New revised 2nd edition!
The craft of writing is a journey replete with unexpected ups and downs, and an author is obliged to walk such creative paths with the often unwelcome company of the inner critic.
This autumn, I’ve turned my focus to improving my editing skills. (No easy task for someone prone to obsessively overthinking everything!)
The first “Cracked Stucco” version appeared on this blog site in April of 2022.
I’ve addressed the use of dialogue tags and point of view and fashioned a more robust sense of setting with this new version.
Here is a link to “Cracked Stucco,” 1st version published earlier on this blog. I invite you to compare the two versions to see what I hope is growth in my writing. Please leave any comments regarding the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of my editing changes.
“Cracked Stucco” 2nd Edition
A hulking young man and a petite young woman stood at the end of a desolate road beneath a flickering streetlight. Before them, a rusty sign declared the surrounding area private and promised unlawful entries would be prosecuted. Empty nip bottles, tire tracks, and a well-worn trailhead into the woods spoke differently.
Shaking his head, the young man retreated a couple steps, turned, and adjusted a thick pair of glasses to gaze back down the road.
“Think we parked the car far enough away?”
The young woman gently turned him around again toward the path, taking his hand in hers.
“Yeah, relax,” she said. “Just focus on the pictures I showed you. You’re going to love the place. What do you call that décor again, the one you’re studying now in your design class? I’m sure this place was loaded with it.”
“Art Deco…. oh, Zoey! Stop trying to distract me from legitimate worry! You know my parents will kill me if we’re arrested for trespassing.”
“I think the cops have better things to worry about, Ben.”
“It’s still illegal,” he said.
Zoey gestured to the duffel bag she shouldered.
“If anyone questions us, we’ll just explain we’re conducting scientific research.”
“You know investigating the paranormal is considered pseudoscience.”
“Says who?”
“Real scientists.”
“That’s because no one’s captured convincing evidence.”
“I don’t want to be around anything convincingly paranormal, Zoey. Besides, isn’t this place surrounded by razor wire now. How do you expect to get in?”
To continue reading the 2nd edition of this story use the link below to visit Vocal, a story-sharing platform designed to discover, support and reward writers.
Mythos Creative Writing 