tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post6649925402257347175..comments2024-03-28T18:40:05.789-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: WHY WRITE MYSTERY SHORT STORIES?Jim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-33560280187991521442013-07-31T08:38:13.007-04:002013-07-31T08:38:13.007-04:00Great post! This series is fascinating already!Great post! This series is fascinating already!Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-91908339701381632922013-07-30T23:27:33.671-04:002013-07-30T23:27:33.671-04:00Thanks, Jim and Barb! I appreciate so much your pa...Thanks, Jim and Barb! I appreciate so much your participation!Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-40090416399908680532013-07-30T21:48:30.270-04:002013-07-30T21:48:30.270-04:00Very interesting, Paula. Having already answered t...Very interesting, Paula. Having already answered these questions, it's intriguing to see all the varied answers other authors give to them. <br /><br />Thanks for focusing on short stories!Barb Goffmanhttp://www.barbgoffman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-71104364553585563462013-07-30T21:20:23.939-04:002013-07-30T21:20:23.939-04:00I find it interesting how quickly the different WW...I find it interesting how quickly the different WWK bloggers personalities come out in their answers.<br /><br />Good job, Paula. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-15515201609559967472013-07-30T17:11:09.657-04:002013-07-30T17:11:09.657-04:00Thank you, Kara, for your participation. I believe...Thank you, Kara, for your participation. I believe there are close links between the short story and screenwriting communities. Since you are a practitioner in each, I look forward to hearing your perspective!Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-31349870162704352942013-07-30T14:34:59.571-04:002013-07-30T14:34:59.571-04:00Great questions, Paula. Thank you for creating thi...Great questions, Paula. Thank you for creating this series--I look forward to reading and learning from your upcoming blogs and interviews.Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21482915084399175152013-07-30T13:52:58.927-04:002013-07-30T13:52:58.927-04:00KM, I like your artist analogy! Thanks for your co...KM, I like your artist analogy! Thanks for your comments.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-21529546459514676662013-07-30T13:51:59.467-04:002013-07-30T13:51:59.467-04:00Thanks for participating, E.B., and for sharing yo...Thanks for participating, E.B., and for sharing your insight into the Derringer evaluation process. You make some very valid points for consideration in writing mystery short stories.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-31723611270333755802013-07-30T13:49:58.717-04:002013-07-30T13:49:58.717-04:00Gloria, thanks for participating and congratulatio...Gloria, thanks for participating and congratulations on your upcoming publication in Strangely Funny. Mystery and Horror, LLC, was profiled in the Writers Who Kill July 20, 2013 blog, http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2013/07/confessions-of-virgin-editor.html<br /><br />Persons seeking short story markets should check out the open calls at the Mystery and Horror, LLC, submission page:<br />http://www.mysteryandhorrorllc.com/submissions.html <br />Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-28210240777502334822013-07-30T12:47:08.126-04:002013-07-30T12:47:08.126-04:00I love short stories, both reading and writing the...I love short stories, both reading and writing them. My first published piece was a short-short. I've had a handful of others published, but as others have noted, it doesn't really pay. And the venues change frequently.<br /><br />I have self-published a collection & a single, longer short story. It seems a shame for a short story to disappear when its publisher does, and I think it's pretty standard for the rights to revert to the author. Not many venues seem inclined to accept a short story that has been previously published, whether in print or in an e-zine.<br /><br />Some short stories I view as an artist would view a sketch before he/she does a large work. It's a way to get to know a character or a situation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-13121051108035019812013-07-30T12:17:05.426-04:002013-07-30T12:17:05.426-04:00To answer Shari's question, here are the crite...To answer Shari's question, here are the criteria-1) overall writing 2) characters 3) setting 4) plot 5) ending 6) overall feel 7) memorability.<br /><br />In each of those categories is a list of sub-questions. They have a numeric system so that they can correlate scores.<br /><br />Although the criteria seemed extensive, I thought that there were a few missing criteria such as, back story--too much? setting--too much? Excessive complications and too detailed characterization.<br /><br />In short stories what you include is important, but what you exclude is also important.<br /><br />Hope that answers your question, Shari.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-34029725792453196932013-07-30T12:04:43.796-04:002013-07-30T12:04:43.796-04:00Paula, thanks for including me in your blog. Warre...Paula, thanks for including me in your blog. Warren said it best, and he's the best of the best. :-) <br /><br />By the way, Sarah Glen and Gwen Mayo, both Guppies, have their first anthology of short stories coming out August 1st. It's called "Stangely Funny." My short story "Once Upon a Gnome" is in it. They have more anthologies in the works. If you're interested in submitting stories go to their website: Mystery and Horror, LLC Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-34363887750285885592013-07-30T11:22:01.490-04:002013-07-30T11:22:01.490-04:00Warren, only the best and brightest will do! Thank...Warren, only the best and brightest will do! Thanks for participating. Everyone be sure to check out Warren's new short story collection, Killer Eulogy and Other Stories, published by Untreed Reads,a great publisher of mystery and other types of short stories.