88 seconds of writing advice · 5:56am Aug 21st, 2015
First, a disclaimer:
OnionPie is a very good writer (and I'm not just saying that because he's helped with two of my stories... though I'm sure that doesn't hurt 
). I'm planning to do a spotlight post about his latest story, which is tragic and beautiful and has that elusive quality of grabbing you and forcing you to keep reading it in a straight shot from beginning to end. (And which contains some really dark stuff, if you're of a sensitive disposition... which I am, but it speaks to me anyway).
But he's taking it back through a round of post-release editing, so for now I'm gonna leave you with a video about writing short stories that he sent me a while back. It's probably the best 88 seconds I've spent studying the craft of writing in a while.
I'm always interested in writing tips, if anybody else has some to share!
i am onionpie and what is this
3336160 This was something you sent me at one point while I was working on the Daring Do story. At first I wasn't sure if you were trying to tell me that the story was a hot mess and I needed to follow some of this advice... but then I realized it was a hot mess, and I did need to follow this.
3336334
No, no. Not that. The other thing. You silly cup of coffee.
3336343 Giving you a tiny signal boost, you silly... sack of onions?
When it comes to the structure of the short story I don't disagree with him. He tends to follow the Hemmingway/newspaper style of short story in that, you tell them all of the pertinent details quickly because you only have so much space. As they used to say in a journalism class I was in once, "It's going to be 500 words, if we have to cut off the last paragraph to get there we will."
I might add, always study. Whether it's simply observing the world and the people around, reading books and articles about a time and place, listening to certain music, or even drawing upon the experiences that have occurred in your life so that you might be able to convey a certain amount of reality for the reader.
Read not just for the purposes of studying. Sometimes you can get inspiration or clarity from it. Sometimes it's just fun. However, the words of others can sometimes push you along and open your mind to other possibilities.
Finally, and most importantly, buy my book "Mr. Nick Talks to Kurt Vonnegut and Relays the Message to Coffee Minion" for only 19.99 plus shipping and handling. No... not shipping of Vonnegut and me. How dare you sir.
3337544 lol, too late! Vonnegut x MisterNick is now a thing.