Julie Duffy's Blog, page 164
May 31, 2014
Celebrate StoryADay May 2014!!!
Coming to this site, June 13-15, 2014 (more details soon!)
Today is the last day of StoryADay May 2014!!
Even if you haven’t written a single story yet this month why not write and finish a story today? Writing and finishing one story in a single day is quite an achievement. You’ll be proud, I promise.
To those who have been writing every day: wow! You are awesome and every other writer on the planet envies you. Well done!
Things You Have Done This Month
Overcome your fears
Gathered story sparks
Made Time To Write
Written to prompts
Worked on different plot archetypes
Tried out different points Of view
Focused on character
Worked on dialogue
Read stories by, and boosted the confidence of, your fellow writers.
Learned how to host a writing sprint
Saved your StoryADay
Learned the importance of a writing routine
Studied valuable revision techniques
Remembered that even a bad day writing beats almost any other kind of day
Q: Can you improve as a writer by writing a lot? CLUE: There’s a reason this challenge is in a month named “May”…
STORYFEST REMINDER
Don’t forget to submit or nominate stories for StoryFest by June 10 (and yes, there will be more details, a link to a form and another reminder, in the next few days). Then start planning to tell the world to visit StoryADay.org on June 1-15 for StoryFest!
(Seriously. This is your party. I don’t have email addresses for all the people you’d like to invite. You’ll have to do it!)
WHAT NEXT?
I’ll still be writing away, bring you interviews with writers, the Tuesday Reading Room, the Write On Wednesday writing prompt and regular Kick-In-The-Pants articles on Thursdays, with the newsletter serving as a regular digest of articles.
Take a moment today (or maybe tomorrow) to recap. Write an End of StoryADay report for yourself detailing any or all of the following:
how you felt at the start,
what you did,
what you failed to do,
how you kept going,
what you learned,
what you’re proud of
how you plan to use the lessons learned this month to keep moving on your journey to literary superstardom (no wait, fulfillment. I meant to say ‘fulfillment’).
If you do write a recap and would like to share it, please post a link to it in the comments or simply send me a link in an email. I’d love to read about your experience.
Then get back to writing, polishing and submitting your short stories.
Further Reading
For help on developing the craft of writing, I suggest checking out DIYMFA.com.
For accountability and camaraderie in the year-round world of writing and submitting short stories, I refer you to Write1Sub1.
(Both of these sites have been started by former StoryADay writers since their first StADa experiences. I’m so proud!)
COME BACK EACH WEEK AND WRITE ON WEDNESDAY
Every Wednesday throughout the year I post a Write On Wednesday prompt. (If you are subscribed to the Daily Prompt email list you’ll receive these Wednesday prompts in your inbox).
The ‘rules’ for the Write on Wednesday prompt are: write a rough and ready story to the prompt within 24 hours, post it IN THE COMMENTS and comment on someone else’s. You don’t have to write it on Wednesday, but you’ll probably get the most feedback if you do.
Don’t miss out. Subscribe now!
AND FINALLY
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has talked about StoryADay, taken part, read stories, left comments, sent me an email, or written in secret. It is an absolute honor to have been your ringmaster again this year and I will be bereft … until we do it all again next time!!
May 30, 2014
[Writing Prompt] An Ending And A Beginning
It’s the end of the StoryADay May 2014 challenge.
But it is just the beginning of the rest of your writing life.
I hope the challenge this year has opened your eyes to how very, very creative you can be; to how well you can write; and how important it is to the world that you keep writing.
Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming Revisions course and do keep in touch!
The Prompt
An Ending And A Beginning
Tips
Without wishing to sound like a motivational poster, the end of one thing leads to the beginning of something else. Write your story today in that moment of transition.
Will your character struggle with the idea of the ending, or be wildly excited about the new beginning? Will your character’s expectations be upset? By what?
Every stage of life has transitions. Some are expected (leaving school, getting married, starting a new job) and others come completely out of the blue (a death, the end of a friendship, a job offer, a pregnancy, someone else leaving home). Think about how this affects your character’s reaction.
Go to town on this story. Use everything you have learned this month about: how you write best, when you write best, what length works for you, what tone/style works for you, what kinds of characters speak to you most, the kinds of dialogue or description that you enjoy, the use of suspense, beginnings, middles, ends, theme, character, conflict, action, the ways you’ve learned to get yourself into the writing zone… Everything you have worked on in your writing this month is a tool you can use in this story, today. Have fun. Let yourself go. Finish the story.
