Short & Spooky - Two Sentence Story Challenge

Happy Halloween everyone! This is definitely going to be an odd Halloween this year with less Halloween parties, trick or treaters, and other spooky shenanigans’ than ever before. Plus, I get more candy for myself.

Anyways, I wanted to provide you all with a fun Halloween challenge that you could post to social media or exchange with friends and family (if they are into spooky stories).

This was a trend a few years ago, but there is still a page on Reddit dedicated to these simple, two sentence horrors. Be warned, they are scary; so, if it doesn’t interest you, stay clear.

However, it’s a great challenge to tell a condensed story that helps us practice using the building blocks of good stories. Here is an example I found from last year by AtomFarmer:

“I finally found my wife the kidney she needed. It took forever to track down everyone she’d donated organs to after the crash.”

— AtomFarmer

The story told us a lot about the character going on the journey, why they were doing it (at least partially), and the twist of it coming from the perspective of a potential killer. The story also leaves a ton of questions that could be used as a jump off point when developer a longer story.

If you don’t want to do a scary story, that’s fine. I would suggest to try telling any story in two-sentences for this challenge. Here is one of my horror attempts:

“I meet my daughter for the first time. I just wish she were alive for it.”

— J.J.

Spooky? Disturbing? Sad? Yes, to all three, but it says a lot about the character. The character could’ve been an absent parent, arriving to a funeral. It could’ve been a parent that never knew they had a child, then saw them for the first time as a ghost. It could’ve been something else altogether. The possibilities are endless when creating short two-sentence stories.

What does it say about tension? It builds this potentially happy moment and then absolutely flips it on its head. I think twists, especially with short horror stories, can be far more compelling for a reader.

I would like everyone to give it a try and see what you come up with. This challenge is about being economical about creativity. Great stories don’t have to be 60,000+ words long. There is no size requirement for enjoying a story or telling one.

So, what are your thoughts on two sentence stories? Do you like them or are they not your cup of tea?

Let me know in the comments and feel free to put a few of your own there as well.

Until next time, write, read, Happy Halloween!

-J.J.

What I Learned From Writing A Story For An Anthology

A few years ago, I got one of my short stories published in a small anthology called, “The Monsters In Your Closet.” I was proud of the work and learned a lot during the process. However, I realized I didn’t really explain much about it.

I first met Madeline Smoot at a writing convention in Minneapolis, MN. She was part of the editing panel for participants who requested to have their first 10 pages reviewed. She had reviewed my piece, and, to my surprise, she thought it was good. We got to talking after the critique and she mentioned in passing that she was doing an anthology.

Long story short, I submitted a piece I worked after the convention and it was accepted. After the excitement died down a bit, we got to business. A contract was provided, and requirements were set for the piece regarding editing. Madeline, along with another editor, reviewed each story and provided editing requests. Some was basic spelling and grammar mistakes, but most of it was about the structure and character. They asked questions such as, “Would a character talk like this?” “Would this character act like that?” The editor asked questions that required some deeper searching in the story to not only challenge you to make the story better, but to make you a better writer.

It was my first experience getting feedback from editors on my stories and I was nervous. I was in a state where I didn’t want to say no to doing an edit. If it was recommended, I did it. Mostly, it was out of fear that if I said no or challenged it, I would be rejected.

It wasn’t until later did I learn that was and never should be the case. You can fight to keep the story how you want it, but it’s important to pick your battles carefully. Don’t ever assume your story is perfect. It would be impossible. Editors are there to help make the story better. They will find things you missed. And that is great! But editors are not here to fix stories. If a story doesn’t work, they can’t fix it. Only the writer can.

Editors find your errors, put them on a pedestal, and say, “You can make this better.” They provide guidance, help make the story refined, and in most cases, champion your work. Editors are invaluable to writers and that was the most valuable takeaway from my experience.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of the anthology and want to give it a try during this Halloween season, pick it up on Amazon and give it a read.

The Monsters In Your Closet

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

-J.J.

My (Guess) at the Top 10 Halloween Comic Book Inspired Costumes

Halloween is tomorrow and everyone is probably going to be dressing up (unless you live in the tundra, then everyone might be winter explorer). I was kind of curious what most people would dress up as this year. Superheroes are always a great option for Halloween, but which ones are most popular?

So, here are my guesses for the most popular comic book inspired Halloween costumes: 

1. Wonder Woman - With the success of the Wonder Woman movie, I believe this will be a vastly more popular costume this year for both women and men. Yes, I can see men dress as Wonder Woman. It might be more for cheap laughs, but a wins a win.
2. Thor - I put Thor on the list because the new movie comes out this Friday, in case you didn't know. Plus, slap on a wig and grab a hammer from your Dad's workbench and boom, you are ready! Pretty easy costume if you ask me.
3. Harley Quinn - I feel like this is the most socially accepted clown in all of comic books and Halloween costume lists. It is also the most searched costume online. For some reason, Harley Quinn looks more like a punk rock renegade Geisha than a clown, but popular none the less.I don't know a better excuse to support the World Series and self-defense than carrying a baseball bat as part of costume.
4. Joker - I feel like Joker is kind of a gimme for years. Two parts terrifying, one part hilariously dark, it brings a new meaning to clown costumes. The only one more terrifying might be Pennywise...or Insane Clown Posse. 
5. Batman - Joker and Harley would be running amok a quaint, suburban neighbor if not for a sprinkling fear from the Dark Knight. Justice League is also coming this November, so I put Batman on this list. Same with Flash and Aquaman...I have no shame.
6. The Flash - I can only imagine the poorly delivered pickup lines with people dressed as The Flash. Short, quick, and uneventful. Still, I think Flash may be a fun costume. Just challenge people to races and if you lose, just say you lapped them 100 times. 
7. Aquaman - If this was any other year, I would say no way. But, again, with Justice League on the way I had to include him. Plus, it has to be the easiest costume in the world. Shirtless dude in board shorts with sharpie tattooed of sharks and jellyfish. And if people don't like it, just say you are Sub Mariner. 
8. Superman - I actually have a non-Justice League reason for Superman. Blue tights, red cape, red boots. It doesn't get too much easier than that! 
9. Hulk - ...green paint and rage issues. Probably for the selective few, but if green is your favorite color, I say go for it! BTW green is not my favorite color.
10. Generic Superhero - You can't go wrong.

So, here is my sort of nonsensical list of comic book inspired Halloween costumes. I got a feeling I will be right on most of these. Halloween really does grab from a variety of places, so if you someone dressed as at least one of these this year, let me know. 

Remember, Halloween is also the perfect time to enjoy some "scary" stories, so if you are in the mood for some monster stories, check out the anthology, "The Monsters Hiding in Your Closet." It's got a story from yours truly in there. Honestly, mine isn't scary, but it is great if you are seeking something positive on a scary Halloween. The other authors also have great stories and for 10 stories at 5 bucks, you can't go wrong. 

Make sure to have a safe and fun Halloween tomorrow!

- J.J.