  Short Stories
This week: King Me! Edited by: Shannon  
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3. Letter from the Editor
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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King Me!
"It's hard for me to believe that people who read very little (or not at all in some cases) should presume to write and expect people to like what they have written, but I know it's true. . . . Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that."
~ Stephen King in On Writing
My mom told me that when I was two, I taught my five-year-old brother the alphabet. "It's because you always watched Sesame Street," she said, and it was true. I loved Sesame Street, Dr. Seuss, Winnie-the-Pooh in When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. I loved watching Captain Kangaroo, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and ABC Afterschool Specials.
I grew up loving stories, and I love them still.
Essays, short stories, novellas, novels, flash fiction, articles, poetry . . . I'm not picky. I will read anything I can get my hands on, which is why I love bookstores. I love the look and feel of books. I love the way they smell. I love Barnes & Noble. I rarely go in with a particular book in mind, and rarely come out with less than $100.00 worth of merchandise. I could spend all day in there (and have on more than one occasion). I've even fantasized about pitching a tent and spending all night there, too--my Coleman lantern burning brightly into the wee hours of the morning as I snuggle inside my flannel-lined sleeping bag and pore over all those books.
My love of books borders on obsession, and my jam-packed wall-to-wall bookcase attests to that. Apparently I'm not the only one.
"Reading at meals is considered rude in polite society, but if you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second-to-least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway."
~ Stephen King in On Writing
Reading is just one of the many reasons I love WDC. All the great stories available on this site--characters and their worlds waiting to be discovered. I practically salivate just thinking about it! I can temporarily squelch my hunger for the written word from the privacy of my own home, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than any visit I've ever made to Barnes & Noble (my husband thanks you, StoryMaster and StoryMistress).
There are many ways to read a book these days: Kindle and audiobooks, smartphones and PDAs. I prefer the good old-fashioned way, myself (don'tcha just love the smell of book paper in the morning?), but that can be problematic when you're driving, which is where my iPod comes in handy (thank you, Audible.com).
"I'm a slow reader, but I usually get through seventy or eighty books a year, usually fiction. . . . Of the books I read each year, anywhere from six to a dozen are on tape." ~ Stephen King in On Writing
So why read? Why review? Why bother spending all that time reading and reviewing when we could be writing? We are, after all, writers, right?
"Every book you pick up has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones. . . . Almost everyone can remember losing his or her virginity, and most writers can remember the first book he/she put down thinking: I can do better than this. Hell, I am doing better than this! What could be more encouraging to the struggling writer than to realize his/her work is unquestionably better than that of someone who actually got paid for his/her stuff?" ~ Stephen King in On Writing
How will you know what good writing is if you don't read? If you don't read good writing, you certainly won't be able to write it yourself. And if you don't know what bad writing looks like, how will you recognize it in your own work?
If you don't know where to begin, ask a friend for a recommendation or stop by your local bookstore. Someone there is bound to steer you in the right direction. But before you go, please whet your appetite by reading the Editor's Picks below.
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Feedback
The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (August 19, 2009)" :
diamond_hoop says, "If I may: Rather than watching the movie adaptation of Harlan Coben's Tell No One, how about reading the novel? We are, after all, writers.  " I rented the movie at Harlan's request (he's been tweeting about it a lot lately and posting links to the trailer). I mentioned the film because I'd just seen it, thoroughly LOVED it and thought others might too. I highly recommend the book, but writers are allowed to enjoy a movie adaptation every now and then.  And Happy 1st WDC birthday!
matthewlevine says, " Thanks for featuring my story, "The Unanswered Question", in this newsletter. I hope I get some critical feeback. I also saw Tell No One. It was great. Another French movie is probably tied for my favorite movie, My Best Friend. A must see!" You are very welcome, Matthew. It was my pleasure, and I've added My Best Friend to my "must see" list. Thanks!
Vampyr14  says, "I agree about Tell No One. What a fantastic film! I saw it as part of a festival last year and was blown away by it. I tried for weeks to get it back for my cinema, but to no avail. I hate it when these gems get away. I KNOW there are a ton of people out there who would have enjoyed it as much as me, but now they won't get the chance." But now they can rent it on Netflix.
Doug Rainbow  says, "Your review of Tell No One--now THAT was a review. No one has to ask, 'How does she REALLY feel?'" 
Fyn  says, "Just watched the movie ... I remembered more French than I thought I did! (but I'm glad there were subtitles). Excellent movie ... and you are right, the characterizations were exceedingly well done! Now I need to read the book!" Glad you liked it, fyn, and the book is even better. 
drifter46 says, "That's funny you should mention that movie. It's on my Netflix list." Whoo-hoo! Move that sucker to the top of your queue. You won't be disappointed. 
Angelsmom says, "I enjoyed this newsletter. I am not good at short stories but want to be some day. I think this information is helpful for any creative writing. Thank you for the tips. This was great." Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful, and thanks for the feedback!
Tornado Dodger  says, "I couldn't agree with you more! Empathy is the key. You have to get your readers involved with the story to keep them reading. Great NL Shannon! I can't wait to check out the movie you recommended. The stories you highlighted this week look awesome too. I need more time! " Thank you, Brooke! Glad you liked it, and I know you'll love the film!
darkskye says, "Oooh, looks really good! I have never read the book, but I will definitely put this movie on my list. Thanks for another great newsletter!" Thank you, Darkskye! Whether you choose the book or the movie (or both), I know you won't be disappointed. They will both leave you breathless.
Happy Spring says, "Thank you, Shannon, for your newletter. I found it very interesting, to say the least. I watched the trailer: Tell No One. I'm on my way to Netflix to order the DVD. I like characters who move me, and your newsletter elaborates on that. Thanks so much!" Oh, thank YOU for this feedback, Janice!
francie says, "Shannon, this newsletter is spot-on. I watch shows for the character interactions, the plot is secondary to me. My favorite relationship is the back and forth tit and tat exchange between a man and a woman who I want to be together, but something always stands in the way. The story usually dies though, once they get together. I will add your movie to my list on Netflix. Thanks for the recommendation." Thanks for the feedback, Francie! After reading your "favorite relationship" I know Tell No One won't disappoint. Enjoy the show!
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Short Stories: August 26, 2009 Issue [#3235]
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