SHORT STORY WRITING

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1932, Page 7

SHORT STORY WRITING

FROM THE EDITORIAL CHAIR SIDELIGHTS ON COMPETITIONS. THE PERSONAL COVERING NOTE. The short story competition conducted by the Daily News in connection with the Christmas supplement issued this morning produced a surprising response. Whether the age is productive of people filled with the urge to write, or whether hard times have driven them to seek some means of modestly augmenting their income one cannot say, but the fact remains that the response to this year’s short story competition was somewhat staggering, and gave the judges a difficult task. Although much of the work submitted was immature there were .in . the great majority of cases the germs of a good story. There were no outstanding stories, and those that were eventually accepted have apparent faults in plot, development or literary expression. Several distinctly clever stories were rejected because they lacked polish. Other stories written in excellent descriptive style failed because of their lack of “plot,” One contribution was almost word perfect and was a really graceful tit-bit of literature, but lacked the “human touch” that is essential to successful short storywriting. The fact that the stories were being written for a Christmas competition could not be overlooked, and for that reason several entries were rejected because they were too mournful or tragic. One of these, a story of Mount Egmont by a New Plymouth girl, would bpt for this have received serious consideration. One good entry from Wellington, from the pen of a previous prizewinner, was rejected because it exceeded the stipulated number of words. The judges could not help but be struck by the pathos and humour, often unconscious, of some of the covering notes accompanying the contributions. A contributor from Wellington advanced some very definite opinions in his covering note. “The present time of depression is one in which to make folk laugh at Christmas or any other season,” he said. “I think the enclosed attempt would prove a tickle for the bulk of your readers who could for once forgo their partiality for sex stories. This story has not been presented for consideration before, though it was written with a pretentious object further afield.”

There was a pathetic touch in the covering note of a contribution from Wellington. “Enclosed is an entry for your Christmas competition,” it yan. “I am wishing for it a not unkind reception.” And, taken altogether, it was not a bad effort.

“This story is entirely my own making and is what very often occurs in our lives,” wrote an Inaha author. “There is always the ‘evil doer’ waiting his chance to break the lives of single and even married women.'. . .” And to read the accompanying story would make any normal young man blush with shame for his sex.

“I have had a gruelling race against time, and only finished it at 2 o’clock this morning,” said one competitor from Wellington whose entry was received on the last day. “However, I’ve enjoyed the mental exercise.” The competitor'would have had a, better chance of being first if he had kept .his story to the competition limit. “The likeness to any local character has been disguised,” wrote another competitor. So, alas, had the plot in the effort he sent, ; . Several competitors, apparently not realising the conditions, sent in children’s stories, or rather essays, historical and otherwise. ' The earnestness of the youthful authors was apparent, and it was difficult to refuse the appeal in the following note: “I have written to short stories for the Christmas number, and I hope they will be a success, as I have tried before but have had no luck with it. I have been terrible disapointed to think each time I’ve sent in thinks for the Christinas, and it has been a failure. No ' need to bother about * sending the stories back,” Several contributions of verse were received, and it was unfortunate that there was no competition for them, for they were by no means without merit. One pppm, from Eltham, was particularly meritorious, and betokened . talent well above the average.