One down, Nineteen to go.

Today I finished a short story.

This may not sound like much, but for me it is.

I'm good at starting stories and novels.  I have hundreds of idea's, and seem to take inspiration from all around me, and everything I see and hear.

Structuring a narrative, and working through to the end of a story or piece, is not one of my strengths. Until now.  This year I have to turn a weakness into a strength.

So I sat down and started this story.  Decided what I was going to explore, and if I'm really honest, it sort of wrote itself.

I've done a re write, and a tidy.  It's still too long 2,337 words.  But I'll re read it in a few days, again in a week, and keep tightening it up and clarifying what I'm saying through these characters.

I kept it simple on that front.  A wife and husband character, and the wife's sister.  I think simple is good for short stories.

So my aim is to create a file of 20 short stories that I can send to women's magazines and competitions.  I want to work towards having 20 stories 'out there'.

So I have 19 to go!

It's scary and exciting at the same time.  Exciting because I have so much material to choose from, and so many possible ideas and themes to explore.  Scary because although it seems that writers have a lot of control, anything half decent that I ever write seems to happen, when I let go of that control and enter a space of discovery.

So a little celebration at my first story in the file, which ironically is entitled 'Truly Amazing'.