Musing on 750 word stories

[EmilyMiller]

Obviously see @Duleigh’s proper thread.

—

I’ve just written my ninth for the challenge and I wrote one before it. So ten in all.

The question is: why?

Well part of the answer is I have a slightly obsessive personality. But that’s not totally it? I could instead be completing any number of longer stories.

I think it’s the immediacy of 750 words. The time between idea and submission being so short. A sort of instant gratification.

It’s also being able to go full bore at the subject. Worrying less about laying foundations, or establishing characters, or building worlds. Just focusing on a moment, or an act, or an emotion, to the exclusion of everything else.

Less charitably, maybe it’s laziness.

For those who have also written multiple 750ers, what has been your motivation?

Emily

 

[AG31]

Obviously see @Duleigh’s proper thread.

—

I’ve just written my ninth for the challenge and I wrote one before it. So ten in all.

The question is: why?

Well part of the answer is I have a slightly obsessive personality. But that’s not totally it? I could instead be completing any number of longer stories.

I think it’s the immediacy of 750 words. The time between idea and submission being so short. A sort of instant gratification.

It’s also being able to go full bore at the subject. Worrying less about laying foundations, or establishing characters, or building worlds. Just focusing on a moment, or an act, or an emotion, to the exclusion of everything else.

Less charitably, maybe it’s laziness.

For those who have also written multiple 750ers, what has been your motivation?

Emily

I like them. When I want a long story or novel I go to the library. But I don't write them. Just because I don't have any more stories in me at the moment.

 

[lovecraft68]

So you're jacking the conversation from the Sam X thread?

Slow day for ideas, Em?

I have no desire to write them. I am an admitted self indulgent and wordy writer. I'm lucky I can write an author's not in less than 750 words.

 

[KeithD]

I've written several. I write them when/as my muse drops ideas. It has to be a somewhat contained-point idea to use a 750-word form on it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I've written several. I write them when/as my muse drops ideas. It has to be a somewhat contained-point idea to use a 750-word form on it.

Yeah - needs to be crystalline, right? No room for anything else.

Emily

 

[MrPixel]

Similar to your POV, Em. A thought, an interesting scene, a mental tickle... for me, generally something not worthy of a mental or actual outline, or too difficult to develop in my linear sense of the world.

IOW, an idea I want to get off my chest that works in a very short story, mostly to resolve the concept so it doesn't fester in my consciousness and hang-up progress on larger projects.

Also, I've found them to be fun language exercises - turning a phrase more succinctly, and creative use of contractions.

 

[StillStunned]

I've written three. Submitted one for publication, then withdrew it. None of them seemed satisfactory in any way.

Then again, I'm struggling to be happy with my writing at the moment as it is.

 

[KeithD]

Yeah - needs to be crystalline, right? No room for anything else.

Emily

I somehow can tell what I'll do as a 750-word story and as something longer, yes.

 

[EmilyMiller]

So you're jacking the conversation from the Sam X thread?

Unintentionally if I have. Haven’t read / contributed to that, save for looking when initially posted.

Slow day for ideas, Em?

A nice lazy day. Sunny and cold. Good for running.

I have no desire to write them. I am an admitted self indulgent and wordy writer. I'm lucky I can write an author's not in less than 750 words.

I’m normally loquacious. Perhaps doing something different is part of the appeal.

Emily

 

[EmilyMiller]

Similar to your POV, Em. A thought, an interesting scene, a mental tickle... for me, generally something not worthy of a mental or actual outline, or too difficult to develop in my linear sense of the world.

IOW, an idea I want to get off my chest that works in a very short story, mostly to resolve the concept so it doesn't fester in my consciousness and hang-up progress on larger projects.

Also, I've found them to be fun language exercises - turning a phrase more succinctly, and creative use of contractions.

Yeah. I get all of that.

Emily

 

[EmilyMiller]

I've written three. Submitted one for publication, then withdrew it. None of them seemed satisfactory in any way.

Then again, I'm struggling to be happy with my writing at the moment as it is.

