Hey ya'll!  I

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Hey ya'll!  I

Hey ya'll!  I have a question.  I am normally never seen on Inkwell, but I've decided if I want to pursue writing as a possible profession, or livelihood, I need all the help I can get.  And I know I can count on everyone here.  You are all very talented writers, I've found just by reading your regular comments.

 

First question:  I really enjoy entering contests, and most of the contests I find are for 1000 words or less.  Most stories I write are 1000+ words.  Does anybuggy have any suggestions on how to introduce a character, plot, and ending to a story with a small word limit?  And if not, does anybuggy know of any contests with 5000 word limit?  (The most recent story I wrote was 4000 something words and I can't find a contest to enter it in).  

 

If neither, that's fine.  I hope you will be seeing me much more often around Inkwell.  I might even introduce my own "Red Robyn". :)  (For those who do not know, my real name is Robyn).  Thanks! 

submitted by R~D~, age 13, The Great North
(March 1, 2010 - 6:38 pm)

back to the Inkwell

Hi!  I have the same problem, my stories are usually all too long to enter contests.  Unfortunately I don't know any contests with a 5000 word limit.  Maybe you can try narrowing down your stories to only the things that you think are really needed to tell the story clearly.  If not, write a novel!:)

submitted by Amy G., age 13, Pennsylvania
(March 1, 2010 - 8:30 pm)

Hee hee, I do have a very long story, that when I pasted it in my word counter thingy, the word counter broke down and froze my computer!  :)  But thanks!! I'm glad I'm not the only one with that problem!  :D  

submitted by R~D~
(March 2, 2010 - 12:16 pm)

I have the same problem!

Sorry, I don't know any contests like that. If I did, I wouldn't be posting right now. I would be working on it.

You know, the whole "get rid of anything unnesessary" thing frustrates me. Details are what makes a story breathe. My composition teacher  obviosuly doesn't think that way. She wants the story to be fantastic, but when I show it to her she eliminates everything she finds unnesessary. Which is everything interesting. Then she'll look at my stripped, annialated work again and say "Make it better."

Sigh. Sorry about the rant.

submitted by Katie
(March 2, 2010 - 6:21 pm)

I really like the details too, especially if I'm just telling the story to myself and not writing, I just go on and on about the characters.  And descriptions, at least some, are really needed for a good story.  I like to write poems because it is kind of easier to say what you want to say, without pages of dialog.  Oh, R~D~, or Robyn, there are long essay contests but that's different.  Definetly.  Even if you are really competitive maybe you can just write for yourself, and try to do better than yourself!

submitted by Amy G., age 13, Pennsylvania
(March 3, 2010 - 6:32 pm)

Thanks, guys, and I totally agree with everything you've said.

 

BUT *pokes self* I meant ROUND ROBYN, not RED.  *headdesk*  Oh, please call me R~D~, because that's how I'm know 'round here.  Thanks :) 

submitted by R~D~
(March 4, 2010 - 12:22 pm)