 Short Stories: March 31, 2010 Issue [#3603] |
  Short Stories
This week: Opinion vs. Conviction Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon , and I'm your editor this week.
Before we get started, I am pleased (and surprised, and honored) to announce that my "Short Stories Newsletter (June 24, 2009)" won the 2009 Quill Award for "Best Newsletter Editing."  Thank you, everyone!
To see a complete list of the winners, please click here: "Invalid Item" |
| ASIN: B083RZJVJ8 |
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Amazon's Price: Price N/A
Not currently available. |
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Opinion vs. Conviction
I watch the news a lot, and every day I see another story about how a ticked off citizen took matters into her own hands: people steering planes into IRS buildings, crashing book signings, going on shooting sprees, heckling public speakers, throwing rocks through a politician's window ... and the list goes on and on.
How do your characters react to adversity? How strongly do they feel their beliefs?
According to dictionary.com, "An opinion is a belief or judgment that falls short of absolute conviction." An opinion is something discussed cordially among friends, but a conviction is a way of life ... a stance that, in rare cases, leads to community activism, hostile public protests, guerrilla tactics, and maybe even jail time.
We're all familiar with the topics that make our blood boil: healthcare reform, gun control, racism, taxes, discrimination, sexism, assisted suicide, corporate greed, politics, illegal immigration, and abortion, just to name a few. We all have opinions about these things, and some of us are convinced that our point of view is the right one. Does your character choose sides? Maybe he doesn't feel strongly either way; maybe he just likes to argue as if he does. I know a few people like that--people who thrive on chaos and drama. These personality types make interesting (and fun) characters. In real life ... not so much.
Our experiences, mental status, backgrounds, religions, sensitivities and belief systems form our world view. Just as you and I might react differently to a news report announcing the revocation of Roe v. Wade, so should your characters. This depth of emotion regarding hot-button issues is what great news reports (and stories) are made of.
The ultimate goal is to evoke an emotional response from your characters (make them feel something about something), which will evoke an emotional response from your readers. And don't be afraid to play devil's advocate--there's nothing more fun than writing a volatile character.
Thank you for reading.
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Here are a few great reads from your fellow WDC members. Please show your support by reading and reviewing their work.
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#1091795 by Not Available. |
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#1356943 by Not Available. |
In addition, check out the February Short Shots winners:
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#1646847 by Not Available. |
And just for fun, here's my non-winning entry:
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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!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
| ASIN: 1542722411 |
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The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (March 3, 2010)"
very thankful  says, "Thank you for the informative newsletter about writing a story around real life situations. Here is a story I wrote inspired from my own problem with alcoholism. [Please see the Submitted Items below.] On another note, I too was also surprised by the hate mail received by the Christmas addition of the Horror/Scary newsletter. I don't know if you noticed, but I wrote a letter letting the editor know that I thought that the issue of the newsletter was very informative. I didn't have a problem with it at all." Thank you, Sister. And thank you for submitting a story to the NL this week.
Magic  says, "Wow, it was like a real wake-up call. Sometimes we are so bogged down by our own life that we think that everything around us is perfect except, of course, our life. In the victories of people, we stop seeing the hardships they ever faced. What appears in front of us is their victory, not their struggle, and consequently we feel that everyone's life except ours is great. What we forget is that behind all those victories lies some imperfections. We simply see the beautiful exterior of others and forget that they too are people like us with real problems and hardships. An amazing, eye opening article." Thank you so much for the feedback! 
Mark  says, "Re: NL > Real characters, real writing. Excellent! Re: Skylar > Glad the signing is helping, and wish you got to see him more. Re: previous feedback > For the strongest and often most offensive of cheeses, we have Limburger. For egos, we have writers." 
