Announcing: One-Story September: Show, Don’t Tell Edition

You guys really loved this idea…

A couple of days ago I asked you how you felt about the concept of working on one story during September, with a focus on the idea of ‘show, don’t tell’.

Boy, did you feel strongly about it!

Lots of people loved the idea of spending the month in focused practice, working on one story.

  • “Love, love, love this idea!” – Christina
  • “Going deep on technique and taking time to develop a piece sounds wonderful to me.” – Elizabeth
  • “Yes for the one story idea! “ – Yvonne
  • “ I have had a hectic summer and really could use some motivation in September to focus on my craft.” -Sukie
  • “Oh I simply love the idea. Of course I do understand how important it is in a story but yeah, I need a lot of practice.” – Riana
  • “I love the idea of focusing on a single story over the course of a month” – Daryl
  • “I love trying to show, not tell, and welcome practice and information! I’m in!” – Melanie
  • “I somewhat understand but would love the practice.” -Sheila
  • “ I definitely need more help in showing more than telling.” – Leslie
  • “ It will be a good exercise in trying to finish and polish one good story.” – Prachi
  • “It would be great to have the prompts and feedback to guide us instead of letting us wander around.” – Mike
  • “Any opportunity to improve or develop the skill is very welcome.” – Caroline
  • “I’m in!” – Neha

Other people had strong feelings about ‘show, don’t tell’, itself:

  • “The logical part of my brain knows the difference between the two, but the creative part doesn’t always know which would work better while drafting” – Michele
  • “To be (very) honest, ‘show don’t tell’ is a phrase that gives me the ick…Perhaps re-branding in some way would be useful.” – Katie (btw, I love this suggestion- JD!)
  • I don’t think I quite understand when it’s better to show or tell. ..82% of the time, I will over-describe…” – Taryn
  • “I have a love, hate relationship with ‘show don’t tell’ because sometimes telling is the best practice for the scene and other times showing is.” – Taylor (Totally agree – JD)
  • “Show-don’t-tell has led me to create some agonizingly dull prose..I get the concept but still struggle to find the right balance.” – Shan
  • “I’m a very verbal person, and showing/not telling doesn’t come easily for me, so I’d really appreciate some examples and tips for how to do it better.” – Elizabeth
  • “ Sometimes the rule can be used as an unhelpful bludgeon in critique.” – Walter
  • “I understand ‘Show, don’t tell’, but find it more difficult with shorter word counts. I’d be interested in learning more about how to do that.” – Pat

So here’s what we’re going to do in September:

The One-Story Challenge: Show, Don’t Tell Edition

It’ll work a little bit like the regular StoryADay May challenge, with me providing inspiration and assignments every day, only this time we’ll be working on the same story all month.

  • In Week 1 we’ll draft a story – fast and messy, just telling ourselves the story.
  • In Week 2 we’ll dive into what “Show, Don’t Tell” means, and identify place in our stories where each technique would work better.
  • In Week 3 we’ll practice ‘making a scene’ in those parts of the story where ‘show’ definitely makes the most sense. We’ll think about character, pacing, tension, senses, and refine our ability to speed through the narrative sections that keep readers turning the pages.
  • In Week 4 we’ll talk about things like revision strategies and other topics that have raised their heads during the early weeks of September.

At the end of the month you’ll have a complete, polished story and a deeper understand of why, when, and how to use ‘show’ and ‘tell’.

(I’m hoping that, by the end of the month we’ll also have come up with a less annoying term to describe what we’re doing, so watch out for that!)

It’ll be a much slower-paced challenge than StoryADay May, so don’t panic if you have ‘back to school’ or other demands on your time. This will fit in around your other obligations, with just a little effort.

Next Steps

I’m still tightening some screws and adjusting some furniture behind the scenes, but I’ll have details about how you can sign up, ready for you, tomorrow*.

In the meantime, leave a comment here, and let me know how you feel about this (if you haven’t already).

Just Released: Save Time with the StoryADay Challenge Handbook

Ever have one of those days where you want to write, but get to your desk and…nothing?

Well, I created StoryADay May for you (and me).

And this year I have a fantastic new way for you to gain all the benefits of StoryADay: but spend less time wondering what to write: The StoryADay Challenge Handbook.

With daily warm-ups and brainstorming sessions, this new StoryADay experience will propel you into your writing day and let you get to the fun stuff (the writing) no matter how busy you are.

StoryADay Handbook

Whether you’re planning to write a StoryADay in May or just want to be able to show up at your desk any day, write, and walk away feeling like you’ve flexed your writing muscles, improved your grasp on the craft, and created something real.

​ I built the StoryADay Challenge Handbook so you can get more out of this year’s writing prompts, in May…or any time you want to write.
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(And this one is specially designed for the introverted writers who aren’t interested in writing sprints or hangouts or really anything other than getting words on the page and growing their skills.)

