Tag: how to write a short story

Inspiration Monday: fishing for insults

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A couple of exciting announcements this week. Two veteran InMonsters, whom we haven’t seen in awhile, just revealed a reason for their absences: they’ve both self-published books! Be sure to drop a congratulations to Eric and Marantha – and if possible, buy some copies and support indie literature.

Other unrelated notes:

1. Sometimes your links/pingbacks don’t show up in my comments. I don’t know why, but to be safe, please post a link to your InMon piece in my comments so you know I’ll get it. If I missed you this week, please let me know.

2. I’ll be marking pieces that have mature content with MC from now on. Most of the bloggers in question have advisories on their blogs anyway (thanks guys!), but I wanted to add an extra warning for our younger readers.

Now go read some genius!

Kayla  (MC)

PMAOAudio (MC)

UnhealthyObsessionWithWords

T.K.

Chris

Kate

Craig

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The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

fishing for insults
what are you going to do with it?
time crunch
extra wishes
out there somewhere

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post (here’s a video on how to do it); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

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*MC : Mature Content

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4 steps to stop writing fan fics and start writing original stories

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Img by Jenn Durfey

Stuck writing stories about Elizabeth Bennett, Harry Potter, Edward Cullen, or (heaven forbid) all three? Maybe you’re longing to create something of your own, but you don’t know where to start (or maybe you’re desperate to stop this madness before Mr. Darcy elopes with Bella Swan). Well. I have good news.

Fan fiction is a great place to start. In a way, I started with fan fiction (X-Men was my guilty pleasure in junior high – so many possibilities!). The pre-existing world, concept, and characters give you the freedom to experiment with plotlines and storytelling without having to fill in every single detail yourself. It’s a good outlet. Good practice. Kind of like training wheels.

But if you’re reading this, it’s time to take off the training wheels. Here are a few pointers to help ease your transition.

Start with one original character.

Start small. Invent one character of your own to fit into the existing fan fic landscape. Give him or her a name, a background, special talents, likes, dislikes. Have a good time experimenting with how a new personality will fit into the world you know so well, beside the characters you have loved so long. This isn’t so different from taking an existing minor character and giving them a more prominent part.

Move that character into an original setting.

Another baby step. Take your character and put them somewhere new. They take a trip, move across the country, go to college, get kidnapped. It can still be within the fan fic concept world, but in a scene you have to create from scratch, with supporting characters you must give birth to. Don’t worry; this will be easier than you think. It doesn’t have to be a finished story, or even very good. The important thing at this point is that it’s 90% yours. You’re almost there!

Consume other fiction.

Meanwhile, in your recreational reading, take a break from the world of your fan fics. If you write Star Wars stories, get out of the extended universe! Visit the worlds of Anne McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card, Shannon Hale. Step out of your genre and read a little Marcus Zusak or John Green. Fill up your head with new material—it’s fuel for original ideas.

Dare to be different.

Here’s the part where your authorial benefactor lets go of the bicycle seat and sends you flying down the hill. Write like the wind! In the beginning, check yourself frequently to make sure you’re not lapsing into the other writer’s world again—examine the relationships you create and the order of events. It’s normal to see some similarities (nothing is new under the sun): just make sure you’re not doing what Paolini did with Eragon.

A final note:

It may be a long time (a lot of digging deep into parts of you that hurt) before you come up with something truly unique and beautiful. Remember; if it’s easy, you’re doing it wrong. But you’re out of your rut now, and on your own. So let the adventure begin. 

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Inspiration Monday: the books conspired against us

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Sometimes I feel sorry for the prompts that don’t get used. Much as I used to feel sorry for the stuffed animals that couldn’t fit on my bed when I was a child. But my mother told me they got to have a party in the closet. Maybe the unused prompts get to have a party in cyberspace. And they wear tin foil hats and listen to techno and throw glowing paint at each other.

Read up! /

Kayla (under 18 not admitted)

Tkhuynhtdi

Craig

Chris

Kate

Mike

Bryant

Elmo

Kim

Woops! I missed Marian

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The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

the books conspired against us
The best things in life cost everything
kind lie
earth rise
don’t tell me

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post (here’s a video on how to do it); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

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Inspiration Monday: epic naptime

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I rearranged my books by color. Even split up some series. I mean, who designs a series of books with clashing spine colors! Pink and orange?!?!? What were they thinking?

Never mind. Just read some of this groovy stuff:

Tkhuynhtdi

Kate

PMAOAudio

Craig

Bryant (couple weeks ago)

Sabrina

LoveTheBadBuy

AllTimeScout

UndueCreativity

Chris

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The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

Epic naptime
Dial tone
Only the poor can afford
Where did I get that scar?
Funeral cut short

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post (here’s a video on how to do it); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

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Inspiration Monday: satellite hack

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Spent the morning cross-checking 47 different reference points for a medical brochure. Spent the afternoon writing copy for a lost goat flier. My life is so deliciously weird.

Read up! Laugh, cry, think!

LoveTheBadGuy

Chris

UndueCreativity and another

 Kim

Craig


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The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

Satellite hack

Waiting to be rescued
Hoping he’ll notice
Own the world
If you’re reading this, it’s too late

 

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post (here’s a video on how to do it); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

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