Yesterday afternoon, after sporting a sinus headache most of the day (I can thank my daughter for giving me the cold. 'Thanks kiddo.') I decided to write a short story. I didn't know how long when I started it. I didn't know where it was going. I just knew I had to write the story based on this image in my head. It wasn't even a complete image.
I managed to hash out he story in 450 words in the first draft (you gotta love flash stories) and my final draft was 525 words or so. I have read it now 8 times and I think it is good enough to send out. Probably not perfect, but what is. Still, I liked it. It spoke to me.
Also managed to get 500 or so words written in the novella yesterday morning. Not much, but it is still trolling along on the sea to almost finished. It won't be this week though. Still too much to say in it and not enough hours in the day. Especially if I keep getting interrupted by the short story/ flash fiction bug.
POV seems to be a big topic right now in blogdom. Multiple POV's and even character's that are a different sex than what you are used to writing (should Mr. King really write from the POV of a woman, or better yet a little girl? I've got my own opinions on that one that I will keep to myself.). Interesting topics with no good, hard and fast answers. Something to think about when you are working on your own story today.
happy Thursday. While you are at it, reach out and give a hobo a hug. It will make him feel good.
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12 comments:
My sinuses hate me.
Writing-wise I swap sexes all the time. Half my stories have male pov's and half female. I just go with what the idea gives me. I just try to make sure they don't all scratch their crotches and spit. :)
Congrats on finishing a new story! That's the great thing about flash fiction, it's almost instant gratification. :)
I've never had a problem with writers writing viewpoint characters of their opposite sex or a different race or anything. We're all people, after all. I don't think I've ever been thrown out of a story because I felt (for instance) that a female character written by a male writer wasn't "authentic." Whatever that's supposed to mean. My own experiences as a woman are not THE ONLY experiences that any woman ever has--far from it.
If you're referencing the whole Racefail 2009 brouhaha, oh lordie--I just wish some people out there in Internetland would take a few deep breaths and go pet a puppy for a while.
I don't even think I should write from the perspective of a little girl!
When I started writing, I loved first person POV. I tried a few female narrators. It didn't work, for me.
Now, I lean toward 3rd person (except in longer works). All my female characters tend to be tough and independent (sort of like my wife, I think).
Who knows?
As far as King writing women, I think he finally may have nailed it in "Lisey's Story". Then again, I don't know because, you know, I'm not a woman...
Cate- Sorry about your sinuses. That sucks. Not all guys scratch and spit either.
K.C.- I think flash is as close to instant gratification a writer can get. I don't know anything about Racefail 2009!? Maybe you should fill us in.
Nat- May you should try from the perspective of a just pubescent korean boy ;)
Aaron- I think I flip back and forth depending on the story. I try not to favor any one perspective. Not consciously.
Barry- I'm still not going to comment on that issue.
Sinus headaches suck, I can commiserate with you. Well done on the flash fiction though, I can never manage to write anything under about 2000 words, so I must give it a try.
In relation to writing the opposite sex I've finished the short story with a male main character so it will be interesting to see how it reads to a guy.
Mmm...bumhugs...wasn't that in a King story? A kid was accusing a parent of being a bumhug (humbug run through the CuteKid Filter)?
Racefail 09 started (I think) with someone reviewing one of Elizabeth Bear's books and basically saying she portrayed one of her characters wrong and therefore she must be racist. And then E.Bear put a thoughtful post about Writing the Other on her blog (this was back in late Jan/early Feb, I think--sorry I don't have the URL), and the whole internet caught on fire. It was starting to die out, I think, except that some idiot took the fight to John Scalzi's Whatever blog, which caused him to hulk out and destroy LJ with his boundless rage, and then he backed off and invited someone to guest blog about the issue, which is an interesting discussion going on here: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/03/12/mary-ann-mohanraj-gets-you-up-to-speed-part-i/
Anyway, now they seem to be talking about talking about racism, which is better than people screaming "racist Nazi baby-eater!" at each other. Apparently tomorrow's post is going to be more specifically about writers and race, which should be interesting.
The only time I wrote a story with a main character who was A) human and also B) not white, the editor made me change it because the MC's race wasn't important. If that happened now, I'd refuse to change it, but that was only my second fiction sale ever. I avoid the issue now by making my main characters trolls and elves and dragons.
Danielle- send it my way. I will be happy to give a guy perspective on it. :)
Jeremy- it sounds like King, but I can't place the story.
K.C.- Interesting. I find it ironic that every culture wants us to know about them and their beliefs but when we delve into them and get some facet wrong we are suddenly racists or sexist or whatever. I think I might write the story of an albino African hermaphrodite living in Iran.
Congrats on the Flash - very cool.
At least your novella is still moving forward.
POV - My current WIP has a female protag and involves racial, religious, and social themes - trust me to bite big. I write mainly in 3rd although my flash sometimes moves into 1st. My preference is still 3rd though.
Thanks Jamie, I think I will. Much appreciated
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