Maybe you should focus on editing - I can help

Emily

 

[EmilyMiller]

I somehow can tell what I'll do as a 750-word story and as something longer, yes.

I’ve had a couple that I thought “yeah, this could be 5k words” but I’m getting better at picking vignette subjects.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

Maybe you should focus on editing - I can help

Emily

Right now I'm focused on editing 12 to 14 hours a day. That's the last thing I need. I write because my own words need to get out.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Right now I'm focused on editing 12 to 14 hours a day. That's the last thing I need. I write because my own words need to get out.

I know. Only teasing.

Emily

 

[StillStunned]

I know. Only teasing.

Emily

I know. I was just feeling a bit sorry for myself.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I think it’s the immediacy of 750 words. The time between idea and submission being so short. A sort of instant gratification.

It’s also being able to go full bore at the subject. Worrying less about laying foundations, or establishing characters, or building worlds. Just focusing on a moment, or an act, or an emotion, to the exclusion of everything else.

Yes, this is why I like them, the precision, that tight vision.

I've got to be in the right mood, though. I've not written any for this year's collection, coz I've given myself the task of breaking a 25k story down into chapters, with one chapter targeted for Pink Orchid, and the other chapters to shape a longer story towards its end. I rarely do that, but I'm running out of time.

 

[Devinter]

For those who have also written multiple 750ers, what has been your motivation?

It's threefold. The challenge / difficulty level of trying to create something of value in so few words. The fact that I can try something brand new and still finish the whole thing in one sitting, usually. And the fact that some ideas simply would be too emotional / sad / troublesome in a lengthier story, at least for me. I couldn't imagine writing Broken for you as a full-length story, for instance. Would have been too devastating.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I know. I was just feeling a bit sorry for myself.

 

[EmilyMiller]

And the fact that some ideas simply would be too emotional / sad / troublesome in a lengthier story, at least for me. I couldn't imagine writing Broken for you as a full-length story, for instance. Would have been too devastating.

Yeah - that too.

Emily

 

[Duleigh]

For those who have also written multiple 750ers, what has been your motivation?

No it's not laziness. Think of it - an entire story, maybe even the summation of an entire life, in exactly 750 words. That's not lazy, even though you'll be finished a lot quicker than a 7500 word story. It's a lot of work to pick the exact right combination of words to get the idea in your head out and on to the screen within the confines of the game.

It's almost like Haiku (Traditional Japanese haiku consists of three phrases composed of 17 syllables in a 5, 7, 5 pattern), it's so much more disciplined than long form stories and poetry. I find Haiku addictive also.

 

[Ssbbw4u1974]

Most of my stories are just over 750 words.. I think because I have a short attention span. I also can't focus enough to read much over 1k,lol..

I just try to make the 750 words sexy and erotic enough
I do get feedback that my stories are too short. But it's just how I write.

 

[AchtungNight]

I write when I need to get words out in general. As for low word count stories, I’m not sure if I’ll ever write another. Just submitted my first and if I hadn’t set it up with a longer piece- it would have been harder to pull off. Heh. Not sure I will write another. I don’t like feeling challenged to stay short.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I couldn't imagine writing Broken for you as a full-length story, for instance. Would have been too devastating.

And fuck that story was intense .

Emily

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Different types of inspiration or motivation. I agree with @Devinter that the challenge of creating something of value in such a short format is enticing. How creative can I be with 750 words? (I seriously do NOT recommend trying to see how many cats guy ou can include.) one or two were inspired by snippets of conversations with other authors, others just found me. Whatever the motivation, it is a fun excercise.

 

[EmilyMiller]

No it's not laziness. Think of it - an entire story, maybe even the summation of an entire life, in exactly 750 words. That's not lazy, even though you'll be finished a lot quicker than a 7500 word story. It's a lot of work to pick the exact right combination of words to get the idea in your head out and on to the screen within the confines of the game.

I get that.

It's almost like Haiku (Traditional Japanese haiku consists of three phrases composed of 17 syllables in a 5, 7, 5 pattern), it's so much more disciplined than long form stories and poetry. I find Haiku addictive also.

I kinda like Haiku

Emily