Short Fiction Contest Entry

In January, as some of you may recall, I entered a Writing Contest. I did not win. The inspiration for the short fiction (250 word cap) is based on a photograph of a black-bird in flight, posted on The Clarity of Night, and listed under Past Contests as “Silhouette” Short Fiction Contest.

I am documenting my work here, for the sake of copyright purposes. I am also including the many comments I received, for my own edification:

One Is For Sorrow

He says the storyline must focus on one solitary crow flying through the bare branches of a tree and, from what one can only surmise, through the sky of King Winter himself.

He says, after I’ve already written over 500 words, that there is a cap of 250 words. So, as I begin the process of editing, perched on the branch just above the roof top where I live, the crow is patient.

“What do you want from me, black crow?” I say, sotto voce through the frost that clings to the window in front of my writing table.

“Caw. Caw.” And without so much as a shiver, he screams it again, “Caw, Caw.”

As my words have now dwindled down to a mere 184, I glance out the window where the crow has begun his flight through the night, and as I walk out the door, the screen on my writing table flickers. Not exactly a surrendering surprise. The prospect of any resemblance of comprehension is lost on those that even make the slightest attempt. One does not attempt to comprehend. One either does or one does not.

If I didn’t know better I’d say the ’words’ were having a bit of a snort at my expense. I will not beleaguer further this subject.

“Caw”

~~~~~

Comments

~~~~~

January 10, 2010 12:10 PM
Preeti said...
Hahaha... very cleverly done.
Many of us might have gone through the same process of overdoing the number of words and then sitting down for the ever-so-difficult task of editing. Sigh...so tough to delete words you've so lovingly written.
Nice one. :-) Liked it.
That last Caw.... was it the only word available to complete 250???
*grins*

January 10, 2010 12:08 PM
Lena said...
:)
Liked it. It was an enjoyable read and very clever to combine the writing process itself with the prompt.
Nicely done.

January 10, 2010 12:10 PM
Bernita said...
Geese,and I had to work to get up to a mere 200 words.

January 10, 2010 12:18 PM
Ayodele Morocco-Clarke said...
Unusual...and lovely!

January 10, 2010 12:35 PM
JaneyV said...
We've all been there Angela. CAW! indeed!

January 10, 2010 2:23 PM
Aimee Laine said...
That was cool! Completely different! Great job!

January 10, 2010 2:52 PM
Craig said...
Too true ;-)

January 10, 2010 3:45 PM
Aniket said...
Well you get all our sympathy votes now.
We've all been there. :)
No one can take away your points for originality. :D

January 10, 2010 4:28 PM
Sarah Laurenson said...
Ah. A story for the writer. Excellent!

January 10, 2010 8:16 PM
pjd said...
A pretty good description of writer's block...
word verification: purevels
what justis cat seeks out and destroys, lolz

January 10, 2010 11:41 PM
Kurt Hendricks said...
I too have a frost-lined window by my writing desk. I love it - so Dickensian!

January 11, 2010 12:49 AM
Scribblers Inc said...
you prolly went TADA! after finishing this! :D
great take on the prompt...and the way it wraps up is grand to say the least!
Mithun Mukherjee.

January 11, 2010 8:10 AM
angel said...
Oh that was so neatly unexpected!

January 11, 2010 9:19 AM
Kartik said...
Very witty!!

January 11, 2010 11:02 AM
laughingwolf said...
do, or not do... there is no try! ;)

January 11, 2010 8:15 PM
Laurel said...
Very tongue in cheek take! This made me grin.

January 12, 2010 12:23 AM
austere said...
Very different.
That flicker threw me for a minute.

January 12, 2010 9:19 AM
Four Dinners said...
Yeah!!! Only 250!!!! No fair!!!
The most original perspective yet. Thoroughly enjoyed that!
You listening Jason?...;-)

January 12, 2010 12:48 PM
jason evans said...
Four Dinners, yes.
;)
I know I've read well over 1000 comments by now.

January 12, 2010 1:24 PM
Deb Smythe said...
Ha!
I think we can all relate.

January 12, 2010 3:16 PM
Amias said...
Interesting.

January 13, 2010 12:57 AM
CJT said...
Definately different, enjoyed every bit too

January 13, 2010 8:30 AM
McKoala said...
LOL! Love a bit of self-reference. Nice work.

January 15, 2010 4:31 AM
truevoid said...
i expected at least one entry with this concept. thankfully there is no cap on the comments :)

January 15, 2010 2:11 PM
james r. tomlinson said...
I don't know so much about writer's block. Seems to me that I'm getting reader's block. I'm still scrolling downward, making my way through all the entries. Your story has brought me back to reality, back to the task at hand.

January 17, 2010 6:51 AM
Chris Eldin said...
AHAHAHAH! Nice one! Thanks for the levity. I like your sense of humor.
:-)

January 17, 2010 3:18 PM
catvibe said...
Are you a singer Angela? The sotto voce reference made me wonder...
I loved this piece actually. My first piece, (I wrote 3, submitted the last), was also about writing this piece. Not as inventive as yours tho, I love this.