Tall Socks: A Microfiction
If you asked me a year or two ago if I wanted to write microfiction, I would have Googled it and said: "no, I'm working on my novel." This would be a mistake. A new novel writer ought to have a collection of short stuff or risk being completely unknown in front of the "jury" when his or her manuscript is in the publisher's slush pile (or new to the bookstore). Not having other works is one of the seven new writer's mistakes. A competition came up in one of the writing groups I am in and I decided to try it. We all submitted three, eight sentence pieces in response to writing prompts and voted to determine a winning piece. There were so many good pieces of writing and I'm going to follow all those wonderful authors! I am honored to have been a finalist and amazed at having made the winning piece. This had me walking on clouds the past week or two and I am feeling more confident in how my writing has progressed. My instinct is to downplay it and call it a silly little piece of fiction, but maybe it's time to just put it out there.
Prompt: Graves of historical figures are being robbed
Tall Socks: a Microfiction "Abraham, you promised you would consider stopping this habit," she floated up and placed her ghostly white hands on the gravestone in front of her. "My dear Mary, I said I would 'consider' stopping, which is still not a lie. Besides, this old man doesn't need tall socks and I do." Abe stretched out his leg and showed Mary Todd the chilled space between his own trousers and socks. "You don't need socks, you're dead! Leave Robert E. Lee alone and come back into the mist." Abe looked around at the series of mutilated graves and sighed. "I finally found tall socks, Mary, and I'm going to use them; if he wants them back he can start another war."
There you have it: a nice distraction from my editing! I enjoyed this creative challenge and I'll be looking for more opportunities this year. There are many groups and resources. I should update my list of writing communities as well! Onward ho!
"Show me your socks" You've got to check out the other winning contestants. They did such a great job! I will post links to their blog here as soon as I get permission. Here is a great piece from Glass Heart. You should really like her page, just saying: https://www.facebook.com/204087443381307/posts/650685755388138/ All three from one contestant via her blog. I especially like the second entry, but I'm a bit biased toward historical ;) : https://wordbubblessite.wordpress.com/2019/03/16/being-brave/