So how did you get on yesterday?
Did you write? Did you leave a comment on the blog post, or do your Victory Dance?
Whatever you managed yesterday, congratulations and I’m glad you’re back for more!
Continuing the theme of ‘assuming you have more than one idea of a time’ this week, I’m giving you another length-based writing assignment.
The Prompt
Write A Drabble (A Story Of Exactly 100 Words)
Tips
- Just because you’re limited to 100 words, don’t think this is going to be any less a creative exercise than any other story you write this month.
- Allow as much time for this as you would for a longer story.
- Don’t be surprised if you find yourself writing more and then paring the story back.
- It’s very common to cut out lots of words from the start of short stories. Sometimes we have to write a lot to figure out where the story really starts. Don’t be afraid to ‘start late’.
- You can’t explain much in a 100 word story. Allow the reader to fill in some blanks. Stories of this length are very much a collaboration between reader and writer.
Go!
“Allow the reader to fill in some blanks.” Writing a drabble is the perfect way to practice this. I am pretty much in awe that I was able to explain what I needed to in such a small amount of words.
I found that I had an idea that could have become a much longer story, especially because I happened to find some wonderful connections/tangents while doing research, but I really wanted to test myself with 100 words today. And who says I can’t expand the story in the future? What a great exercise in honing a story into its most vital parts and letting the few words that remain tell such a large story!
I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t try doing this for every story I’m struggling with (or every scene if it’s a much longer work).
Get it to the essentials…
I’m doing this one also, because I’d already thought of an idea before I saw the guest prompt, though I’ve filed the guest prompt away for future reference. I’m already at 243 words, though, so I have some paring down to do. 🙂
I decided to do the Drabble instead of the guest’s prompt. See me over at the Victory Dance!