writing contest

[cereko]

i submitted the following short story to a writer's digest contest. i tried something new by not explicitly stating some things. left more than a little to the reader's interpretation. more than i usually feel comfortable with, frankly. feedback appreciated

Comments

[wandacookie]

I'm confused... the story is captivating, and takes some surprise turns which are really cool, but I'm not sure of the end. Is it mainly about Stephan using Joseph to get the painting done? And why did Joseph react so violently? Because he was now expected to do a whole drive-in full of screens? Sorry, I'm not good at my own interpreting I guess.

Where the hell have you been, anyway? Besides writing elusive stories? Missed you!

[cereko]

"I'm confused... the story is captivating, and takes some surprise turns which are really cool, but I'm not sure of the end. Is it mainly about Stephan using Joseph to get the painting done? And why did Joseph react so violently? Because he was now expected to do a whole drive-in full of screens? Sorry, I'm not good at my own interpreting I guess."

i bet most people would have a hard time interpreting it. it's kind of built into it. it's more about how it makes you feel. i have something in mind, but that doesn't mean it's what the reader has to, i guess. i always think of this kind of writing as lazy storytelling. it seems to be a fad lately that the less questions presented that you answer, the better a storyteller you're considered. for instance, kathy and i were reading Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow. in it, the main character has a mountain for a father and a washing machine for a mother, supernatural siblings, and is himself not human, though he looks it. none of this is ever explained, even at the