Writing and the pursuit of passion

[pjthompson]

Quote of the day:

"The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."

—James D. Nicoll


Writingness of the day: Epiphanies are good things. I like them. I realized through a recent review (thanks—you know who you are) that sometimes I confuse tension with conflict. It seems glaringly obvious to me now, but the obvious isn't always obvious when you're sitting too close to the screen.

This conflict/tension confusion isn't a problem in my novels so much. They pretty much have the classic A must do B or C will happen structure, or A must overcome B in order to prevent/attain C, etc. But this is definitely a problem in my short fiction. My stories always seem more about, "Some characters are hanging out in an interesting setting and something gets them all scared/unhappy/excited/smiley, and then everybody goes home."

Not quite that bad, but almost. It's rare that I have that problem-solving kind of structure. There are perfectly fine short stories out there that don't have a problem-solving structure, some that I love with a muchness, but the thing is: I haven't written any of them. I don't feel bad about that, except in a generic way, a sense that I should feel bad and do something about it. I'd like to write better stories. I'd like to sell some short fiction. But short stories aren't my passion. And therein may lie the real reason I suck at them.

Not all things are for all people. Not every novelist can or wants to write short stories. That's just a fact of life. I'm not entitled to write good short stories just by the fact of being a writer. They aren't my passion. Short stories must be worked for, sacrificed for, and they require different muscles than novels. I probably could learn a lot trying to develop those muscles, but I'm not sure I will ever burn hot enough to write good short stories.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying I don't care, but I don't feel mopey about this, it isn't an "I stink" low self-esteem moment, it's just something I'm being honest about with myself and whoever else might be listening.

Comments

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

But this is definitely a problem in my short fiction. My stories always seem more about, "Some characters are hanging out in an interesting setting and something gets them all scared/unhappy/excited/smiley, and then everybody goes home."

Hmm. I would disagree that this is a problem. In the current issue of Apex there are several ho-hum stories that follow the classic conflict structure that you pointed to above. I read them, and though some of them left me wishing for a bottle of Brain Clorox, none of them really stood out as a Good Story. But there was one Good Story (I haven't read the whole issue yet) by Christopher Rowe, called "Whether to Go Through." It has some characters "hanging out in an interesting setting and something gets them all scared, unhappy and excited." The ending is ambiguous. But it was a damn good story.

So I don't think you have to have a traditional plot structure to make a good short story. I think you have to have interesting characters and an interesting situation and really good writing. I've seen all those things from you.

Hera has spoken.

[pjthompson]

Hera has spoken.

Then I would be a fool not to listen. :-) And I thank you, Hera.

Sometimes this whole thing seems like a djinn in a bottle. Sometimes I uncork the bottle and the djinn is ready to build me a palace; sometimes all it wants to do is trick me and try to get me fuddled. And which is the true djinn? Both are, of course. It all depends on the mood and the interpretation and the perspective. I lack all of that with short stories. They scare the crap out of me. They seem like a mystical language I can't quite pierce. I feel nothing like that when I'm writing novels. I have my bad moments, my confusions, but I feel at home in novels. I know that given enough time, I'll figure things out and make 'em work. Maybe not in the first draft, but somewhere along the line. It's amazing to me how fuddled I can feel over short stories.

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

I think the key is to keep sending it to markets until you find an editor who isn't befuddled by it, or until you run out of markets.

[pjthompson]

You're right. Most of my stories, because they're so damned long, are close to being out of markets. No, that's not quite right. The one or two stories that I consider truly done are almost out of markets. Then again, a few years from now, I may find even more things to rewrite. Who knows?

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

In a few years from now, m'dear, I expect the company which publishes your novels to be tapping on your door, asking for a short story collection to publish. That is when you can trot out the stories that the foolish magazine editors passed on.

Seriously, PJ, you have talent. Don't give up.

[pjthompson]

That's very, very kind of you to say, m'dear. I appreciate it. And I'm a long way from giving up. I'm just saying I haven't got that short story thing living inside me and I'm not sure I ever will. That may not be my path to breaking in.

Then again, this could be a mood.

[merebrillante.livejournal.com]

*Merebrillante sends PJ some chocolate for the mood*

[pjthompson]

**smacks lips**

[navicat.livejournal.com]

Fantastic quote! I lurve it :)

Also, damn that's a good epiphany. Even as epiphanies go. I've been thinking similar things about my own short stories, so I hear ya!

[pjthompson]

Fantastic quote! I lurve it :)

Me, too!

I've been thinking similar things about my own short stories, so I hear ya!
Read Comments

I just get so fuddled over short stories.