March of Microanalysis Day 27
Microfiction Entry Day 27:
Sunrise illuminated two people, naked, bloody, and resigned.
The woman stood first, quipping “Same time next month?”
“Barring a silver bullet,” the guy replied.
Werewolves! Always fun. I think we need to get back to the notion of “monsters as cursed” instead of the “be-glittered supermodel” trend that’s been taking over our fiction.
Speaking of taking over, I'd like to talk about memes. I heart them, a lot. And I realized that part of the reason that I like them so much is that many of them are very similar to microfiction. In keeping with the wolf theme, here's one to illustrate:
Like prose microfiction, it's fast and to the point, and it helps to have some established background for the main character. In microfiction, that's usually an identifiable reference. For memes, it's a recurring image (in this case, Insanity Wolf). Basically, it's shorthand for the reader/viewer. And microfiction relies heavily on the same type of idea (archetypes, recognizable characters/settings,and established plot lines).
Of course, one can always put a quick twist on those ideas…creating the punchline of the story. But the keyword here is quick. There's just no time for a long set-up. In this installment, the only clue for the reader that this story isn't just about a date gone wrong is the "silver bullet" mention. Again, shorthand. Everybody knows that silver bullets are only useful against one thing. And, voila, we have our story.
Through March, I'm posting a breakdown/analysis of the microfiction I posted on the corresponding day in February. This is probably only interesting to you if you care about the mechanics of writing, or if you know me personally.