The Tale of a Short Story

A few days ago, I was notified that my dragon short story was in the final running for an anthology, one of 32 that will be in the final 24.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe, though I noticed my breath still came. I was amazed, thrilled, honored, excited, and I’m not sure what else, all at once, for hours.

You see, this short story was an experiment. I’ve finished the first draft of a fantasy novel and I’m now in revision. A good part of the revision will be description, which is currently in short supply.

So, I thought, let’s see if I can tell a story, in 5,000 words or less, with description and characters and story arc and tension. A story of dragons and magic and creativity. A challenge, a play, an experiment.

But I had no ideas. None.

Then an article showed up about a particular kind of salamander. A few days later, a friend posted a picture of a sycamore along the Shenandoah River with a huge scag at its base. The scag looked like a wide-open frog’s mouth. An idea formed and I explored. The article and photo merged, becoming the hint of a story.

I let my mind fly, my fingers tapping quickly as the words came alive on the virtual page. I went back and made changes. Fellow writers provided rich feedback. An editor helped me put on the finishing touches.

I sent it off, all 3,500 words of it.

I’ve already won, whether I’m in the final 24 or not. I’ve learned more about this craft called writing. I’ve honed my skills and expanded my knowledge. I had fun. Most importantly, the 8 year old who still lives within is seeing her dreams come alive.