I’ve taken everything I’ve learned over the past 15 years about short stories, writing, writers, and prompts, and put it together in this brand-new offering. I think you’re going to love it (and the special 15th Anniversary discount….it’s like nothing you’ve seen from me since 2018!).

​Find out more here​

If you’re longing to get to your desk more often, and feel more fulfilled when you walk away, check out the brand-new StoryADay Challenge Handbook​

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. Yes, the writing prompts will still be coming to your inbox for free, if you’ve signed up. The Handbook adds video, audio, an ebook collection, and daily warm ups and brainstorming exercises designed to propel you into your writing, whether you’re taking the StoryADay May Challenge, or simply want to use it throughout the year to jumpstart your writing day. Grab your copy now

Don’t Let Unfinished Stories Hold You Back: Try This Technique

Do you ever start a story only to get stuck, and find yourself either abandoning it or wondering if it’s really a story at all? First of all: welcome. This means you are a writer. This frustrating phenomenon strikes us all, especially when we are just starting out or just starting to come back to our writing seriously. This doesn’t mean you “aren’t meant to be a writer”. It just means there are some strategies you haven’t discovered–or fully-integrated–yet. This week I have a technique for…

Do you ever start a story only to get stuck, and find yourself either abandoning it or wondering if it’s really a story at all?

First of all: welcome. This means you are a writer.

This frustrating phenomenon strikes us all, especially when we are just starting out or just starting to come back to our writing seriously.

This doesn’t mean you “aren’t meant to be a writer”. It just means there are some strategies you haven’t discovered–or fully-integrated–yet.

This week I have a technique for you, that will help you turn fragments, vignettes, and “I’m not really sure what this is”-se into actual stories.

​Go to the lesson >>>

Try out the technique, using the writing prompt I provide, to feel te difference it makes to your Story Sparks.

Then leave a comment to share what you learned. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. If you want more of the nitty-gritty, ‘how to craft a story’ techniques like this, consider taking the 3-Day Challenge, which guides you through the art of writing great openings, middles, and ends, all in easy-to-consume lessons.

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Does Your Writing Cut The Mustard?

The first restaurant I worked in was an American-style family restaurant – pretty exotic for the southwest coast of Scotland in the 80s, a place festooned with fish’n’chip shops, where ‘chicken tenders’ sounded like a new language.

One of my jobs was to set out bowls of condiments before the customers came in…and not just salt, pepper, vinegar, and the two sauces known to us (red and brown), but things like ‘hamburger relish (it was green! Who had ever heard of such a thing?!) and three types of mustard: one classic yellow, one fancy ‘Dijon’, and one totally alien grainy concoction that I fell in love with.

Tonight, I opened a jar of that grainy mustard and its tangy smell transported me back 38 years, to the service corridor between the kitchen and dining room of my first job, when mustard was an exotic new experience.

It reminded me of a truth in writing: we spend so much time in our own heads that we take for granted the way we think, the way we talk, and the way we write.

Sometimes, when we show our work to someone else they are thrilled by a throwaway phrase or a description that took no effort at all…because it’s normal to you.

Sometimes we need other writers to push us to try the mustard, when we’re accustomed to always reaching for the salt and vinegar. 

And yes, this is my fancy way of letting you know that Critique Week is coming up, and that if you would like to get some fresh eyes on your writing you should consider joining us.

But more than that, it’s my way of encouraging you not to take your own writing for granted. It might be the new flavor someone else is looking for!

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. I’ll be opening up registration for this round of Critique week, soon. Get on the waitlist here.

StoryADay September 2022 is Coming

Despite our fantasies of a life that allows us to write all day in a library-like spare room…most of us are writing in the margins of life. And that’s OK. But we need support if we are to pursue this writing life.

Sometimes that support comes in the form of a challenge.

This year I am doing a short short-story challenge: from September 10th to September 17th and the reason for this is: I have both feet firmly planted in the real world, and I would like you to join me here.

Whether you are looking for:

  • a creative kickstart after finishing a larger project
  • accountability so that you can live up to your own expectations
  • the excitement of getting back in the saddle again after a busy season of life
  • A structured schedule to help you get un-stuck on a particular writing technique,

The StoryADay Fun-Size challenge may be just what you need.

The Challenge runs from Sept 10-17, with daily tasks that will walk you through the process of writing a single story. There will be daily emails and some special events too…and it’s all no cost: my gift to you because the world needs more stories and your voice matters.

Sign up today and I’ll send you my Story Sparks Workbook so you can get start collecting the raw materials of your next story between now and the start of the challenge.

(May writers have told me this was the start of a habit they’ve continued for years, meaning they’re always ready with ideas when they make time to write!)

Register for the Sept 2022 Fun-Size Challenge

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. Accountability is powerful. Even after all these years, I still need stuff like this. This morning I came thisclose to signing up for a $895 writing course that would teach me nothing-I-don’t-already-know but that would have provided some structure to help me finish a project. The StoryADay Fun-Size Challenge is a much better deal 😉 Have questions? Hit ‘reply’!