Saturday, February 8, 2025
Time: 2 PM
Song: M+M’s
Artist: Blink-182
Mode of Consumption: Listening to MP3s on my phone while cleaning our bathroom.
Link to song: https://open.spotify.com/track/2jAIkqtB15hDyJUeYxsWTO?si=fd3c55ad71cd418a
I spent the morning working on a flash fiction piece for a contest. In this case, the story could not consist of more than one thousand words. Meaning this story was less than half and closer to a third in length of the other two contests I have participated in this year. I also only have the weekend to complete the story, the deadline being 10 p.m. on Sunday.
So, on one hand, it’s a bit easier than the last two. I only have to come up with a thousand words. But, I also only have two days as opposed to eight days as the other two contests. Also, with the Super Bowl tomorrow, much of our day is being consumed by church, bowling and then watching the game. Mostly then, I have today.
The other part of this challenge is telling a compelling story in a short span. I can’t spend too much time on character development or setting. Each word has to carry more weight.
When this Blink-182 came on while I was taking a break from writing and trying to do something constructive and needed like cleaning the bathroom, I came up for my analogy for flash fiction.
It’s a pop song. Something Blink-182 excelled at to the point that I think most people dismiss them as serious musicians.
I understand that. They are a three-chord band, their humor is sophomoric, and even there more somber efforts have a pop beat and simplistic lyrics.
I think the argument made against them is that anyone can write a three-minute pop song. It’s one thing to do it once or twice to make some money, it’s another for that to be the entire catalog.
Well, first, if it’s so easy to write a three-minute pop song, why doesn’t everyone do it? I have never done it. I doubt I ever could. Maybe I could cobble some lyrics together, but I am clueless when it comes to chord structure, rhythm and melody.
The reality is it’s not easy. It’s hard. It sometimes much easier to delve into the more complex and over complicate songs to the point that they just aren’t that enjoyable to listen to. Have you created something with more artistic merit? Maybe, but it may not reach nearly as many people Sometime editing and simplifying is the right path, and the result can still be more powerful.
This song is an early attempt by Blink-182, as they improved, their songs became better and bigger.
That’s why I tackle flash fiction. I know I can’t overwrite too much. I have to get to the point. I have to create a problem, and get the characters through it as quickly and sensibly as possible.
Maybe it will turn out shallow, but I’ve discovered as I’ve done it more that the potential for good stories is very much there.
Plus, I can always expand the story once the contest is finished if I think there is more meat on the bone than a flash fiction piece allows.
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