Night Birds

I am in the midst of writing my new novel (and loving working on it) - but it occurred to me that I don't write short things anymore, or I haven't for some time. Short fiction taught me a lot about the craft, and I still admire it a lot. Reminder to self: pick up latest BASS.

Working on what Henry James called the "big baggy monster" you can get lost in the wonderful maze of storytelling, but maybe forget a bit about language; not entirely though, as some gems always seem to emerge. But it is focusing on the beauty of words that makes fiction sing. I don't write poetry, or I haven't for years - the closest I get is what is known as flash fiction. I am a prose guy - love the story, love the form.

But there was a online magazine, a well respected one that I really wanted to be in. So I submitted many stories, all of them rejected. I have had rejections before (and I continue to gather them), but I thought hard as to what was missing from these short short stories (the magazine is known for flash fiction).

Telling a story in a very few words is a deep challenge. Hemingway's famous six worder (For sale: baby shoes, never worn.) is full of story within stories, or the possibility of story. Incidentally, Papa H. called it his best work - but he talked like that. For me, I knew a story, or perhaps the capturing of a moment that I wanted to tell. It is like taking a photograph, or maybe making a film, where you capture all the senses.

I worked my language ass off (!) on a short little piece called "Night Birds." I felt it caught something I really wanted to evoke. I sent it off to Smokelong Quarterly (the mag I have been trying to get into) and it was accepted.

Later that year, Night Birds was named one of the top 50 short fictions of 2008.

Lesson learned. Language matters a lot.

Please visit Smokelong to read the story and the interview. Or just think about words and create your own.

Night Birds at Smokelong

Interview with me about the story