I got an invitation to enter a short story competition. In English. Which obviously isn’t my first language. Although I’m quite comfortable speaking English and I sometimes flatter myself and think I handle the language almost like a native speaker. This is my entry… And here comes the challenge: write a short story in English. And here lies the second part of the challenge;: is the setting US or UK? What nationality is my main character? I hadn’t understood the cultural differences that come along with writing in my second language. In my mind the setting could be anywhere in the world: Buenos Aires, Cape Town or Jönköping. But now I have learned that that’s now how it comes across to the reader. And how does the reader percve my main character? Please read (and ignore mistakes) and give me some feedback.
Tell me these things: who is she? Describe how she appears to you; age, looks, etc. Where does this take place (location, era). And out of curiosity: do you like this woman? Could she be your friend? Is she fun? How do you imagine her past and her relationships? Do you even get a feel for what kind of life she has or what kind of person she is? Any input you might have will me hugely beneficial to me, as I continue down this path of becoming a writer. Although, I will write in Swedish, which is my mother tongue.
Meanwhile, I’m working on more stories, and I might share them with you here. But I want to improve, not only when it comes to grammar and punctuation, but I want the story to tickle your mind a little. Stay with me for more.
Livet på landet - och i utlandet 