A Gleeman's Tale

[U4ea]

So every year at this time, we celebrate national short story month by sharing some short stuff that we've written. I'm going to try to play some games with ya'll and use my 6 Traits of Writing stuff to help you put together something. If I'm lucky and you get addicted to the process (some more), Kathleen won't yell at me (this really is a tradition at the Kin, I swear!) and you can share with the Writer's group, too. Just make sure you brag that a Kinster did it before they were Scribing elsewhere. ;) I'm territorial that way. LOL

 

 

So, I'll be posting some activities you can play with in other threads, but I thought we could use this one to get the door open. Come on in and tell us some stuff about you, as a writer/reader/general silliness spreader... whatever!

[U4ea]

I'll go first and set a good example... ;)

 

 

As a Writer- I have been writing short stories off and on since 10th grade. I'm 33, so that's been a while. A few years ago I was the Head of the Writer's Guild just after the ACW Guild was created. I was published in the only anthology I think has been put out by DM in a LONG time. I've had short stuff published in small places and even had an editor from Tor who was "intrigued" by a short story he read at JordanCon last year. I've been working on making that short story something longer, but it's hard to stretch something without it seeming like I'm trying too hard. :(

 

I am also a teacher, who got to teach writing this year to my 5th graders. Yes, that means they groan every time I don't give them a paragraph size to shoot for and hate it when my answer to "Is this good enough?" is usually, "I don't know. Did you tell me the whole story?" They usually don't answer and just go back to their desk and get back to writing, so I guess we know the answer to that question. LOL Their writing scores went up, though, and I even had the only "exceeds expectations" in our entire grade level in my class. Go me!

 

 

As a Reader- I read just about everything from Fantasy to Romance with a few quirks in between. I love classical literature and historical fiction, modern fantasy and vamp-stories, too. I can't stand it when authors jump on a band wagon and my biggest heroes are the authors who created the movement behind the bandwagon, instead. I have thrown books across the room and groaned because the thing I was reading was so horrible, I wish they'd have just let me do it, instead.

 

 

As a Silliness Spreader- I run this place. Need I say more? *laughs*

[Christine]

I have always loved writing. I have an issued with my creativity, in that I cannot really start an initial idea, but given the setting, I can go crazy with it. It's why I love to write in RP, but struggle to write my own Sci Fi. I also tend to stick to writing Historical Fiction, but I tend to bog down readers with the facts. But, I still do love to write!

[Kathleen]

Lor, if its ok with you I'm gonna link to this thread in the writers k? They may wanna stop by and try it out.

[U4ea]

That's fine with me! In fact, if you want to link them to the 2nd post of the July pinned thread, that's where I'll keep a running list of activities to help flesh out a short story. I'll throw in some fun stuff, too, but it'll all be linked up there! :)

 

And I have the opposite problem, I think, Christine. I can flesh the heck out of a story, but forcing myself to focus on it and get through it is rough! I am an outlining fool, though! LOL

[Kathleen]

Its linked. The (real) writers will be along to show you how its done, if they have time to set their stuff down and travel. :P

[U4ea]

*arches her eyebrow*

 

real writers? Show us how it's done?

 

 

I'm thinking that didn't come out the way you wanted it to...

[Kathleen]

hm..your calculationing points right.....*debates a bunches in her head*......nope that came out very very wrong Eldest. I did not mean that how it sounded at all, I did not!

 

ps, don't forget my 100pts for helping move threads over to DM8 that never got counteded....not a good time to point that out?

 

*slinks away*

[U4ea]

I haven't forgotten, in fact I started a thread in the staff forum when I gave them to you so I wouldn't forget.

 

 

And since I used to be in charge of that group, I'll try very hard not to be offended. *shakes her head and laughs*

[Kathleen]

you know I just jokes cause I loves you! If you didn't have something good here I wouldn't have linked lol.

 

I feel bad though, cause I had a short story that was apparently very good, but I took it down and can't repost it yet. Not for a few more weeks/months if ever. <.<. It was the best I've ever written by far, and I don't have others, or ideas for others. I wish I had something to share here!

[U4ea]

Fear not! The month is young! And I've only just begun throwing things at you! ;)

 

Besides, I had an awesome idea for a story (thanks to a preggo dream, no less) and I need to get it on paper before I forget it. It can happen at any time. ;)

[LadyWordsmith]

Rats. I go out of town and completely miss short story month!

 

Admittedly, I'm not sure I have anything short enough to be called a 'short story.' At least, not that isn't at least nine years old (and probably embarrassingly mediocre), or fan fiction online. :) Some of those are short enough! And more recent. Everything else I've written in the past five years that's original is novel length. (Or at least NaNoWriMo novel length).

 

I hope everyone had fun!