Various

[altariel]

Hmph. Almost a month ago, I noted how grumpy short story writing was making me. Yesterday afternoon (thanks, mraltariel), I finally worked out what the story was that I was trying to tell. I've had four separate run-ups at this damn thing now, none of which have stuck, but this morning I scribbled down an Actual Framework for the damn thing, and now all I have to do is the Actual Writing - which is, of course, the easy part.

Wah, short-story writing is hard! Nothing like writing lovely Tolkien vignettes, which I can conceive of and execute in the space of two days (or used to be able to do). This has taken roughly eight weeks, and loads of different iterations. *plaintively* Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Does it get easier with practice? Have my magic powers gone for good? Is this the end?

Yesterday I finished rereading Watchmen, which I hadn't read since college *cough*ty years ago (eighteen). Now I'm trying to decide whether I should go and see the film, but I'm put off by the fact that it's apparently two-and-three-quarter hours long. Two-and-three-quarter hours! No film should be that long, except The Fellowship of the Ring. Anyway, I can't make decisions, so Speak You're Branes, f'list, and do say why in comments if moved.

[Poll #1364164]

Comments

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

And from what I recall about authors talking about writing short stories, I think I've seen many that say it's harder than writing novels. I can't remember if that's from the perspective of authors who wrote novels first.

And anyway, just because this story took this long and this much work, doesn't mean the next one will. Maybe some of the groundwork here will spark off something else later. Possibly the groundwork needed to be done, but it may not be that much every single time. And go you for having persisted and worked and got there in the end.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

A week later and I'm still at it. I think it's there now, and a totally different shape from anything I'd originally anticipated. Oh well, it does seem as if there's a story there now, and I've got a basic and sensible structure, which reflects on theme, and some nice images are starting to coalesce. Proof of the "inspiration/perspiration" ratio.