The Story Behind the Story: The Dinner

This is going to be a short "story behind the story." See, about a month ago I realized I didn't have a story stockpiled for my April Fiction First and, between working 50 hours a week and focusing my writing time on my new novel, I had no ideas for a new story.

Cue the panic.

Enter Twitter.

As if by Fate, a series of writing prompts appeared in my Twitter feed. One of them was about dinner and a divorce. I don't remember the exact words, just the premise that immediately popped into my head: a couple meet for dinner to finalize their divorce, one of them hoping for a last-minute reconciliation. By the end of the dinner, though, that one changes his or her mind. It didn't take me long to decide the hopeful half of the couple would be the husband.

After that, the story came quickly. The agony came during revisions, when I had to cut two of my "darlings," two of my most favorite descriptions I've ever written. (I do have them on sticky notes, though, so I can use them when I find the right time and story.) Without them, though, the story became stronger--much like the main character.

Click here to read "The Dinner."

Sweet 16

It's someone's birthday today. According to the calendar, he's 16. In dog years, he's 80.

Yes, Benji, you can have an extra treat. Happy Birthday, old man!

The Story Behind the Story: Missing

For Round 2 of the 2014 NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge, I was assigned to write a mystery that took place on a mini-golf course and included a bullet.

I knew immediately I didn't want to write a murder mystery, which would be the logical choice for any story involving a bullet. But I didn't want to spend time and words on proper police procedure and crime scene investigation. Also, I'm not a big fan of blood and guts.

So what kind of mystery did that leave? I quickly settled on a missing child. The plot quickly took shape from there. The characters, though, were another story. Not the main characters--Kate and Randy and little Jeremy came to me almost fully formed. The supporting characters, though, were another story, especially Joe and Elliott.

In my first draft, Elliott was incompetent, being carried by the more capable Joe--who was gristly and disgruntled. But Elliott nagged at me. I heard him in my head telling me over and over that he was young but he was able. He had to be, to rise to the position of manager. So that was the first change: Elliott got good at his job. Joe, then, became less of a hard-ass. His job became much easier, much less stressful, now that didn't have to carry his boss.

I submitted Draft 2 as my official entry, and I admit to being fairly satisfied with the story. The judges generally liked it, too. But they felt it could be more suspenseful.

Enter my helpful group of Scribblers, who I tasked with ways to increase the suspense in the story. Voilà! The current version of "Missing" was born.

Click here to read "Missing."

The Story Behind the Story: A Friend in Need

NYC Midnight strikes again! This month's story, "A Friend in Need," comes from my first round assignment in NYC Midnight's 2014 Flash Fiction Challenge. For the second year in a row, my first round prompt was to write a romance. (I think it's a conspiracy.) This one had to be set in an emergency room and involve a mop.

I struggled mightily to get out a draft. Even as I typed, I knew what I was writing was crap. But I submitted it anyway. Then I brought the story to my writer's group, told them I hated it, and asked for ways to fix it.

The group--and the NYC Midnight judges--pointed out that the sensory details I had included were all visual, all about color. All that color distracted from the narrative. I needed to add other senses into the narrative, especially sound and smell, for balance and realism.

The group also pointed out errors in E.R. procedure and policy in that first draft, such as Anna's memory test Anna and Jake being allowed to accompany Anna into the exam room. In my revisions, I fixed the memory test but still allowed Jake to accompany Anna, even though that wouldn't be permitted in a real hospital. Call it artistic license.

I made other changes, too, based on their feedback and the feedback from the judges. It's not the best story I've ever written, but it's much improved now compared to that first draft.

Click here to read "A Friend in Need."

The Word of the Year

Photo by chromatika/iStock / Getty Images

So we're two weeks into 2015 and I still haven't chosen my word of the year. Usually I at least have a list of candidates before the previous year ends. Often, I have the word chosen before midnight on New Year's Eve. This year, nothing. Not a clue.

Most years, I have an idea of what lay ahead, a list of specific goals to accomplish. The challenge is to come up with a word that fits those goals. When I look ahead at 2015, though, I see nothing. I have no idea what the year will hold, no goals demanding my attention. Sure, I have a list of things I'd like to do eventually, but none of them is a pressing need.

If anything, 2015 looks like it will be a year of waiting: waiting to see what happens with the dog, waiting for the townhouse market to improve so I can sell my place without losing my shirt, waiting while I build my savings so I can afford a down payment on a new townhouse, waiting to hear back on short stories I sent out on submission, waiting, waiting, waiting.

““There are years that ask questions and years that answer.”
”

— Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Given that, I seriously considered wait as my word for the year, but it didn't sit right. Wait feels passive, sedentary. I want a word that's active. I want a word that will inspire motion but not require a destination. I want a word that will inspire me to do things this year that will result in a clearer vision and specific goals for next year.

I want to spend the year moving forward.

So I guess that's it then, isn't it?

My word for 2015 will be:

forward

(Picture Jacques Louis-David's painting of Napoleon Crossing the Alps here.)