Longer Short Stories - Writers Forum

semtecks · 01-12-2006, 03:20 PM

How about a seperate forum for long short stories, or a seperate fourm for really short stories, like flash. Because let's face it, if you write something that's ten or twenty pages long it's going to end up buried as people go for the shorter option.

Sometimes I feel like somthing short, in which case I could go to the flash forum; and sometimes I fancy a complete story, then I'll go to long short stories.

Not that I have anything against flash.

semtecks · 01-12-2006, 03:21 PM

Oh, and i forgot to say. If we had seperate forums could the word count limit be raised to about ten-twenty thousand words?

mjk · 01-17-2006, 02:29 PM

i'll second that motion. apparently if the lines aren't clearly drawn, people get confused.

we should divide "short stories" into a separate forum for flash fiction and a separate forum for longer short fiction, such as novellas. maybe we can make the distinction by word count: 1,000 and below is flash and 1,001 and above in longer short fiction (although we'll have to come up with a better name than "longer short fiction," haha.)??

semtecks · 01-17-2006, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjk

although we'll have to come up with a better name than "longer short fiction," haha.)??

Kind of a contradiction in terms, isn't it? lol

nae411 · 01-17-2006, 03:51 PM

I will pass this along to Chris and see what he thinks. Good suggestion.

Nae

silverwriter · 01-17-2006, 03:55 PM

good suggestion... but perhaps offer a piece within the word limits and offer to email the rest for extended comments, should someone wish it? unless you aren't comfortable with the email idea.

Ilan Bouchard · 01-17-2006, 03:59 PM

Isn't there an area for fiction? I would think if it isn't a short story that's where it'd go.

01-17-2006, 04:01 PM

i think daniela is just about ready to address this issue... so hang on to yer shorts, all.

semtecks · 01-17-2006, 04:02 PM

I've noticed a few flash pieces in fiction, but mostly people post fantasy in there, and fantasy is pretty long.

daniela · 01-18-2006, 10:58 PM

Disclaimer:

This isn't really official or anything - I just want to see where everyone is at.

Two complaints almost always came up in the past when there was talk about adding new forums. To be fair to everyone, I think they should be brought into this discussion as well.

1. Some members believe the main page is already too crowded. (I'll admit I'm one of them, but I won't let those feelings get in the way of what's best for WF as a whole.)

2. It would be too much work for the staff.

I won't say that the second one doesn't apply anymore--I wouldn't presume to speak for everyone on staff--but for those of us with fast connections and tabbed browsers and with the changes in the forum software, I think it's slightly more doable.

As for the first, what about sub forums? We could take the Short Fiction forum, make it strictly for longer works, and then add in a sub forum for Flash Fiction. Alternatively, we could divide the Fiction forum into various sub forums, like novel, novella, short story, etc.

Those are just a couple of ideas. Feel free to rip them apart or add on to them. Chris has the final word on all of this, so I can't promise that anything will be done just yet. However, it would be nice to have a few workable solutions to present him with that a majority of the members would be happy with when he does get a chance to get to this.

Also, if you can think of any other problems that need to be addressed, it would be greatly appreciated if you would bring them up now.

Talia_Brie · 01-18-2006, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Also, if you can think of any other problems that need to be addressed, it would be greatly appreciated if you would bring them up now.

Yeah, my four year old sone want's to know where babies come from.

Also, I'm confused. Am I your 'yes man' on this forum as well as the other one? I feel conflicted.

daniela · 01-18-2006, 11:38 PM

Off Topic:

Quote:

Quote:

Also, if you can think of any other problems that need to be addressed, it would be greatly appreciated if you would bring them up now.

Yeah, my four year old son want's to know where babies come from.

Smart-aleck. You know that I meant problems related to semteck's suggestion. I don't have kids or nieces and nephews, so I shouldn't address that one anyway.

Quote:

Also, I'm confused. Am I your 'yes man' on this forum as well as the other one? I feel conflicted.

As long as you happen to agree with what I say, yes, I do expect you to be my "yes man" here and the other place. Other than that, feel free to call me stupid and disagree with me all you like.

mjk · 01-18-2006, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daniela

As for the first, what about sub forums? We could take the Short Fiction forum, make it strictly for longer works, and then add in a sub forum for Flash Fiction. Alternatively, we could divide the Fiction forum into various sub forums, like novel, novella, short story, etc.

i think sub forums are a fabulous idea. i like the idea of a fiction forum divided into "short stories" "flash" "prose" "novels" "novellas" and the like. it would be nice to separate all that into genre, but then it really would be a lot of extra work.

i'm all for sub forums. thanks daniela for the great suggestion.

Talia_Brie · 01-19-2006, 12:45 AM

Quote:

You know that I meant problems related to semteck's suggestion.

Madam, you give me far too much credit.

Kat · 01-19-2006, 02:18 AM

I think that the sub forum idea is great. I would rather see Short stories with a sub forum for flash. I think that would be a little more do-able in terms of set up and moderating yet still be seperating the forms. Also put word limits in the title, maybe short story, novella from 2,000 to 20,000 ro what ever. and then flash under 2,000.