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Writing Prompt: Short Short Stories with Big Big Impact

5 Jun

My colleague talked in her blog post about Brown Girl Dreaming on Wednesday that we sometime think that we need to use a lot of words to get across our point or idea, but short short stories are like their name suggests very short and like with poetry a little can go a long way.  Short short fiction often also has a surprise closing think O’Henry stories or an M. Night Shyamalan movie that gives them a big punch at the end.  If you like to use a lot of words and find yourself needing to edit down then this could be a great challenge in focusing on conveying what you have to say in a small space.  It is also a great option for those who think they do not have enough time to write.    Hoopla has several collections of short short fiction including Great Short Short Stories, which includes works by notable authors all under six pages in length and The Short, Short-Story Omnibus including stories with twist endings. 

Try thinking of something you found surprising or unlikely to happen, what could you setup to lead up to that point?  What mundane every day activity could you give a unique twist to?  Sometimes having a shorter story that has a strong concept can resonate more than one that takes 100’s of pages to tell.  If you are feeling especially ambitious about being “short” then you can try your hand at microfiction which is made up of stories of under 300 words.  Some writers like to challenge themselves that their pieces are so short they can fit in one Tweet so remember if you have time to write a post in social media, you have enough time to write a story!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Head of Information and Digital Resources

 

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Thriving Despite Adversity: Brown Girl Dreaming

3 Jun

brown girl dreaming
One would think that authors have to speak as many words as possible to get their point through, but often with poetry it is finding just the right words. In the case of these authors, one can see that there are many different ways to express one’s thoughts. Here is a memoir in verse by Jacqueline Woodson, you should take note of. The book, Brown Girl Dreaming, will appeal to patrons that are from elementary school age to adulthood. Each poem is written in verse and, therefore, a great way to teach people to take in their environments in ways that Woodson has learned exquisitely.

Jacqueline Woodson is an author of 40+ books and the recipient of the National Young People’s Literature Award. One would have thought that she was an avid reader and writer as a child, but that wasn’t the case for Woodson. Her sister ended up being the reader in the family. Jacqueline Woodson had trouble reading due to her dyslexia. One thing that stood with her that helped her become an accomplished author is her ability to take in her surroundings. Through this memoir in verse, she spoke about her life growing up in the South and moving to Brooklyn, New York. She gives vivid insight and imagery through her words. The reader cannot help but be charmed by Woodson’s description of her early life and how she became the author that she is today despite the adversity that was in her way.

You can borrow Brown Girl Dreaming from eBCCLS and eLibraryNJ!  If you love this book, Brown Girl Dreaming was previously featured on our ultimate book lovers list for kids and parents and great books in verse list, check out these previous blogs for more great ideas to read!

Written by:
Elbie Love
YA Library Associate

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