June 22, 2017

Day 22: Short Story Marathon

Summary

Did a short session early, but cut it off to go run before the heat hit and the work day started. That sure helped; got my body moving and my emotions perked up too. The pace of this challenge is starting to wear. Oddly this can give me trouble starting a story, but once the story takes hold, I’m all there. It just takes me.

Last night, while I was waiting to read “Death by Cookie” to Aleia I banged out a couple of sentences. In the morning, I looked at some story starts (which I don’t seem to be interested anymore) and just went on with those few sentences. A short session in the morning, more at lunch, and then in the evening. “Ela and the Naiad” is a fantasy story and about 3,800 words. Read it to Aleia. Off it goes tomorrow.

I’m beginning to think that with enough practice you can take any old thing and build a story up from it.

Another thing the fatigue has brought is less wondering “what am I going to write next?” Lately, I just don’t know. I write.

“Death by Cookie” off to Dean. The streak is at 13. Two weeks here I come.

Heard back form Dean on story #5, “Wink, Plum, and the Bones that March.” That one needs a bit more work.

Took a few minutes and entered corrections from my proofreader on story #2, “The Disappearing Neighborhood” and sent it off to market. This was one of the ones Dean said to get out there and now it is.

Stats for Today

Strategies Employed: Ā Exercise!

Lessons Learned: If you are there and give them time, stories will grow out of nearly anything. BONUS: you’ll get stuff you never dreamed of.

Words Written: 3,900

Hours: 3.6

Stories Sent to Dean: 1

Story Summary

# Story Total Words Done?
1 Woody and June vs. the Fungus-Head Zombies 5101 Yes
2 Daisyā€™s Heart 5800 Yes
3 The Disappearing Neighborhood 2773 Yes
4 Woody and June vs. the Grand Canyon 6070 Yes
5 Home in Time 4483 Yes
6 Wink, Plum, and the Bones that March 5972 Yes
7 The Stars in Hoshi’s Eyes 2532 Yes
8 Android Eve and Adam 3512 Yes
9 A Long, Hard Fall 8475 Yes
10 Fitzā€™s Second Chance 2800 Yes
11 Fake Jake 1565 Yes
12 With Light Years Between Us 4670 Yes
13 Life and a Starling 2278 Yes
14 Dancing Kite 1524 Yes
15 Jump in Time 8768 Yes
16 Death by Vodka 2100 Yes
17 Death by Cookie 4094 Yes
18 Ela and the Naiad 3800 No

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Robert J. McCarter


Robert J. McCarter is the author of more than ten novels and over a hundred short stories...... learn more

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