Monday, September 22, 2014

Dispatch #27: How to Start a Story...

by Lupe Fernandez

"Felson McGoo shot me with his Captain Norge X52 Dis-integrator and now I'm going to itch all recess. Today's playground forecast is 80% chance of Dimension X Spiders. Felson McGoo should've known better."

Wait?
What?
Some kid gets shot by a gun? Fantasy or not, school shootings are a serious business. I better try something else.

"I was in the back of Freddo's car with Lira Ballard watching Freddo make-out with his newest girlfriend Isela Lee. I figured Lira wanted the same so I kissed her with a lot of tongue action and put my hand up her blouse. Believe it or not, this was my first kiss."

Huh?
Heavy petting in the backseat of a car? On a first date? Reads like sexual harassment to me. I'd never get it past an agent. I'm probably get stamped as a perv author. Let's try dystopian.

"Holly Wa Ming stoops in the carbolic crop field, her boots hiss in the acid runoff. A countdown booms from the Balboa Missile Base across the marsh. She stands and stretches her numb back. Holly Wa shields her eyes from the light of the ascending war rocket. The exhaust flickers like a snake's tongue. The shock wave sends a ripple through the field, revealing the hundreds of other harvesters bend like rusty nails. Holly Wa dreams of catching the snake's tongue, riding the monster to its target and killing the enemy."

Harsh working conditions. Military action. Killing the...who? Enemy? Shouldn't she want peace and a better life? Too militaristic. Needs a handsome, brooding love interest. I can't write handsome, brooding love interest.

Okay. Paranormal. Romantic vampires. It's a sure thing.
"I vant to suck your bloodddd..."
Nope. Can't do it.

I keep wondering who will this piece offend? Will I shock parental sensibilities? Just because I'll read it don't mean the the words will past the proverbial editorial mustard. Second guess. Second guess. Triple guess. Quintuple guess.

I should stop reading so many "How To Write In 134 Easy Steps"  blogs and hermetically seal myself with my keyboard and type away.

The rest is chance and circumstance, and perhaps a good query letter.

6 comments:

  1. Oh Lupe, write what you want to write and what you want to read. I have a couple of stories that one friend said no one will want to read or buy, but one of my students loves to hear my story ideas--so maybe she'll read them. Probably because she likes me. Keep writing! Blessings, Penny (www.penelopeannecole.com)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Penelope,
      Sincerely,
      Think What I Think What I Think

      Delete
  2. There's always self publish for those who wish to express their creativity in a timely manner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the suggestion Susan.
      Sincerely,
      Untimely Writer

      Delete
  3. Well, as I think of yet another opening page for Tasha, I agree with you. But holly Wa Ming sounds intriguing. Make her the first female basketball player on an all male team and a geek fashion model who dreams of finding the answer to string theory

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm...I'll call it Court Chic.
      Sincerely,
      Meatball Hypothesis

      Delete

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