Holy Water, a short story I had published back in 2010, is currently available for free as Alt Hist give away free e-books of their first issue. If you’ve been enjoying my blogging then I recommend that you go get a copy and see what you think of my fiction.
A word of warning though – this is what my fiction was like four or five years ago. I’ve improved since then, and though I’m proud of Holy Water there are still things I’d do differently now.
Here are a few of them.
Start as you mean to finish
When telling a story you need the end to match the beginning, otherwise readers feel disappointed. Thematically, Holy Water starts and ends on similar notes, but in terms of characters and their problems, not so much. This is particularly glaring in such a short story. If I was writing it now I’d reluctantly replace the first scene, which I like but which doesn’t fit perfectly.
Less adjectives
Yes, I know, this is writing 101. But it’s also a lesson I’ve become more wedded to as I’ve gone along. Many words in Holy Water would not make it past my editing pen any more.
Do your research
Actually, this is something I’d do exactly the same way. I did a lot of research to get ideas before writing Holy Water. It’s firmly embedded in the real history and legends of Cheshire, and those inspired almost everything about the story.
Yay history!
Lessons learned
I’m planning on putting together collections of some of my short fiction to give away / sell through this blog, but it’s taking me forever to find the time. In the meantime, this is one way you can enjoy some quality Knighton prose.
That’s it from me. Go pick up a free copy of Alt Hist. Read. Enjoy. Let me know what you thought of my story. And what would you do differently if you wrote it?