This is a special time of year for literature buffs thanks to Dan Wickett over at the Emerging Writers Network who declared May "Short Story Month" a few years back. If you google "Short Story Month" you'll find journalists and bloggers of all stripes devoting the entire month to celebration of the short story. To see what all the fuss is about you might check out the Emerging Writers Network where it all began. Or visit Matt Bell's Blog where you'll find links to many other participating sites-- some discussing the craft itself; others posting, critiquing, and reviewing both classic and contemporary short stories. Some folks are posting a short story online every day in May while others are planning to celebrate by writing stories themselves -- one for every day of the month -- yes, thirty-one first drafts in thirty-one days!
While I love the idea of writing a short story a day, I'm just not sure I could hack that. Seems an impossible task for someone who writes as slowly as I do. Instead, I plan to celebrate by reading a short story a day (much easier!) and working on the second draft of a story I've already written.
Later this week I'm hoping to post an exercise specifically tailored to the short story, but for now...
I must get my hands on a copy of The Turning by Booker Prize nominee Tim Winton -- I hear his linked stories are "painful, raw, and eloquent." In other words... just my cup of tea!
Leslie
