Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Scenes in short stories

This is topic Scenes in short stories in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :

I have been going round and around with myself over my last two stories. The big ones, that is. The one that I am most focused on is more a Milieu story than a Character story. Not to say that the MC isn't very interesting, but I am trying to paint as epic and awe inspiring world and society as possible.

I intended to get this in a novella word range to submit to Q3. I am considering the use of two POVs. The minor Character has influence on the future of the young MC, and I considered having two small scenes from her POV to further inform of the big picture of the world and plight of the MC.

I have never had to deal with this and my current plotting covers a good span of time, a few years. Will scenes like this be well recieved in a novella format? I appreciate any comments or information on this subject.

Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :

What do you mean by "well received"? Whether the minor character's POV will disrupt the flow of the story?

I think it can work to enrich the story. The timing will be important--obviously you don't want to stick it in in the middle of some action scene. Also, I think it would need to address some question the reader has in their mind as they're reading the story, such as, why is the young MC so sensitive about her mother? If, then, the minor character has that perspective, the reader will be eager to encounter it and it will fit right in.

Books that come to mind are Barbara Kingsolver's Animal Dreams--it's written in first person except for one chapter, which is written in the MC's father's POV--and Gregory MacGuire's Mirror, Mirror and Wicked, in which he switches POVs to minor characters as necessary. Of course, these are both books. I don't know how different it would be with a novella. Short stories, obviously, would be more difficult.

I hope this helps. Really, I think you just have to try it, and if it doesn't feel right try it differently. I think it can work though.

Posted by tnwilz (Member # 4080) on :

Looking at some of Sara's recent successes i think that publishers are interested in looking at unusual formats as long as they are done well.

And thats the secret isnt it.

Tracy

Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :

Thank you. I will give it a go.