This is topic Untitled in forum Fragments and Feedback for Short Works at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.


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Posted by Worlds (Member # 2221) on :
 
Yeah, heres the first 13 lines to another short story. This one is quite a bit different from my other story. This one has about 10 pages total in it, so there quite a bit more. this first 13 lines doesnt really tell alot about the upcoming story, actually it tells nothing, but it is the first 13 lines. any and all comments are welcome.


The bus seat was hard and rigid. It hurt to slouch, it hurt to sit up, and I was tired.

The bus window vibrated with the engine and jumped with every little bump in the road. It wasn’t a good place to lean your head on.

It was damn near one in the morning and headlights still blinded me in the road. You have to wonder, what the hell are all those people out there doing?

I mean, I knew what I was doing.

But them, all those people on the road late at night, I didn’t know why they were there. And I probably never would. They all have their own little lives and their own little
thoughts and their own sentience.

That always bugged me. My sentient self isn’t special, everyone is conscious. Some less than others, yeah, but they all have thoughts, like me.

What the hell they all think about, I don’t know. That bugs me too.

****, a lot bugs me.
 


Posted by ender39 (Member # 2222) on :
 
The narrator sounds angst-ridden, which makes me wonder; is is warranted, or it this just the ranting of a human being bored in his own skin? They say idle hands are the devil's workshop, and this person seems like they could cook up some clever michief. Could I see the rest?
 
Posted by Worlds (Member # 2221) on :
 
ok, i emailed it to you. I am suppossed to email it to you, right? if not, im sorry.
 
Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :
 
Hi! Dakota here! One of a few newbie orientation specialists!

Just kidding.

About sending documents, it's nice when you post something to A) tell us how long the entire story/scene/chapter is (by word count), B) tell us genre if it can't be discerned from the fragment, C) tell what kind of software format it is in, but generally only if it is something not readily compatible with Word. As for receiving documents, those who request can specify how they prefer to receive (ie. "I prefer Word documents sent as an attachment").

About starting out on the boards, it's crucial, if you're going to have a solid place in the repartee, to give as much as you take by way of comments in the threads and critiques of others' work. Those who do nothing but take don't last long here--but then they were never really serious about it in the first place.

About your fragment, it sounds interesting. I'm drawn in, mainly by the odd characterization. The guy's obviously a bit tilted--that's intriguing for me. But then maybe I'm a bit tilted, too.

A few nitpicks:
The first two paragraphs start out identically---"The bus..." Change that.
Fourth sentence ends in a preposition--one you don't even need.
Fifth sentence, I'm wondering, if he's riding in a bus, why is he torturing himself by continuously staring into the headlights of oncoming cars, needlessly blinding himself? Sado-masochist?
Sixth sentence: To answer his question, they're driving. Might it better clarify his intended thoughts to wonder where they're going, or what they were doing out so late at night?
Eighth sentence: He says: "...I didn't know why they were there." Repetitious. He's already wondered about this (sentence six).
I won't go further than to say that the entire fragment could use some tightening, but really minor stuff.

And if I had the time right now, I'd volunteer to read. But I don't, so I won't. But I'll catch you some other time, some other fragment.
 


Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
 
There is a bit of repetition here, but not too much, really. And this narrator has an interesting quality, with hints of an interesting story to tell. I think that my overall judgement is that I'd be willing to keep reading.
 
Posted by Michaelpfs (Member # 2209) on :
 
I like the character so far. Sure, there are a few moments that need work, but most of the issues I had were mentioned in earlier posts. I'm intrigued by what you have here and would be willing to read more to find out who this person is.
 
Posted by Worlds (Member # 2221) on :
 
does that mean you guys want me to email it to you?
 
Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :
 
I like the style, but I'm not hooked. I feel that I need something else to bait me along.

13 lines, and I'm not convinced we're going anywhere.
 


Posted by Braddock (Member # 2205) on :
 
I agree with djvdakota on several of the comments. The only one I'd add is that, even though it made sense after I read it a couple of times, the idea of the window jumping tripped me up. I know what you are saying (that he bumps his head every time the bus hits a pothole or something), but I had a hard time with a jumping window.

I like the voice. I'm a little morbid in that, I guess. I like reading about cynical people (kind of like the cynicism I liked in Catcher in the Rye). I'll read it.

By the way, I find that unless someone says "I'll take a look at it," or "I want to read it" don't send it to them. Several of the entries are just comments about the opening (you can't read everything that gets posted...even though I'd like to sometimes).

Welcome to the group (I'm basically a newbie myself, but you can take that for what it's worth).
 


Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
 
Ah, also remember that you won't get as many direct offers to read unless you specify that you're ready for readers. If you are, then I'm up to it.
 


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