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How to Write a Fray Story
In Seven Easy Steps
There are many different ways to be a writer, and none of them are right. But here's what seems to work for me. If you'd like to write a fray story, give it a whirl and see if it works for you.
- Live an interesting life. Go outside. Do things. Walk away from your computer as often as possible. Talk to people. Take risks. Live as if your audience is watching, rooting. Writing is only difficult when you haven't done anything interesting.
- Take notes. Always carry a pen and something to write on. When interesting times are afoot, write down what you see. The little details. This is important: Don't write the story yet - just take notes on your own life. Good storytelling is always in the past tense - don't give in to the temptation to tell the story yet.
- Reflect. Take time to think about the story and how it fits into the rest of your life. Once you've filtered through all the details and settled on a story, you're on your way.
- Practice. The best way to tell a story is to simply practice it. Tell your story to your friends, your parents, your lovers. If you can tell a story and hold the attention of a stranger in a bar, you're ready to write it.
- Write. If you've done everything above, the writing part is easy. Just write it all down as you've told it, but leave out all the little vocal tricks ("you see," "I'm telling ya'", etc.), and add in all the really juicy details you were too embarrassed to mention to your friends.
- Edit. My least favorite part. Basically, read the story. Try to forget that you know it already and just read it, out loud if you want. And pay attention to where your eye trips. Look for the spots you have to read twice for clarity. Those are the spots you need to iron out. Send the story around to friends when you're ready, and ask them for comments.
- Submit! Send it on in. When you submit to fray, one of three things will happen: You'll get an email saying it was accepted, you'll get an email with some suggested edits, or you won't get an email. Please understand, we don't have the ability to respond to every submission we get, and we're sorry.
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