Tag: short stories

Get Published In A Flash

On By Robert EvenhouseIn World of Writing2 Comments

If you are like me time is limited. Okay, we all have 24 hours in a day but I am specifically speaking to those with the magic formula for chaos – children, a full time job, and the dream of publishing a novel. So how does one do it all? How does a writer hone their craft and balance all the joys and thrills of a busy life?

This is where I introduce you to my friend and fellow writer Josh Mosey and his diabolical schemes er, flash fiction.

Josh introduced me to flash fiction about a year ago. When I heard about it I nearly laughed. Short stories in six words? Hilarious. However, he introduced me to a six word story that has been attributed to Hemingway –

For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.

Think about that. A very powerful six words.

Flash fiction ranges from 6-1000 words (about two pages). From our friends at Wikipedia it is defined as:

A style of fictional literature or fiction of extreme brevity.[1] There is no widely accepted definition of the length of the category. Some self-described markets for flash fiction impose caps as low as three hundred words, while others consider stories as long as a thousand words to be flash fiction.

 So why spend time on condensed stories if you are an aspiring novelist? Glad you asked.

In honor of flash fiction I provide two short answers:

  1. You will learn to choose words wisely.
  2. You can make money at it. (view this link to websites actively looking for flash fiction)

If you’d like to hear more about this from the expert, see Josh’s video below from our writers conference a few months ago:

 http://youtu.be/X08HicQmPtw

In the meantime, work hard on your novel and as it gets dull or you get stuck, maybe take a day and try some flash fiction and submit it to one of the websites in the link above.

Cheers,

Bob

Why Novelists Should Write Short Stories

On By Robert EvenhouseIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I recently listened to an interview with Stephen King (below). He discussed short stories and how they are an art form that novelists seem to forget. They are dear to him because that is how waded into the writing world. He releases collections of short stories every now and again because of his love for it, and because he does not want to lose that skill.

As I have written in past posts I contribute to a free flash fiction contest at Julia’s Place. They are a fun distraction from the rewrites and edits I am currently slogging through on my novel. I hope to branch out to other websites and one day publish some.

Recently I stumbled upon a website Flash Fiction World.com that takes flash fiction and occasionally pays for it. That is not the best part. The best part is that it gives tips to those seeking to refine the microcraft. HERE are details about a creating a mini story arc.

So, why dedicate a post flash fiction? Because refining the smaller crafts of the story world can enable the novelists to grow and become better at understanding stories. They do not require a lot of time, and can be building blocks to make you that much better at the craft.

Cheers,

Bob

 

Kurt Vonnegut On Short Stories

On By Robert EvenhouseIn Writing TipsLeave a comment

 

My friend Josh loves Kurt Vonnegut. If you know him it should come as no surprise. I bring him up today because I recently unearthed a few short stories to submit to a local writing contest. If you are a Michigander go HERE for details.

Whenever I begin a new project whether in writing or on the house I read and watch videos about how it is done. Obviously, short stories are more compact and can even be more complicated than a novel. You have to be precise in every single word in order to avoid wasting the readers’ time.

Below is a video of eight principles Mr. Vonnegut employed to write successful short stories. I am glad for his sage advice.

Cheers,

Bob