  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Leger~  
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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~
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All of us have stories inside. Bringing them out and writing the story is a whole different animal. While we might think the story about how Uncle Chick blew his toe off with a shotgun is funny material, the technical part of writing the story can be difficult.
Verbally telling a story to friends is easy, you can see their reactions to your descriptions and you can time the story to those reactions. In writing, you can only imagine what your reading audience is doing and feeling.
I think some of the best storytellers have a natural rhythm to their writing. Their words read as though someone is sitting next to you, telling their story. You can see their hands showing you how Uncle Chick fumbles the gun and it falls downward. However, technically, the author is helping you see it with their words.
We all hear the adage "show, don't tell", which sounds simplistic, but it's not. It's important to edit your work and eliminate "tells". Readers need to feel as though they're watching the story and participating in the action, not seeing it on a set of flash cards. Next time you see that statement on one of your reviews, try to reword your work and draw your reader into the story.
Write on!
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Excerpt: Father Schaktel could deliver a fiery sermon. His voice thundered across the loudspeakers of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, situated in a small town with a population of 900 residents. But on this day, his voice had to compete with another sound, a sweet female voice uttering foul language. The parishioners in attendance shook at Father’s words, and then winced at the unwelcome and unexpected sounds, which were drowning out the priest’s gospel reading.
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Excerpt: Mariska shuddered as giant steel claws clamped down upon her ship. The faint hum of disengaging engines kept her company while automated appendages continued to secure the craft. She completed the powering down checklist and placed the order for repairs. When the ship was secure, she rushed to disembark, anxious to accomplish her mission.
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"Glass breaks so easily," she read, "no matter how careful you are."
#1549338 by Anna Vita  |
Excerpt: Daniel Reed knocked gently on his daughter’s door before opening it enough to look in at where she was sitting on her bed in her pajamas and watching House. She muted the television and turned to look at him, tilting her head politely as if to say, can I help you with anything?
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#1524829 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: The rubber tires of the wheelchair squeaked down the highly polished corridor of Cherry Blossom House Nursing Home. Mona was being treated to an afternoon in the sun room. She was glad of this. The others were gathering for a game of BINGO! No doubt, Mr Proctor would ruin it, like he always did, insisting on shouting out for non-existent lines instead of turning up his hearing aid.
Excerpt: The soldier’s knee shook rhythmically in the back seat of the quiet Taxi. However, for once he didn’t notice the silence. He was paying too much attention to the snow. He disliked the snow. Or was jealous of it, he couldn’t really tell all he knew was that he wanted to disrupt it. Shoot a gun at it, kick it around, it didn’t matter how. He just wanted it to stop being peaceful. He was sure it was jealousy he felt now.
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#1522460 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: “What are you doing?” the man with the broken jaw asked. He shuffled to and fro and waited for the reply from the girl that stood next to him. The sounds of the ocean were vivid and he wished he was on the beach, he wished he hadn’t slipped three weeks ago; he wished he still knew how to skate well.
Excerpt: “I see you’re interested in history,” the voice brought Rhonda’s attention out of her book. Lowering it revealed a gaunt, dark headed man at the other table. He was gazing at her with a quizzical expression, while dangling a cigarette from thin fingers. “Your book,” he indicated, pointing with the cigarette and flashing an oily grin.
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#1469320 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: She was stuck. No matter how hard she tried, Eran couldn’t coax her rotund behind out of the hole. She grunted and grumbled, making straining sounds she never would have made outside of the bathroom.
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This month's question: How do you envision your readers?
Last month's question: What spelling differences do you notice when reviewing?
Just an Ordinary Boo!  : Thanks for the little explanation on the dashed hyped - nope, I wasn't swearing, just describing, I swear (there I go again!)! 
One particular piece of mine has been changed umpteen times, putting in and taking out the hyphens, trying to please both sides. I have now decided to please myself and give the reviewer a polite and appreciative reply, but retain my original choice. Being from British-spelling dominated India but mixing with a lot of Americans my grammar tends to be erratic at best. This is fine way to play both sides against the middle! 
NickiD89  : Great newsletter! Thanks for the reminder on how the hyphen is used correctly. When to include one between 'well' and 'liked' (for example) stumped me every time. Now I've got it straight -- thanks!
spidey   : Thanks for setting me straight on hyphens! I have particular trouble with the "well-loved" vs. "well loved" hyphen, but maybe I won't from now on. Good newsletter!
Little Scribbler : Great NL - I'll have to make sure I use the hyphens correctly. One question though, you mentioned that different countries might have different rules. Are the rules you had American?
Acme : Thanks for the advice on hyphens. Sadly, I suffer from 'auto-punctuation': a shocking affliction that means hyphens appear as if from nowh... ooh! It's okay! I'm British.
Seriously, thanks for such ace guidance. Grammar can be confusing, so it's good to brush up on style 
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Short Stories: April 15, 2009 Issue [#3000]
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