So, I have to be honest. I got curious. I can't even write a MEMO for my real-life job without making it a novel (I'm serious; my boss ordered me the other day, "Do NOT make this a novel!"), and so I extended an open invitation to my short-work writer friends to share with us what drew them to the world of writing short works instead of novels, why they enjoy doing it and maybe a little of HOW they do it, too. Join me in welcoming some dear friends--who are also remarkable, incredibly talented writers.
AVA SNOW
I was drawn to short erotica by my love for reading
and a foray into role play. I saw these wonderful stories being written out on line, and my first thought was, "WOW!!" I got lost in the stories. The writers
just drew me in and never let me go. I saw an advertisement for an open role;
thought why the hell not. I asked about the role, was given a chance to write
and I haven’t looked back since.
I met some wonderful people who gave me loads of encouragement to write a short story. I wasn’t sure I
could write a full length novel. The one thing I kept hearing was, “You can
write a short story, you write that in one role play story line. What could it hurt?" So I said
what the hell, sat down and wrote the story that was running through my head and my heart. I
found that I enjoyed putting to paper the voices I heard in my head, and giving
them a life of their own. They made me smile, cry, laugh. Now I find that I
love writing the shorter stories. When my son sees me at the computer lately he
says, “Are you writing another story?” I just smile, nod and continue with the
new passion I have found.
TAYLOR RAY
I think that role playing helped make me want to write shorter stories. That's
basically what one does when posting "on demand" either with or without a
partner. It could also be that I have some sort of undiagnosed ADD and
just like to wrap things up quickly. As an author, I have to choose my words wisely and pick the most descriptive ones. I have to set the scene, convey the emotion and keep going. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am able to grab the reader's attention, tell my story and put a bow on it in 9-15,000 words. Conversely, it can sometimes be frustrating to limit to that word count because the characters have a lot they want to say.
EVA LENOIR
The downside to writing shorts is that sometimes your characters want more, need more and give you so much material to work with that it's truly painful to have to cut their time short. That's probably the biggest difficulty. For example, I've just submitted book 2 of the Underdogs of the Arena Series "Stone Cold", and I'm pretty sure I could go on for an entire novel with Stones and Sloane. But then through this story a new shifter has come to town which will allow me to focus a little bit on him, too. I'm also working on a stand-alone bringing head-to-head an eco-activist with a corporate lawyer. I can already hear them going at each other...fun times!
LYNN MYSHE JOSEPH
It started at age 13 when I first discovered my passion for
writing. I was a freshman in high school (oh, has it been that long!) and I had
a creative writing project due. I totally immersed myself in the assignment and
when my teacher handed it back to me, she told me it was the best paper she had
ever read from someone my age. The characters, the set-up, the descriptions she
loved it and I remember loving writing it just as much...so it began!
I LOVE writing short fiction versus long fiction for a few
reasons. One, I have SO many ideas in my head and writing short novels lets me
get them out faster. Two, I’m one of those writers who loves to condense a
plot, characters and the story in the shortest way as possible. Just that’s the
way that I write and it’s effective for me!
I find the challenges are also a part of the benefits too.
Writing short fiction still allows you the creativity that you want, but, you
have to shorten it all into less than 15000 words in some cases, which can be
done. But it must be done carefully and
so that the story is real and that others relate and feel what you are putting
to paper.
I hope enjoy reading my works and be on the lookout for
more!
You can buy THE TEST now right here.
TORY RICHARDS
I’m so thrilled to be here today. The one thing I like about
being a writer is the support and help authors give to one another. I’ve never
met such a group of people who want you to be successful as much as they want
it for themselves.
My name is Tory Richards and I’m a grandma who reads and
writes smut. That’s my bio in a nutshell. I started out writing full length
mainstream romance, graduated to full length erotic romance, and now prefer to
write quickies. Short erotic romances that give a quick, but satisfying fix.
Anywhere between ten and twenty thousand words, and a little quiet time, I can
write a short romance in one week. However, living with my daughter and her
family of little ones, finding quiet time is a little difficult.
I like writing shorter romances. I have several Quickies
with Ellora’s Cave, Talk Dirty to Me, Breathless Surrender and Her
Hands-On Man. Hot Spot can be
found at Liquid Silver Books. And in
March my first interracial romance, Instant
Attraction will be out at Total-E-Bound.
They might be short but they still have plots and background information that
flow through the story-line and connects the hero and heroine. Usually, but not
always, my characters have some kind of history together. In the fast paced
world we live in, a shorter story feeds the needs of readers who are on the
move.
My first release for the New Year is A Perfect Fit. It's the short story
between a plus-sized model and an ex-Texas Ranger. It actually came out on the
5th on Amazon Kindle. Below are a brief blurb and the link to my Amazon author
page. I hope you’ll check it out.
A Perfect Fit
Marissa Lambert is
furious with her agent for hiring a security agency to protect her. The last
thing she needs is some Texas cowboy following her around, and telling her what
to do. Just because two plus-sized models have turned up dead in a month
doesn’t mean she’s at risk. And besides, she can take care of herself.
Beau Evans owns and
operates Evans Security, and he’s the unlucky one who gets to babysit the
beautiful Marissa. The moment he watches her strut her stuff down the runway,
in a revealing corset that hugs her generous assets, he gets an itch that
doesn’t go away. Their first encounter ends with an angry exchange and a battle
of strong wills, but once they succumb to the lust in their blood there’s no
turning back.
Tory Richards website: tory.richards.com
Amazon author page – http://www.amazon.com/Tory-Richards/e/B002DBFNUQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Ellora’s Cave – https://www.ellorascave.com/index.php/authors/index/author/slug/tory-richards/
Liquid Silver Books – http://www.king-cart.com/cgibin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&category=Tory+Richards
