 Short Stories: April 24, 2013 Issue [#5630] |
  Short Stories
This week: Truly, Madly, Deeply Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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We've all had family and friends recommend books for us to read. I always have four or five books going at a time, so I usually embrace the recommendations. Usually.
A family member of mine kept telling me how great a particular book is, and every time I spoke to her she'd ask if I'd read it yet. I didn't want to tell her that I just couldn't bring myself to read a book with such a terrible title (it sounds like the title of a children's book, but I later realized the language used in the text is NOT suitable for children). I thought, If that's the best title the writer could come up with, how much worse will the book itself be?
Several months went by, then I received an email from my family member stating she'd purchased the book for me and it was on its way. Crap! I thought. Now I'll HAVE to read it. Several more months went by--several more months of my family member asking if I'd read the book, several more months of me making excuses not to. Finally I sucked it up and decided to get it over with.
I gave the book the old college try. I really did. I don't like wasting time on bad writing (so many books, so little time). When I open a book I commit to liking it until proven otherwise, but if it doesn't grab me by the end of the first chapter I set it down and move on. For the sake of my family member I read approximately 200 pages of this particular book, and it was hands-down the worst book I have ever read. I was 200 pages in and the story STILL hadn't started. I actually found myself groaning things like, "Ugh, for God's sake, can you PLEASE get on with it already!" aloud as I read. It was chapter after chapter of minutiae described ad infinitum--stuff like "He brushed his teeth, rinsed his mouth, then dried the water off the counter. He dressed in his favorite suit and snugged the tie tight against his throat. He poured himself a cup of coffee, two sugars and one cream, and stirred it slowly as he looked out the window. He walked back into the bedroom and put on his shoes, the black ones, lacing them up one at a time. He grabbed his briefcase, his wallet, and his cell phone as he opened the door, locking it behind him." UGH! This isn't actual text from the book, but the real text is just as bad if not worse.
This got me thinking about how I get lost in some books while others make me feel as if I'm wading upstream in concrete boots. I pulled five beloved books from my shelf, then stacked five not-so-beloved books next to them. I dashed through the house looking for red and black pens, yellow and blue highlighters, before plopping into my recliner to begin my research.
Action, adjectives, and adverbs.
It's as simple as that. The books I love begin with action; something is happening. They also use strong nouns and verbs that don't require a modifier. The prose is tight and clips along at a comfortable pace when read aloud. The books I don't like have three things in common: (1) They don't begin with action. Nothing is happening. (2) They are weighed down with adverbs and adjectives. The prose is weak. (3) When read aloud, the stories sound choppy and awkward.
I've taken college-level writing classes as well as several correspondence courses on how to be a better writer; however, I believe the best way to improve your writing is to read everything you can get your hands on, and write--write a lot. I've probably forgotten 75% of what I learned, but the 25% of what I retained has been invaluable.
Here's an exercise I learned years ago. I can't remember which class it was or the title of the book the instructor used (I penciled the lesson in a three-ring binder where it remains to this day), just know that someone much smarter than I am came up with it and deserves the credit. For this exercise you will need a red pen, a black pen, a yellow highlighter, and a blue highlighter. I don't recommend doing this exercise every time you write a story, but doing it once is eye-opening, and once you do it you'll be more aware of the words you choose in your writing.
 Print your story. Read it aloud (you should always read your work aloud before submitting it to magazines, anthologies, contests, etc.). Does it begin with action? Is something happening? If not, rewrite the beginning.
 Look at the printed pages of your story. Circle every adverb in red and highlight every adjective with yellow. Are you surprised by how many there are? Read your story aloud without the adverbs and adjectives. Is it fundamentally changed without them? Is your message clear? Does it read at an easy, comfortable pace?
 Look at the adverbs you circled and the adjectives you highlighted. Do you tend to use the same ones over and over again? Do you see a pattern? Draw a line through each one and write a fresher, more interesting alternative above it. Again, read your work out loud using the alternatives. How does it sound now?
 Circle every verb in black and highlight every noun with blue. Do you tend to use the same ones over and over again? Do you see a pattern? Are the words you choose boring, dated, or trite? Draw a line through each verb and noun and write a fresher, more interesting alternative above it. Read your work aloud using the alternatives. What do you think?
 Retype your entire story without any adverbs or adjectives. Choose strong verbs and nouns that don't need modifying. Print it. Read your work aloud. Is in concise and smooth?
Not everyone can be Hemingway, but there is always room for improvement. If you're serious about being taken seriously, get serious about your craft. No one but you can improve your writing, and improvement requires time and dedication.
Thank you for reading.
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1924389 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#1888188 by Not Available. |
|  | Free Fall (13+)
Sometimes, you must fall to grow wings to truly fly.
#1901041 by Fyn  |
| | | The Costs (13+)
Conflict arises between colonists on an alien world. 2nd Place, "What a Character" contest
#1869535 by Mitchopolis  |
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The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (March 27, 2013)" :
Sum1's In Seattle  says, "Shannon, you couldn't be more right about Earth Abides! I read that way back in High School (Yep, we had those when I was young), and have remembered it ever since. A couple of things struck me as I rememnber it now. One is that I think he understated what would happen as society breaks down, at least in today's world. Maybe back then it wouldn't have been so bad, but if it happened now, anarchy would reign, and some of it wouldn't be pleasant at all. The second thing I remember is his hammer, how he got it, had it throughout his life, then passed it on at the end of the book. Excellent read, and an excellent discussion on your part!" Thank you, Jim! I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed this fantastic read.  This book haunted me long after I finished reading it ... more so than any book I've ever read. The monumental repercussions of losing "The Last American" almost brought me to tears. Who will teach the next generations to read? Who will teach them about the historical significance of the old men on the metal discs (also known as coins)? How will they ever learn about Beethoven and Stonehenge and van Gogh and Machu Picchu and Shakespeare and all the constellations in the evening sky? I suppose none of this stuff really matters in a post-apocalyptic world, but the thought of losing it all forever ... well, it's almost too much to bear. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. 
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