenges:

Micro focuses on a single act, sometimes dealing with several unwritten events. You can't get into a lot of detail or background story, so you must allude to it.

Take a small idea rather than a large one. This plays off of what was just said. Big ideas take time and words to advance. Think in terms of a vignette, a simple picture of a story worth telling.

Begin in the middle of the action. Johnny has already walked through the door and found a body. We don't need to know where he's been or even that he walked through the door. Begin with the discovery, or even as he's confronting what did in the poor victim.

Use powerful images. Use strong description without getting too wordy. Action verbs and "show don't tell" go a long way in micro-fiction.

Leave your readers guessing until the very end. Although you are telling a story in a very few words, you still want to keep your readers hooked.


This style of writing is a valuable tool for those who write short stories and novels. It teaches us to be tight with our writing. We learn to toss out words that are deadweight and use those that add punch. We learn to focus on what the meat of our stories is.
Micro can also lead to longer works. Use this method to write several small vignettes or scenes. Place these in the order you wish and you just need to fill in the gaps and you just might have that novel you've always dreamed of!

Micro-fiction can be challenging (and writers love a good challenge), but it is also rewarding.

Until next month...

Be scary!
Nikola~Asked Santa for a Pony! Author Icon


Editor's Picks

Here lies a contest for Horror micro-fiction:

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#1253892 by Not Available.


And some of the wonderfully terrifying entries:

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#1263854 by Not Available.

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#1263791 by Not Available.

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#1263753 by Not Available.

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#1263168 by Not Available.

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#1262118 by Not Available.

 
Image Protector
STATIC
Haunted Rug Open in new Window. (13+)
Flash Fiction for "120 Pieces of a Nightmare."
#1260937 by FÐ Spread the Christmas Joys Author IconMail Icon

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
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Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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Ask & Answer

Show us your micro!

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