Truth-Teller

If people are looking to Harry Potter, The Kite Runner, Da Vinci Code, and Eragon as epitome of literature, I don't know what this world has come to; it's better to save our forest than produce a fifth of this chimerical drivel.

We are not saying literature needs to be boring, ponderous, or rambling like Stephen King--no. What we are saying is that it needs to be real, something we can all relate to.

It needs to have heart. I don't give a shit about message, theme, or overall morality. Good writing needs to tell the truth.

Story

I really don't know what you are getting at here. Once you take the message, theme and morality out of a story.. whats left?

I can pour tons of heart into a story, but if there isn't at least a theme, hopefully a message and/or morality as viewed from the eyes of the story... then what am I trying to accomplish with my writing?

I have read some very well written descriptions of objects (you know the exercise, pick something and describe it). They tell the truth completely, but if there is nothing but truth without message or theme.. then I have seen an object on a table and nothing more.

To me, its the message or theme that gives the story heart; The better an artist can deliver their message, the more I care.

(btw, its not fair to compare a 400 word short story to Stephen King, J.k Rowlings, or JRR Tolkien. They had entire chapters devoted to character development)

NedRyerson

Maybe it's just where I live, but you can't buy lottery tickets with credit cards. Cash only. Just a thought.

snorrie

Well, it's a true story. As for you truth-teller. You sure talk a lot of smack for someone who hasn't posted a story yet. To me, you have no credentials. You're just hot air. I can respect everyone else's opinion. At least they post stories. Thanks for your comment's everyone else.

snorrie

You can in California. Thanks for the comment anyway.

SevenWritez

I am not defending this piece specifically, just making a comment to your comment, Mermaid; I agree that this story lacks emotional depth, but then again I've never read a "flash piece," that made me care about the characters. Nor am I calling Harry Potter or Eragon (NEVER Eragon) the epitomes of literature, Truth-Teller, my collection of books goes far beyond mainstream (but I still enjoy the "pop culture crap," full-heartedly, thanks). It was just by how you stated your question, Mermaid, that made me wonder if you were thinking ALL stories needed to have an underlining theme, which I don't believe they do. Do most stories unintentionally develop them in time? I think so.

As for Wand, by "ponderous rambles," I mean that many of the books that critics have been hailing as of late seem to be little on entertainment and heavy on philosophy, which is just fine and dandy with me if the writers could make their ideals less of a bore to listen to. I'm not saying every book is one, but I am saying that a lot of the ones I see being praised tend to lean towards some form of idealism that I've heard preached time and time before, just with a different author hidden behind a different jacket.

Anyhow, I'm sorry if my last few posts haven't been entirely coherent. I wrote the last one while cleaning my room (I tend to multi-task), and I wrote this one looking over my shoulder while sitting in the cmputer lab at my school.

Oh, and Snorrie, prose wise I'd say your a bit ahead of other writers here, not by any great use of diction or trickery, but by the seamfless flow most of your stories tend to present. This was good, but not great, as others have already listed why. Could you try working on a longer piece? I'd like to see something from you that isn't a one day write-up.

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Mermaid on the breakwater

I am not too sure which literature you've been reading, but judging by your posts, probably not the best. Either way, that's a debate for another thread. let's just stick to this piece; snorrie probably doesn't want a lecture on which literature is good and which isn't.

You need to develop some of your images/ideas a bit more, yes it flows and it's concise enough but it's not doing anything different for me. The character interaction is a tad wooden and too brief. Where Margie is accusing Lisa it's a bit too huff and puff and as a result, like truth-teller was pointing out, you switch off emotionally towards them. You don't have to make the piece bigger, you just have to savour what you've got a bit more and we'll savour it too.

Writing a short story in a day is probably not advisable, I know lol, I posted one up after only an hours work but try to spend longer on your next one. It'll reflect your abilities more accurately.

Keep working at it, anyway.

Queen of Wands

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snorrie

I don't know about it being brave for posting a piece quickly. Actually this forum is great because it acts as a mask to hide behind. No one knows you personally so you can turn it off any time you want and never see these people again. And working a fulltime job plus the family, I have to learn to work fast--at the same time produce quality work. I can't just shut a piece down and store it till whenever. When I'm in the zone, if I shut the piece down till the next day or two, it will come out differently than what I intended it to be. So these pieces are an exercise to work quickly and efficiently. That may sound absurd, but that's the way I work. Of course the piece needs developement, but I'm past this now and starting another piece, hopefully tomorrow, if I'm in the zone again. I take it when I can get it. And lately, it's been coming more frequently. Thanks for your comments. I would like to see some of your work as well. Don't be afraid. This is all a mask.

Queen of Wands

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snorrie

No, you're not looking foolish. I'll go back eventually and refine it. I have it saved in word. It's just that I can see a lot more when I come back to a piece later. I have a six hundred page manuscript that I read a gazillion times and still I'm not happy with it. I'd probably still be redoing it if I sat down and not getting anything else on paper, which would be a shame since I have so many. I don't think I'm ever completely happy with my work and I don't want to dwell on it. Right now I'm working on mechanics and just starting to get in the mindset of a well developed piece. I can't tell you how long I was part of this sight and never finished a piece. Just now, within the last few months, I've been able to finish pieces. I want to get in the habit of getting to an ending rather than have a bunch of half-finished pieces. There's a lot of satisfaction for me in this, just finishing an idea and I have so many right now, I want to get them on paper. As long as the ideas keep coming, I will right them. I tell you what though. These little pieces may become much larger ones. At least the outline is there.

SevenWritez

Give me some of your "Greats," and I'll see how many I can check off. As for Wand's comment, I'm not calling King a genius, I just happened to be reading through Salem's Lot the day I made that comment (was bored at school and saw it sitting on the shelf--the quote I used was on page five or six, not very far in). And besides, it easily fits what a lot of would-be writers here tend to prove. Plenty of stories here are fine prose wise, but are so dull in terms of pacing and life that I can't bring myself to finish half of them. And why? Because so many people are placing emphasis on that which is important, but in no way deserves center stage of any story. But to each their own, I know I'm in the minority here.

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Mermaid on the breakwater

Ok I will offer a couple of my favourites: "to kill a mockingbird", Harper Lee. "last orders", Graham Swift. Anything by Ian Mcewan. "Pompeii", Robert harris, there are many more... But they are all well written, the characters superbly drawn and the story moving. I think the journey with the characters is the most important thing in any literature, if you don't emotionally engage with me, I don't care about what you're writing.

Queen of Wands

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