Monthly Archives: August 2009

1,250 Words Too Much

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Writing Leave a reply

I made a commitment last week to re-work one of my short stories and submit it to a local magazine.  I thought it would be a slam dunk, an easy way to sneak a submission past my irrationally fearful subconscious.

I looked over the story, then checked the writers’ guidelines.  And there was the block: 1,500 word limit.  My story is 2,750 words, and though I’m a fan of the “cut by a third” mantra, I don’t think the story would survive being cut nearly in half.

I have a week to write a new story and meet my commitment.

The Thaw

By lytspeed Posted in 100 Words A Day, Writing Leave a reply

I spent the last couple of weeks gathering topics for today’s 100 Words A Day writing blizzard.  At first, the ideas only trickled, a frozen faucet beginning to thaw.  Then, a sequence of blasts as the ice broke up, and finally a steady stream.

As long as I keep the faucet on, or at least dripping, I should have a constant source of writing ideas.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take proper care over the winter, and it’s been difficult getting the pipes to thaw, for any writing.

I realized last week that it’s been eighteen months since I wrote any fiction.