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-70157296490890907612013-07-30T11:18:32.123-04:002013-07-30T11:18:32.123-04:00Shari, isn't it great to blog with such fabulo...Shari, isn't it great to blog with such fabulous writers? Thanks for your question about criteria. In the future posts, I have some references that may help you develop your own checklist.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-13161514223085561182013-07-30T11:15:45.423-04:002013-07-30T11:15:45.423-04:00Thanks, Marianne. The series will take place on Tu...Thanks, Marianne. The series will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. I'll send out BSPs to let you know the dates!Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-68680178472074183802013-07-30T11:01:36.529-04:002013-07-30T11:01:36.529-04:00What a powerful group of experts you collected! :)...What a powerful group of experts you collected! :)Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-5207153949028294772013-07-30T10:05:47.227-04:002013-07-30T10:05:47.227-04:00Great post, Paula and WWK Crew! I'm looking fo...Great post, Paula and WWK Crew! I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. E. B. would it be possible to share the rating information from the Derringer awards? It would be interesting to see what criteria they feel make a good short story.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-87381681569283895202013-07-30T09:57:14.785-04:002013-07-30T09:57:14.785-04:00Enjoyed the post, Paula. I'm looking forward t...Enjoyed the post, Paula. I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.Mariannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08122226300880520503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-77032031699278423182013-07-30T09:53:27.488-04:002013-07-30T09:53:27.488-04:00I've had an inquiry about the Short Mystery Fi...I've had an inquiry about the Short Mystery Fiction Society. It is a Yahoo group. If you would be interested in joining, please check out:<br /><br />http://shortmystery.blogspot.com/p/about.html#Member<br /><br />or<br /><br />http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortmystery/<br /><br />Following is the basic information about the benefits of membership:<br /><br />JOINING / MEMBER BENEFITS<br /><br />To become a member of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, simply subscribe to the free Shortmystery Yahoo! Group.<br /><br />Membership allows you to receive and post discussion list messages, to help determine the Derringer Awards honoring excellence in short mystery fiction, and to vote on all matters of SMFS business.<br /><br />If you choose to join, you may display the SMFS logo on your Web site.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-56656293358061944302013-07-30T09:50:00.961-04:002013-07-30T09:50:00.961-04:00I understand there may be some difficulty in conne...I understand there may be some difficulty in connecting to make comments this morning and hope the problem will clear soon. If you have a question you would like to see addressed in the series and can't leave it by comment, please send it directly to me at: pgbenson_4@msn.com.<br />Thanks!Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-43807912310725493842013-07-30T09:46:55.461-04:002013-07-30T09:46:55.461-04:00Thanks, Marilyn. These are wonderful questions. I ...Thanks, Marilyn. These are wonderful questions. I will be sure they get addressed in the series.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-78068066122910003762013-07-30T08:34:17.255-04:002013-07-30T08:34:17.255-04:00Wonderful post, Paula. I look forward to the rest ...Wonderful post, Paula. I look forward to the rest of the series. I'm curious about how much character development you all do before using a character in a short story. We often know every little detail about the main characters in our novels, even if much of it never shows up in the novel. How much do you need to know about your short story characters to make them pop on the page? <br /><br />I'm also curious about the resources you all tap into for short stories to learn about markets, craft, etc. Thanks to everyone interviewed for their insights.Marilyn Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14657858481124886652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-68368686112423104152013-07-30T08:13:18.753-04:002013-07-30T08:13:18.753-04:00Thanks, Jacqueline and Toby. I agree completely wi...Thanks, Jacqueline and Toby. I agree completely with you. Writing the mystery short story is both enjoyable and challenging and definitely requires discipline. I hope this series will provide some useful advice and information.Paula Gail Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843350597811462936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-20131430790761716672013-07-30T07:21:54.150-04:002013-07-30T07:21:54.150-04:00I enjoyed reading this post. I agree with so much ...I enjoyed reading this post. I agree with so much of what's been said. As a short story writer as well as a novelist, I find the genre particularly liberating. It requires discipline and planning.Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.com