The Storyteller - the wit and wisdom of Frank Coughlin
 
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She sat at the table expecting something. Her legs were twitching, a habit she does when either nervous, anxious or angry.
I sat wondering what it is she could be expecting. Luckily for me, I am prepared for all sorts of oops I forgot occasions. I sensed this was one of them.
Since there was no dinner on the table, I instinctively knew I had to take us to a restaurant. Some place nice that served comfort food. Old Country Buffet. No make that great China Buffet - the one where you can order from a menu if you want.
I excused myself for a second to go to the bathroom but instead I went to my secret stash of gifts and cards. One glance at the my handy hidden calendar and I knew it was indeed a day I needed to get a gift. Years of not being prepared had prepared me for this. I selected the proper pre-written card telling her how much I love her - no specifics just good old fashion love to love you baby stuff.
There are coupons for a hug and a back rub and best of all there are earrings all wrapped and ready. I give them to her as we sit at our table. I thought you for got she says - no I say I was only pretending.
Now what does that have to do with writing - just like with marital obligations - it always helps to have pre-written ideas sitting around ready for when the muse is vacationing and you are not up to it. No it is not like mailing it in - it is more like e-mailing it in.
But I would never do that - would I, honey baby doll kitten.
I have to go - now I have to give the back rub - what day is it again ?


 
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I have decided to take my writing to a whole new level - active. Yes, that means that I have not been writing enough on the story front. I do that a lot - I write stories then I write poems but never at the same time. Now I will try to do that.
Starting today I will write 1000 words or more of a story. I will continue this story for at least ten days - I have set these small goals because I do not know how well this project will work so I do not want to commit here to do this if it does not work. (This is known as the Escape clause- always have one).
I will post my 1000 words on another blog - tomorrow I will post that blog name here. But for now I will be content with writing my 1000 words and editing them so that they make some sense. You know adding things like periods, commas, capital letters.
I will still write this blog and my two other blogs and my poem for the day.
Yes, I can do all this in coffee breaks so you can too. Write from the heart and everything is easy - and GOOD.
Of course if something goes wrong, I will blame the computer because it could not be my fault ever. So join if you dare - have fun and keep writing.
P.S. This is not how Stephen King got started.

 
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Every now and then, (actually almost everyday) I am tempted to look at some old story I wrote and try to bring it back to life - try to make it fresh, something that I might want to finish.
The reason the story is considered dead by me is simple - it is lost in the pages of the computer hard drive where I store my stories.

Most of these dead stories started out as raving good ideas - a talking sassy dog, a house that eats people - a television that talks back. The problem is I found that a lot of raving good ideas do not make good stories - there has to be a good plot attached. A good plot involves a lot of idea that come together.

There is another reason, I started these stories then abandoned them - I lost the enthusiasm  for writing  on these topics or stories - I no longer had the desire to write a long story about a sassy dog eating television set as big as a house. But now that I am thinking about these ideas again, I feel there pull - pick me, they say, write about me - I will make a great story - I will make you rich.

My advice is to leave these old stories alone. They are like old lovers - the memory of them is better than the actual thing. Unless that old lover was the one that got away. And now she lives in a people eating house with a sassy dog that tells everyone to shut the door, because the television is about to speak. (Take that Stephen King). I have to get back to her - I have to show the love poetry I wrote her. Yes, she is worth it. (at least until tomorrow when I wake up and forget about this post).