Story Time on the Blog
Last week I asked you guys to send me some examples of your creative works. And guess what? OWL blog reader Sinead came through! She sent me a very cool piece of short fiction, and I’m going to post a small piece of it for you guys to check out.
What you need to know: it’s a story told from the point of view of a dog named Longear. I’m posting my favourite part, in which Longear sneaks inside and eavesdrops on her family. (Longear lives with two adults and five kids). Up
until this point in the story, Longear doesn’t feel very welcome where she’s living. Like, at all.
Here we go:
Untitled (excerpt)
I sneaked inside, and I heard Mom talking. I hid and listened. I could hear every word perfectly, even though I was in the room over. “It was your responsibility to look after the dog,” Mom was saying. “You feed it, you give it water, and you pick up the poop!”
Now the voice changed. It was either Alex or Jesse. They sounded the same as well as looked the same.
“Mom, I don’t like doing that stuff, and no one else does anything for that dog!”
Now I was certain that it was Jesse. I knew Alex wouldn’t say anything like that. For one thing, she always called me “Kate,” like it was my name. Mom started talking again and pulled me out of my train of thought.
“I don’t care if you hate the thing. If you don’t start taking care of it, I’m getting rid of it!”
“Fine!” said who I thought was Jesse. “Go ahead, get rid of it! I don’t care!” And she started stomping my way.
She stormed right past the table I was hiding under. I looked up to see her; she had a stony look on her face like she had been made out of rocks and pebbles instead of skin and bone, and she did not look like Jesse. Jesse had shorter hair and darker eyes than Alex, and this girl had light eyes and long hair. It was certainly Alex; I just couldn’t believe it until Mom said “Alex! Get back here!” and she shouted “No! Leave me alone!”
The one person in this house who had acted like she liked me had just said she didn’t care if I went away! Well, I would go away all right! See if I would stay here after all that!
I ran out the door and into the backyard and started to dig a hole. I would have kept digging the hole if Tim hadn’t walked through the back fence at that moment.
“Mom! I have a cut on my ankle!” he said. “Can I have a Band-aid?”
While Tim shouted from the gateway, I slipped past and got into the back lane. I ran. I ran past the house and past five more houses until I felt safe enough to slow down a bit. I slowed to a quick jog.
—
Cool, huh? I especially like this part because it creates a lot of suspense: what happens next? Where will Longear go? Many, many thanks to Sinead for sending me her story. I love it and I hope all you guys do too.
Talk to you later.
Craig, owlblog@owlkids.com
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i like this story! nice one sinead.
Cool. I want to know the other parts too. Sorry, but I might not be able to send my whole novel. But, I might.
oh cool, neat that you like it. i like hearing what people think of my stories. i haven’t actually found out a good name for it yet, sorry!
How about, Life with the Family, Rejected, Longear’s Story, or Longear.
cool suggestions Katie, i like ‘Rejected’, it just makes sense, i have a lot to write in this story, but i have a basic idea, and rejection happens allot to Longear, she evens gets put in a puppy mill for a bit before she is rescued. thanks Katie!
I love that story!
thanks Isabelle!
Your welcome. Glad I could help.
Great story! How do I send mine?
Hey Frank. If you want to send me a story, email owlblog@owlkids.com. Same goes for everyone else! Drawings and comics are also most welcome!
cool story, sinead!
I have zero talent for writing.
but this is great!
You know, Sinead, that story was so great, it could actually be published. it is a suspenseful and exciting story. Can’t wait to see what happnes next!!!!!!!
-Lexi, age 9, California, USA
cool, thank foe the awesome comments every one!
Sweet story, sinead! If I try to write a book I get bored and give up. got any tips for staying on track?
try what i do Hailey, think about the story, the plot line, the characters, the sort of adventure, the danger, the ending and the setting. get yourself all exited about your awesome idea, and imagine all you can, come up with awesome ideas and jokes you know you will incorporate all before you start writing. make sure you love your idea or you wont finish the book. then get a sketch book, lined. draw up a cover (even if you are like me and cant draw) and get a name for your story, even if it takes a while. don’t mind about spelling and grammar, you can always fix that later, and don’t try to make it look neat, you should see MY sketch books, my mom says i write it in a different language, my writing looks so bad! if you come to a part where it just got of course and it’s far away from where you thought it would go, just make something good up to pull the story where it’s ‘spost to go. sometimes i go for chapters just letting the story roam before i bring it back it’s going so good. you have to let the story evolve into what it’s gonna be. that’s for the story to decide. i know i sound like some nut-job but that’s how i see it. write lots of suspense to interest your reader, and you! you’ll write moor if your wondering what happens next? make sure it’s an interesting plot line, people not who you think they are at first and dutch. er, such. sometimes when i’m writing i find myself shouting ‘no! how dare he/she?’ in my head just like if i was reading the book. you characters have to be interesting to, i have back-stories for my characters even if the back part doesn’t make it to the actual story. if you get bored don’t dare give up, put it away and come back to it later. and one moor thing, DO NOT care what other people think of your book, write it as if none will read it but you. oh, and don’t get your sketch book from Dollarama. ;P (they fall apart)
so that’s my technique for writing. oh, when your done writing it type it out on the computer, i suggest Microsoft word. (best spell and grammar check) and write down all your story ideas, no matter how stupid.
Thank you soooo much sinead! Those are awesome tips!You are like a pro at writing, I can’t wait to see the rest of your story! I’m going to start writing right now!!!(lots of exclamation marks!!!)
your welcome, i can’t wait to read your story!
okay, but it might not come for a while. I’m a bit of a perfectionist!
just a hint: don’t be. at least for the first draft, perfectionism is a book killer. trust me, i’ve seen it done.
sure, got it! Thanks again! My book is coming well.
awesome sinead
nice tips Sinead! I have an interesting Idea that I started, I might just try it!
Hey, anything’s possible!!
!!
Hey Sinead Great story!!!!!!!!!
I have tried to write a book but I have never been able to do it.
I can’t wait to here what’s next in your story.Also grat tips I can’t wait to use them.
awesome story!!!!!!!!
Can you poat the rest of the story?
maybe i’ll send in the rest later, the thing is, this isn’t the whole beginning.
sinead you are great at this although you a a kid? pre teen?
teen. whatever. but it is awesome that you can write that much for a non-adult . pretty amazing how long did it take? an hour half?
and when you posted a comment that was long too . wow you are a pretty amazing kid yourself sinead and your story too. did that take alot of practice. the story is awesome!!