tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post6484830628396889932..comments2024-03-06T05:24:11.328-05:00Comments on Kelly Hashway: Writing Short Fantasy With James HutchingsKelly Hashwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-86243957038379579712012-03-01T13:54:24.058-05:002012-03-01T13:54:24.058-05:00Glad you liked it!Glad you liked it!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-4676550026999468072012-03-01T13:51:18.699-05:002012-03-01T13:51:18.699-05:00How fun! Short story mythologies! Now this is so...How fun! Short story mythologies! Now this is something I'd love. I really enjoyed the story.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08311305166391446029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-13160740092049343892012-02-29T08:23:08.526-05:002012-02-29T08:23:08.526-05:00Sure do!
By the way I actually wrote a collection...Sure do!<br /><br />By the way I actually wrote a collection of tweet-length fiction, which is free on Amazon or Smashwords.anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-30926272306512636012012-02-29T06:58:20.487-05:002012-02-29T06:58:20.487-05:00Thank you, Greg. And thank you for leaving such a ...Thank you, Greg. And thank you for leaving such a great comment for James. I'm sure he appreciate it. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-14554426826472897322012-02-29T06:28:42.835-05:002012-02-29T06:28:42.835-05:00First off, I want to wish you the very best of luc...First off, I want to wish you the very best of luck with your debut YA novel, Kelly.<br /><br />I'd like to thank James on two fronts. First, for spreading the name of Lord Dunsany about; a very influential figure in his time but who is today, as mentioned, rather overlooked. (I've only read a bit of his output but would recommend to anyone 'The Fortress Unvanquishable, save for Sacnoth' - a longer piece, more what we think of as trad-fantasy I suppose, for which a reading is freely available at Librivox.) I'd also like to thank him for his fine story. It's strange, I tend to steer clear of poetry but lap this sort of tight, meditative piece. There are no superfluous detail in evidence, every word counts, and yet so much can be 'decompressed' from it and unpicked inside the reader's mind.<br /><br />I do think this kind of stuff with a word-count in the 100s doesn't get the attention it deserves. My guess is this happens for a variety of reasons. It tends to fall into the void between short stories with a count in the low 1,000s and at the other end of the scale exactly 100 word stories or tweet-length stories which seem popular at the moment in the online world. As so many writers seem to be overly concerned with word-count and this length isn't seen as so marketable, perhaps they tend to neglect it. (Of course, it's good to be creative within self-imposed limits as it focuses the mind, but I do think there's a danger of becoming a slave to this particular restriction which in any case is imposed from 'above' by the publishing world, or rather their marketing depts.) Also, when the narrative is so stripped back, one's left only with the overall point of the piece, the 'concept', the 'message' standing bare, and I think currently some writers shy away from this, not wishing to be seen as being instructive to their readers, of being 'preachy'. I agree it's a risk to make a philosophical point so succinctly yet not be seen as patronising - and I think James carries it off admirably. I'm reminded of a quote I stumbled across once: "Lord, let me never tag a moral to a story, nor tell a tale without meaning." (~ Henry Van Dyke, not that I've any idea who he is/was)<br /><br />Some writers are drawn to this form, others are not. It's worth a try if you haven't attempted it I suppose, but I think it ultimately comes down to preference: readers are drawn to all different lengths in the fiction they enjoy (I personally baulk at all those fat trilogies) and I imagine the same's true for writers and what they enjoy doing.Greg Sturmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-89295761610783452502012-02-27T11:19:06.131-05:002012-02-27T11:19:06.131-05:00They thought I should get something more modern-lo...They thought I should get something more modern-looking.anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-52433963070357599912012-02-27T07:00:03.755-05:002012-02-27T07:00:03.755-05:00I've been in the 300s before myself but never ...I've been in the 300s before myself but never under. I'm going to have to give it a try.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-89596783192936756272012-02-27T06:59:31.865-05:002012-02-27T06:59:31.865-05:00Brenda, my dear, I've read your poetry and I&#...Brenda, my dear, I've read your poetry and I'm sure you can write flash fiction. Poetry is great practice for it.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-4499596016466814632012-02-27T06:58:48.674-05:002012-02-27T06:58:48.674-05:00Really? I love it!Really? I love it!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-65461266735503522562012-02-27T06:58:27.267-05:002012-02-27T06:58:27.267-05:00You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed James...You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed James's post.