The Ideas Station

[Magical Maeve]

This is the thread to discuss drabble writing, plot
bunnies, suggestions for drabbles, tips on writing
successful drabbles, and anything else drabble related.

Ask your fellow authors for help, offer to beta read
drabbles or offer advice.

[HermyRox12]

What do you guys think destroys a drabble? For example, you are reading a great drabble, but then you get to a point and it disgusts you. What would that be? And what do you usually look for when reading a drabble?

[Morwen]

Continuity, more than anything else, is what I think really makes or breaks a drabble. The best drabbles I've read are when the author has a theme or image that continues through the whole drabble, without a break. Of course that's not to say that there can't be time breaks, or that it can't switch point of view (although that would be rather hard as drabbles are supposed to be short), but that there is something that pulls the reader through it. The thing that weakens drabbles is when they lack continuity and suddenly either lose focus or skip all over the place. A good writer could manage a drabble without continuity, but I've seen few who have.

[sayiansirius]

I've just written a drabble that's due tomorrow and I was wondering if someone would like to just go over it for me? Thanks!

[Periwinkle]

What do you guys think destroys a drabble? For example, you are reading a great drabble, but then you get to a point and it disgusts you. What would that be? And what do you usually look for when reading a drabble?

I don't like it when people start out writing a drabble and then slack off towards the middle and end. I agree that continuity is a biggie. A good drabble must have a theme, moral, or complete thought. Without one of those, it's practically a jumble of words.

[Starmaiden]

What do you guys think destroys a drabble? For example, you are reading a great drabble, but then you get to a point and it disgusts you. What would that be?

There aren't too many drabbles that end badly that started well. But a good drabble can be killed by anything that kills a drabble from the start -- bad characterization, gaping plot holes, etc. I'd say one thing unique to something so short would be rushing action to squish it in. If it's too fast, it won't work.

And what do you usually look for when reading a drabble?

Good writing. The same things one finds in any length of story -- good grammar, characterization, convincingness. I also agree that continuity is very, very important. When it's only 500 words, you can't afford a flat break in the middle.

[HermyRox12]

Is there a certain bunny that you have stuck in your mind, but can't seem to write it within a drabble? Maybe you could post it here, and have others give it a try. What characters do you find over used in drabbles? Not used enough? Why? These are just things to think about as you write. You can answer if you want.
HermyRox12

[midnight_me]

What characters do you find over used in drabbles?

I see Draco, Snape, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Hermione a lot. I think Hermione is the most over used. I guess it's just because people enjoy reading and writing those characters. They are some of the most popular in the series.

Not used enough?

I hardly ever see minor characters. Maybe it's because using a minor character is a bit like creating an OC (depending how minor the character is).

I also hardly ever see Fred and George, Dumbledore, any Hogwarts professors (other than Snape), Luna, Parvati, Lavender, Dean, Seamus, Crabbe, Goyle, The Weasleys (other than Ginny and Ron), most OOTP members, and many more. This is probably because these characters don't play as big of roles as the main characters, or just aren't as popular.

[Periwinkle]

What characters do you find over used in drabbles?

Hermione, Draco, Lily, James and Sirius. There's a lot of drabbles featuring these characters. I think it's because they're one of the most known, so naturally more people write about them.

Not used enough?

Regulus, Petunia, Remus, Peter and Narcissa. I see very little drabbles containing these characters. They have just as much potential as the next one, and are as interesting, in my opinion.

[dory_the_fishie]

What characters do you find over used in drabbles?

The Trio, Ginny, Snape...some of the most popular characters in the series, obviously, and we know a lot more about them. I see a Trio/Ginny/Horcrux Hunt drabble every challenge...sometimes Neville pops up a lot, too.

Not used enough?

The minor characters -- maybe Narcissa Malfoy, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Lavender Brown, Seamus Finnegan...I don't feel like I see a lot of drabbles about our minor canon characters, which is a shame really, as drabbling is such good practice.

But I write Regulus or Sirius practically every challenge so I dunno who I am to talk... (alas, I just finished a Sirius one!)