Comments on: Short Stories: The Art of the Start http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/ Unmissable articles on writing Tue, 15 May 2012 19:34:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: StoryPassers.com http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-7581 StoryPassers.com Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:06:47 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-7581 For anyone who loves writing, and sharing their stories - you'll love this Web site <a href="http://www.storypassers.com" rel="nofollow">www.storypassers.com</a>! You can start your own story and have your friends contribute to it, or you can contribute to other peoples stories. Either way, you will have fun in this story sharing experience. Go Share Today! For anyone who loves writing, and sharing their stories – you’ll love this Web site http://www.storypassers.com! You can start your own story and have your friends contribute to it, or you can contribute to other peoples stories. Either way, you will have fun in this story sharing experience. Go Share Today!

]]> By: JP http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-3419 JP Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:15:11 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-3419 Thanks for the great tips! As a runner I appreciate the choice of photo :) Thanks for the great tips! As a runner I appreciate the choice of photo :)

]]> By: Gio JL http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-1408 Gio JL Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:39:21 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-1408 Hi there, i realised you picked my photo for the coverimage of this post. I appreciate that. Next time, if any chance, please inform me by giving me a mail notice on flickr. cheers. Hi there, i realised you picked my photo for the coverimage of this post. I appreciate that. Next time, if any chance, please inform me by giving me a mail notice on flickr. cheers.

]]> By: Hideously immense writing tips link-dump | Velcro City Tourist Board http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-1235 Hideously immense writing tips link-dump | Velcro City Tourist Board Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:44:44 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-1235 [...] “Short Stories: The Art of the Start” - “While revision is important for the entire short story — you should rip it apart and massage it and mold it until you have it right — I recommend paying special attention to the first paragraph or three.” [...] [...] “Short Stories: The Art of the Start” – “While revision is important for the entire short story — you should rip it apart and massage it and mold it until you have it right — I recommend paying special attention to the first paragraph or three.” [...]

]]> By: Liora http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-521 Liora Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:19:40 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-521 I might be wrong, but I think you meant to say "eschew adverbs." I might be wrong, but I think you meant to say “eschew adverbs.”

]]> By: Tedel http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-517 Tedel Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:51:58 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-517 "Feel free to break the rules..." That's the nice thing about literature... there's nothing written. “Feel free to break the rules…”

That’s the nice thing about literature… there’s nothing written.

]]> By: Samuel Connelly http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-298 Samuel Connelly Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:34:16 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-298 Wow! A great post. A writing partner passed your blog site to me and I thought I would give it a read, and I am very glad I did. You really, not only hit the nail on the head here, but have refreshed and given me some direction, thank you! I really like what you said about having some thing happen immediately. I love short stories and I have read so many great stories that would just be perfect if it didn't take so long to get into the action. I have even gone back over my short stories and the novel I am working on and am doing some rewriting..thanks, I am excited to start reading more of your blogs. Thanks for this great blog. Wow! A great post. A writing partner passed your blog site to me and I thought I would give it a read, and I am very glad I did.

You really, not only hit the nail on the head here, but have refreshed and given me some direction, thank you! I really like what you said about having some thing happen immediately. I love short stories and I have read so many great stories that would just be perfect if it didn’t take so long to get into the action. I have even gone back over my short stories and the novel I am working on and am doing some rewriting..thanks, I am excited to start reading more of your blogs.

Thanks for this great blog.

]]> By: sbh* - Ma.gnolia: Recently Ma.rk’d http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-243 sbh* - Ma.gnolia: Recently Ma.rk’d Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:07:07 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-243 [...] ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Tags: writing, writers, editing, revision, draftsShort Stories: The Art of the StartLeo provides a list of things to consider when examining the first few paragraphs of your short [...] [...] ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Tags: writing, writers, editing, revision, draftsShort Stories: The Art of the StartLeo provides a list of things to consider when examining the first few paragraphs of your short [...]

]]> By: Rich Ezzo http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-207 Rich Ezzo Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:48:58 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-207 Thanks for this new blog! I also like short stories very much, though I guess I'd call them "one sitting" stories. Sometimes the term short stories implies only a few pages, to me at least. I've recently written a one sitting book called "When Money Talks, Listen!" which is perhaps an hour and half read. I think I prefer this style because it's like watching a movie, or writing one. I've written a couple of scripts, and find these to be a great exercise for anyone interested in writing, especially for the "eschew adjectives" rule you mentioned. When writing a script for a film, the author doesn't have the luxury of telling us what the character is thinking, thus it must be "shown". Even if you just practice by writing a scene or an act in the form of a movie script, this will force you to show more than tell. I would like to see you tackle another post, "The art of the ending". I feel too often movies and books just fade away, without a satisfying ending. Beginning with the end in mind can help....for example..."the killer/crank caller terrorizing the baby sitter and eluding the police is actually calling from inside the house, in the attic the whole time" Once you know this, your mind will then drop in the appropriate twists and turns, and leave the reader feeling pleased. Thanks for this new blog!
I also like short stories very much, though I guess I’d call them “one sitting” stories. Sometimes the term short stories implies only a few pages, to me at least.
I’ve recently written a one sitting book called “When Money Talks, Listen!” which is perhaps an hour and half read. I think I prefer this style because it’s like watching a movie, or writing one. I’ve written a couple of scripts, and find these to be a great exercise for anyone interested in writing, especially for the “eschew adjectives” rule you mentioned. When writing a script for a film, the author doesn’t have the luxury of telling us what the character is thinking, thus it must be “shown”.
Even if you just practice by writing a scene or an act in the form of a movie script, this will force you to show more than tell.
I would like to see you tackle another post, “The art of the ending”.
I feel too often movies and books just fade away, without a satisfying ending. Beginning with the end in mind can help….for example…”the killer/crank caller terrorizing the baby sitter and eluding the police is actually calling from inside the house, in the attic the whole time” Once you know this, your mind will then drop in the appropriate twists and turns, and leave the reader feeling pleased.

]]> By: Albino Grimby http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-173 Albino Grimby Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:55:16 +0000 http://writetodone.com/2008/01/15/short-stories-the-art-of-the-start/#comment-173 I've been following Zen Habits since last summer, and this looks like it'll be a great blog to follow. It's inspiring me to write again. I'm interested in writing short stories or even really super short stories as just a means to keep building my skills. Also, I don't have a lot of time for a larger writing project right now. This article is great advice. It would be nice if there were a place on this blog (in the future) if we could share our writing or even form small writing groups to critique and encourage each other to get better. I look forward to reading more from this site! I’ve been following Zen Habits since last summer, and this looks like it’ll be a great blog to follow. It’s inspiring me to write again. I’m interested in writing short stories or even really super short stories as just a means to keep building my skills. Also, I don’t have a lot of time for a larger writing project right now. This article is great advice.

It would be nice if there were a place on this blog (in the future) if we could share our writing or even form small writing groups to critique and encourage each other to get better.

I look forward to reading more from this site!

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