How Writing a Screenplay with My Best Friend Led to Our First Story Publication
What makes a boy grow up to become an arsonist? My first co-written short story, “sparkbirth,” is now published in Down & Out: The Magazine. Here are the opening lines:
sparkbirth
When I turned eleven, Mom forgot to buy more birthday candles. So instead of eleven little sticks, I got two. She pretended 1 + 1 made 11, but I knew when I was getting the finger. Funny, she never forgot to buy scented candles that littered our apartment. And I never forgot what a lit candle does to a dark room when I should’ve been asleep.
Read more in Down & Out: The Magazine, Vol. 2, Issue 2
My efforts for “sparkbirth”:
- ~1,800 words
- 3 drafts
- 1 co-author
- 1 submission
- no rejections or withdrawals before publication
I had an excellent time working with Rick Ollerman on my 2018 story “A Damn Fine Town.” After Rick published my story in Down & Out, it went on to be included in The Best American Mystery Stories 2019. He encouraged me to submit another story for Down & Out. This was the first piece I’ve written that fit the bill—it wasn’t purely literary or science fiction.
Read on about my process.
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