Hello again! I saw the prompt, wrote the thing (it’ll be out Saturday—typos and all), and now, here are some thoughts.
Usually when I do a writing prompt I get it seconds before I write. I literally go in with little to no ideas and typically have anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes to write it. This time I saw the prompt a while before I got a chance to write (darn you daytime job getting in my way of writing!), which means one very important difference: I could let ideas marinate in my mind before getting words on the page. I didn’t get to writing it until Sunday morning because life and self-care. I wasn’t timed for it either, but I think I still got it on the page in under 15 minutes, probably under 10 to be honest.
Sure, this draft has some typos, there are some tense shifts, but it might not be as pile-of-burning-crap as it could have been. The pantser in me is still rebelling against the idea of plotting, which I kind of ended up doing in this case, so it felt a bit odd to have it mapped out. There’s definitely room for expansion if I need it, I ended up clocking it at 259 words (263 if you count the title and my name). I’ve got thoughts on how I could add in some more, I’ll let that continue to steep in my brainspace. We’ll see where the next couple of weeks takes this story.
Photo courtesy of Casey Horner at Unsplash
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Lastly, follow the adventure.
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Melissa Bergum is a Wisconsinite born and bred, pass the cheese and Brandy Old Fashioned Sweets, but hold the beer. Among the many things she is, she’s a wife, a mommer to a toddler who wants to grow big enough to touch the sky, and a case manager for children and adolescents with severe and persistent mental health needs.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching anime, playing games (video, board, tabletop), and, of course, writing. You can find a short story of hers and an excerpt featured on Ghoul Intentions. |
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