Readers of fiction typically see only the finished product. Literature scholars sometimes have access to an author’s notes, but most early drafts of a work end up in the trash or the bit bucket. In the case of Curse of the Healing Kiss, I published the narrative seed the same day I wrote it, on a flash-fiction website called burrst. This was on February 18, 2013 — nearly seven years before I published the novella. I already had the bigger story in mind, and wanted to write an experiment, to see if I could establish a lyrical voice for the story. I’m sharing it here mostly so I don’t lose it — in case the original website shuts down — but I thought some folks might also be intrigued to have a glimpse into how a longer work of fiction was started from a 950-word “burst”.
This is a handy way to get started on a major work without feeling like you’re strapping yourself to the mast. It’s a sketch, a quick way to experiment with ideas and aesthetics that will shape the longer work — or help you decide to bail early and work on something that clicks better for you.
If you have not yet read Curse of the Healing Kiss, a SPOILER ALERT is called for. This all happens within the first chapter, but you might prefer to read it in its final form first.