Hey there. It’s the first Wednesday of the month and you know what that means. Insecure Writers Support Group, the day for insecure writers of all genres to get out there and talk about, well, their insecurities. Or not. You could also talk about your securities, offer encouragement, connect with your writing kin and comment on like-minded other’s blogs. It’s all about community and thank God for that, too, because lately it feels like the good ole’ US of A is sorely lacking in community. In fact, to quote Jack Nicholson who played The Joker in the 1989 Tim Burton version of Batman, it feels like “this town needs an enema.”
The IWSG just happens to be a cure for that feeling.
Every month the cohosts announce a question that participants may or may not answer depending on whether they have something better to chew on. Cohosts for the March 1 posting of the IWSG are Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson. Thanks, guys. You rock!
Want to join the #IWSG? Check out the page. Twitter handle is @TheIWSG. So get on it and hope to see you at the virtual water cooler. We can talk about our insecurities.
And now, on to The Question:
Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?
I did rework a short story I wrote about ten years ago called Stalker. I entered it into a contest or two, but nothing every happened so I stashed it. I pulled it out lately and cleaned up the language a bit. I like this creepy little story about a stalker told from the stalkers POV. It’s based on my real life experience of a creeper guy who rode my train for several months and did everything he could to get next to me short of sitting on my lap. I hated riding the train those months because I felt really violated even though the guy never touched me. After he left and the imminent fear was gone, I started thinking about the story from the creeper’s POV.
Here it is. Let me know if it captures the creepiness.
Stalker
It is not as you believe, my Angel. I am not a bad man. You may think it odd that we have never spoken. I stand within ten feet of you, my Love, and the words falter, trapped in my throat. I wait for you on the platform this morning and when I don’t see you I begin my search. I spy you in the last car, walking to your seat. You prefer the solitude of the quiet car. I get that.
I juggle my briefcase and my coffee, taking up more than my allotted half of the aisle, but I see that you are nimble, my Love Light. I stop, and wait, and hope, but you have contorted yourself into a time-space continuum where anything is possible. You glide past me without so much as our arm hairs touching.
Read more of the short story here.
p.j.lazos 2.28.17
Very creepy, indeed! Did he really follow you out of the train as well? Wow. That would be upsetting to anyone. Did you ever tell him to f… off? Great short story and interesting to read it from “the other side”! It is a weird feeling to have someone interested in you, while you couldn’t care less. In reworking stories… isn’t every editing effort reworking (part of) a story? 🙂
Liesbet @ Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary
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Yes, he did, but never was there that final sort of confrontation. I made that part up. I also never told him to buzz off because you just never know what kind of reaction you’ll get. I’m more on the ignore it and it will go away camp.😆 Thanks for stopping by!🙏
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Hi there… the short story is great!… You not only capture the stalker creepiness… but maybe something even “pure”— Certain feelings could be expressed in odd ways, which might go beyond what it is socially correct… and that could be even considered illegal as it crashes against other´s rights, desires and expectations. The thing with criminals, stalkers, rapers, etc… Is that they just succumb to your desires regardless of the consequences or the people involved. But I guess we are all pervert to a certain degree, whether it has to do with our hidden-forbidden desires or our fantasies.
The POV choice here is a winning point, no doubts about it… The retelling makes me think of a sort of inner monologue and of how a stalker could experience things.
Thank you so much for sharing!!. All the best to you! 😀
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Thanks so much for such a supportive review, Aquileana!😘
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Very poetic prose. I haven’t had the courage to take anything old out and rework it. Good for you! http://www.raimeygallant.com
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Thanks, Raimey!
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Wonderful idea to tell this from the other side. Brilliantly captured too.
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Thanks, sister! And I started your book today and I looove it! Even spent extra time on the elliptical machine because I was so engrossed!
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WHAT!!!! Hey sister, you are a doll. You made my day. And boy it was a day that was needing made too. You know these days…… In fact I think my week was needing made xxxxx
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I’ll definitely do a review (and an author interview if you would be so kind) when I’m done.😍
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OmG. I would love that. You are so kind, so very kind. Thank you so much xxxxxxxxxxxx And if I can return that favour….. You come by and visit the dudes, they would like that xx
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Haha! Okay!!😘
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Yay xxxx
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What a fun story! Thank you for sharing it. And I love the quote too!
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Thanks, Erica.🙏
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Wow I just saw a show on stalkers and how this young singer was killed by one. Sometimes it is very scary. I hope you had mace or something with you to protect yourself. In this case the girl was pushed into him and he shot her. But there are other celebrities and people who’ve experienced ones that did them no harm other than creep them out. You did a good job writing it.
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Thanks, Jolie. It was on the morning commute so pretty safe as things go, just weird.
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I had a young boy who followed me around as a young girl. One day years later, he hung himself. I felt bad. Sometimes our instincts serve us well.
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Oh my gosh, how tragic!
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