Pushing at the Walls
Growing is uncomfortable. Although I’ve written nearly every genre as a sub-genre of what I write, I’ve never actually written something I didn’t have the compulsion to be a prude about.
Until this weekend. I wrote the first non-erotic story in my life, LOL. Silly, that. A bit of an experiment. My story is up at Lurker Monkey’s, whose monthly prompts for flash fiction are fun. From the comments, I’m suddenly curious to discover what people think it’s about.
G keeps asking what the point of NaNo is. 
There’s tons of reasons to enjoy NaNo, but one of my reasons, this year, is to use the word count and community to push me through all the insecurities and second-guesses I’ll face as I write something outside my normal genre.
I was just reading how Stephen King writes his first draft as fast as he can, trying to outrace his doubts. I get that, LOL.
Anyway, I’m going to try to write a couple more pieces of flash fiction before NaNo. My short story muscle is weak. I used to write 4 short stories a month like clockwork, but I don’t think I’ve written one in three or so years. (They got to feel a little formulaic, after awhile.)
(No, I don’t know what I’m writing for NaNo yet. I am trying not to panic. There have been ideas swirling up there. I’m still deciding.)
*UPDATE: I just found out that Travis Erwin WON Nathan Bransford’s first paragraph contest! I’m so happy for Travis, for so many reasons!
So what’re you doing to stretch your wings, push at your walls, and break yourself out of your current level of writing to get to the next level?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats and husband. She spends summers camped near her niece, because, well, her niece is her favorite girl on the planet.
Congratulations to Travis! That’s fabulous!
Natasha, I was read your spider story and loved it. I felt so bad about the spider.
I’m trying different directions and doing a lot of stretching. In the last two weeks, I wrote something different for a contest, and now I have another direction to try.
Oh, Edie, I can’t tell you how happy I am for Travis! He reminds me of you. You both are awesome writers, you both keep winning things, you both are doing everything right, and yet, by some odd luck of the stupid draw, you’re not on the bookshelves yet. I confess I look at you two and think that life is SO UNFAIR, but you guys just keep plugging along. You’re my heroes, LOL!
I tend to tackle other genres a lot. I used to be able to say I was just a SF/F writer, but now I’ve sold an erotica novella and a thriller short. I’m working on a SF thriller now, but my next book is planned to be a straight thriller. So it’s tough to nail down. I like lots of genres, though fantasy is my fave.
Hopefully I’m stretching myself enough.
Oh that’s cool, Bets! I’m a lover of lots of genres, too. I’m always wondering what I should write next, and people always say: write what you read the most!
But… I read everything. How do you decide?
I think your story read very much like something I’d read from Gaiman. Fairy-tale-esque, you know the real ones, where children get burnt up in ovens and baby birds get baked into pies. Liked it, lots.
Sub it to Electric Spec if you like, though I agree it needs a bit of revision for voice. We pay pro rates for flash.
LOL, Bets… Gaiman is one of my favorites. And just a couple weeks ago, I read a bunch of Grimm’s fairy tales.
Thanks, Bets, I will!
I have as a goal to write and sell something in every genre.
I think that is the coolest, Charles!
I don’t feel like I’ve done very much to push myself out of my current level. I think I’ve absorbed a lot from the writing books I’ve read and from others’ critiques, but I don’t think I’ve actually set out to challenge myself. I have tried to step out of my comfort zone with LurkerMonkey’s prompts, but that’s about it.
Yay for Travis!
Seriously, Melanie?! I think you do it unconsciously, because I think everything you do is push. I mean, look at how different the books you’ve written are: one memoir, one book about a 19-year old Mexican boy, and one book about, well, you describe it better than I do, but it’s nothing at all like your other two.
And I totally look up to you in all your flash writing!
I don’t decide on stories, they decide on me! Sometimes there are spec fic elements, sometimes not.
That’s not entirely true. I do decide what stories I want to write next. But ideas hit me all the time. Like I just had a one today–a slash piece…
Yeah, that’s what I mean… which one to write next? Or write at all? ‘Cause there’s so many ideas, LOL!
Another one I struggle with: where to put the idea I’ve had… so many different ways to spin it!
I’m so excited for you and NaNo! You’ll figure it out. Let the desert inspire you.
