3.3 Reading Work in Progress

Week 3 - we're here already!

The early part of this week is focusing on the radio-prompt story from the end of last week. First we're asked to redraft it - thinking about character, and descriptions. I am counting the many small alterations I made during the latter part of last week to count for that. Thanks for various commenters on facebook, twitter #FLfiction14 and futurelearn for helping there! Particularly Gill and Frances.

So lets get into the meat of the discussion Derek wants us to have around these pieces.

• Did you think what you wrote was a story?

Yes I would call it a story. And I would say why, but that's the next question!

• What made it a story?

I have an introduction, I have an event, and I have a dramatic conclusion/cliffhanger. There are quite a few plans for where it might lead if the course offers us opportunity to extend it (or someone(s) push me for more) but for only 500 words I think it does the job.

• Did it have a structure?

Hmm... perhaps I should have just listed all the questions and then answered them in one go. Yes it had structure.

• How did you go about portraying characters?

I used first person to get in the head of my main character, which is modeled on my character from Week 1. Very little physical description yet aside from some of his clothing, but hopefully a good impression of some of his childhood, and parts of his personality. Particularly his playful boyish side. I think these are good extensions on Week 1's work which was mainly description. There could perhaps be more but I think that would distract from the story when there's so few words allowed. There's plenty of scope for expanding it later as it becomes relevant.

As for Jack - I can use my main character to just observe him and this has begun simply with the white hair and general appearance of youthfulness. Again this can develop further as necessary - but for a short story I think it is fine to let the reader fill in their own version of Jack and chances are if they've seen Rise of the Guardians they know exactly how I intend him to appear.

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These are likely useful questions to be asking when I read someone else's work too. I think I'll try that next time we're asked to review!

Until then,

Happy Writing :-)