Waitangi Weekend Word Wace
Please sign in to post.
« Back to Main Forums
« Back to Topic List
Short Story Ideas or Readings
Page: 1
| Poster | Message |
|---|---|
andychiltonJoined: 21 Dec 2006 21:30:06 Posts: 784 |
Has anyone got any suggestions of reading material which can help me get a feel for short stories?
I don't yet have a subject, but I know something will pop out of my brain (not literally) before then. I'm just looking for something to help with structuring the story. Books, websites, anything really? 19 Jan 2007 16:54:19
Andrew Chilton - http://kapiti.geek.nz/
|
|
cottreau Joined: 22 Dec 2006 00:32:22 Posts: 567 |
Hey Andy - I posted something in the preparation forum that I will be using as a basis for my short story.
It's listed under the topic "pulp fiction formula"... it's a "winning" formula used by a famous pulp writer - it's hilarious, but if someone didn't know the formula, I'm sure it will make a good story - I shall see. Maybe you just need some dares. :-) 19 Jan 2007 23:00:07 |
|
kerrynangell Joined: 22 Dec 2006 09:00:56 Posts: 1164 |
The biggest thing I realised about short stories is that I don't read them so I don't know how to write them!
I do have a couple links about short stories, I'll try to dig them up. 20 Jan 2007 17:51:37
No Excuses. Just Write.
WIP - Freeing the Flame: 0/66 scenes of rewrite #2. Eve's Vineyard: 2,158/6,000 (Sept Zing Thing) |
|
kerrynangell Joined: 22 Dec 2006 09:00:56 Posts: 1164 |
Fiction Factor is a great resource for writers with lots of articles on all sorts of topics.
Fiction Factor Short Fiction Lazette Gifford has also written some good articles for Vision. Vision Issue #21 Zette's Quick Guide to Writing Short Stories 20 Jan 2007 18:11:19
No Excuses. Just Write.
WIP - Freeing the Flame: 0/66 scenes of rewrite #2. Eve's Vineyard: 2,158/6,000 (Sept Zing Thing) |
|
angellic Joined: 16 Jan 2007 21:27:35 Posts: 148 |
My major problem with writing short stories is that I'm a big Katherine Mansfield fan and anything I write always seems so dull and childish compared with her insightfulness and clever metaphors.
I'm not sure If I'm gonna use wwwW to do a short story or just to write the amount of words for something else. 20 Jan 2007 18:18:15
Trying to find the time (as usual)!
|
|
cottreau Joined: 22 Dec 2006 00:32:22 Posts: 567 |
Jane,
Funny thing I was reading the other day about writers. I can't remember the book I was reading when I came across it. When you are writing, you have to believe that someday, you'll be as good as your hero is. So, the only difference between Katherine Mansfield and yourself is some experience. This person, and it made sense to me at the time, said that while writing, you just assume that with enough writing behind you, with enough stories and from all the experiences you've had, and the other books you've read, you can find your voice and it will be as good as anything else out there. I don't really know what is possible and what isn't, but in terms of weirdness, it isn't that crazy to me to think that the people in our group will one day be great and remembered. It is a lovely thought. 22 Jan 2007 00:08:05 |
|
kerrynangell Joined: 22 Dec 2006 09:00:56 Posts: 1164 |
He he, that's what I'm counting on!
I don't know whether I'll be writing a short story or more novel. If the novel is finished then it will be a short story. If not 7500 will be a nice number to knock out to (hopefully) finish the novel. 22 Jan 2007 10:26:03
No Excuses. Just Write.
WIP - Freeing the Flame: 0/66 scenes of rewrite #2. Eve's Vineyard: 2,158/6,000 (Sept Zing Thing) |
|
dutton Joined: 04 Jan 2007 14:08:48 Posts: 50 |
I suggest Isaac Asimov. He wrote a lot of short science fiction, I seem to recall that it's how he started (he got a 2 or 3 published in a science fiction magazine and then was approached by an editor and thus he began writing full time).
