All my sources tell me that, as a new indie author, I need to publish more work soon. Writing a novel is not quick work for me. I have a story that might run novella length—might. I haven’t written it yet, of course. Another option is a short story collection.
Until the last couple of years, I’ve never been a big short story reader. I’ve written some, but they were for my own eyes. But, in the last year, I’ve greatly increased the number of short stories I read. I also read articles on how to write short fiction. I’m still not sure I get it.
I’m also not sure why I don’t get it. It’s almost as though I have a mental block. I think I write a beginning, middle, and end, but it doesn’t seem like a story to me. Is it a vignette? Is that a story?
Does a story require a moral? A lesson? A reason to exist? Am I over-thinking this? Probably. I fear I can’t write short stories. Then again, I fear I can’t write anything. FEAR.
I’d like to say I bravely take up my pen keyboard and wield it like a sword, but that would be a lie. The truth is I sit here quivering. I sit here wishing, hoping, praying that the words I’m typing make sense … have a purpose … tell a story.
That’s what I’m busy with nowadays. And I thank Christ Craig for her recent post reminding me that I have to face that fear or I’ll never know if I’ve written a story at all.
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Linda Cassidy Lewis 
Linda, Thanks for the mention. You know, Margaret Atwood says, “You need a certain amount of nerve to be a writer.” I couldn’t agree with her more. Every new venture (or genre) in which we dive into requires courage and risk-taking. I have to remember that all the time, especially when I get that creeping feeling of “am I wasting my time here?” Hate those days. But, I love the days when the words come together.
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Oh, Christi, those “come together” days are the best!
I’d like to think I’m courageous in writing, but I also read your quote in my negative voice — you’ve got a lot of nerve! Sometimes I think that … I have a lot of nerve to think anyone would want to read my stories. That’s why I only wrote for myself for so long. Then again, I didn’t really learn HOW to write until I decided to try for publication, so I’ll believe now that I’m writing courageously. 😉
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