I’m not a natural risk-taker. I’m the one who always orders the same thing at restaurants, drives the same routes, and treasures my routines. But taking small risks can pay off in big ways when we’re writing or learning.
Why? Because there’s no new growth in comfortable. Like muscles need to be stretched by small stress to grow, our writing and minds require challenge to get better.
This is why I entered The Write Practice’s Fall Writing Contest. I almost passed it by when I saw the theme was “fall + love” since I didn’t want to write romance. At the last minute though, I thought about all the times I challenge my students to get out of their comfort zones, and I signed up.
If you aren’t familiar with The Write Practice and their contests, I have to tell you it is a different experience than most. Stories are required to be posted in forums and workshopped. The first time you do it can be terrifying, but the feedback is invaluable. Then, you revise for a week before submitting your story. I have done several contests with them and they have all been good experiences.
The initial feedback on my story pointed out several problems in the early drafts. While it can sting for a minute to realize others are not reading your story the way you hoped, it is ultimately helpful to hear how a story is being received to inform the revision. Every single time I post a story or send it out in the world (in any draft form), I get a little nervous, hoping it will find its way to a reader who will love it.
The stories are posted on Short Fiction Break now if you’d like to see the work of a few hundred writers. My story, “Seventeen,” is here. I decided to focus on a mother’s love in a final football season.
There is probably too much story crammed in the 1488 words, but what is short fiction if not a yearning for a larger story behind one shattering moment? If you happen to stop by and read it, I hope you’ll leave a comment. I’m still growing as a writer.
No matter where you are on your writing journey, I hope you’re still taking small risks!
To take a look at how I spent last weekend, read the short fiction story “Seventeen.”
Note: While I am a regular contributor at The Write Practice, I am not paid or an affiliate of the site or their hosted partner contests. Just sharing my experience for others who might be interested!
Photo by Sérgio Rola on Unsplash