Foreworld discussion

I've been complaining for months that I can't seem to come up with any ideas suitable for short story treatment. I was still in that boat when I read a story in the Warmachine gaming universe that detailed a months-long retreat from enemy territory. Pretty sure this unconsciously prompted a question I posted on Twitter, looking for something quite the opposite: a short story consisting of a single battle between two opponents, and nothing else.

That animal must exist somewhere - closest in print anybody noted being a GI Joe comic that was all action and no dialog. So naturally my eventual reaction was "So write it yourself, doofus!"

So I brainstormed a bit, made some notes, and sat down to start, in a pantsy way 'cos, y'know, short.
The odd thing was, I started in the middle - of a story that originally wasn't going to have a middle. Just one scene, composed of the fight. The brainstorming took a left turn, though. After it ended, a second ending would put a twist on what came before. Now I had two parts!

Thinking on that, I developed a rather unsatisfying addition that felt too pat. I could add the twisty ending to that new middle, but had some doubts. Only way to find out was by writing that middle, as both the front and back would tightly integrate with it, three different views of the details that gave the story life and depth.

By the time I hit nearly 500 words on the middle part, everything fell into place, a Roger Zelazny homage turned into an integral part of the story, and points of congruence between the three parts made themselves evident. The easy part is over :-) Now I have to choreograph and write a battle between physically very dissimilar opponents with a naginata and a broadsword. And no, it's not a Foreworld story, sadly. With reasons why it really can't be, or shouldn't be, that are spoilery :-)

Once that's drafted, it's back to the idea file. I'm thinking shorts aren't as hard to come by as I thought. Just work with the ideas until something the right size emerges. Easy as word pie. The hard part, as always - the actual writing.

Mike, I thought of another one, Harlan Ellison wrote a 1969 short: "Along the Scenic Route" (I had to look up the title, it's been a while). I first heard it as a radio-play (yeah, Audible done back in the 60's-70's).

Starting in the middle isn't odd, it's smart. Write the story you're dyin' to tell first, then fill in the opening and denouement. Wish I'd knowed that about three years ago.

Okay, now I wanna read it... but here's a parting shot: If not Foreworld, what about a different Kindle World? I know, I know, apostasy is a vile sin. But think, you'll likely find readers in that vast sea of unread Amazon indie publications.

C.B. Matson wrote: "Mike, I thought of another one, Harlan Ellison wrote a 1969 short: "Along the Scenic Route" (I had to look up the title, it's been a while). I first heard it as a radio-play (yeah, Audible done bac..."

Looking up the Ellison as I type.

Yeah, starting with middle or end is a strategy that many use regularly to avoid that story-drift that occurs so often writing in a linear fashion. Haven't had occasion to try it yet, and only did it this time because I was half-brainstorming this potential "too pat" story resolution to see if I could take it in a less pat direction (that box got checked, cool!) And because it was easier than choreographing the battle scene. As you can tell from beta-land, I usually just jump right into those and do my best. For this (and in particular the stick-fight when I get back to Forest for the Trees) I'd like to walk through it (almost literally) blow for blow before writing them.

Link just popped up to summary of the Ellison. Nice Billy the Kid link there. More of a car duel than hand to hand. A ref to a Fritz Lieber story from there looks like pedestrian vs car/driver.

Nothing sinful about writing for other Kindle Worlds. Unfortunately, the ones I know best (Veronica Mars, forex) I'm not qualified to write and others I don't know well or at all, or would just prefer to read within versus write for. Wish I had time to explore some, a bunch look very cool. This story doesn't seem suited to any AFAIK, though.

When I've got a beta - or, at 5000 words or less, maybe polished draft ready I'll let you know, and probably throw that one at SIA for additional beta exposure, since you and Brother Lussier are the only ones showing interest here. Probably bound for semi-pro submissions grinder if beta readers approve.

Regarding Foreworld, a side-question. Given that both published and unpublished KW stories in our world have taken the supernatural elements of the saga even further than what finally surfaced in Katabasis and Siege Perilous - would dragons in the Foreworld be pushing too far? I really want to write a dragon. I suppose it doesn't have to be a real dragon - there could be ambiguity. (But a dragon, not a croc as cleverly used for a dragon stand-in by Roberto Calas in one of his Scourge books). Hey - don't look at me like that! I could be joking! Maybe.