dannedmind

FREE SHORT STORY: ADAM UNLUCKY

Dear Potential Reader,

It’s September, and it might even still be hot where you are, but it seems unfair to leave summer without a story set in the season. Just one more reminded of why you might be happy Summer is over.

Join Adam and his mother on a trip to a friend’s pool party that includes a very uninvited guest . . .

CLICK HERE TO READ

The following tale was forgotten. I have many of these short stories that I write and then move on to far more interesting ideas. They’re exercises in craft, strengthening of muscles, realizations of faults. But every now and then I stumble back upon them and wonder what they were about. Sometimes, their rediscovery reminds me of plans forgotten or send me off into tangents and series development. ADAM UNLUCKY, is such a short story and maybe you’ll see why it is forgettable, but I do have a soft spot for straight-forward horror tales and maybe, this is just the kind of refreshing quick read you need as the last few hot days of the year trickle toward fall.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

WRITING TIPS: FORMULAS ARE YOUR FRIEND- THE 3 QUESTIONS

No one likes formulaic writing. It’s a bad.

It’s what is the lowest form of television is.

It’s been there done that.

Yes.

But I’m not talking about those formulas. All stories are a formula. Some people break them down into acts. Some just say, beginning, middle, end. But I’m talking about asking yourself 3 questions to get your story started. From there, you can cut your own path . . .

What has disrupted your character’s normal routine?

Do they always get to work on time, but today the alarm didn’t go off? Going off this example it tells us your character is punctual and responsible. But now, they’re panicked. By defining what their normal day is like, you define them.

2. Why is this important on this day?

Is today their yearly review? Did they hope to catch their crush at the coffee shop around the corner? Here you’re defining their goal now that the chaos of their broken routine is happening. You are telling us why this is important. How are they going to try and achieve that goal?

3. Why will they fail to achieve their goal?

Is there a monster around the corner? Did they arrive to find the coffee shop missing? Create another layer of conflict. Feel free to repeat this as often as needed to keep your plot engaging.

Now I used the word ‘fail’ above, and that should be on your mind, but it doesn’t mean the story ends that way. These three questions serve as prompts to let the character you defined in #1 achieve #2 (or not) by resolving of succumbing to #3.

Need more advice you’re not sure you asked for about writing that story of yours? You’ve come to the right place, there are older tips, but new ones arrive every LAST WEDNESDAY of every month.

FREE SHORT STORY: BUT HE DID BITE

Dear Potential Reader,

Welcome to this month’s free short story. Join me as a character tries to better his physical existence with exercise in, BUT HE DID BITE.

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The following tale was written after a similar experience. I have a long history of planning to get into the habit of regular exercise only to have an injury derail the efforts. It’s inevitable.

Now, most of the time it’s because I try to push too hard too soon. The same thing can happen after taking time off from writing. If I try to write too much in one day, I’ll be dead the next day, but if I build up my strength, I can go on long stretches.

You might wonder how this fits into the JIREverse, so I’ll just point out there are some characters in this one you’ll meet again someday and get to learn just what this story is also about. Like what’s happening ‘between’ the lines.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

WORDING: SUNSET, SUN SETS

You can say “THE SUN SETS IN THE WEST.”

Or you can say, “SUNSETS OCCUR IN THE WEST.”

You can even say, “THE SUNSET OCCURRED IN THE WEST.’

SUN SETS is correct because it is referring to a single sun, you could use ‘A’ or ‘THE’ to make it so.

SUNSETS is correct because it is referring to plural.

But SUNSET still needed a verb since it is a noun, where as SUN SET is the noun and verb. You can’t say THE SUNSET WEST or THE SUNSETS WEST but you can say THE SUN SETS WEST.

I probably use sunsets too often in my writing. Between them and a sunrise, they are things I’ve experienced, and have a feeling associated with them. Not all are breathtaking, but they carry a pretty universal symbolism to them. However, I always prefer to make the sunset active. Like “THE SETTING SUN CAST AN ARRAY OF ORANGE AND PURPLE.’

Technically, I could/should write “THE SUNSET CAST AN ARRAY OF ORANGE AND PURPLE.”

Much like music, the slightest change creates a different tone. Every musician (that’s not a drum machine) plays differently, how will your sunset be cast?

WRITING TIPS: KEEP YOUR SHOES ON

Yes, fashion advice. From me. Of all people.

Not really.

If you’re having trouble writing, stop being so comfortable. Stop curling up on a couch with a blanket and your laptop.

Put on your shoes. Or, if you’re just getting home from you 9-to-5, keep them on until you complete your writing session.

If you treat it like you treat an assignment at work, as something you have to do before you can relax, you’ll get the work in.

A lot of writing (especially the long-distance marathon of a novel) is tricking our minds to want to be there typing away when we could be watching Netflix.

But it’s not for everyone. One thing I know, is that every writer is different–and every time I write something is different. Not every trick works every time. But when it does, you’ll swear by it . . . until it stops working.

Want more Writing Tips? Check back every month on the LAST WEDNESDAY and I’ll ramble on like I know what I’m doing . . .