Friday 6 September 2013

Saying Goodbye to Summer - Read My Story in Fiction Feast


I have been lucky enough to have two stories published in this month's Fiction feast. Today, in my Inspiration Behind the Story post, I shall talk about how I came to write the first one: Saying Goodbye to Summer.

The title came from a headline for an article (I think about gardening) which caught my eye in a newspaper, last year. I had taught a little girl with the name Summer (only spelt differently) and I couldn't help but think of it as a play on words. Who could Summer be in a story? Why would people be saying goodbye to her? Who was saying goodbye to her?

At the time of thinking about the story, a lot of my friends' children were embarking on their first year at University and were talking about how it would feel when they had gone.  'The empty nest' was a hot topic over our weekly coffee on a Friday. My own daughter had just left for her final year at Cambridge University and although immensely proud of her, after two years I had grown used to her being away and it being just my husband and me (and Bonnie and Bobby) at home.

I decided to write about a woman who instead of feeling bereft when her daughter Summer left home, actually just felt proud and as though she had done a great job as a mother. I knew that this subject had been done to death in magazines and would need a twist. When it came to me, I was really pleased and knew it might give my story the edge over others with the same theme at this time of year.

Of course, as usual, I don't want to tell you what that twist was as it will spoil it for anyone wanting to read it but the moral of this inspiration post is: if you can find a different angle to a well worn theme (sorry to use that term!) you have a better chance of publication. This applies to seasonal stories such as Easter and Christmas or stage of life stories such as graduations, weddings, retirement etc. If any of my readers are new writers hoping to break into the magazine market, I hope this post has been helpful.

12 comments:

  1. Congratulations on the stories, Wendy. You really are on a roll at the moment, aren't you, and I'm so pleased for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your good wishes, Frances. It's very kind of you.

      Delete
  2. I have the Wendy Clarke issue of FF! (as well as two by you there's one by another Wendy and one by another Clarke) I've not read it yet though so I'm glad you've not given the twist away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can assure you they are not all me, Patsy! One is the lovely Karen (no relation) Clarke, who I sat next to at the WW writing day.

      Delete
  3. Nice to be sharing pages with you this month, Wendy :o) I really enjoyed your stories, and it's lovely to read the inspiration behind Saying Goodbye to Summer.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Another great post, Wendy - can't keep up with your success in stories but I can see why they deservedly get published. Loved your Man behind the Mask, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really glad you liked that one, Rosemary - it's one of my favourites.

      Delete
  5. Summer is such a lovely name. What a great idea for a story - but now I want to know what your twist was!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm afraid you might have to buy the mag to find out, Joanne!

      Delete
  6. I've read Goodbye to Summer - and when I got to the end, I wished it had been my idea! Clever and I can see why it got published. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I know that feeling, Sally, I get it all the time. I remember thinking that after I had read 'Room'.

      Delete