“As for ‘Write what you know,’ I was regularly told this as a beginner. I think it’s a very good rule and have always obeyed it. I write about imaginary countries, alien societies on other planets, dragons, wizards, the Napa Valley in 22002. I know these things. I know them better than anybody else possibly could, so it’s my duty to testify about them.” — Ursula K. Le Guin

Here at the Story Factory, we value quantity over quality. 

More words, more hours, more stories. The goal is 52 stories at the end of the year. So far, we are on target. Which, I know, isn’t much to say at this point of the year, but on the other hand, this time last year, I was already behind. So, Wednesdays, we will report production and celebrate the little victories.

Wednesday 3/17/2021 Production Report:

Words for the week 3/10-3/16 – 6121

Hours for the week 3/10-3/16 – 34

Cumulative through 3/16

Words – 104,371

Hours – 407

Stories written – 11

That includes Morning pages each day, prewriting on either the week’s story or the novel that I am re-writing, and this blog. I only count the short story once, so there is the total for that, and I don’t count the blog on Story Sunday.

Analysis:

I am desperately behind in story writing this week. I started the story due two weeks ago and got stuck. Since I can’t get un-stuck, I not only have not finished that one, but have not started the one due this past Sunday, nor the one due this Sunday. The good news is that it is Spring Break week, and I will have a couple of days away from the day job and should be able to knock these out and catch up. They made even end up being six-word stories, which are harder for me than longer ones. 

I am a bit behind in word count and creative hours, but I expect this to change over the weekend. I am participating in the April A to Z blogging challenge, and for my theme, I will read 26 short stories and write about them. I am specifically looking for how the writers were able to convey emotion. I have been told by people who read my fiction that I can plot well, but they never know my characters’ feelings. My admittance that I don’t even know seems to be a problem. This April challenge fits into my goal of reading a short story every day and blogging every day, so the structure will be helpful. I should be at 415 hours by yesterday, and had 407. Since I was behind 9 hours a week ago, I have caught up one hour. Progress.

This week’s story from The Art of the Short Story is from Raymond Carver, Cathedral. I have read it before but will be reading it with a new purpose this week.