  Short Stories
This week: Total Solar Eclipse Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week.
This week we're doing something fun. Keep reading for your chance to claim an exclusive trinket! |
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Sixty miles from my front door is a tiny town called Weiser (pronounced WEE-zer), Idaho. The town's five thousand inhabitants would be first to admit not much happens in Weiser, and that's just the way they like it, but at 11:25:18 a.m. on Monday, August 21 Weiser will be one of the few American towns to experience the first total solar eclipse in the United States since 1979 (the majority of the country will see a partial eclipse. Only those who are in the 70-mile-wide Swath of Totality from Oregon to South Carolina will see a total solar eclipse). Even more exciting is the fact that this total solar eclipse is the first since 1918 that will be visible from coast to coast.
Local officials have already declared a state of emergency as hundreds of thousands of eclipse chasers from around the world plan to descend on the little farming community, and locals are reportedly renting out their homes for as much as $10k/night. One security expert told me they are expecting up to one million people in and around Weiser alone. Flabbergasted, I asked, "Where will they all go? There's only one two-lane road in and out; traffic will be backed up for hours!" My next thought was, Wherever there are one million people there's bound to be crime.
My imagination went into overdrive. Clips from The Road Warrior and Escape from New York flashed through my mind. Madness, mayhem, pillage, plunder. Then I thought ... What if? What if the eclipse was permanent? What if the sun never shined again? What would happen? All vegetation would die. Herbivores would starve, the animal kingdom's carnivores and omnivores would eat each other, and mankind would ... what? How long before chaos erupted?
"In 1906, Alfred Henry Lewis stated, 'There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy.' Since then, his observation has been echoed by people as disparate as Robert Heinlein and Leon Trotsky. The key here is that, unlike all other commodities, food is the one essential that cannot be postponed." 1
By asking What if? my muse concocted multiple story ideas. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to use this month's eclipse as a source of inspiration. I usually give away free trinkets to everyone who responds to my newsletters, but this time I want a little something extra. After all, total solar eclipses don't come along every day.
Write something about the eclipse--a poem, a short story, a news report, a post-apocalyptic first-person perspective, a diary entry--something. You can create it as a static item, send it to me in the body of an email, or simply respond to this newsletter and include what you've written. I will share your creations and comments in next month's feedback section. In addition, everyone who participates and sends me what they've written will receive an exclusive Total Solar Eclipse Trinket. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket at 11:59 p.m. WDC time on September 5, 2017, when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
This video has nothing whatsoever to do with this month's total solar eclipse, but it does have dancing ninjas,
optically illuminated choir boys, footballers, food fights, fencing, dudes in loincloths, and lots of 80s hair.
Thank you for reading.
Notes:
1. http://www.internationalman.com/articles/nine-meals-from-anarchy |
I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. I occasionally feature static items by members who are no longer with us; some have passed away, while others simply aren't active members. Their absence doesn't render their work any less relevant, and if it fits the week's topic I will include it.
Thank you, and have a great week!
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Something strange happens one morning in the town of Leland, Wyoming
#2128289 by Angus  |
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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!
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The following is in response to "The Components of Story" :
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Mara ♣ McBain  writes: When I don't write I sink into a blue funk. Depressed, I can't write. It is a vicious circle. I loved your take on dialogue. Why is something we do everyday sometimes so hard. When I joined WDC dialogue was the bane of my existence. Now there are times I can't get my characters to shut up!
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Quick-Quill  writes: Here is a story I wrote many years ago and it still makes me smile. Be careful what you listen to. "Elle's Hair" [18+]
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Princess Megan Snow Rose  writes: These are helpful hints about writing. About writing dialogue, we do need to listen to how people speak, to make dialogue work in writing. Theme, what our story is about is always the first step. Characters, setting, story, dialogue and a good ending and we always want to keep our readers' attention and hope they liked the story. If a story makes our readers cry and smile, we have done our job as writers!
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BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  writes: Sometimes you have to take a well-known story, and turn it on its head. We all know about the Knight in Shining Armor who battles the Skeleton Horde to defeat the Dragon Lord, but what if it's really the other way around - with the Dragon Lord being a benevolent leader, the Skeleton Horde protect the land from Brigands and the like - and they farm the fields when they are not fighting - and as for the Knight in Shining Armor, that guy is really an evil Bandit Lord, who does a lot of horrible things!
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Azrael Tseng  writes: Wahaha at the response to your last newsletter! I guess we can't help but want to learn more about ourselves, whether we've changed, or simply to affirm that we're still who we think we are. I loved reading what everyone shared about their results to the test. Thank you for sharing the links to the overheard dialogue websites. They are excellent sources for inspiration, or just a laugh!
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paddy1 writes: Hi Shannon,
Good newsletter, you give useful tips.
