Friday 17 April 2009

Short Story Challenge

I am thinking about starting a short story challenge - one story to write and submit per month. It would be great if anyone else is interested, then we can push and prod each other, and hopefully accomplish at least one story a month. While my goal, like most other newbie writers is to write novels, but in recent practice with short stories I definitely feel that it offers great advantage of learning to write tight. The things you learn through short stories, can make a better novel. Besides, there is the side bonus of having something to submit regularly - and therefore, increasing the chances of acceptance and being a published fiction writer. I hope it's tempting enough for some of you... so come on...it'll be fun... Challenge starting from May 1 I am adding names and links of participants in a widget to the right. You have to meet the challenge monthly to keep your blog link and name in there. Hope little advertising is a slight motivation. ;) If you want to join the challenge, tell me in a comment below so I can add your name, and don't forget to check back on 1st of May.

24 comments:

  1. Although I'm plugging away on my novel, I'd be interested in trying to get a short story going. So count me in.

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  2. Excellent. You can work on short story when taking break from a novel ;)

    Also, you can cheat and write a flash fiction if you don't want to write something too long.

    I will start list on the right hand side of my blog and add our names and links if I can. Hopefully, we will get more participants.

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  3. Hmm, it's an interesting idea. I haven't really even tried short stories since high school! I suppose the worst thing that could happen is that I'd never get around to writing anything. (Kind of like what's going on with the novels I've started but can't seem to finish.)

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  4. Would love to join, love a good challenge! However, I do not use blogger anymore and have moved to wordpress, my blog is at: http://tkxlibrary.wordpress.com/ , check it out so you can get a taste of how I write!

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  5. Very interesting idea.
    I like it
    Randy

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  6. Randy's writing blog is
    http://randyswrite.blogspot.com/
    BTW

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  7. I'm in!

    Although you already knew that...
    So, really, this comment is pointless.

    Please disregard.

    Adam ;-)

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  8. Hi Melanie, that's great. I will add your name to the list.

    I am glad to have so much interest, and really looking forward to the challenge now. :)

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  9. I read about this on Adam's blog - sounds like a good motivator! I'm in!

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  10. My blog: http://thevarietypages.blogspot.com. :-)

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  11. Great. I was just looking at your blogs and came to the conclusion that would be most appropriate ;)

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  12. Do we need the story up May 1,
    or just during the month?
    Looking forward to getting pushed
    Randy

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  13. We start on May 1st, so you can take the whole month if you want. Also, we are not putting stories up - unless you want to - because most of us would be trying to send them out to publishers.

    The goal really is to write a story per month and submit it, so that we try to consistently publish something.

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  14. Sounds fun! I would like to give it a go. Where do I submit it once I'm done?

    Isaac

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  15. Count me in :)

    Im writing my own story on a blog, but it'll be good to write something different every once in a while

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  16. Sure! Let the creativity flow! Sub guidelines?

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  17. I'd like to get in on this! Although I'm confused about the accountability...I think it would be awesome to have a challenge to meet.

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  18. All the recent names added to the Participant List.

    E,
    I believe that the only way anyone could be a long-term writer is if they take accountability for themselves. I hope the challenge and other participants provide enough motivation for you to keep posting your progress when you read about others'. This is one way for all us overcoming our self-discipline issue (I suffer from it seriously)

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  20. Sweet, this looks pretty good, I'd like to try it out. As you said, this could help with discipline. One thing I'm wondering, however... how does it work? When we write the story, do we submit it to you, or just post it on our own blog, or what? I'm not really sure how to go about doing it, but I'd like to try and find out!
    Jimney
    http://wingsofthemorning.wordpress.com/

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  21. Jimney,

    please read the latest post "Short Story Challenge - Further Details"

    I hope that answers your questions. I will add your name to the participants' list.

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  22. excellent. added your name to the list

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