Get up tomorrow and keep writing.
GO!
AWOOOOOOOOOOHAAAAAA! We have reached the end of the month. Take a moment to let out a whoop of joy and accomplishment (if you finished even one story then you’re a winner in my book. But if you finished 31? I bow in awe!). Then leave a comment, write a blog, pop into the community. Share your joy. Share what you’ve learned. Share your frustrations. Make plans for the future. Tell us, tell us, tell us, and never stop writing!
Thank you for making this month and this challenge so utterly amazing. The world is a better place for having your stories in it!
May 29, 2014
[Writing Prompt] 215
There are 215 days left in 2014. What will you do with them?
As the StoryADay May challenge for 2014 winds down, it’s time to look back a bit, forward a bit, and plan how you’ll use the lessons learned in this month of extreme writing. Hop on over to the community hand have a chat about your plans.
But not until you’ve written today’s story.
The Prompt
Two Hundred And Fifteen
Tips
Um…
You could really go anywhere with this.
Use the number as a countdown; a hotel room number; the number of tasks someone has set themselves to complete before they die…anything.
Remember to give us a character through whose emotions we can feel the whole impact of the story.
GO!
What did you do with the number 215? Leave a comment or join the discussion in the community.
May 28, 2014
[Writing Prompt] Start A Riot
On May 29, 1913, Igor Stravinsky’s ballet score The Rites of Spring premiered in Paris and sparked a riot!
(Wouldn’t you love to have a short-story-reading public that was so passionate about the art, they were willing to throw punches?!)
The Prompt
Write About A Gathering Of Experts That Degenerates Into A Rammy
Tips
This could take place at a business or scientific conference. Imagine someone presenting a radical, innovative idea and being rowdily challenged by his fellows.
This could be historical, present day, fantastical or sci-fi. You decide.
Make sure you set high stakes for the participants. In Stravinsky’s case, he was a young composer, trusted by the great choreographer Diaghalev to compose something new and untested. There were two factions in the audience: the wealthy, conservative ballet lovers and the young upstarts who wanted to revolutionize all things artistic. What will your story’s opposing forces have to lose if their ideas are rejected?
Remember, as well as the spectacle and opportunity for action in this story, it must be about characters. Make us care about your characters.
GO!
What did you write about? Did you find yourself writing more action than usual? Tell us in the comments or in the community.
May 27, 2014
[Writing Prompt] A Holiday Story
And yes, I do mean the winter/Christmas/Thanksgiving/Hannukka/Samhain/Diwali/Hogmanay/New Year/Kwanzaa/Chinese New Year/Solstice/Saturnalia/Festivus November/December/January type of holiday.
If you ever think of submitting your stories to literary magazines, contests, anthologies, or other publications, you need to know two things:
They are often themed and holiday stories are always popular,
Your story needs to be written, edited, submitted, selected, corrected, and green lit, month in advance of the actual holiday.
Write your December stories now. Time’s running out.
The Prompt
Write A Story Tied To A Holiday That Takes Place In November/December/January/February
Tips
Evoke the sights, smells, sounds and emotions you associate with that holiday.
Put on some appropriate holiday music to get you in the mood.
Go beyond the obvious idea for the story associated with your chosen holiday. No saccharine tales of redemption or bitter humbug retellings of A Christmas Carol, for us!
Make the characters stronger than the trappings of the holiday.
Write the story for someone who has never participated in your holiday traditions. Show them what it’s like to be you at Christmas/Hanukkah/Hogmanay/Groundhog Day.
GO!
Which holiday did you choose? What did you do to get in the mood? Do you think you’ll revise and submit this story to a publication? Tell us in the comments or join the conversation in the Community.
May 26, 2014
[Guest Prompt] Debbie Ridpath Ohi – Illustration
Happy Book Birthday to Debbie Ridpath Ohi, whose illustrations are featured in the new paperback editions of Judy Blume’s classic books (yes, Judy Blume!!). The new editions come out today! Today Debbie has supplied us with a visual prompt that made me laugh out loud. What can you do with this?
The Prompt
Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates books for young people. Based in Toronto, Debbie is represented by Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown Ltd. Her illustrations appear in I’M BORED, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2012) and was selected by The New York Times for its list of Notable Children’s Books.
Her upcoming books include NAKED! (by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie, coming out from S&S in Summer/2014) andWHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, which is written AND illustrated by Debbie (coming out from S&S in Spring/2015). She is currently working with Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Harpercollins Children’s and Random House Children’s Books.
