Short Stories
When a writer reveals his imaginations, is he exposing his inner being to his and his readers conscious thoughts and imaginations? Yes I think so. Each second of the day we take in the information and experiences of lives journey, and these ‘moments’ of life enter the mental recorder called memory. You know this already and I am no neurological expert so I will leave the workings of the brain to the genius’s of the world.
What I feel is important is the Short Story demands that when a description is written it should be carefully constructed, the writer does not have 5000 words available to describe a character’s every detail. Being a Campbell’s Soup writer is being a Short Story writer. Did you read the point of the last sentence? The description should be condensed enough for the reader to open and expand upon the words written in the description.
The Short Story is therapeutic to the writer.
I write about myself in my journals, indeed someone once read my journals and divorced me (true) – I guide you to write with this type of honesty, if you do not you will have no weight to your creation. The Short Story is the best way to hone your skill, it will have more chance of being read from beginning to end and if you are clear and precise with the use of your words, you may sell some books. I caution you here, do not think you will sell any at all! Write because you love to hear yourself think.
My work is from my heart, I do not attempt to be anything other than the individual I am. If I write within the parameters of my truths (be they right or wrong – it does not matter) Then I know I WILL upset some who read my work, there will be those who find fault in my ‘gurr-ham-ah’ and there will be those who will look down upon the humble style with it’s limited vocabulary. You must know I do not care for the weakness of others, for their griping, fault finding and superior arrogance. I write because I enjoy the solitude, early mornings, note books, random thoughts, photographs, conversations, recordings which enter my imagination to become a Short Story.
Writing is a meditation and one can easily become lost in the process’s, thoughts, imaginations, fantasies. Is the internet poker player, the si-fi gamer or the ‘YouShotIt’ competition photographer not within a meditation of recreation? Are any of us different? Do we all want to escape to a dream world? You are your own thoughts, madness’s, genius and the writer has to be prepared to take chances, not conform, be prepared to lose…Many a writer is a gambler who is fighting fictitious fears and demons, writing tens of thousands of words, never one published.
I finish with this truth – Each year over 180,000 books are published on the internet, there is no point attempting to be a 1/180000 chance of success, There is every point in being a 1/1 odds on favourite winner. If one reader likes your work you have past the finishing post. You may never be certain each book you write is finished, there will always be a word to change, a paragraph to remove, some changes needed. Write without a care for anyone.
The Campbell’s Soup description of me….
Ian was told by his English teacher Shakespeare is the greatest writer of the English language – He did not care for a word of the ‘Bards’ work and wouldn’t pay a penny to watch one of the plays again.
I could write a story from the words in the above paragraph.
The Heart of the Mind 