She tugged on my sleeve in the dark. “Come on!” “Why?” I groaned, shuffling in protest. “You’ll see.” The scent of horses and hay was thick with regret and unwanted memories, and every stall another set of judgmental eyes. “Here.” My cousin came to a stop and lifted her lantern. “Dandelion Velvetine’s first foal.” I’d seen baby horses before. “So?” “He’s also Gunmetal Guillotine’s last.” Swallowing, I took another look. The mottled grey coat was just like his. “Name?” “Gunmetal Midnight Resolution.” I grimaced. “Seriously?” “Look, he’s yours if you start racing again. Are you up to the challenge?”
She tugged on my sleeve in the dark. “Come on!” “Why?” I groaned, shuffling in protest. “You’ll see.” The scent of horses and hay was thick with regret and unwanted memories, and every stall another set of judgmental eyes. “Here.” My cousin came to a stop and lifted her lantern. “Dandelion Velvetine’s first foal.” I’d seen baby horses before. “So?” “He’s also Gunmetal Guillotine’s last.” Swallowing, I took another look. The mottled grey coat was just like his. “Name?” “Gunmetal Midnight Resolution.” I grimaced. “Seriously?” “Look, he’s yours if you start racing again. Are you up to the challenge?”
Some of you have been asking if New Leaf will be doing another short story contest. We have some good news for you: We present the next short story contest! We know a lot of you are here because you read Suzie’s blog, Confessions of a Wandering Heart, and we’re honoring her official move here to Tumblr!
It’s officially 2016, and that means new starts and resolutions. We thought we’d let that inspire this contest.
The Details:
Write a short story (100 words at most!) using the theme New Year, New Love. Incorporate these five words:
Resolution
First
Midnight
Cousin
Challenge
To enter the contest, post your story on Tumblr using the hashtag #NewLeaf100Words by 11:50 pm on January 22. Make sure you title the post New Year, New Love!
The Prize:
A copy of Alexis Bass’ brand new book What’s Broken Between Us
AND
Your choice: Either a first page critique, or a query critique. If you’re still feeling some leftover Christmas spirit, you can give this to a friend if you so choose.
Some of you have been asking if New Leaf will be doing another short story contest. We have some good news for you: We present the next short story contest! We know a lot of you are here because you read Suzie’s blog, Confessions of a Wandering Heart, and we’re honoring her official move here to Tumblr!
It’s officially 2016, and that means new starts and resolutions. We thought we’d let that inspire this contest.
The Details:
Write a short story (100 words at most!) using the theme New Year, New Love. Incorporate these five words:
Resolution
First
Midnight
Cousin
Challenge
To enter the contest, post your story on Tumblr using the hashtag #NewLeaf100Words by 11:50 pm on January 22. Make sure you title the post New Year, New Love!
The Prize:
A copy of Alexis Bass’ brand new book What’s Broken Between Us
AND
Your choice: Either a first page critique, or a query critique. If you’re still feeling some leftover Christmas spirit, you can give this to a friend if you so choose.
We’re looking forward to seeing what you write!
20,104 words of Fishsticks retyped/gaps filled/revised. 27% complete, and I got past the block. More tomorrow. I still have something like 50k of printed material to retype…
20,104 words of Fishsticks retyped/gaps filled/revised. 27% complete, and I got past the block. More tomorrow. I still have something like 50k of printed material to retype…
This is also why I try, whenever possible, to compose at least the first couple sentences of the next bit of writing while I’m standing in the shower with my perfect realization fresh in my mind. I have been known to hastily dry off and dress while repeating to myself, over and over, “Susan sat dejected over the remains of her breakfast. “More poutine?” asked the goat.” And then I hope nobody distracts me before I manage to get to the computer.
Of course, I’ve got about a fifty-fifty chance of having mis-remembered the last bit of writing and those fresh new sentences not being at all suitable for following it, and then I get to do the whole “wut r werds” dance.
friendly reminder that you are allowed to write selfishly. Your writing is allowed to be self-indulgent. You can have self-insert characters. Your stories can be pure wish-fulfillment.
Sometimes we get so caught up in wanting to please the theoretical reader that we forget our writing is first and foremost for us. It’s our art, our self-expression, and we do it for our passion and our joy.
Use other voices and perspectives to grow your own perspective and bring more to your writing. But you don’t owe it to anyone to create art for them, the way they want it.
