Writing Short Fiction: My Review of Short Story Focus by Esther Chilton #FantasticFridayReads #Writing #Inspiration

What Amazon Says

Do you enjoy writing short stories but feel you’re not getting it quite right? Perhaps your opening lacks that necessary spark, or it’s the middle that sags. It might be that you’re not sure how to bring your tale to a satisfying close, or you may be struggling with a range of issues.

Writers Bureau tutor, editor and freelance writer Esther Chilton teaches you all the ins and outs of short story writing in her second workbook.

These include:

Hooking your reader at the start

Ensuring your characters leap from the page

Which viewpoint and tense to use

The art of using dialogue

The importance of tension and obstacles

How to ‘show, not tell’

Finishing strongly

You’ll find plenty of examples, tips, and writing exercises to try.

A Helping Hand for Writers

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My 5-Star Review

This book came out at just the right time for me. I’m currently working on a collection of short stories that I hope to publish sometime this year or next. As I read Esther Chilton’s thoughts on opening a story, I realized that one of my story openings didn’t have “that necessary spark.” Of course I try to hook my readers with my openings, but this story had too much unnecessary narrative at the beginning, which I cut out. I plan to check the openings to all my other stories and be sure they meet the same criteria.

I like how this book is organized into sections that cover elements of short story writing: plot, conflict, point of view etc. I found the tips and examples helpful and may try the exercises at some point. Resources and marketing opportunities are provided.

Please note this book is only available in paperback. But if you, like me, prefer an electronic copy, you can reach out to Esther Chilton through her website. I did this, and she graciously sold me a pdf copy. If you’re interested in writing short stories, I recommend this comprehensive guide.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

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by Two Pentacles Publishing

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

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by Two Pentacles Publishing

Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.

After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?

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Lost in a Medical Labyrinth #SixSentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #WritingPrompts #Inspiration

When my late husband suffered his first stroke in 2006 here in Sheridan, Wyoming, he was airlifted to a hospital in Billings, Montana, about 150 miles away, because it was thought he might need surgery. That hospital in Billings, like many big city hospitals, had labyrinths of corridors on each floor. Signage was everywhere, but for someone like me with a visual impairment, that was no help.

After it was determined that Bill would be there for a while, Dad drove up to Billings and helped me figure out how to get from the hotel across the street where I was staying to Bill’s room and other locations in the hospital such as the Subway sandwich shop and the cafeteria. Even so, I still got lost a few times when I wasn’t paying attention. Once, I ended up in a parking garage with no way to get back into the hospital building.

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Thanks to Girlie on the Edge for inspiring the above true story with this week’s six-sentence prompt, in which the given word is “labyrinth.” You can participate in this week’s hop and read other bloggers’ six-sentence creations by clicking here. You can also learn how I met and married Bill, then cared for him after he suffered two paralyzing strokes by reading My Ideal Partner, which is available free from Smashwords this month. See below for details.

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And now, I’m pleased to announce that until the end of the month, all my books can be downloaded from Smashwords ABSOLUTELY FREE as part of its summer/winter sale. You can click here to visit my author page and download these books. Happy reading!

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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A Kick-Ass Beginning #OpenBookBlogHop #Inspiration #Writing

Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s question is: “Which part of your book do you spend the most time on? Beginning, middle or end? Something else?”

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I try to spend equal amounts of time on all parts of my books. Some authors prefer to write scenes out of order, but to me, it makes more sense to write novels from beginning to end. I start my stories with a hook and end with a bang. Speaking of hooks, here’s an excerpt from the beginning of my new book, Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me, told from the point of view of sixteen-year-old Natalie. I hope this will entice you to read more.

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I hated walking with my mom and sister down that long, bright hallway in the nursing home where my grandma lived. The white tile floor and the ceiling covered with fluorescent lights reminded me of school. The only difference was that there were handrails on either side that old people could hold onto while they walked, so they wouldn’t fall.

The blare of television sets from just about every room we passed, laughter and chatter from the nurses’ station, and announcements over the PA system made me wonder why Dad called this place a rest home. The sharp aroma of disinfectant reminded me of the monthly trips I’d made to the dentist years before to have my braces adjusted. I nearly gagged as I remembered the goop they put in my mouth so they could take impressions of my teeth before the braces were put on. The stench of poop and piss from some of the rooms was overpowering.

We finally reached Grandma’s room, and for once, there was silence and only the smell of her perfume. Her bed was next to the window, and she sat in her wheelchair, wearing white pants and a blue, checked blouse. Her curly gray hair was cut short and pushed away from her face. She had a roommate, but the other lady wasn’t there. It was just us.

