writing style

Yes, it is much as I suspected, there`s a lot more involved in this writing business than meets the reader`s eyes. Just keep writing `em and I`ll be more than happy to keep reading `em.

There isn't all that much to writing. If you can leave a comment then you can write a story.

Writing is a craft that improves with practice. The more you do the better you get. I urge all "non-writers" reading this to write a simple little scene. A snippet. Just something that you would like to read in a story. Once you've done that you can expand on it or start a new story - but whatever you do you will do it as a writer.

Goodgulf

I agree. Practice doesn't make perfect, but better. If there is one tip I'd recommend, though, it's to keep thinking "Whose viewpoint is this from?" even if it's told in the third person (he did this; she saw him do that). Some amateur writers describe a woman, for example, as if she were livestock: height, weight, precise age (how does the randy shopkeeper or whoever is observing her know this? Has he put her on his scales?). Ask yourself how the shopkeeper perceives this new customer - then how she perceives him. Then this leads naturally, without desperate effort, to dialogue with little misunderstandings and revealing words.

I'll amplify what barrethunter said about point of view (POV). It's one of the most important decisions you make when writing a story. It depends on the characters. In the first person POV all focus is on the marrator--what he sees, thinks, feels. This can be very effective when the narrator is experiencing something grand or strange, maybe for the first time. It's that sense of wonder or euphoria that the author expresses through his protagonist, e.g. "Farm of the Delphian Sisterhood", "Miss Martin's Academy".

If the focus is on main character and you wish to let the reader be privy to their thoughts and feelings only, then use third person limited. Usually works best with just one main character. Not as intimate as first person--puts space between the author and reader, e.g. "A Two Spanking Offense" .

Third person observer. This observer is neutral. He doesn't know the thoughts and feelings of the characters except as they have been related to him or what he saw. Works well in an "I was there or here is what I learned" type of tale, e.g. "The Woodmont Three" and "Fairy Tale".

If there are a large number of important characters you might use third person omniscient. This is when you want to be able to tell the reader what is in the minds of more than one person, perhaps several, but usually the main characters, e.g., "Cynthia's Case", "LaForge-Thermopolis Springs".

The choice is important because it sets the limits of your ability to be able to describe experiences, feelings and thoughts---pretty important considerations in a "spanking story". Right now I have a story in mind but I'm bogged down with it because I can't decide on POV. The only way to do it is to play it out in your head several different ways and see which seems the most effective way to tell the tale.

I agree wholeheartedly, Mr Blimp. There are certain 'rules' which are taught in 'Short Story Writing' classes. Artofzee has covered many of them in his post, but I recall a couple of others.

Never start a story with conversation. I break this one all the time. Does this make all my stories rubbish? (Don't answer that!)

Don't let a short story cover more than one day. As I recall, Maupassant's 'The Necklace' covered several years.

It would be interesting to see if our favourite mainstream short story writers always adhere to these 'rules'.

Anyway, aren't rules made to be broken?

Well we don't, that's for sure. My opening line of The Friday Night Bridge Club is---"It's a forgery,"...

I agree Linda. Make your own rules. The words you use are of aesthetic significance so just try and make the right choices. Pick up a copy of "The Dubliners" then you will see how the real master of the short story writes.

How about this. from Two Gallants

The grey warm evening of August had descended upon the city and a mild warm air, a memory of summer, circulated in the streets. The streets, shuttered for the repose of Sunday, swarmed with a gaily coloured crowd. Like illumined pearls the lamps shone from the summits of their tall poles upon the living texture below which, changing shape and hue unceasingly, sent up into the warm grey evening air an unchanging unceasing murmur.

I just think that passage is so beautiful. Their is nothing you could change that would make it better.

What? It isn't? But ... I thought ...


Not come across this book, but his short story 'My Oedipus Complex' is one of my all-time favourites.

Yes, he is a wonderful short story writer himself. I have read My Oedipus Complex, its about a boy whose father comes back from the war. I am sure it was on the radio recently.

Why is it that some very good author`s works stand the test of time and some don`t ? I enjoyed reading stories by A J Cronin but nowadays his stuff seems to be out of fashion. Dr Finlay`s casebook worked well on television but would now be seen as very dated whereas other works written at the same time still find favour. Is it writing style or content or is that too simplistic ?