Fyn  says, " Flat out awesome Newsletter! One of the very best ever connecting real life to that which is all too often portrayed in short stories. Sky is adorable, but then, all our grandkids are awesome!" Aw, thank you, Fyn! And thank you so much for taking the time to comment (and the NL MB). (((hugs)))
Amyaurora  says, "Thank you for the piece on 'Creating Believable Characters.' One of my NaNo characters has a temper issue based on my own issues and for me was fun and challenging to work with. Some readers wanted her to be the good nice girl but by keeping her anger in her and showing how she fought to control it turned out to be very believable." Thank you!
Ladyoz says, "Thanks for a great NL, and for sharing that beautiful grandson of yours  " Aw, you are very welcome, and thank you for reading.
Catherine Hall says, "This is wonderful. I, too, have experience of autism (Asperger's Syndrome), bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, ADHD and alcoholism because members of my immediate and in-law family have these crosses to bear. I have friends who are fat (and I'm not slim), dissatisfied with life, sometimes a little too nit-picky. I'm trying to make my fiction reflect real people and be relevant to real people. And that's a beautiful picture of Skyler. I'm glad the sign language has given him a voice and I hope your daughter gets some respite, if only for a few hours. I get mine during school time, once the chores are over." Thank you! I plan to spend a week in Montana toward the end of the month, so Moriah will get a break and I'll get to see the little'un.
Mara ♣ McBain  says, "Excellent NL.  Too many writers want their characters to be perfect and live ideal little lives. I even have a friend that cringes at 'doing mean things' to her characters. " LOL I like to write 'em bad. They're much more fun that way. Thanks for the feedback, Mara. 
Coolhand says, "Hey Shannon, Skyler is beautiful! Nice newsletter. You make a great point how one character affects another. Thanks for sharing." Aw, thank you, Coolhand! I think he's pretty beautiful too. Thank you for reading and commenting. (((hugs)))
LJPC - the tortoise says, "Shannon, Thank you for sharing your personal and poignant story with us. No words can express my sadness. I believe this is why many writers write--to control what happens within our stories, and their outcome, because we can control so very little in the real world. " Thank you.
Adriana Noir says, "Fantastic newsletter, Shannon, and well said! As a writer, nothing frustrates me more than having people make personal assumptions about me as a person because of the things I write ... or don't write, for that matter. I just read in a workshop how the most important aspect of a story isn't plot, setting, or style ... it's the characters and how real and dimensional you make them. People are flawed, they have insecurities, faults, and fears, and in turn, characters should too." Exactly, Adriana! I couldn't agree more. Thank you for reading.
StephBee  says, "Shannon, thanks so much for sharing your personal story with us. It was poignant and moving--the stuff which inspires us." Aw, thank you Steph!
Bodee says, "This story was inspired by a series of advertisements for a discount clothing store. [Please see the Submitted Items below.] All of the women raved about the 'junk' they were buying and how much they could get and such low prices. What struck me was how much these women all looked alike, over marketed, to bright, to cheerful, to excited to be a consumer. I've been exploring micro-fiction and would like to know what you think of this piece. Thanks!" Thank you for submitting a story this week, Bodee!
atwhatcost says, "Ah, you are good! I was totally unaware that your last newsletter was written in response to something that happened on another newsletter (one I don't get). Now knowing that, I would like it known that my view on 'respect' being earned had absolutely nothing to do with whatever happened." Duly noted, Lynn. Thank you so much for reading!
bookgraham says, "Thank you for this newsletter. How the problems of characters, physical and psychological, impact upon other characters is something that I am going to have to consider further. After reading your excellent pointers I can see how characters can sometimes have very involved influences upon each other. Thank you for that, and I wish your family, and Tyler! well. Edit: I think you should have made it clear, from the very outset that you were Tyler's gran, and I found the font slyle difficult to read over such a long passage." You are very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment (and the very first sentence of the NL said This edition was inspired by my four-year-old grandson. I love you, Sky). 
Submitted Items
| |  | Addiction (18+)
Paige Grayson comes back to her hometown, Deacon, Mississippi, to start a fresh life.
#1614004 by very thankful |
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| ASIN: B01MQP5740 |
Product Type: Kindle Store
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Amazon's Price: $ 4.99
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