The Five Story Dilemma

In my opinion, there are only two ways to improving your craft. Write a lot, like every day and read. Read, read, read.

Did I mention reading?

This is currently the stack of literature sitting in front of me. My goal or hope rather, is that “100 Years of The Best American Short Stories,” is going to solve my five story Dilemma STAT.

I’m required to take a series of novel writing classes in order to obtain a degree in Creative Writing. I held off on these three classes until the very end because fiction isn’t my thing. Big mistake. Oh boy.

My assignment for this week is to analyze the plot and structure of five novels. What? Hmm, have I even read five novels? I’ve read hundreds and hundreds of books, but I can’t recall a single novel.

That can’t be possible. I’m literally addicted to reading. Morning. Noon. Night. We have a study- library in our house. I’ll go look in there, I thought. I’m certain I’ve read some fiction, right? Wrong. If I had to guesstimate there are around 500 books in that room, all nonfiction.

Okay, the assignment is due in three days. I’m starting to freak out. I emailed the course instructor:

Dear Course Instructor,

It’s me, Erika. It has come to my attention that I haven’t actually read novels other than the required readings for this course thus far. Oops. I suppose if I’m going to write fiction I probably need to get a jump on that and I will. I vow to it, but that doesn’t help me three days before the assignment is due. Do you have any suggestions?

I waited patiently.

“Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, short novel!” He wrote. “Have you read any short stories? They have the same structure as novels.”

I went onto the library and reserved a copy of “Old Man and the Sea.” 128 pages. I can read that in a couple of hours, but that’s only one novel. Then I remembered downstairs in my art studio is the Best American Short Stories book. That should solve my problem!

For today I’m only going to read Hemingway and four short stories, but I know I need to do more.

At 42 weeks until I’m done with my required novel (which will most likely suck as does everything else in life that is required) My goal is to read all 723 pages. That’s roughly two stories per week, but it still won’t be enough to improve my craft (or at least write fiction that doesn’t suck) so I’ll also write a 1000 word story each week.

It will be cool to get to the last story and compare my skills to the first. We’re already three weeks into the class. 39 weeks, 39 stories it is.

Anyone care to join me?

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