Discussion Topic #1

1) My favorite short story is "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Since we never really get to know the characters very well, I'd have to say the story is action driven although the action is pretty low key unless you know where this action is going. And, you won't know where the story is going if you have never read it.

2) Ah, "Brownies"! The plot was not easily discernable for me. There were "signposts" (foreshadowing) along the way, but some other things mixed in with them so they were not discernable. I would say that HINDSIGHT was more serving in this story than FORESIGHT. Yes, I believe it did following the basic Freytag Model, but there was not a resolution for the protagonist other than not getting in trouble. I think her resolution was stated thusly: "We were on a bus and there was nowhere else to go." I think the words of the story were wonderful.....the descriptive verbs--turtled out--and the comparisons--"like inextricably entwined kites" and "images were as fleeting as cards shuffled in a deck". This is a story I have found that becomes richer with each reading.....I just finished my third and may read it again after hearing everyone else's take on it.

3) My ideas for plots come from very few places because I have trouble coming up with ideas. Usually, they just hit me in some manner......something read, heard, said, or some involvement of mine. For example, my Kid Barlow story occurred to me while playing on-line poker. Two other stories came from true news stories I have read. I have had a very eventful life and some stories have come from that. What doesn't work for me are the tales I would like to tell, but I only have a character in mind and haven't come up with what I want the point of that character's story to be. For instance, I have attempted to write about a homeless person, but am not familiar enough with that life-style to start writing. I guess I have no or at least limited imagination.

My favorite story idea is one that comes from some stranger than fiction stories I read in news magazines, newspapers, etc. Sometimes I get so excited about it, I can't wait to sit down and start. Sometimes I will write them as 55-word stories just to keep the idea around. Then, when I am so inclined, I can elaborate and make the story into a real short story. My story "Tragic Circumstances" came from my 55-worder, "The Impulsive Bandit" which came from a newspaper story.