Thursday 1 July 2010

Short story

I sent a little story out into the world to swing for itself the other day – how absolutely terrifying! I am now nervously sitting on my hands. The temptation to read through the story again and again bemoaning why I put that, why I chose those words, why-oh-why – I need to somehow delete this story from my mind. But I cannot! It is so new and shiny. We’re still on honeymoon and I’ve sent it packing.

It almost didn’t come to life at all. I had been playing with a blog post idea for a while, patting it around the computer. As it grew flesh and bones, turning into a story, I wondered whether it was good enough to send away somewhere, like maybe a competition. I am very aware of the fact that I have no fiction credits to my name (yet!) - maybe they are not needed, but I can’t help thinking that they help, that it all helps – especially when you are a bit brand new. So I carried on worrying at the story... but thinking it was turning into the wrong story, more of an essay... and then last week came this flash of inspiration about a completely different idea.

This was a fully fledged little story, no swollen blog post, this. So then I played with that instead for a week and got some paragraphs down, and last Friday night went hell for leather and wrote the whole thing before midnight. Saturday morning I hated it, Saturday afternoon I was okay with it, and then Saturday evening good friend C read it through and liked it. Sunday I picked it over and printed it out to read in the garden. Monday I read it on the train. Tuesday I emailed the revised effort to good friend R (who liked it too, hooray) and yesterday I sat in a coffee shop at lunchtime and went over it with a red pen. I even spoke it aloud over my latte and earned myself a few looks of ‘woah, I see mad woman’. And now I have sent it away. Blimey.

It is for a competition, and I won’t know anything about it at all until October, so now I have to forget about it completely. But I feel so fired up! I don’t particularly like the phrase ‘creative juices’ (as eugh, ick) but me river’s a-flowing. EUGH!

17 comments:

Joanne said...

Very exciting times here! I think every writing credit helps, showing something more about you as a writer. Best wishes in the competition :)

Rose said...

how exciting, and good for you- good luck

Jayne said...

Thanks Joanne! I'm feeling very positive about my writing at the moment - I think that helps.

Aw, cheers Rose! I'd say cross fingers for me but it is a long time until October... :)

Ed Pilolla said...

it is exciting to put that sort of creative energy into a piece and send it off, like a child into the world. and that's what you're doing: giving up your creation to the universe. good luck! but no matter whether it's honored or not, i would say don't rely on the validation of others. we never know the criteria they are using. and often, it is a strange criteria. if you love it, that love is what truly matters.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Hi Jayne, thanks for dropping by my blog this morning. It's always a pleasure to meet new bloggers and new writers.

Beginning and growing writers are not the only ones who suffer through nervousness, doubt, and excitement. I have a new "baby" ready to submit in a new genre, and I feel exactly the way you described. I must let go, send "baby" out into the world of agents and editors, and turn my attention to the next project. It's never as easy as it sounds.

Aubrie said...

Congrats on entering the competition! It doesn't hurt to have some writing credits. You'll have to keep us posted on the outcome!

Clara said...

I`ve sent stories to contests too! I understand you 110%, one day I loved the story, the other hated it. But now I`m ok with it, dont know for how long though!

Talli Roland said...

Yay for short stories! Aren't they fun? I wrote one last weekend and really enjoyed the process.

Good luck - keep us posted!

Anonymous said...

Good luck in the competition, Jayne. It is exciting to have something 'out there', even if there is a long wait.

Interesting that you read it out loud (or maybe not that loud). I do that with my stories before sending them off; it really helps.

Happy Frog and I said...

Very best of luck. I know the waiting part is hard but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will all work out. Whatever happens you have created something you are happy with and that is the important thing.

Amy said...

Congratulations! That is a big deal. You've achieved a lot just by sending it out.

Old Kitty said...

What a wonderful process!! I loved how your story started off as something else and then morphed into a full blown story!! I love how passionate you are about what you created! Brilliant!

GOOD LUCK with this story - October may seem a long way but time has that funny thing of just flying!! I have everything crossed for you!!

WELL DONE you!! Yay!

Take care
x

Nicole said...

Good luck!! Sounds promising :)

The Words Crafter said...

I'm excited just reading your post! Good luck!!!

Mystica said...

Go for it. If you feel so upbeat about it just go. Best wishes for the one you submitted.

Helen Ginger said...

Sounds like it's time to start a new story. Fill your mind with the characters, the plot, the time, the setting. October will come sooner that way, and, who knows, maybe you'll have another story flowing through your veins and into your computer.

Straight From Hel

Fran Hill said...

It's always good to have sent something off, then you have news to wait for!