Write the Story You’re Terrified to Tell: Tara Ison on Ball and Creating Compelling Short Fiction

By Kelly deVos

Tara Ison’s Ball is a hard-to-forget, Kirkus-starred collection of eleven short stories that has been called “exquisite and harrowing” by Dylan Landis. The stories, named after common, everyday things, tackle taboo topics in often cringe-worthy ways. From the world of the dominatrix to a young woman who deals with a breakup in a harrowing fashion, Ison isn’t afraid to take her readers to dark places.

MAROONED sat down with Ison to talk about Ball and her short fiction process.

Marooned: How did this collection develop?

Ison: Almost all of the stories had been previously published. Each one is very different from the others, but there are some common themes, especially psychosexual dysfunction, throughout the collection.

Marooned: The stories in Ball are fearless and sometimes very dark. Were they difficult to write?

Ison: Most of us have dark impulses that we deal with in one way or another. I think I’m as messed up as anybody, but I work through the dark stuff in my fiction. I like pushing my characters toward actions that are beyond the pale. Giving characters the freedom to do something really terrible or dark can be a cathartic experience.

Marooned: In Ball, you do a lot of interesting things with language, for example the repeated use of terms from the dog ad in “Ball” (“inside her belly where she’d been fxd”) or the use of Let’s Get Knitting as a verb in “The Knitting Story,” but you don’t sacrifice clarity. How did you develop these styles?

Ison: I wanted to create a type of linguistic texture that felt real. These were natural, organic elements that reflect how the characters would experience the world.

Marooned: Many of the stories move very seamlessly through time. “Fish” is a good example of this as the narrator is going back and forth from present day to a series of childhood experiences. What’s your approach to handling the “clock” in your fiction?

Ison: There’s a tension that exists between the present narrative and the backstory. The writer is manipulating the reader just enough so that he or she is complicit yet knowledgeable. The question is always, how little backstory can you get away with? Knowing how to dole out backstory in a way that builds, not disrupts, the narrative can be difficult and is often something I refine during revisions.

Marooned: Ball deals with a lot of taboo subjects? Are there any topics you would consider taboo as a writer?

Ison: There must be. But my default response is to say that there are no taboo subjects. There are ways of expressing taboo subjects that aren’t illuminating. I try to take a tough subject and crack it open to reveal something new or of value.

Marooned: What does your writing process look like? Does it change when you write short versus long fiction.

Ison: My process is avoidance. [Laughs] Two things really get me going. A deadline or an idea that won’t go away, that won’t leave me alone. Short fiction does feel different than long fiction. Short fiction centers on a singular image or experience or emotion. The focus is really narrow. A short story is a bit like a one night stand. I’m also continually revising when writing short fiction. When I write, I typically reread through my progress, revising as I go. I also read aloud multiple times. Sometimes your eye loves your work, but your ear is a sharper critic.

Marooned: Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others?

Ison: There’s that old saying, one of the hardest things to do is to move a character from one side of the room to the other.

Marooned: Are you doing anything to celebrate the release of Ball?

Ison: I have some events planned for after the first of the year. I’ll be doing a reading in L.A. and an event locally at the Changing Hands bookstore.

Marooned: What are you working on now? What is your next project?

Ison: Something completely different! A novel set in World War II-era France.

Ball will be available on November 10^th from Soft Skull Press.

Marooned will have details about the Changing Hands reading as they become available.

Tara Ison’s Tips for Students Writing Short Fiction

-       Write the story you’re terrified to tell.

-       Don’t be afraid to play. Find your voice by experimenting with form and language.

-       Use writing prompts to help get you started.

-       Choose a subject that doesn’t interest you. Sometimes this can let a writer focus on the technical aspects of short fiction.

-       Revise. Revise. Revise. Most great short fiction is created during the revision process.