i was going through my past work the other day and i've realised that all of it seems to follow the same basic route. no one smiles at the end, that's if they don't die! or go to jail, or get a nervous breakdown... i noticed earlier on that it was all darkness n gloom but i just figured it was a phase i was going through and if only i could ride it out cindirella would soon get to wear the glass slipper. three years later the poor girl is still lost in the forest with a noose around her neck! now i'm starting to [panick that i might just be a one trick pony. i've tried reading other 'happy' stories in magazines then re-writing them as i remember them-i burn it afterwards of course, it's just an excercise to get my hand used to wring the words 'smile', 'laugh'...-but the woman who slimmed down and found her one true love at the slimmers meeting get's run over by the bus coming back from their first date. what should i do?
blessed rasta.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, you can often redraft the ‘dark’ stories or lighten the tone with a little bit of gallows humour:

For example, have a look at one of my previous stories The Rainbow Man (http://sheffieldwriters.ath.cx/SFStoryArchive/1155495428.doc) which has dark and light themes intertwined however, the first draft of this story was really depressing, initially I had the main character stepping off a cliff in a suicide attempt, after a lot of revision the overall effect of the story is uplifting.

Anyway that’s what we do here! Upload some of your work and if we can offer some constructive suggestions to improve your techniques then your stories may develop a broader range.

I liked the comment about Cinderella hanging herself, very topical as Septembers “Theme of the month” is children’s stories, what an interesting concept, fairytale characters with sociological problems.

“Hello is that the Samaritans?”

“Yes, how can we help you?”

“My name is little red riding hood, I’m having a few problems with a wolf.”

“I think you need the RSPCA love, they deal with big dogs.”

“No, this one keeps dressing up as my granny…”

“A canine transvestite eh? You’re the second wolf tonight, some pig phoned earlier and said one had blown their house down…”

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

manta spook. thanks for the heads up. i'll be sure to try that, and test drive the finished product on my four year old neice... just after i've saved enough money for all the therapy bills that'll be sure to follow!! i'm waiting to get to my fifteen posts then i can start uploading my work.(as i understand it, this is the rule, right?)
will read your piece then as well.
blessed rasta.