6 steps for writing a better short story
Short stories have gotten a bad reputation from novel-lovers, yet short story devotees call it the purest form of writing. The author creates living characters, a full world and a complete arc, all in 1,500 to 30,000 words.
Phew. Not so easy, right?
You can improve your own short story to immediately engage hesitant readers by taking these six steps.
Start with a defined plot outline
Since your word count is limited, it’s vital your arc is well-defined.
Oh, grumble grumble, get those grumpies out of your system. Writers write outlines because they work — especially if you’re prone to writer’s block. Taking the time to create your story’s structure means when you sit down to write it out, you have direction.
Now, that does not mean it’s a quick to-do. Outlines take time. They’re the front-end work of writing your story, so that means you still need to pluck an idea out of thin air. Yet when you’re working with fewer words, each word used matters.
2. Speak through a clear POV
At some point in your writing process — either before you start the outline or if you’ve lost your way — ask yourself:
What do I want to say in this story? Be clear about the message you want to convey and the reader’s takeaway. Write an elevator pitch for your story and what, if done well, it should accomplish.
Who is telling this story? You, obviously, and yes, your narrator. But who are they, and what’s their motivation? Create character profiles for each person in your story, especially for the one telling the tale.
Narrow your story’s focus so that the message/lesson/takeaway/call to action is clear.
3. Quickly set up a clear conflict
You can’t drag it out. You simply don’t have the luxury.
Again, the operative word in “short story” is “short.” Confined to a small box, you need a quick, clear hook to keep the reader interested.
As readers, we will give novels the ol’ college try before deciding it isn’t the right book for us, but a short story collection? Pshaw. I’ll skip a few stories out of each collection if they don’t grab me right away.
4. Beware of being timid
“Because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, How alive am I willing to be?”
Geez, this is a lesson for being any kind of writer, isn’t it? Write boldly. Write bravely.
I talk about this so often because I need the reminder myself. Here are the timid words I fall back on when I’m not writing with confidence:
kind of
sort of
slightly
a bit
somewhat
We rely on throwaway words like this because they’re safe and easy. At first, it’s hard to create unlikeable characters — and then it’s breathtakingly freeing. You can write anything when you open yourself up to it.
5. Edit judiciously
Your story is not done when it’s “done.” Oh, no. There is a mountain of editing work before you.
And I say “you” because you’re your work’s first editor. And you should edit it. As an editor, here are the four most common errors I see in work that hasn’t been sufficiently edited before it reaches me:
Timing inconsistencies (a character is outside planting tulips, but on the next page, it’s February in Denver)
Character name changes (Kelly, Kelli, Kelley, Kellie — take your pick and stick with it)
A meandering story beginning (the majority of early work can have its front half lopped off)
Missing place (don’t spend all your time on dialogue and none of your time telling us what room we’re in and what’s on the walls)
Don’t be so precious with your story that you can’t see where it doesn’t work. Deleting paragraphs or whole pages of your story doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. I’d argue it means you’re a skilled writer who prioritizes a well-crafted story over that description of a purple dress blushed by a winter’s touch.
Because, I mean, what? 🤷🏼♀️
6. Read (and buy) short story collections
We’re all book lovers here, right? So let’s talk about some of the best short story collections out there. (Mmm, yummy, book talk.) That way, you’ll have talking points for when folks question whether story collections are really worth it, as well as books to dip into when you need inspiration in your own short project.
Some recent favorite reads:
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Festival Days by Jo Ann Beard
Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl — maybe it isn’t considered a collection, but it reads like one to me.
A Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris
A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
Florida by Lauren Groff
What would you add?
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