We’re pushing 100 again.
And yay for Travis! I just saw. So cool!
Omg, Anissa, I have the HUGEST GRIN on my face. Seriously? I can’t wait! Wow! That is just the coolest! I felt like I had no summer this year, but it looks like I’ll get one. In November! How cool is that?
I’m so impressed with your NaNo’ing. I’m a NaNo drop out. I’ll cheer you guys on!
I really should read the flash fiction pieces. I’m going to run over to Lurker Monkey’s and check yours out. This will be fun. But if there are spiders, I’m going to step on them.
Thanks, Robin! I’m going to need the cheering! Oh man, lucky you missed today’s offering! Actually, I think you’d LOVE the spider story there today!
Natasha, that was awesome! It gave me chills! I agree with your thoughts on evil. It’s almost the banal that is the most horrifying. The kid didn’t give it a second thought. He was a blue eyed kid playing “a game”. Shiver. Poor Tommy.
(I couldn’t figure out how to comment at Lurker’s, so I commented here.)
LOL, poor Tommy, definitely! Aww, thanks!
Good luck with NaNo. I think it’s great that you are using it to push yourself towards something new! AND I think that your idea is a great one so it will be a good one to use for this growing process
Lauren, I can’t wait! I’m so excited for Nano this year!
I’m about the paranormal, so does a paranormal YA count?
I just finished mine up, so I’m getting it ready for submissions and stuff.
Anytime I’ve tried to do straight up contemporary, the paranormal seeps in and puts my characters to the test. One of these days I’ll come up with a good non-paranormal…I hope.
Oh wow, good luck! Sure does, Marcia! I feel about erotica how you feel about paranormal, LOL!
Yes, NaNo is good to move us forward without second guessing. And it gives a sense of “being in this together” and writer fellowship that we don’t often get. Too bad there is nothing going on in my neck of the woods. I seriously wanted to try and get together with other writers this time out.
That’s so cool about Travis.
Written, I’m excited. It seems Tucson is quite active about it. I’m a little shy, but I’m so glad that as soon as I get there, I have the means to meet people! This is great timing!
Hmmm….thanks for the mention (I think).
I think the only other genre I’ll give a good shot at is probably Spiritual/Mother Nature. I had my first short published and it was a mix of spiritual and nature, and it came out pretty good.
It’s something I find pretty comfortable dabbling in, with the amount of the descriptive word I like to use.
I meant to give you more reasons, G, but I’ve been so lazy about getting a blog together.
Really? That’s cool! I wouldn’t have thought that right off the bat for you. That’s awesome!
Description is fun!
Descriptive is one of my strong suits. Can always make it better, but I try to go with what I do best.
The story originally came about when I decided to challenge myself a couple of years ago to write something clean (in other words, no sex and no violence). It came out pretty good, needed minimal editing and can be found at Beat to a Pulp.
Just look for it in the archives under my real name.
Oh dear, I can’t find it! Is your real name the Facebook name? Am I at the right site: http://www.beattoapulp.com? You wouldn’t email me the link, would you? (spyscribbler at gmail)
To progress my own writing, I’m trying to read and think more. Lots of thought, less “instinct.”
Overall, your short story was very good. It certainly had an effect. I was excited to hear it came from a poem, though not surprised, given your excellent use of antimetabole and epistrophe in saying “from wall to wall, wall to ceiling, and ceiling to wall…halfway down the wall.” Lovely stuff.
Also, clever move in naming the spider but not the boy. Something not many would consciously notice (though any writer ought to, of course), but definitely works wonders.
There were some weaknesses, too, naturally. But since you obviously haven’t asked for an extended critique, I won’t make you suffer through one. XD
Also, I didn’t know you knew any other poets! Who is this “genius poet-friend”?! But really, now, I’m only beginning to learn how not-good I am, which, I believe, is the first step toward improving.
Oh wait! I emailed you back, didn’t I? That counts as responding to a comment, doesn’t it?
I’m most relieved it had an effect at all. I really am concerned it’s predictable and thus, by halfway through, pointless to read the rest.
My original idea was a poem, and I wanted to make sort of a word-web amidst the poem with four words. (I forget which words, now.)
Nice idea, but it was so far over my skill level as to be ludicrous, LOL!