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Writerly Ways
Dec. 16th, 2012 02:16 pmCan a ‘day in the life’ tale actually be a story? A couple criticisms of my latest short story was that it wasn’t a ‘real’ story but just a day in the life thing (or a pwp, thanks guys). So the question is, is a ‘day in the life’ tale a true story? It does in many ways fail the traditional story construct of introduction, conflict and resolution. We’re dropping in on various points of someone’s life.
Does that necessarily mean there is no plot? No, I don’t believe it does. Journal/Diary novels are not uncommon and fit, more or less, into the category of ‘day in a life.’ I suppose they’re foremost in my thoughts thanks to my failure to read The Cloud Atlas. My own disinterest in it aside, it’s inarguable that this sort of story telling is valid and in some cases, lauded. The Cloud Atlas has been made into a movie, was a finalist in one of the most prestigious awards in the world and has millions of fans. But because it’s a day by day thing of interconnecting themes, is it really not a story? Apparently some would make that argument.
I would argue (in my head since there is never anything to gain in arguing online with reviewers and oh so very much to lose) the point that a day in a life tale is, in fact, a real story, just of a different construct.
And to make me more nuts, there were other complaints that this felt like it was part of something larger, not just a story but a long one. Go figure. I hear this one all the time and I can’t really argue it. I will never be convinced I write short stories particularly well, no matter how many I sell. I find them hard to write but I also find them helpful. (Other than as an in with publishers) They help you pick your words and scenes better, a waste less.
I’ve made my choices as what to write in the next few months (well off and on since I picked a few). I’ll list them and their progress here.
Yearly Word Count (yeah yeah I upped it AGAIN)
216592 / 220000 words. 98% done!
Soldiers of the Sun (this year’s nano)
54611 / 65000 words. 84% done!
Steampunk short story (time to start researching the Hudson Valley of the late 1800’s, especially Beacon and Hyde Park, boy I miss them) – 0
Vampires in Vegas
31325 / 65000 words. 48% done!
Beneath the Torn Sky
61415 / 75000 words. 82% done!
Voluntary Nightmare
43562 / 75000 words. 58% done!
(somewhere I have more bits for all of these but they're not in the main files yet. Sigh
Does that necessarily mean there is no plot? No, I don’t believe it does. Journal/Diary novels are not uncommon and fit, more or less, into the category of ‘day in a life.’ I suppose they’re foremost in my thoughts thanks to my failure to read The Cloud Atlas. My own disinterest in it aside, it’s inarguable that this sort of story telling is valid and in some cases, lauded. The Cloud Atlas has been made into a movie, was a finalist in one of the most prestigious awards in the world and has millions of fans. But because it’s a day by day thing of interconnecting themes, is it really not a story? Apparently some would make that argument.
I would argue (in my head since there is never anything to gain in arguing online with reviewers and oh so very much to lose) the point that a day in a life tale is, in fact, a real story, just of a different construct.
And to make me more nuts, there were other complaints that this felt like it was part of something larger, not just a story but a long one. Go figure. I hear this one all the time and I can’t really argue it. I will never be convinced I write short stories particularly well, no matter how many I sell. I find them hard to write but I also find them helpful. (Other than as an in with publishers) They help you pick your words and scenes better, a waste less.
I’ve made my choices as what to write in the next few months (well off and on since I picked a few). I’ll list them and their progress here.
Yearly Word Count (yeah yeah I upped it AGAIN)
Soldiers of the Sun (this year’s nano)
Steampunk short story (time to start researching the Hudson Valley of the late 1800’s, especially Beacon and Hyde Park, boy I miss them) – 0
Vampires in Vegas
Beneath the Torn Sky
Voluntary Nightmare
(somewhere I have more bits for all of these but they're not in the main files yet. Sigh
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