STORY INFO
Bigger Than The Light
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Author
A.Dot Ram
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Categories
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Danh mục
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Update
6 months ago
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Part Chapter
1/??
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Reads
53
Content
The Isis Lounge has a real dressing room mirror—the kind outlined with a blaze of bare bulbs. That’s one of the things I like about it. To me, it just screams professionalism with 1500 watts. It shows respect for the performers. It doesn’t matter so much that here backstage we have fans heaving through summer nights, trying to breathe some fresh air into the old building, or that, in the fall, shimmering termite wings dust the vanity when I arrive. The place smells like vodka and old pan stick and even older sheet music—sixty years of nig...
Outstanding reviews
Nice! What did I tell you?! Congrats!
You did! I'm glad you were right.
Oh, man. This is really great. The structure, the plot layers, the way you build this character. You've got a ton of talent. I figured pretty early on that this was a drag show, but that wasn't the true reveal. The big turn was that the singer/teacher is finally able to keep the attention of the students. This may be my new favorite of yours.
Wow, thanks! I barely eeked this one out, but i couldn't ignore the prompt, especially once i decided that the spotlight revealed the truth. I'm glad i stuck it out.
Congrats, yet again. Do I even need to say it?
Yes. It still feels good to hear it. It never gets old. That might make me a very flawed person, but i suspect i'm not alone in it.
Not flawed. Just human. We need affirmation.
Here's some for you: you'r story is making me write this week. I told myself, putting little daughter to bed last night, write the scene. And started a little something.
I love stories with little to no dialogue if they're executed in a way that draws me in, and this one had me hooked from the very beginning. Also, great take on the prompt: the narrator admits a truth about themselves in the blinding spotlight.I have little to say other than I read this with great pleasure and well done. A really touching story. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you. Sometimes it's easier for me to write without much dialog--more interior monologue, like my actual day (or especially night). I imagine lots of people think much more than they actually say, and that tension interests me.
It’s actually a very poignant observation in terms of this story. As much as it’s interesting to explore dynamics between characters, which is most easily done through dialogue, it is great to be able to sketch out a protagonist without standing him up next to others, and especially here by means of “putting on a face”. It’s very telling how we see ourselves and how we choose to tell our stories in our heads for sure.
Stunning, Anne! I’m always intimidated to write from a perspective that’s different from mine, mostly because I’m afraid I won’t do the story justice. But I think you’ve absolutely nailed this. It’s lyrical, meaningful, and even the little things like the makeup scene add to the beauty of the character. I’m always inspired by your attention to detail, how you craft little images into a story in a way that adds depth and gives the story a life of its own. I hope this one wins.
Congrats on the shortlist!! I would have revolted if this story wasn’t up there haha
I'm with Claire on this! I knew this story was going to shortlist the moment I read it.
I'm with Claire on this! I knew this story was going to shortlist the moment I read it.
There's a good story, with your science teacher! It would be even better id the boa constrictor now lived in her classroom, like it was a companion through several phases of life. And the reason the brothers recognized the teacher wa actually because they recognized the snake, their class pet! I came up with the idea for this story while listening to a radio interview with the creator of "Pose."
That would make a good story! Thanks for the suggestion (and the idea of the snake being in the classroom). I've heard Pose is good, it's on my watchlist, and I might move it up a notch or two. :)
Congrats on the shortlist, again! Wow. Well-deserved. :)
Congrats on the shortlist, again! Wow. Well-deserved. :)
Oh, i'm so glad Mr. Polk was a surprise! I felt like people were going to see it coming from a mile away. I wrote in a different way this week, all out of order and in little flashes of imagery because i only got the chance to write in little flashes. Like this chunk is #3 and i plug it in here...I think it was Wednesday before i realized that the stage was my place to explore light and shadow. But i connect to that personally.
Whatever you did, it worked! I hope this gets a win or - at minimum - a shortlist. It was wonderful.
You're killing it!I'm always very nervous to write something that isn't nearly nonfiction, I'm worried I'll misstep in trying to represent something that isn't practically myself, so this is inspiring me to step further out of my comfort zone.
I hear you! I'm intimidated about getting characters "wrong" too. I had this debate with someone recently, with me maintaining that it was best to stick to conceivably close-in characters. But i think the conversation stuck with me, and I've been taking more risks with my characters, while keeping their motivation grounded in things i can relate to even as characters veer demographically away from my self.
Very well done. I have always been open to stories of all types. A few that I stopped reading due to not being into it and my mind wanders, but this one is good. The chicken pox remark made me chuckle since I have facial scars. The story ran very smooth like going down the lazy river on a raft. Superb.
Thank you. Haha, the scar. You never know what details will resonate. I made it the mirror image of my husband's on the right temple.
That is hilarious. I have one on my right temple, and one on the bottom of my chin.
It's pretty universally humanizing, if you're older than the vaccine. I have a little one on my forehead.
Congratulations on another shortlisted story Anne!
Thank you. I am nearly dumbfounded by this streak.
Thank you. I am nearly dumbfounded by this streak.
Thank you! I got the "tail" change in just minutes before the story was approved and locked.
Ugh, I loved this SOOO MUCH! That's all I got really. This story is something probably so uncommon to find, not just on Reedsy, but the world really. This character was so well-developed, and I loved the layers in this story. This character had it all, the dialogue, the feelings, that NUANCE, THE REPRESENTATION, this was some good stuff.
Thanks. I'm really glad you found the character authentic. I always wonder, when a character is different from me, but it's interesting how different people share similar motivations, and thus can relate.
Wow, some lovely phrases in there. You have a knack for turning your words!
Wow, some lovely phrases in there. You have a knack for turning your words!
Thank you for that close read. That last line you quoted is something I've worked a long time at putting into words, not just for this story, though it ultimately fit here and tied the story together. And yes, every scar has a story that has shaped a person.
Loved the way you have put it. Enjoyed reading this story a lot!
Three shortlists in a row! Congratulations!
Thank you, and thanks for reading!
No problem!
Really enjoyable! I love the concept and the execution behind this one and the writing is pretty solid.
Anne, I will come back to this when I'm at my computer and write more. I think it might be time to start your fan club.... Think about it😉
This is it; this is the fan club.
I'll get the button maker out.
I'll get the button maker out.
How I love Arrested Development and Gob! "They're not tricks, Michael--they're illuuuusions." Thank you for that deep read. I've spent time under the spotlight myself and I'm fascinated with the way lines between truth and illusion start to blur as a performer brings things to life inside of themselves.
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