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Archive for October, 2008

Short Story Starters

3 Comments »3rd October, 2008; Category: Short Story Starters

Here is another list of my ever popular Short story Starters. Use them free of charge in whatever way you like. Perhaps they could be used as warm up activities before a day of writing. Or you might want to use one of them to write a short story for a magazine or a competition. Or the suggestion may jog a memory from long ago that you had forgotten to write about. Change any words you don’t like. Whatever.

  1. The screeching noise was definitely coming from outside. It made my hair stand on end. I opened the door and…
  2. The scratching noise at the window was persistent. In a fog of sleepiness I opened my eyes and…
  3. The rhythmic knocking next door was starting to get to the annoying level. It was now past midnight. What could be making….
  4. It started around three in the morning I think, that low whining noise that I could not ignore.
  5. The sudden crash woke me instantly. It was the kind of noise one just has to investigate. I was not prepared for what I found….
  6. As I sat up in bed I was suddenly aware of footsteps on the staircase.
  7. The floorboards above my head were creaking now. This was getting just a little too spooky for my liking. Then I realised that my room was on the top floor.

There you go. Mmmm… there seems to be a theme running though those suggestions.

Now get to that writing.

Good writing.

For more Short Story Starters click here.

Conditions of use:

  • Feel free to use any of the story starters listed above. Change anything to suit your needs.
  • Give it your best shot.
  • Edit your work carefully before sending it off to a publisher or posting it on your blog.
  • Let me know in the comments section how it went.
  • If you publish your story on your web site or on your blog let me know so I can make a link to it for others to read.

Sydney Writers’ Centre

2 Comments »2nd October, 2008; Category: General

I am a long term member of the South Australian Writers’ Centre. I have attended many of their excellent courses, seminars and workshops over the years. All have been worthwhile.

Recently I came across a reference to the Sydney Writers’ Centre. Checking out their website I was most impressed by the range of courses they offer. I have never done any of these courses but they look well worth considering if you live in the Sydney area. They also offer several online courses and a regular fortnightly e-newsletter.

Of interest to readers and writers from other countries or interstate are the podcasts they have on the site. These are seem  interesting and helpful interviews with a variety of authors. I’ve only listened to one so far, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

To check out the web site click here.

Short Story endings

40 Comments »1st October, 2008; Category: Fiction, Master of Arts course, Short Stories, Writing prompts

One of the lecturers I have this year often starts her lecture with a writing exercise. It is a creative writing class in prose fiction after all, so this is entirely appropriate. Rosanne uses a variety of approaches, each writing exercise is stimulating. It is also very good writing practice under pressure. I love these exercises, and I have become keen at sharing my writing later during the workshop session after the lecture.

Last week Rosanne wrote a sentence on the whiteboard. She then challenged us to write for about five minutes – ending our piece with that sentence. Here are some interesting (I hope) and challenging (I hope) story endings.  Use them in whatever way you like. Try them as warm up activities for your current writing project.

  1. Which one will I poison first?
  2. That is how the school burnt down.
  3. I will never go there again.
  4. That is the last time I ever saw her.
  5. It still amazes me that I lived to tell this tale
  6. I never expected to hear from him again.
  7. The precious key slipped from her hand, bounced once and disappeared over the edge of the jetty.
  8. Just when I’d given up all hope, the phone rang.
  9. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.
  10. I was left staring at the solid door that had just been slammed in my face.

It was the first one we were challenged with. Here is what I wrote. Remember that we only had five minutes. This left little time for story or character development and none for rewriting.

Tuesday started like any other day: shower, breakfast, cuppa, paper, crossword and then don’t forget the teeth. All was going well, on schedule, according to plan, just like any other Tuesday.

Until.

Until my brother-in-law came to stay with his tribe of brats. All seven. Four boys and three girls plus two over active Jack Russells who always decided to wait until getting here to relieve themselves – on the new carpet.

‘I’ve left Susanna,’ he announced matter-of-factly. ‘Nowhere else to go. So I’ll have to move in with you. I’ll use the spare room shall I?’

I stared in disbelief. This was the fifth time it had happened. I couldn’t stand my brother-in-law. The Brat Pack was uncontrollable. The Jack Russells beyond control.

‘Which one will I poison first?’ was my immediate thought.

Have a go – let me know in the comments how it went.

Good writing.

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