Patti Abbott's flash challenge goes live tomorrow. She has coaxed over twenty writers to participate in this challenge, so there will be a lot of amazing stories spread across the net for your reading pleasure.
Over the years I've heard many writers say that they refuse to write for free, that their words are worth something. In some ways they're right, words are valuable, but not if they're stuck in a drawer where nobody ever reads them. Participating in Patti's challenges are priceless to me, every time I've written one, I've learned something about writing. And this challenge was no exception.
Everyone had to write an opening paragraph and send it to Patti, who then passed them out. Talk about a hair-pulling experience. First, coming up with a paragraph that someone else could build on, then building on a paragraph that is not your own voice or style.
When I write, I tend to skirt around descriptions, leaving the reader to imagine how a character looks, moves and dresses. My paragraph forced me to include description and body movements in my story and helped me realize that you can move a story along in this way. That it doesn't have to slow a story down.
So, my thanks to Patti for coming up with the concept and to the writer who allowed me to build upon her (his) words. I look forward to seeing who wrote the paragraph I was given along with reading the story that was built on my paragraph.
You can't put a price on the lessons and the sharing of words that will come out of this challenge.
7 comments:
I agree, Sandra. I was only a couple of months into this writing game and the challenge was the longest thing I'd written. The amount of REALLY good writers involved scared me bit and also gave me a kick. The para I was given was great and, i thought, way beyond me but that's what a challenge is all about, eh?Patti is great, isn't she?
This was a very cool experiment to participate in. I'd always read through the various challenges that Patti and Gerald would put together, and think about how fun it would be to play around with it. I've never had to build off of someone else's words before, and I have admit it was more than a bit of a struggle for me. But it was great and I can't wait to read the results. (And also find out who ended up with my paragraph.)
I think finding out who had your paragraph and what they did with it will be the best part of this challenge.
Whichever way you look at it - a story is written to be read.
Some write for money - some for pleasure. I do it 'cos I enjoy it.
I came in at the very last minute on the last Flash Fiction. I had only just dicovered Patti's blog at the time - so I did mine there and then.
Haven't a clue who wrote my first paragraph - but I had to try and find the 'voice' first.
I think short story writers learn to do this early on--skirting physical details for length and that has really tripped me up in trying a novel. You need to include these things--even as a breather and I just have trouble doing it. All meat isn't a good long-term diet.
I'm with you, Ray, I write because I love it. If I make some money fine, if not, that's good too. For me the joy is in the writing and that once in while note from someone who liked the story.
You're so right, Patti. I started out with flash and you really have to trim to the bone with that. I'm still learning to expand and this flash showed me how to do it and still keep the story flowing.
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