The Short Story Challenge

Well, so much for my weekly schedule! It’s been a month since I posted, and have only the usual excuses to offer – work and life. 

I am very happy to have my story “Pearls Mean Tears” published in the fabulous Tincture Journal – do grab a copy! There’s also a GoodReads link, and an author page for little ol’ me! Having my own author page on GoodReads tickles me no end. 

Note that my absence of blog posts does not translate to a void in my writing. I am pleased to report that I have got plenty of writing done. In a usual year, I get about 10k words of writing completed, and that’s an optimistic estimate, but this year I’ve managed that in the first two months alone. This is thanks in no small part to the Short Story Challenge – 12 of us have taken it upon ourselves to complete 1 short story every month this year. Our host Radhika Meghanathan calls it the 12×12 challenge, as we’re writing 12 stories in 12 months. By a lucky coincidence there’s 12 writers on the group too! 

I’ve learnt a lot by doing this challenge.

1. It’s easier to complete a story than I think, especially once I’m into it about three hundred words or so.
2. It’s easier to critique stories that are not your own, mostly also because you don’t have to go back and fix them! I do try my level best to give some suggestions, though.
3. It becomes easier to spot mistakes in your own work, having critiqued someone else’s.
4. It gets easier to know how to fix problems that creep up again and again.

Plot problems, incorrect words, abrupt endings – these and many such issues plague my stories. Of course, like all good writers, I diligently plough on, waiting to find that elusive gold at the end of the rainbow.

What have you been writing lately?