Dialogue really can be hard to write, and your suggestion of sitting in a coffee shop listening to conversations is one I love doing. You pick up some cracking conversations. Public transport is another good listening-in place. Another tip I was given years ago is to speak your dialogue aloud when you've written it. You seen hear what sounds natural and what sounds forced.
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D Carlson writes: It was a good article, but it didn't address my own problem. I use too much dialogue. Perhaps you could do an article about how to turn dialogue into action, or use it some other way to move the plot along. Most people seem to have a problem writing dialogue, but I just have to be different.
I'll be looking forward to your response, or article.
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~ Aqua ~  writes: Wow. I have always wondered how I can give more than just a voice to my characters and you have provided me a way! I have good hearing so I often find myself, not eavesdropping of course  , listening to people talking loudly. Next time, I will note the way they use the phrases and the tone they put into it.
And I laughed when I went to the Overheard Everywhere and Overheard in London websites, ,hilarious! 
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The Ink Maiden~ writes: I really enjoyed this newsletter. Hopefully, my dialogue can be better now.
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sdv413 writes: I enjoyed this newsletter. The explanations were useful.
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dragonwoman writes: I checked out the link to Overheard Everywhere and spent most of my read of it either smiling or laughing. Such fun! I will be saving the story elements list because I need to pay more attention to such things. Thanks for a great newsletter Shannon!
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Jeff  writes: I think pacing is another critical component of story that's often overlooked. I suppose this also fits under the larger category of "structure," but the way a plot is put together and presented to the audience can make or break their impression of it. If it's too slow, they get bored and tune out. If it's too fast, they can get confused. It's really hard to come up with compelling characters and an intriguing plot... and just as hard presenting that information in a measured, well-paced way. 
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taknemeyer writes: Hi Shannon,
No critiques on your article "The Components of Story". Just a simple thank you!
At times, one can get lost in the vastness of space and getting back to the basics can guide one through those wayward moments.
Thank you,
T. Ansel
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eyestar~* writes: Thanks for this wonderful outline of how short stories work. As a non story writer this will be very helpful for my small attempts and to improve my reviewing short stories! With GOT coming up, all the tips are well appreciated. The links to dialogue were helpful and I so see the point about seeing how we really talk. LOL I enjoyed the read.
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Katie writes: Oh my gosh, thank you for bringing those websites to my attention, they're gold.
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The Run-on King PDG Member writes: Dear Shannon, I do a lot of Novel and chapter reviewing for people. I am noticing that in short stories the plot and the the them usually are the same thing. Originally many years ago I was told for reviewing of short stories that they were indeed the same thing.
In my reviewing of chapters I find that a Novel will have a main central theme but each chapter can and does have a different theme of its own. Some are subtle and some are loud and obnoxious pointing you the way the author wants us to see as they build us up to the climax and the presentation of the main theme. In short stories we don't get the opportunity to run more than one theme that of the main plot. Still I like the idea of using a theme to write a story about. After all anything to spark the muse into action is always the best way to go.
In novels even if they do have a different theme in each chapter the novel still always has the same underling main theme in each chapter as well. I liked your article and how you explore the different aspects of the short story. The only real difference between a short story and a Novel is you have more room to tell your story and develop your characters in it.
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Dragon is hiding writes: I haven't written a short story in a while, but eavesdropping is always fun. 
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dragonwoman writes: This one's a keeper for me. It reminds me of what I have to remember when writing something long or short. Thanks
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sindbad  writes: Hi
I learned a lot on component of a story. the most powerful words I quote are "I think the job of writing and literature is to encourage each one of us to believe that we're living in a story." ~ Naomi Shihab Nye
I have always adored your grasp of a topic and style of expressing the same.
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THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  writes: Wouldn't you consider 'point of view' to be a component, also?
A story told from a different point of view could be an entirely different story!
Yes. In the newsletter I wrote, "Sometimes readers experience events (plot) through the protagonist's eyes, and sometimes he or she is but one of many points of view through which readers experience the story." At the end of the newsletter I added "These are but a few components that combine to create believable stories." Of course, the list isn't comprehensive or all-inclusive, but rather a few highlights to get people started.
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GaelicQueen  writes: I write for my enjoyment and because the characters in my head won't leave me be until their story is revealed. I must listen to them carefully, they tend to mumble and leave articles out their speech.
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LinnAnn -Book writer  writes: I've read this before but it's a good read. Thanks. love, LinnAnn
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Dartagnan writes:
Hi Shannon. I am not sure if I am posting this in the right place. I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your article. It was a pleasure to read and I look forward to looking through your archives and reading some of the others.
Dartagnan
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ruwth  writes: The story I have linked to my response is a true story. One of the criticisms I received is that "people don't talk that way" -- but it is how I talk. 
Another comment: Some of us do not love writing. It is a necessary evil we must tackle if we want to share our thoughts with the world at large.
Hope I got this comment in in time to get that trinket!
"Second class citizen . . . " [NPL]
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Short Stories: August 09, 2017 Issue [#8394]
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