I've joined a forum, and I've learned loads. It's good, there's a couple of people who will go out of their way to help you with your craft. Anyway, I feel really guilty. We are required to review each others stories. So I'm reading these chapters and it's late. I've been awake 48hrs and I'm getting kind of cranky. This author, whether through idleness or arrogance, didn't write a synopsis. I read the first couple of pages and it's about Nazis, by page 5 they're murdering millions of Jews. When it came to the review I abused the poor chap! So I feel at tad guilty, the book was about escaping and stuff. - It's not the point! I did what anybody would have done in a bookshop or a library. By page 3 I'd decided I wasn't interested and nothing was going to change my mind.
In other news. I've always struggled with the point of short stories. Unless you've got a bunch of 'em, what are they worth? A book voucher as first prize in the village church short-story competition perhaps? I use them to practise, you'll usually find something odd or difficult about mine. I'll not allow myself to use essential components like dialogue or thought or imagery. I even thought about submitting a screwed-up blank sheet of A4. Claiming it was representative of the destiny of a Caucasian middle class child – Nah! They'd see through it.
Where was I going? Yes, I've been reviewing short stories and coming across a lot of – short stories! I'm reminded of Lethal Weapon, II - I think. Danny Glover summarises the murder together with the motive in very few words. Mel Gibson replies 'It sounds a little thin.' ..
I'm running in to a lot of that lately. If I were a reviewing a physical manuscript – I'd be checking page numbers, checking under the bed to see a pages had fallen out, stuff like that. Then you really really think about it and you start getting paranoid. You KNOW you're missing something, but you just don't get it. Bizarre thoughts enter your head, like; Maybe the protagonist was a cross-dressing Aborigine. In the end – you realise. It was a story about a boy who met a girl, nothing more. And just like after consuming a McDonald's burger, you realise; you didn't particularly enjoy it and your stomach still complains about lack of sustenance.
What do I want (Yeah, you're damn right – It's about me!) I want the reader (reviewer) to appreciate my art! Judge me on the task I've set out to achieve. You know I won't criticise in this manner unless I have a go myself. I've tried to write two 'thin' stories at the same time. I've to make over-clever 'Camera shot' transitions from past to present. Not to confuse the reader, but to make them take pause, draw breath and say – 'Oh, I get it.' And recognise the stupidity of romance. Why did she skip over cracked paving slabs? Why did they start speaking as Shakespearian characters.
Whilst the reader ponders and wonders in awe over the genius of the rapid tragic conclusion. I want them never to know, it was not contrived. My daughter wanted to use the computer to 'go on' MSN, and I wanted to watch Holby City.