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How about you authors out there? Do you spend more time on one part of your books than you do other parts? You can sound off in the comment field or click here to participate in this week’s hop and read what other bloggers have to say.

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New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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On Dialogue #OpenBook BlogHop

Welcome to another edition of Open Book Blog Hop. This week’s question is: “Do you use said or asked after a ? (quotation mark) or tag your interruptions? Any punctuation that bugs you? What’s the hardest for you to get right?”

What a coincidence this topic should come up now. I recently read Crafting Dynamic Dialogue, edited by Cheryl St. John, which I reviewed here. In this book, several fiction authors provide great advice on writing dialogue, some of which I already put into practice.

First of all, I try not to use elaborate dialogue tags such as “he announced” or “she proclaimed.” These distract the reader from what’s being said. It’s better to stick with “said,” “answered,” or asked” and let dialogue speak for itself. Unless there may be some confusion as to who is speaking, I don’t tag interruptions because that disrupts the story’s flow.

That having been said, there are times when it’s better to use a stronger verb than an adverb in dialogue tags. For example, instead of “I hate you!” my teenaged daughter said loudly before dashing upstairs and slamming the door to her room, I would write “I hate you!” my teenaged daughter yelled before dashing upstairs and slamming the door to her room.

I don’t have trouble with punctuation. So, let me share one more thing I’ve learned about dialog tags. It’s more natural to place the person’s name or a pronoun before the verb. Take this passage from The Red Dress.

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“Oh, look at this!” said Charlene.

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I should have written this.

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“Oh, look at this!” Charlene said.

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I’m not about to republish my novels just so I can correct dialogue tags. But I plan to incorporate tips I’ve learned in my future work.

How about you? Do you like elaborate dialogue tags, or, like me, do you think they’re unnecessary? How do you feel about the use of adverbs and the placement of names or pronouns and verbs in dialog tags? I look forward to reading your answers in the comment field. If you’re a blogger and would like to participate in this week’s hop, click here.

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By the way, for those of you who use the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, The Red Dress is available for download from their site here. No matter how you read it, please be sure to review it wherever you can. That goes for all my books. Thank you for stopping by. Stay safe, happy, and healthy.

New! The Red Dress

When Eve went to her high school senior prom, she wore a red dress that her mother had made for her. That night, after dancing with the boy of her dreams, she caught him in the act with her best friend. Months later, Eve, a freshman in college, is bullied into giving the dress to her roommate. After her mother finds out, their relationship is never the same again.

Twenty-five years later, Eve, a bestselling author, is happily married with three children. Although her mother suffers from dementia, she still remembers, and Eve still harbors the guilt for giving the dress away. When she receives a Facebook friend request from her old college roommate and an invitation to her twenty-five-year high school class reunion, then meets her former best friend by chance, she must confront the past in order to face the future.

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Advice on Writing Great Dialogue #FridayFunReads

Crafting Dynamic Dialogue: The Complete Guide to Speaking, Conversing, Arguing, and Thinking in Fiction (Creative Writing Essentials)

Edited by Cheryl St. John

What Amazon Says

Write authentic dialogue that invigorates your story!

Exceptional dialogue isn’t just important when writing fiction–it’s essential. In order to impress an agent or editor and keep readers turning pages, you need to deliver truly standout dialogue in every scene. Crafting Dynamic Dialogue will give you the techniques and examples you need to impress your readers.

This book is a comprehensive guide to writing compelling dialogue that rings true. Each section is packed with advice and instruction from best-selling authors and instructors like Nancy Kress, Elizabeth Sims, Steven James, Deborah Halverson, James Scott Bell, Donald Maass, Cheryl St. John, and many others. They’ll show you how to:

Bend the rules to create a specific effect
Understand the role of dialogue in reader engagement
Use dialect and jargon effectively
Give every character a believable, unique voice
Set the pace and tone
Reveal specific character background details
Generate tension and suspense
Utilize internal dialogue

Whether you’re writing flash fiction, a short story, or a novel-length manuscript, Crafting Dynamic Dialogue will help you develop, write, and refine dialogue to keep your readers hooked.

My Thoughts

I like how many of the authors who contribute to this book provide excerpts from published works to emphasize certain points about dialogue. Some of the novels and stories referenced I haven’t read at all, and others I haven’t read in years. Some contributors suggest exercises, one of which, in part, inspired last Thursday’s six-sentence story post.

Although some of the advice is conflicting, it’s still advice you can take or leave. I hope to use some of these authors’ techniques in my own writing. I’m a firm believer in showing and not telling. If you want to learn how to write effective dialog that shows your reader your story, this book is for you.

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New! The Red Dress

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