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-52787238016426299052012-02-27T06:30:55.381-05:002012-02-27T06:30:55.381-05:00Amazing! I love this post idea. I do write short s...Amazing! I love this post idea. I do write short stories. I'm not writing right now. But I'm unable to write any story of 300 words. words are always my problem.msdiamondhillhttp://msdiamondhill.wordpress.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-70772356377537483102012-02-27T01:34:58.504-05:002012-02-27T01:34:58.504-05:00Great cover. I have yet to master the art of a sh...Great cover. I have yet to master the art of a short story, which is why I prefer to dabble with poetry (it's a sort of short story). I do enjoy a wide variety of genres and for this I am wonderfully grateful. I always learn from other writers. Something for me to reach for, a short 300 word story..brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05480258485472568272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-28726306248080032812012-02-27T00:40:47.736-05:002012-02-27T00:40:47.736-05:00Thanks Claudine. I've had a few compliments ab...Thanks Claudine. I've had a few compliments about the cover - although a successful self-published author also advised me to change it.anarchisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05546197561922726279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-41322192459065490342012-02-26T22:13:10.006-05:002012-02-26T22:13:10.006-05:00I enjoy Fantasy (though I don't think I'm ...I enjoy Fantasy (though I don't think I'm a Huge Fan), and the piece James has posted is very enjoyable. Oh, and the cover is exceptional! Thank you for sharing. :)Yanting Guehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04788603550626277974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-42977649248698446442012-02-26T18:48:22.759-05:002012-02-26T18:48:22.759-05:00It really can be tricky sometimes. James does it v...It really can be tricky sometimes. James does it very well.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-88882833331582152352012-02-26T18:47:59.746-05:002012-02-26T18:47:59.746-05:00Heading over!Heading over!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-33267351189569401032012-02-26T18:11:24.652-05:002012-02-26T18:11:24.652-05:00Yes. I love the short story and yet it drives me m...Yes. I love the short story and yet it drives me mad when I do it. Such economy of words and so much to express. Loved this post. Loved the short story.cleemckenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15456109243453726483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-40803869453463783562012-02-26T17:40:28.688-05:002012-02-26T17:40:28.688-05:00Kelly, I finally posted my tag thing, and linked b...Kelly, I finally posted my tag thing, and linked back to your blog!Catherine Stinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08131569196977321229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-7791437093195378942012-02-25T06:20:35.314-05:002012-02-25T06:20:35.314-05:00Glad you enjoyed it, Sophia. James is very talente...Glad you enjoyed it, Sophia. James is very talented.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-42765553934642691362012-02-25T06:20:10.088-05:002012-02-25T06:20:10.088-05:00I agree. It really helps you improve your writing ...I agree. It really helps you improve your writing overall.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-1112837757077827332012-02-25T04:47:29.248-05:002012-02-25T04:47:29.248-05:00Oh wow.
It's REALLY hard to get me into short...Oh wow.<br /><br />It's REALLY hard to get me into short stories. With me, the longer the better, series are the best - I just can't let go! lol<br /><br />But this story was...wow.Sophia Changhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10946233873722107937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-35679946969842771032012-02-24T21:12:18.283-05:002012-02-24T21:12:18.283-05:00Short stories are great. I enjoy writing and readi...Short stories are great. I enjoy writing and reading.. they're also great to help get your writing tight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-31399701564939410462012-02-24T20:09:11.619-05:002012-02-24T20:09:11.619-05:00Fabulous post! I found it so interesting and I giv...Fabulous post! I found it so interesting and I give James so much credit for being able to write a 300 word fantasy. The story included in the post was great- so he obviously has a way with words!Jess@The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrowhttp://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-66132419359558425802012-02-24T19:31:57.622-05:002012-02-24T19:31:57.622-05:00You're welcome!You're welcome!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-79165771608256573162012-02-24T19:16:16.555-05:002012-02-24T19:16:16.555-05:00What a fun short! Thanks for sharing! :0)What a fun short! Thanks for sharing! :0)Mary Weberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13105702811351449027noreply@blogger.com