One Night In Detroit...The Series?

[overwatcher]

Story or vignette? You're right. It doesn't matter at all, its the characters and their relationships to where they are and who they interact that builds it to a story - there's no hidden formula to doing that as a writer (or maybe there is) what there is here at Lit are a myriad of writers ideas woven into different constructed stories - that's why I'm here, to indulge in the different.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I'll respond to this since I used the word "coherent" in my comment on your story. It might not have been the right word to use. I thought your story was well-written and I was interested in the character. It wasn't as clear to me at the end that the protagonist had changed by the end. Could that be a mistake in reading on my part? Maybe. It was the impression I was left with when I was finished. I felt drawn into your story by your power of description, but I didn't pick up on a clear narrative arc. So I felt some of what I think AwkwardMD felt when I was done reading the story.

Don't take comments too personally. AwkwardMD has criticized things I've written and said. So have others. I often don't agree with her, but I don't take anything she says personally because I can tell she's saying what she really believes about the story, and usually backing it up intelligently, rather than just trying to be an ass to someone. I intend my comments to be taken the same way. One of the interesting, but unsettling, things about publishing a story is how differently it can hit different people. That's just the way it is.

It's OK for us (meaning all of us, not just you and me) to disagree about how we see stories. My view is we learn by listening to what others have to say even if we don't agree with them.

Thank you for your comments about your usage of "coherent" in your comment. I found it perplexing. Tell me the story is bad, tell me you were bored, fine. But if you followed the narrative, kept track of who is who, etc. then saying it was not coherent seems a non-sequiter.

I am not averse to criticism. I appreciate the positive remarks you have made, and I took your advice about punctuation errors seriously enough to start a thread to learn more. But what AwkwardMD posted went far beyond the realm of criticism into gratuitous insult.

Fiction is capable of SO MUCH MORE, and so are you. This is the third story of yours that I’ve read, and I continue to have the feeling that you are under-delivering on your talent. You can do better, and every story you write before you really challenge yourself to do more is a waste.

I pour my heart and soul into my writing. I have sweated over it and I have wept over it. And I feel like I have been richly rewarded for my effort. Every single one of my 37 published submissions has a red H, so I feel that I can confidently believe that others have found them of value. I take offense at being told that everything I have written is a waste, and I find it obnoxious for her to address me as if I am her disappointing child. To be told that I have not challenged myself is demeaning, as I think those who have read more than this one event story know.

 

[GroverLang]

I really enjoyed writing my contribution to the One Night In XXX author's event. I am considering the possibility that when I finish my current series, "Mary and Alvin", that I may expand it into a multi-story series, focusing not just on Elizabeth and Raymond, but on other denizens of the Alley Cat Saloon as well. Something like "Tales From The Alley Cat".

I just thought I'd toss that out here for feedback. All comments about the story, and the possibility of a spin off would be appreciated.

I enjoyed the story. It wasn’t spectacular it was just like all the other good stories on here and the storyline does naturally leave the opening for other stories based around the various characters introduced. Even the weirdo at the beginning.

I think not only Melissa but many others who frequent this board as contributors or readers have learned much from this thread.