Writing is something I enjoy immensely, but feel I still have a a lot to learn about it. For this reason, I am always trying to find new ways to challenge myself in this area. So I have setup goals to make this happen. One part of my goals is to learn to do better in reaching deadlines, and what better way to accomplish this than to participate in writing contests.
I have turned to the great writing magazine, Writer's Digest, to participate in two of their annual contests. The first I've already submitted for the last week in October. That contest was a short story with a 4,000 word limit. The second contest, which I am working on now, is a short story with a 1,500 word limit and it's due by December 1st. I assure you the 1,500 word limit is much harder.
The first part of November was spent trying to come up with a decent plot to a story that would fit in a 1,500 word story, not an easy task to do. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it off. I think between the pressure of the contest looming over my head and the distraction of visiting family for two weeks really made things more difficult than they needed to be. While away on my trip, I was eventually able to conceive of a plot that might work, but it really wasn't until this past Saturday that I was able to MAKE the story work the way I wanted it to.
I'm feeling much more confidant about the contest and feel that I actually might make it happen. Thanks to great help from a fellow writer (Nora) and my patient hubbie, it's the only reason I've gotten as far as I have. With their help and dogged determination on my part I might actually reach my deadline. All I have left it the tedious hell of finish work, which any writer knows a story never really is finished. Though there are different levels of a finished story and I hope I can reach an acceptable one in the time I have left.
I have also endeavored to try for a 30,000 word count in the month of November, but I'm only around 10,000 now. I suppose working on a short story of 1,500 doesn't offer much opportunity for a large word count. But I feel the most important contest is completing my story. Though if blogging could go towards word count, I would probably be able to make it. :)
I have turned to the great writing magazine, Writer's Digest, to participate in two of their annual contests. The first I've already submitted for the last week in October. That contest was a short story with a 4,000 word limit. The second contest, which I am working on now, is a short story with a 1,500 word limit and it's due by December 1st. I assure you the 1,500 word limit is much harder.
The first part of November was spent trying to come up with a decent plot to a story that would fit in a 1,500 word story, not an easy task to do. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pull it off. I think between the pressure of the contest looming over my head and the distraction of visiting family for two weeks really made things more difficult than they needed to be. While away on my trip, I was eventually able to conceive of a plot that might work, but it really wasn't until this past Saturday that I was able to MAKE the story work the way I wanted it to.
I'm feeling much more confidant about the contest and feel that I actually might make it happen. Thanks to great help from a fellow writer (Nora) and my patient hubbie, it's the only reason I've gotten as far as I have. With their help and dogged determination on my part I might actually reach my deadline. All I have left it the tedious hell of finish work, which any writer knows a story never really is finished. Though there are different levels of a finished story and I hope I can reach an acceptable one in the time I have left.
I have also endeavored to try for a 30,000 word count in the month of November, but I'm only around 10,000 now. I suppose working on a short story of 1,500 doesn't offer much opportunity for a large word count. But I feel the most important contest is completing my story. Though if blogging could go towards word count, I would probably be able to make it. :)
Telling a complete, fully developed short story within 4,000 words is difficult. Doing it within 1,500 is an art form. I congratulate you for trying it. You are a braver woman than I.
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