Kate E Lore
SALVAGING A DEAD STORY

Sometimes a story can start off so strong, but still fizzle out somewhere between the middle and the end. Maybe you’ve got a beautiful visceral spark, this pulsing idea from which you set forth, but somewhere along the way it never catches on, never expands, and ultimately loses its magic with a dull ending like some “maybe thing” smothered before it could fully form its bloom. It can be frustrating when this happens. Aggravating. Disappointing. But maybe we don’t have to count these little spark ideas out just yet? Maybe there is something salvageable to be found within this ash. Perhaps it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get dirty.

1. Give it time. Let the heat fade. This material should be cold to the touch. It should be so dead to you that you’ve half-forgotten the whole thing. If it feels like meeting a stranger then you’re doing it right. Ask yourself the following questions;
   • What surprised you?
   • What is less than you’d remembered?
   • How could you break this work down into sections? Find a way to divide the story. This could be as simple as beginning-middle-end, internal-external, past-future, before-after, happy-sad, waiting-running, this theme versus that theme, etc.
2. Try something different.
   • Take what surprised you and run with it. Cut out everything else entirely you can always integrate those scraps into a different work later on. For example; If it is one sentence from the middle then copy that single sentence and paste it into a new document.
     • Write an alternative intro (before) this line.
     • Write an alternative (after) to follow this line.
   • Cut only the parts that you remembered as better than what they really are and rewrite accordingly. 
   • Consider these different sections and work with each column individually. Could you turn any of these into its own separate flash story?
     •  Alternatively, what would be a more unexpected and interesting way to tie these categories back together? 
3. Consider a massive overhaul.
   • Take the part you like the most and ask yourself;
     • What would be the least expected story/situation to feature this idea?
     • What could give this an alternative meaning?
       • What of those meanings might be the most powerful?
   • Take the part you like the least and ask yourself;
     • What could give this an alternative meaning?
       • What of those meanings might be the most powerful?

When taking this approach myself I often make lists and notes. I am a visually minded person so this helps me to organize my thoughts. This is a situation where everyone works differently. You could print the work, physically cut out the lines, paragraphs, and pages you like (or don’t like) and glue them to a new piece of paper like a collage, or simply have several blank documents open so you can copy and paste at will.  Sometimes these spark ideas are meant for a different kindling than we initially imagined, or maybe that spark was meant to start a different sort of fire that will go on to burn brighter without it. The key here is to be open-minded. Don’t get too attached to what you have. There is still so much time and space to work with this material.

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Kate E Lore is an award-winning writer of both fiction and nonfiction creative writing with many publications in both genres. As a she/they diagnosed with ADHD, PTSD, and being on the autism spectrum Kate writes with nuance about the various ways people are effected by trauma, mental disorders and general interpersonal relationships often found in slightly off kilter uncomfortable settings. Kate has been featured in many literary magazines including Orsum magazine, Longridge Review, Bending Genres, Door is a Jar and is soon to appear in both Black Warrior Review and Under the Gum Tree. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Kate recently graduated with a master’s degree in creative writing from Miami University of Oxford Ohio. Visit Kate’s website here.