An Exploration of Writing Short story Fiction

An Exploration of Writing Short Story Fiction

Introduction

“The great paradox of the writing life is that to be a good writer, you must be both interested in the world around you and comfortable working in solitude for hours on end.”

from the back cover, second edition, of Fiction Writer’s Workshop by Josip Novakovich

This speaks to me. I write a story for my local newspaper that is published every other week called Writing on the Senior Side, and I need to be interested in the world all of seniors. To do so effectively. I also need to get out and have an ongoing variety of old and new everyday life experiences. In this way, I can connect and write about our shared experiences.

This speaks to me when I am so busy out there living this authentic people-oriented life, that I start noticing I am not actually writing as much as I want and need. I want to write my novel and new short stories, and I need to get back to being comfortable working in solitude in my writing place and my writing headspace.

I have decided to use the chapter headings from Novakovich’s book as I explore writing short story fiction. I have not read the whole book, but I use it as a reference when I am unsettled about some aspect of my writing. I am an emergent author, and I am not sure when the emergent phase ends or if it ever does.

I am using my Gates Open blog for this exploration. I will include other resources: books, workshops, writing groups and the many insights gained from the excellent course instructors I met on my journey to complete the Certificate in Writing from the University of Toronto.

While I absolutely believe taking writing courses, online workshops and joining writing groups are excellent avenues for learning and improving my craft, I also value self-teaching through independent reading and practice. As a result, I know I will be advancing my skills as together we discover and rediscover our understanding of the building blocks and the creativity of effective fiction writing.  I hope you will, too.

• Sources of Fiction

• Setting

• Character

• Plot

• Point of View

• Dialogue and Scene

• Beginnings and Endings

• Description and Word Choice

• Voice

• Revision

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Sources of Fiction

“Sources”  is not to be confused with print, video, or online article “resources”.

Having clarified this, I will always encourage writers to explore and learn from the many excellent resources for writers of fiction; I have several such resources on my shelf.  The three print resources  I would recommend are: Bird by Bird - Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamont,  On Writing - A Memoir on the Craft by Stephen King, and Fiction Writer’s Workshop by Josip Novakovich.

Okay, back to “sources” for fiction writing. Here’s a brief snapshot of some of the comments from the experts I have mentioned.

Josip Novakovich:

“The greatest source of fiction is experience. The experience need not be yours -you may observe someone else’s struggle and use it for your fiction.”

“There is always a blend of fact and invention in writing fiction.”

“Rob the Cradle - Draw on your childhood mercilessly.”

“Rob the Grave - Look into the lives of your ancestors and tell their stories.”

“Rob from books - Learn from the works of other authors. I don’t mean that you should plagiarize, but you can write variations on themes.”

Stephen King:

“We are writers, and we never ask one another where we get our ideas. We don’t know.”

“ I believe large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that can be strengthened and sharpened.”

Yes, I know this quote is not about sources for writing, but it speaks to me and reminds me that strengthening and sharpening my craft will give me the results I am craving.

Anne Lamont:

“The very first thing I tell my new students on the first day of class should be about telling the truth.”

“ Start with your childhood. Flnnery O’connor said that anyone who survived childhood has enough material to write for the rest of his or her life.”

Gail Stelter, emergent writer, not an expert:)

My thoughts and ideas about sources of writing fiction:

• Start with your experiences and keep getting new and more experiences.

• Put your truth into your story. No one needs to know it is your truth.

For example, I wrote a short flash fiction story about a grandson’s mind reenacting the horror of his grandfather’s death on the beach on D-Day. There is a scene in which he looks out the window of his lakefront home and is lost as his lake turns into the beach at Normandy. The description is of my lakefront home and me looking out at the night. The reader will never know this. It is my little truth that helps me to more effectively describe this setting.

Another example. My most recent short story fiction is a submission to an upcoming anthology called Braver, Moose, Canoe. The task was to write a tall tale. Yes, it's all fiction, and yet, my experiences and my truth are embedded in the story in several places. I lived on the lake with the beaver pond, and someone did try to dam up the beavers’ access to the lake with an old bed spring. When the beaver walks up the cottage path and chews the protagonist’s tree. That happened at our cottage. There are always bits and pieces of me and my experiences in my fiction. They assist my creativity and fill me with beautiful images from my life.

• The essential truth about choosing or knowing the source for writing fiction is as individual as you are, and if you start with yourself, what you know, what you have experienced or what you are passionate about, you will choose correctly.

Next time - Exploring Setting in Writing Fiction

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My Writing Life - This ’n That

• Book prices/costs of my book, 21 Smithfield Drive, on Amazon, Chapters/Indigo and Barnes and Noble have come down a lot, but still too much for most people. I did check with my publishing specialist, and she said they will take about six weeks to settle at a more reasonable price. Let’s hope so.

Here’s what the paperback prices are today, March 1st.

Amazon.ca $34.22

Chapters/ Indigo.ca $34.49

amazon.com $34.11

Barns and Nobel $24.99 US

So, on the slight chance that you are thinking of purchasing it, don’t buy it now. Let’s wait and see. I wrote my book for me, and while it would be nice to sell a few copies, I’m okay with forgetting about sales and getting back to writing!

• Book Launch / Gail Stelter’s Story Sharing Afternoon - Sunday, March 8  - I have approximately 30 people who have said they are coming. I am hopeful there will be more, as an RSVP was not required. You may wish to check the Book Launch tab on my website for more details of this somewhat unusual, fun workshop approach to a book launch, or I will tell you all about it afterwards :)

  
  

Take care… Spring is Coming… Hurray!

You can contact me at steltergail@gmail.com

I am also on Facebook.

I have a Substack page, but I am just learning to use it effectively…not there yet, lol

Gail