Idea for sHoRt StOry!
Hey everyone! Well after watching Dean’s post of the Palahnuik interview, it got me thinking about what makes a good story. I liked his ideas about a good story being one that invites others to share their stories, or try to relate in some way. I agree with this, but I also think a good story has to invoke some kind of emotion, whether it be positive or negative. My ideas usually come from people in my life, or situations I have been through, although I do not limit myself to these inspirations only. The idea for my short story came from one of my co-workers, Sally. She and I have developed a very trusting, open relationship over the past year and a half since I started there. She tells me her life stories and I tell her mine. We are also the same age (almost 21 wooo!), which makes it easier for us to relate our stories.
One day, Sally and I opened the store together and had some down-time. She tells me everything and anything and is not afraid to leave out any gory details! She has been through a lot in her life and I really admire her. She is a cancer survivor and has endured many emotional traumas over her life time. That day she told me all about when she had her miscarriage in high school. She left out no details and I couldn’t believe how easily she was able to recollect what happened and share such a personal thing with me. I was so emotionally struck by her story and it stuck in my mind all day. I was filled with sadness and shock and scared that many women actually go through that experience.
Sally knows I want to be a writer and that I write a lot of fiction already, so she joked with me about writing a story based on what happened to her. I agreed that someday I would since the story was so powerful, at least in my opinion. I thought there is no better time than now to share her story, even though it is quite personal. I plan on writing my short story based on what happened to her back in high school and some of the traumatic events she has endured. I’m really excited to start working on this story if only us 407 kids could decided on some details of this creative space!!!!
P.S. I want to go to awesome writing workshop parties on Thursdays and drink wine and beer like Palahnuik. Not fair! lol
-Abi Apple Bei
Sounds good, but remember to put elements of fiction in it, and not just rewrite her story–that would be a biography of sorts. Hopefully that makes sense. I know we talked about it in class.
But it does sound like a good idea (:
I totally agree that a good story must invoke some kind of emotion. The whole point is to immerse the reader in a “dream.” If the reader isn’t feeling the story then they aren’t partaking in the dream.
I usually prefer to experience positive emotions when i’m reading, but i must grudgingly admit that some stories, while i hate them, are really really good. Emotion is very key to the story.
My story will definitely be fictionalized. Only some elements of the story I plan to write are true to life, like the actual miscarriage. I’m not planning on writing a biography!
It sounds like you are going to go at this in a sober way. It’s something that struck you as powerful and moving at first, and you have let it simmer. That is a good thing. Distance helps.
I think that stories that make us want to tell our stories are inherently ones that appeal to emotion, don’t you? And they are also the ones that have a bit of universality in them, even if it is some current trend.
And there are two writing groups forming this semester. They are on the boards. They may even include wine.