This week's reading is a short story by Amanda Ajamfar. It was published on the Paper Darts website - this is a great resource for finding short stories!
If you missed it, you can find it here:
http://www.paperdarts.org/literary-magazine/2018/12/14/true-stories-never-satisfy
I chose this piece because I wanted to show you what can be done within the scope of a short story. The story is told using a mixture of embedded and direct narrative - a tale being told at a party and the response it gets.
I particularly want to talk about the ending:
There's nothing to do, says the cop. It's just how it is.
By omitting quotation marks for the speech, it feels almost like the author is addressing us directly here, and this is what makes the ending so poignant. Another reason why this ending is interesting is because it isn't what you expect - there is no dramatic twist, just a discussion between party-goers. Maybe that's why it's titled 'True Stories Never Satisfy', you come away from this story with a sense of bleakness.
The title in itself seems to promise something that isn't given as well - maybe you were expecting the story to end on a huge cliff-hanger, or for there to be an overwhelming sense of injustice? Instead we are left with a slightly uncomfortable unsatisfaction. Nothing major has happened, but the reflection on real life is a little too on the nose.
What to take away from this week's reading:
1. A short story can be anything you want it to be. Don't think you're limited because you're not writing a novel, instead make every word count.
2. Experiment with narrative styles and techniques. Embedded narratives are really good for a sense of perspective and reflection. It could be something that your own main character has been through, it could be an unnamed friend, or even a story they read. Make sure the reflection on the embedded tale is something different from what your audience would take away: maybe they focus on a small image or the use of a certain word.
3. Think about how your characters interact with each other, even in a short piece like this. You might not have as many characters as Amanda, but if there are multiple characters, then do they get along? What points of conflict might they have? What does each character add to the story? Remember: your characterisation exercises will help with this!
Related exercises:
Try writing a short story with an embedded narrative - and be as creative as you can. Sure, you could write about a tale being told around a campfire (and if you do it well I'm sure it'll be great!) but there are more exciting concepts to tackle; more exciting places your character(s) could be.
Happy writing!
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