Tuesday, September 22, 2009

A Note on Friday Flash Fiction

Shall we fall into autumn?


All right, bad pun, but I'm too busy to do better, damn it! Luckily the authors of Friday Flash Fiction #2 won't let you down.

The starter sentence(s) is: “Nicole’s cataracts have worsened, so I knew she was going to be running late because she had to relearn her way around. She suprised me at the restaurant when she showed up beside our usual table and asked me, ‘wow, what just happened?’”

Also, please check out the Friday Flash Fiction #1 again, because you might have missed some stories. I had some problems typing the links from the field as it were, and not all of the stories were posted on that Tuesday morning.

5 comments:

Doc said...

Done. I'm not real happy with it as it is too long and a bit clumsy but I don't have time to change it.

It's here:

http://cultureofbeer.blogspot.com/2009/09/be-careful-on-your-way-home.html

Make the next one a little easier on me as I'm working with only a smattering of talent here.

Doc

Paul D Brazill said...

Doh! I thought it was friday to Friday. I'll have to do the next one. Sorry!

Cormac Brown said...

Doc,

I don't think it's too long at all, but I'm struggling right now because with a story that is 1900 words and barely into the second scene, so what do I know about brevity. I didn't find it clumsy, though I know that you as the writer, know what you wanted to keep and what you wanted to excise.

This is a shining example of how flash fiction teaches you how to write. The time constaints work against what you want to say and how you say it. This starter sentence and the subject was difficult on purpose, they were meant to challenge you, to tax you. You stood up and fought those circumstances, and you did well.

"Make the next one a little easier on me as I'm working with only a smattering of talent here."

Bullshit, you're a storyteller and one day soon, you will be a writer. It takes hard work, even for those who have natural talent. It takes dedication and you have to constantly improve, whether you are a newbie or you are Elmore Leonard.

Paulie Decibels,

No mate, sorry! I was really looking forwad to your submission, too. Check the blog header for the details.

Come by the FFF Blog tomorrow and pitch a starter sentence into the pile, so that we can all vote for one that kick off next Friday's.

Doc said...

Cormac- They will pass out cold beer in hell before I'm an Elmore Leonard, but I thank you.

I have been writing off and on since the third grade when I penned my first screenplay. I enjoy writing and have done it for my own amusement for many years. One of my short stories was published by my college literary magazine in which the Grim Reaper reviewed a movie.

I'm not sure how other writers do it, but for me, I picture the story in my head as if it were a movie. Then, much like sitting through a movie with a blind woman, you describe it as best you can. Sometimes the description is better than the movie and other times I just can't seem to convey what I see on the silver screen of my head.

It was my entry into FFF #2 that made me realize that this is how I need to approach my writing as this is how I write a story. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone else, but I think I've found what works for me.

For this, I thank you.

I look forward to FFF #3 as I think I might be just a tad bit sharper and better prepared this time out.

Perhaps we could use the Charles Schultz standard, "It was a dark and stormy night." I think Snoopy would approve.

Doc

Cormac Brown said...

Doc,

Er, you're welcome? No, never go with the "dark and stormy quote," you'll draw the wrath of every Lucy in existence.