57 times.
I re-write the intro of my first short story 57 times.
Only to end up with a fairytale.
Does it count?
Once Upon a Time… Not Happening
Writing short stories is a real challenge for me.
My brain is wired on novels. Character development, plot twist, world-building all happen in due time in a novel and I work hard to nail those crucial elements of a good story.
For the first short story I challenge myself to write, I worked waaayyy harder than I taught. And it was bad. Flat. Mundane.
Bad.
Only one solution : back to the basics. Tell what you know.
It might sound like the weirdest thing to say when one writes fantasy, but when you think about it, not so weird after all.
We write about characters after all and our own writer’s imagination is shaped in various ways by the characters we meet in real-life. Our family, friends, neighbors, community.
I went back to the basics, and took the time to read short stories, fairytales and folktales. Out of the comfort zone is a great place to hang out sometimes.
Writing Goal: Step Away from My Writing Comfort Zone
That challenge is for me only. It’s to help me shake things up and write something out of my comfort zone.
Writing a fairytale ? Good enough for this month Ray Bradbury challenge!
Especially since I got back to the basics, and wrote about my immediate surroundings. I ended up with an unconventional fairytale. A classic fairytale with a twist, something fun to read for adults, and fun to hear for kids (or so I humbly hope).
The rocky start of that writing project really took me by surprise.
Where was my imagination? Why was I so hesitant? Writing a mere 250 words over and over, 57 times !? What’s up, mama writer?
I struggle all week-end, questioned everything a whole lot until.
Am I worthy to call myself a writer ? Only if I keep writing will I find the answer I guess.
Thank you so so much, dear fellow writers, for reading my Sunday ramblings. May all the good words be with you!
Marie Alice Writes & Reads 