[Writing Prompt] Locked Room Mystery
Today’s scenario starts with character and very little in the way of setting.
The Prompt
Alex is cold. She is climbing a snow-laden mountain. The wind strips the heat from her as soon as it radiates out to her skin. She clutches her arms. Where is her coat? She wants to sit down, lie down, but knows that is the most dangerous thing she can do. Suddenly, she’s doing it anyway. But the snow feels wrong under her body. It is smooth and hard and dry and not at all like snow. In an instant her hip and cheek are aching as if she’s been lying here for hours. She can’t hear the wind anymore. She is still cold but now she knows she is inside. In a room? She opens her eyes. She has been dreaming. Instead of the unending expanse of the world around her, she can see only a few feet to the dirty white wall. She is still in the room. On the floor. Her chest contracts, but she lacks even the strength to curl up in a ball and cry. She is still here. Maybe this afternoon she will try the door handle again. Or maybe not.
Tips
Alex needn’t be a woman. Or human. Or called Alex. But start your story with someone in a (presumably) locked room. Make us care about your character, or at least wonder what he/she has done.
If you’re not a fan of mystery, you can let Alex out of the room quickly.
If you don’t like the tone I set with this opening, write your own.
Your character’s prison need not be physical. Maybe the door is unlocked and your character is in a comfortable bed, but is locked into a psychological hell instead.
Or maybe this is the opening to a comic tale where Alex has done something incredibly silly and ended up here. She needs to extricate herself from the situation, piece together what exactly led her to be here, and set about putting things right, in a ridiculous, hilarious way.
Go!
How did your story turn out? How are you doing, 27 days into the challenge? Are you looking forward to the end or will you miss this? Comment or join the conversation in the community.
May 25, 2014
[Writing Prompt] It Ain’t Easy, Being…
Today’s writing prompt is a traditional ‘scenario’ prompt. I give you the scene and a character, you run wild with it.
The Prompt
Tonight is the kid’s talent show. Your character is determined to be there. Unfortunately your main character is no run-of-the-mill suburban parent. This time, thought, they’re not going to let that job get in the way. No matter what comes up they’re going to let someone else handle it. They can’t stand the thought of getting that look from the kid one more time…
Tips
The prompt is intentionally vague. Your character can be male, female, trans; human, fish-person, orc (hey, where is it written that orcs can’t be caring parents?)…the kid can be any kid, any age — whatever works for you.
What could possibly keep this parent from seeing all their kid’s shows and games, and has them running late to the few birthday parties they’ve managed to attend?
Will you write a humorous tale of disaster or a dark, sinister horror thriller? Will your story be uplifting or tragic, or a more realistic mixture of both.
GO!
What job did you give your parent? Did you write realistic, fantastic, or inspirational fiction? Tell us how you got on in the comments below or in the community.
May 24, 2014
[Writing Prompt] Date With Destiny
OK, so for most of this month I’ve been encouraging you to write, write, and nothing but write. No thoughts of publication or audience to scare you into writers’ block. But you’ve been at this for 24 days now. I think you’ve probably proved a thing or two to yourself (like a, you’re stubborn; b, not everything you write is garbage and c, you can do this!). So today, just for a moment, let’s remember that part of writing is a desire to connect with other people. We can do that by having our work published in magazines that already have a reading-audience built in.
The Prompt
Find a contest or submission deadline on a theme you like, and write a story as if you were going to submit to that market
Tips
You don’t have to submit the story in the end (and if you do, you probably shouldn’t submit the version you write today. Put it away for a couple of weeks, show it to writing-friends, revise it, format it according to the market’s guidelines and then send it).
You can find market and contest listings at Duotrope.com, WritersMarket.com (subscription), Poets & Writers and many, many other places online. I have subscription to Duotrope and find it to be the best managed market listings site I’ve come across in almost 20 years of using the things.
Go beyond the obvious ideas suggested by the theme or guidelines. Try out several different characters and scenarios. Push your ideas into the realms of the ridiculous and beyond, before you ever start writing one of them. Remember, editors are going for receive hundreds of entries for every publishing slot they have. Your best bet is to be original. Part of that is your voice, but part of it is your ability to push past the first, obvious idea you have.
Go!
How did writing to spec or with a deadline, feel? Did you find a market that seemed particularly promising? Did you choose a contest with an upcoming deadline? Share them (if you dare) in the comments or the community.
