For some time now I have been a member of the #fridayflash crowd, a crowdsourced exercise in building a writing community created by J. M. Strother. I even made it into the The Best of Friday Flash - Volume One, for which I thank the editors and compilers of the anthology.
But I'm going to take a break for a while. (*See, he's run out of ideas!*)
No, I haven't - and please be quiet. I ask you, how could I run out of ideas with the voices I hear around me all the time?
I want to get back to focusing on longer pieces, short as opposed to short-short, stories. There's a little more time to create a world, a set of characters - and let them play. So, a little stretching of those muscles is in order.
In addition, earlier this year I completed a writing course created and run by the LongRidge Writers Group - "Breaking Into Print". I learned a great deal, not least of which was how much I didn't know when I decided to take my writing more seriously. A valuable course, for that insight alone, but it gave me far more than that.
So, I decided to give them even more money(!) and signed up for a course of theirs on the writing of novels. Given I have the drafts of two of those beasts already, and half the draft of a third, it's probable I will learn something.
The course seems to have as a foundation the idea of creating a structure for a novel, to know where it starts, what happens, how it ends - before finger is put to keyboard or ink to paper (as in my case).
The very idea scares me witless. And that's a good enough reason to go there.
I've already had my first assignment returned to me - with a request from the instructor to try again. That didn't happen on my previous course. I think I'm going to like this (quite what that says about me I don't care to examine right now).
I'll continue my Goldberg Variations project, because I want to finish that. So, from time to time, a #fridayflash will turn up.
And haiku will continue to flow. Every once in a while I feel I should have written them down. But, no. There is something oddly attractive about these little seventeen-syllable musings being ephemeral.
I will, however, continue (nay increase) my reading of the #fridayflash stories. That's too much pleasure to miss out on.
Yes, PLEASE don't disappear off the radar as others have done when they quit writing flash. You are much to valuable to the community and would leave a large, gaping hole in the fabric.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean, which is why I've gone back to novels but the friday itch can still call out to you - even help to free your mind if you're stuck on a section of manuscript.
The course sounds fascinating so do give us reports once in awhile. :)
That would be TOO valuable. Darn typos...
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the new ventures!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the longer material, Kevin.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you'll be focusing on longer materials, but do come back for #fridayflash from time to time :)
ReplyDeleteThanks all for reading and commenting. And many thanks for the good wishes for the longer material. I need all the help/luck I can get.
ReplyDeleteI will post a #fridayflash from time to time. I have a #1 Fan in the UK whom I do not wish to disappoint.
The fridayflash community is a great one. I've never been a member (because I tend to focus on longer pieces) but I've read some of the pieces on the fridayflash site and followed many of the members as they post their work.
ReplyDeleteJai
"I think I'm going to like this (quite what that says about me I don't care to examine right now)."
ReplyDeletemade me lol. Thank you for that this morning Kevin. Go on out there and stretch your wings...
Looking forward to updates to your journey...
godspeed.
:0)
@Jai I agree, the #fridayflash community is terrific. I am very happy to be part of it.
ReplyDelete@Karen Happy to provide fun for a morning. As I have anything to report, I'll scribble it here.
Good luck with the novel writing! The course sounds interesting, and I wish you the best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI knew I'd missed you this week. So glad I came to find out where you were. Yes, please don't disappear. You're an important member of this community and a great guy.
ReplyDelete@ganymedr Many thanks for the good wishes. I'm fond of longer short stories and I need to find my act ans get it together regarding novels.
ReplyDelete@Rachel Very pleased to be missed (I know that doesn't sound right, but it's true). I've no intention of disappearing - probably couldn't if I tried (in fact I know some who bemoan exactly that fact - but that's another blog post). Thank you for the compliments.
Good luck with the novel! The course certainly sounds interesting. I can't seem to even start ona fridayflash unless I've got a clear idea of where it's going. The thought of starting on a longer piece terrifies me. I need to get over this, so let us know how you get on!
ReplyDelete