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Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:58 am
Alright, I haven't really written anythin' for years, but for some reason I've gotten the inspiration to try it again. This story, Swallowed Up, is one that was originally thought up by my ex about her character and how hers met mine, but I (with her permission) changed it around and changed some names and made it my own.
So without further ado, Swallowed Up
Introduction:
A chilly breeze swept through the village of Cinestra, gently plucking the remaining multi-colored leaves off their branches and carelessly tossing them upon the soggy ground below. The shutters of houses creaked open and shut, but their cries could not be heard over the uproar at the village square. All the villagers had gathered around to witness the hanging of a man who had brought havoc to their land for many years. Everyone embraced one another and let out their hollering excitement at the end of the man’s tyranny. Everyone, except one. A young girl stared deeply into the man’s sunken eyes. They had grown dull and lifeless, no longer possessing the fire within them that made the villagers fear him. He was no longer the man she had known. His muscular body slumped as though death was already beginning to drag his body beneath the earth. The dark ears upon his head were sunk back beneath his greasy black hair, trying to shut out the screams of hatred thrown at him. His tail, once full and swaying freely behind him, was now scruffy and hung motionless between his legs. At that moment the mayor of the village walked up onto the gallows, waving the villagers into silence. Without a second thought he reached over and grasped the lever that held the criminal’s fate, as if his death was nothing but an amusing game. Blood began to fill the young girl’s mouth as she bit down on her tongue, keeping the rage and sorrow that screamed within her silent. As she gazed into the man’s eyes one last time, lost within their yellow glow, she saw them twinkle like they used to. His eyes seemed to speak to her, as if to tell her that he would always be with her to protect her. She kept staring into those eyes until her vision blurred, blinded by a stream of tears that finally pushed their way up from within her. As the mayor pulled the lever back, the man flung back his head and with his last breath he let out a bellowing howl that echoed throughout the land. Then all went silent as he was engulfed by darkness. Not a minute passed before the villagers erupted into a cheer, celebrating the end of the man’s terror over them. While everyone danced and laughed and sang songs of happiness, the young girl fell upon her knees and looked upon the corpse that swayed in the chilly breeze. “Father…,” she whispered.
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:08 am
Too many adjectives in the first paragraph. It's great to describe things. It's great to use big, fancy words. Too much of either just makes the piece seem like a lot of words to say very little. This is probably the most common mistake I see with good writers.
But once I got past that it was good. Captivating. Quote: A chilly breeze swept through the village of Cinestra, gently plucking the remaining multi-colored leaves off their branches and carelessly tossing them upon the soggy ground below. The shutters of houses creaked open and shut, but their cries could not be heard over the uproar at the village square. All the villagers had gathered around to witness the hanging of a man who had brought havoc to their land for many years. Everyone embraced one another and let out their hollering excitement at the end of the man’s tyranny. Everyone, except one.
Multi-colored doesn't really work... find another word to say the same if you can. Soggy is more for something like a cloth.. ground is more.. wet, damp, moist... stuff like that... "All the villagers had" is kinda sorta incorrect vs. "The villagers had all." And, "hollering excitement" just.. doesn't work for me ^^;; Don't really know why, but I'm suggesting a rephrasing or something.
<3
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 1:45 pm
Thankies! I always try to use more words because I don't have much of a big vocabulary, and all the books I've read that are famous and what not have lots of big words.
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:18 am
 Mark Twain was actually paid by the word, so it was better for him to make long, wordy stories. This actually happened with a lot of writers around that time. Shakespeare was writing with metre and rhyme, so sometimes ultra-fancy words, or over-description was needed to keep it correct.
Ernest Hemingway only said what was needed.
<3
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