Thinking Outside the Octagon

Not every writing week is created equal. Some weeks I get to sit down every day and just write story after story. I write a lot of flash pieces so pounding out two or three or five of them a week isn't unusual for me. Do I find homes for all of them? Of course not, but I still enjoy the process of writing them, of experimenting with different techniques for telling a story, exploring odd topics, and even switching genres.

This week I only managed to complete one flash which was my entry into the Clarity of Night contest. The picture didn't really bring anything to mind at first. Then I thought what if this pair of legs ( the picture is denim clad legs riding an elevator ) is being stalked? I had this whole nasty vision in my head so I started jotting down sentences until the very last sentence danced itself into my head and I knew that I had to take a different tact with story. No, I'm not going to give it away. You can read it over at Clarity of Night, entry #20, and while you're there take the time to read some of the other entries.

What really blows me away about Jason's contest is how many different stories are spawned by one picture. Sure there's a few with the same idea but the writer's takes are so varied that you don't feel like you're reading the same old, same old. Almost everyone has learned to think, and here's the old writing cliche, outside of the box.

One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever received was don't just think outside the box, jot down the first three ideas that pop into your head then go with the fifth or sixth one that comes to you. Always go one step further than you think the next writer will. It's good advice and I've managed some dandy stories using that method.

What about you, what writing advice have you received that made you go, "Yeah, that's it! That'll work for me."

And today's quote is from Jack Bludis:
"A writing career, like life, is a journey not a destination."