Today I have a preface to my short story--just some writerly thoughts about what motivates us to write and what feels meaningful in creative endeavors.
Why 50-word stories?
I have begun to think of the 50-word story as an amazing art form. And that is one reason I write them. But there are other reasons too. For one thing, they help me to break out of whatever writing trappings I may be stuck in. They feel like a nice way to stretch in between working on other things.
Writing as a break from writing
For readers who don't know, I am currently involved in a group writing challenge called Write Club. This 16-week boot camp is designed to help all participants who survive the grueling (but super fun) experience to graduate from the want-to-be-published phase to the happily published phase of our writing careers. (For more info, check out the #writeclub tag.)
In other words, we are very serious writers, devoted to the practice and craft of fiction writing.
And we have deadlines.
Every two weeks we write a story of about 2,000 to 5,000 words. While working on these longer pieces (and working full time), I have been finding gaps to write and publish other stories on Steemit--some long, some short.
Can you say in 50 words what you can say in a longer story?
No. You can't, of course. It's a different art form entirely. These really short short stories are about capturing a larger idea in a space that seems too tiny to contain it. You must try it to understand what I mean.
I find these 50-word challenges from miniature-tiger to be truly refreshing. I spend some time on them, as I want to capture a mood and a complete story within those 50 words, and it's not easy to do. But it's also not the 10-day writing adventure that a longer story is!
Okay, enough rambling! Without further ado, here's my latest story....
Oh, wait! I forgot to mention something. The most recent prompt from @miniature-tiger was "Fair," and I wrote this little story: Ghost Fair. Because I got busy, I skipped over the previous prompt, "Blood." Well, @felt.buzz nudged me today and said I should consider writing one for the previous prompt anyway. And so I did, and here it is.
The map
(Image credit: Pixabay)
The buccaneer stood at the table, gazing at the map by candlelight.
First mate Jamie Bogg snoozed in his bunk. If Red Hook could gather up the map and provisions without raising the damned parrot, he could slip off before daybreak.
Then a sharp feeling in his neck, and blood.
Thank you for reading!
I think the parrot did it. Nice write, Jayna:)
Ahh, that's a possibility! It hadn't occurred to me that there were two possible perpetrators! Thanks for that, @prydefoltz!
Yay! This is brilliant. Not just the story (which is really good) but the background too. I am loving the fiftyword story more and more, for some of the reasons you have stated above. Great stuff!
Thank you for the nudge to write this one, @felt.buzz!
Yes! You are inspiring me. I am dangerously close to writing one myself. These 50 word story nuggets are to short stories like how haiku is to long form poetry.
Yes, that’s a very good analogy! And I am nudging you to write one. Nudge nudge nudge. Its only a matter of time.
I dig it! Pirates are always fun, especially when neck-stabbings and parrots are involved. :P
You can’t have a pirate story without a parrot and a neck stabbing. It just wouldn’t do. 😊
XD I don't know why, this cracked me up :PPPP
I aim to amuse! 🤪
I was instantly interested. Now I just want to know the rest of Red's troubles / adventures
Well, that is the downside of these stories, I guess! They are over just about the time you get interested in where they are going. In this case, I think you can assume he met an untimely end at the hand of Jamie Bogg.
Girl you are rocking these 50 word stories! I haven't written one in a while, haha. I may need to fix that.
Yes! Yes, I think you should!
I completely fall in line with all your motivations to write 50-word stories!
I have totally fallen in love with them! Who knew? 😊
OOOoooh, I am IMPRESSED! I have a hard enough time writing a freewrite in 5 minutes. I have tried the 50 word challenge once, but I'm not sure I did as well as this. I can't believ ehow much story you packed into 50 words.
Thank you so much! Honestly these 50 word stories are pure zen for me. I love love love them. 😊
Very good post thank you for sharing this post