Hi all, and, as always, thanks to everyone who participated in yesterday's Fiction Wednesday Open Call!
If you haven't gotten a chance to check them all out yet, you can find the full list in the Comments section of this post.
Before I give the prompts for next Wednesday, if you don't mind, I'd like to take a minute to address an issue regarding creative writing on OS. Many of you have shared with me - even well before Fiction Wednesday - that fiction doesn't seem to be highly rated or regarded here. It seems like for a fiction piece to get an EP, you'd have to get pigs to fly.
For me, that's not what's important. I think it's wonderful that so many of us come together and share stories and just enjoy spinning tales. Isn't that what it's really all about? Those of us who can write stories, are so immeasurably lucky. I think we should savor this gift and enjoy the process.
This week, while reading Patti Smith's amazing, eloquent, artist-empowering memoir Just Kids, I came upon these lines:
"Why commit to art? For self-realization, or for itself?...I wondered if anything I did mattered. Robert [Mapplethorpe, Smith's soulmate and fellow artist] had little patience with these introspective bouts of mine. He never seemed to question his artistic drives, and by his example, I understood that what matters is the work: the string of words propelled by God becoming a poem, the weave of color and graphite scrawled upon the sheet that magnifies His motion....From this state of mind comes a light, life-charged."
I am in no way cool, but if Patti Smith says something, it bears thinking about, right? :-)
Anyway, without further ado, here are the prompts for the next Fiction Wednesday, June 15, 2011:
Plan A: Do your own thing. Write on any topic, in any style you want.
Plan B: The inspiration for this week's prompt comes from our pal Trudge164. "Galactic Glue," the piece he posted for yesterday's FW was flash fiction, which, he helpfully explains, including a citation from Wikipedia, is described as way to write a story using "extreme brevity"1. There is no set word count standard. Some Flash Fiction writers set the bar as low as 55 words, while others go as high as 1,000 words. I like to get them in at 100 words or less. Ernest Hemingway is recognized as having written the shortest Flash Fiction story at six words: "For Sale: Baby shoes never worn."
I thought this sounded like a great idea for our next prompt, and with his blessing, we came up with this:
On Tuesday night (I know some of you like to post early), I will publish a post entitled "Fiction Wednesday Stories for June 15, 2011" . If you write a story, please post a comment with the title of your story at the end of this weekly post. This way, we'll have a complete, self-generated list of stories for each week, all in one place.
PLEASE POST THE TITLE OF YOUR PIECE, NOT A LINK, SINCE MOST OF US (MYSELF INCLUDED!) AREN'T ABLE TO INCLUDE THE ENTIRE LINK IN A COMMENT!
If you feel inspired, go for it! EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE in Fiction Wednesday!
Happy writing!
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Comments
I also have some thoughts to share since you mentioned the lack of fiction appreciation. Honestly, it's been hard for me to get into the OS fiction groove. I'm not sure I can explain why except that I'm a creature of habit and may have compartmentalized my art consumption. OS has always been my non-fiction, news story place. For fiction I download novels on my Kindle/ipod and watch films or HBO/Showtime programming. I read most of your fiction because you're my girl and I love everything you write, but I admit to being less than supportive with FW on the whole. Not intentionally mind you, but when there's so much to read and you're making choices...you know how it is.
I hope it's ok to speak candidly about my wierdness. I just wanted to explain myself. Bottom line-- I love the concept and I want to encourage those of you who have the gift of fictional gab. I wish I had it myself, and we all need support to keep the creative fires stoked. Also, I know I'm missing out on some great stories.
I plan to do better.
I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with... ; D
R
YES! ABSOLUTELY!!
For me, the writing & the reading IS the reward.
It’s interesting-inspiring even, if I may go so far as to say that ;-)
to see all the ideas that flow out of a prompt. Some seem to ride the same wave-length, while others are blazing new trails...
I especially appreciate the interchange of feedback within the workshop-
I would enjoy that more if I could read, rate & comment without losing the connection to OS, altogether, but that kinda goes without sayin'
Susie - Glad you like the idea. I think it will definitely be interesting, and a challenge for many of us - myself very much included! :-)
Trudge - Thanks again for the inspiration for this week's prompt, and also for your support and kind words. Also, BB did write about Fiction Wednesday, when we started it up a few weeks back.
Out on a limb - I"m glad you like the prompt, and I think you're trying to torture long-winded me, but if you want to make it shorter, no problem, since the maximum is 500 words - there is no minimum.
Just Another AJ - I'm so glad you agree. I just think fiction writers here are bound to be disappointed if we expect huge ratings and reads and EP's - and really, is that what's important? I'm so glad you're enjoying Fiction Wednesday for what it is - and I agree, it's really cool to see where people take the prompts!
Moana - Thank you but the best way to advertise your story is to post it when the Fiction Wednesday story list post goes up, usually every Tuesday night. I'll PM you about this.
neilpaul - Yess! Double inspiration!
Wonderful Wednesday it is, OSWFC! Thanks!
As a failed short story writer this is a fantastic opportunity!
And allow me to thank you once more for the introduction of several voices I have not heard here on the venerable OS.
We'll take it from there, okay? Way to go--toward Wednesday onward...