Anyone familiar with my blog or the Indie Book Bargains newsletter will know that I love drabbles. I love reading them and even more I love writing them.
For those of you that don’t know what a drabble is it’s a form of short fiction, a story that is exactly 100 words long (not including the title). This makes them not only a quick read, perfect for filling those little gaps in the day, but also an excellent writing challenge. Fitting a story into that exact number of words forces you to make good use of every available word.
The precise count also means you have to keep crafting the story so that it fits and that constant rework helps strengthen the story that you’re telling.
One aspect that stands out in many drabbles is the twist, like a good joke the drabble sets up the scene and then spins the ending round on you. Often it shocks, often is amuses, but it always stands out!
I first encountered the drabble form when a year ago Rosen Trevithick introduced them in her Indie Book Bargains newsletter. She posted a thread on KUF and challenged the writers there to write a drabble and she would post the ones she liked. It looked like a fun idea so I gave it a go, here is that first drabble I wrote:
Don't turn around
I felt its breath, chill against my neck. I knew what stood behind me. Only on this night it possessed the power to achieve its justice. I must not look at it. only in its sight could it harm me.
I walked forwards along the cobbled street. If only I could reach the village church I’d be safe for another year, until the return of this dread date.
Its footsteps echoed mine as I walked, my gaze kept low. I stumbled, looked up and caught the reflection in the window. Too late I tried to avert my gaze.
Too late.
That first drabble is still one of my favourites and since then I have written many more. In fact I’m currently the most prolific drabblist on the Indie Book Bargains website, although I think that crown will soon be challenged as there are now many other keen drabblists.
You can read more of my drabbles on my various drabble pages:
- Tales of the Imp
- Murder Drabbles (new series!)
- Drabbles Page
So Happy First Birthday to the drabble on the Indie Book Bargains newsletter and may many people continue to enjoy the form for many years to come!
Books with drabbles on Amazon
Nice article! I'm addicted to them too!
ReplyDeleteIndeed :-)
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