Quick and dirty.... I can't do it.

[sr71plt]

While editing a recent story, my editor threw me an idea for a story. I figured I could make a flash story out of it and spent three days writing. I was reading throught it about to send it for edit and thought "this isn't me." None of the characters had any depth or motivation so I deleted all but the title and started anew.

How much depth and motivation (that are integral to the story) do you need? We can discuss that in relationship to the two characters I put in the short short I posted, if you like (or even the third character--the john who was slinking around the corner as the cop arrived). Here again, I think some people think too much in epic and kitchen sink terms than in serving the story terms. Can you not picture the characters in your mind from what I put in my posted story? Do you not know what the dynamic is between them and what is making them tick and connect and not connect in the scenario they are in? Can you not see what is motivating them/what is holding them back.

If not, perhaps the problem is not with what is written but in being a lazy reader. Or do you need to know the name of Snookie's cat to think this is a story and that you are being spoon fed her to the depth of your satisfaction needs for the story?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I always say that music correlates well with prose, and much can be learned from music composition. Check out Chopins preludes, a few are 30 seconds long, and most are around 2 minutes in length. Note how he packed it all in a small space.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJYYCQAq-jM

 

[jomar]

LC, maybe contributing to the flashfic thread might help you hone it down. There are rotating categories and, while there is no rule, folk try to hit 100 words on the money.

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=514416&page=45

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Submitted another shorty to Laurel. Maybe 1400 words.

For me writing shorties is nuthin. The trick is making them interesting. Make every word get down in the mud and put its shoulder to the wheel.

 

[sweetfanny]

Sounds like all that background is part of your creative process. (Mine too.) I guess, when you're building a whole world and entire lives, part of writing is being able to filter it down to what's relevant to this story you're telling about these people in this moment.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Writers fall into distinct categories, and you gotta pick your team.

You got anal historians. You got pathologists. And you got combat surgeons.

Tolstoy and Victor Hugo go in the 1st group. Charles Dickens and Faulkner go in the 2nd group. And Raymond Carver and Cormac McCarthy (and me) go in the 3rd group.

All are interesting in their own ways.

 

[sweetfanny]

Never thought of it that way, but good analogy.

Also, agree. In the end, what matters isn't length, but whether what's there engages the reader.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Never thought of it that way, but good analogy.

Also, agree. In the end, what matters isn't length, but whether what's there engages the reader.

Exactly!

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Good question

I run into this problem all the time. My reading attention span is around 3 Lit. pages, so I try to fit the stories I write into that size. I have a very hard time writing stories of that length, however. Even after editing out huge chunks, I still have something that is 15,000 words or more. A beta reader pointed out to me that I don't trust my readers enough to let them make some of the connections, which results in the inclusion of unnecessary steps in a process. I attribute this to my professional training in writing non-fiction, where every step is necessary and attention to detail is demanded.

Later this year I am going to attempt an experiment. I have about a dozen ideas in my concept file that are just sitting there growing moss. While other ideas are growing and blossoming into fully formed stories, these ideas are going nowhere. I plan to take several of them and just write them into 1 or 2 page stories with minimal plot and characterization. In other words, strokers.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I run into this problem all the time. My reading attention span is around 3 Lit. pages, so I try to fit the stories I write into that size. I have a very hard time writing stories of that length, however. Even after editing out huge chunks, I still have something that is 15,000 words or more. A beta reader pointed out to me that I don't trust my readers enough to let them make some of the connections, which results in the inclusion of unnecessary steps in a process. I attribute this to my professional training in writing non-fiction, where every step is necessary and attention to detail is demanded.

Later this year I am going to attempt an experiment. I have about a dozen ideas in my concept file that are just sitting there growing moss. While other ideas are growing and blossoming into fully formed stories, these ideas are going nowhere. I plan to take several of them and just write them into 1 or 2 page stories with minimal plot and characterization. In other words, strokers.

Good!

Writers never consider that some readers have little time for reading or have constant interruptions, and a 3 page tale may be a blessing to them.

 

[Candlelight062]

When I started writing I went by the motto of let the story take me where it wants to go and let it fly. In fact I say that to any new authors coming here who seemed concerned with how their work will be received.

But now that I've been at it awhile I notice all my stories are fairly long. I would say my average lit story is 5 pages. Now that's fine, I like putting in back stories and doing slow build ups etc...

So not too long ago I decided I wanted to try to write some quick and dirty stories. Not everyone needs a damn history lesson on the characters and sometimes people's motivation is they're just damn horny.

What I did was to jot down a couple of the most basic, cliched ideas I could think of that would be a quick and dirty story. The young landscaper getting invited in my the hot cougar who lost her job and can;t pay him in cash, but....

The young hot intern who just can't afford to get laid off, surely there is something she could do....

Basic stuff.

I've tried three times and each time find myself "telling a story" The cougar who lost her job is frustrated because her husband left her for a younger woman and the divorce left her broke. She hasn't gotten laid in months, but is still hesitant, after all he's young and....

I catch myself doing it and stop. I delete what I wrote and try to just get into it, envisioning cheesy dialogue and bad 70's porn music in my head I tell myself like Nike says "Just do it"

And I can't. Okay, technically I can, but its forced, its lousy, and I have no fun with it.

I understand as the author I can do whatever I want and people will like it or leave it, but I find it odd that I literally can't seem to do it.

Any advice, opinions?

I used to find writing quick and dirty short stories pretty challenging because I never wanted the story itself to become just another stroke story with no build-up toward the, ahem, climactic end. I've had to go through a series of works {A Flower Blossoms in Alpena, Her Brother's Yuletide Surprise, and my surprise hit here, A Brother's Generous...Offer}, but I've finally come to a point where I've gotten a feel for it without allowing the story itself to suffer.

Now I'm going to try my hand at writing short romance and paranormal {NonHuman} romance stories. Taboo shorts are easily written - one doesn't really need a backstory for those, but romance shorts are HARD since it's more about the romance than the sex.

Anyway, don't give up, LC! Practice makes perfect and I'm certain you'll get the hang of it sooner than you might think now.

 

[satisfy]

Sometimes I find that I can write a shorter story if I'm writing a sequel to something I've already written. Something where I've already spent the time to develop the characters and write the more in depth build up. Then the characters know each other and the reader knows the character. Make sure that if you are using that strategy that you make it accessible for people who are just skipping to part two. But that might be a way of doing both your long build up, but having a nice short story as well.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

My horror tales are pretty short. It doesn't take forever to make the point.

A reporter takes her Chrysler to the dealer to fix the computer. The service manager treats her like shit and does nothing. She's investigating a dangerous occult group, and finds their hideout. They see her spying on them and chase her. She flees thru the woods to her car. Safe inside the car she turns the key to start it, and the top folds down into the trunk.

Around 1000 words.