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FIC RANT: Let's Define a Drabble
Mar. 14th, 2004 11:54 pmOkay folks, you'd think with the numerous communities and such dedicated to just drabbles, ficcish people everywhere would know what the hell they were. Well, they don't. I keep finding bits of stories labeled as drabbles that are no such thing. So, for the remedial students, let's have a quick review.
What is a drabble? (A question to be answered in three parts.)
1. A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words. Not 101. Not 500. Not 99. Not 50. 100. 100. 100. Do not write a scene of 768 words, slap it into your e-mail or onto your webpage and label it a drabble because it's *not*. 768 words constitutes a ficlet, not a drabble. 101 words is a ficlet, not a drabble.
2. A drabble is a scene in 100 words. Which means that there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is not just the middle of a bigger scene. A drabble should not have a half-page of author's notes (aka excuses) to be understood. Someone who clicks on a drabble should be able to read it and understand it all on its own. That's the whole point of a drabble. Well, that, and driving writers who do them insane.
3. A drabble is an exercise in finesse. To take a 112 word ficlet that you think is perfect just the way it is and scale it down to 100 words exactly takes more editing skill than any other writing project may require. Because not only do you have to kill 12 words, you have to do it and still make the story readable. If you can do it on the first try, you will be envied by those of us who have cut 14 words and then scrambled to try and find two that can be replaced.
The moral of the story? Drabbles are hard to write (and by write I mean write *well*), and should be attempted by all brave enough, but there are no promises you'll succeed.
And 101 words isn't succeeding. Neither is 99.
What is a drabble? (A question to be answered in three parts.)
1. A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words. Not 101. Not 500. Not 99. Not 50. 100. 100. 100. Do not write a scene of 768 words, slap it into your e-mail or onto your webpage and label it a drabble because it's *not*. 768 words constitutes a ficlet, not a drabble. 101 words is a ficlet, not a drabble.
2. A drabble is a scene in 100 words. Which means that there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is not just the middle of a bigger scene. A drabble should not have a half-page of author's notes (aka excuses) to be understood. Someone who clicks on a drabble should be able to read it and understand it all on its own. That's the whole point of a drabble. Well, that, and driving writers who do them insane.
3. A drabble is an exercise in finesse. To take a 112 word ficlet that you think is perfect just the way it is and scale it down to 100 words exactly takes more editing skill than any other writing project may require. Because not only do you have to kill 12 words, you have to do it and still make the story readable. If you can do it on the first try, you will be envied by those of us who have cut 14 words and then scrambled to try and find two that can be replaced.
The moral of the story? Drabbles are hard to write (and by write I mean write *well*), and should be attempted by all brave enough, but there are no promises you'll succeed.
And 101 words isn't succeeding. Neither is 99.