I had 2 or 3 books which were collections of both his short stories as well as his science essays. Nothing quite the same as a scientist writing science fiction lol. 23 Jan 2007 15:17:21 ![[progworm:zing-thing-jul07:dutton.png]](http://www.kiwiwriters.org/d/challenge/site/progworm:zing-thing-jul07:dutton.png "http://www.kiwiwriters.org/d/challenge/site/progworm:zing-thing-jul07:dutton.png")
|
|
dutton Joined: 04 Jan 2007 14:08:48 Posts: 50 |
I just remembered the name of my favourite short story book of his as I hit the post button.
It was called Buy Jupiter (which I think was a short story about Earth selling the rights to use Jupiter as an advertising billboard to some aliens) and it had about 20 or so other short stories in it too. It was an excellent read (Plus for Travis, I _think_ it had a time travel story too). I don't think that it's changed the title it prints under, but what you're looking for at the library is: http://downlode.org/books/sf/ Scroll down a little bit, it's 2nd from the top and that's the exact copy I have (at Dad's house lol) so I can't lend it to you myself (as it's actually his). So it's that or the other title the web says it's printed as is Buy Jupiter and Other Stories. 23 Jan 2007 15:27:08
|
|
cottreau Joined: 22 Dec 2006 00:32:22 Posts: 567 |
I have to say, I'm reading a brilliant anthology of short stories at the moment by Greg Egan. The guy completely blows my mind. The collection is called "Axiomatic". Generally, Egan sticks to the near future, at least for his short stories, but what a weird place it is.
Egan has written my absolute favorite short story ever, called "Reasons to be Cheerful" (in a different anthology called "Luminous") about a little boy who reasons out that he's awfully happy all the time for no good reason. His parents bring him to the doctor and they find out that he has a brain tumor that is pressing on certain parts of his brain and releasing chemicals that just make him cheerful. The story is amazing. Unfortunately, as I read through these shorts stories, I feel that Egan's ideas are better than mine, and for every idea he has, it feels like some collection of good ideas out in the ether is getting smaller and smaller! :-) 24 Jan 2007 15:07:46 |
|
andychilton Joined: 21 Dec 2006 21:30:06 Posts: 784 |
Travis, I'd love to borrow that book - or even "Reasons to be Cheerful". I reckon it would give me some ideas for wwwW.
As for your own ideas, just play on his or take a slant different on one. Of course, you want to have your own ideas, but let's face it, all the best stories are re-hashes of older ones. 24 Jan 2007 17:55:10
Andrew Chilton - http://kapiti.geek.nz/
|
|
cottreau Joined: 22 Dec 2006 00:32:22 Posts: 567 |
:-)
I'll see if I can lend you that - I already promised it to someone who is going to Belgium for a month, so it might only be after wwww. Also, I lent you "Reasons to be Cheerful" as long ago as when you worked at eServ. :-) I have it in another set of shorts stories - do you remember "The Year's best Australian Science-Fiction and Fantasy"? It's in there. I can certainly lend it to you - no issues. 24 Jan 2007 18:37:33 |
|
andychilton Joined: 21 Dec 2006 21:30:06 Posts: 784 |
*Andy whistles and looks sideways and upwards*
Oh hey Travis, yeah cool. Okay. Thanks! 25 Jan 2007 14:08:13
Andrew Chilton - http://kapiti.geek.nz/
|
|
kerrynangell Joined: 22 Dec 2006 09:00:56 Posts: 1164 |
He he, and I am borrowing 'the year's best australian science fiction and fantsy'. *whistles and runs away*
27 Jan 2007 12:07:43
No Excuses. Just Write.
WIP - Freeing the Flame: 0/66 scenes of rewrite #2. Eve's Vineyard: 2,158/6,000 (Sept Zing Thing) |
|
cottreau Joined: 22 Dec 2006 00:32:22 Posts: 567 |
Funny thing - I actually have 2 copies. So, Andy can borrow it if he wishes.
27 Jan 2007 14:41:31 |
Key
A Post