Writing short stories is imperative for anyone desiring to become a successful author. However, creating perfect ones is far from easy. Many think that the task wouldn’t be too hard but feel surprised when they actually start writing. Condensing your idea into a limited number of words needs much practice and impeccable writing skills. But if you want to try an exciting new thing or enhance your existing skills, you must know how to write a short story. What’s more, these writing pieces are very much in demand by various newspapers, magazines, and publications.

Did you know that authors who write short stories earn more than those who pen novels? If you, too, desire to try your hand at writing short yet interesting stories successfully, this article will give you all the tips for it.

Steps to Write a Short Story Effectively

Don’t feel that tackling this field of creative writing is impossible. Use these tips and come up with a great short tale.

Brainstorm a story idea

Before picking up the pen, you need to be clear about an idea for your story. Use these tips if you find it hard to uncover a good idea or topic.

• Think about things you care about the most, such as your mobile phone, email, and the like. Maybe you can weave a story out of one or more of these things.
• Reflect on different experiences you’ve had in your life so far. Some interesting moments can easily become the foundation of your short story.
• Did you overhear something at a place you went to last week or yesterday? If people were around you, you must have heard some of their conversations. They can provide the fodder you need to build your storyline.

Develop the characters

In order to write a short story that’s extremely moving and impactful, you must be crystal clear about the characters. It is essential to think about your main characters and spend time building them. You must know about their age, history, family background, personality, and love life. If possible, keep the number of characters less. It will allow you to keep track of all the people in your story easily.

Develop the main conflict and subsequent events

Many new to writing short stories spend too much time building detailed characters and events. Remember that you are writing a short story and not a novel. So, you needn’t spend huge amounts of your time building out character profiles and story events. You are only required to make and build your protagonist, antagonist, and a few events.

Create an engaging beginning

The beginning of your story can either hook the reader or make them turn away. So, ensure that your beginning is interesting enough to hook your audience. Use these tips to create an engaging start.

• Put some action– A sudden action at the beginning of the story (like an accident) never fails to grab the reader’s attention.
• Give some interesting information about the main character– When you put such information at the beginning, the reader gets drawn into the character. It’s a great way to hook them to read the entire story.
• Give a vivid image– You can describe anything, such as a person, object, or place. A well-described image tends to linger in the minds of the reader.

Draft the middle part and the ending

After you’ve written a great opening, start drafting the middle part. Many writers turn to their biggest critique during this point. They want to write perfectly in the first attempt, which often makes them lose progress in writing. There’s really no need to be a perfectionist or fall into the temptation of editing your content. It will only halt your progress and prevent you from fully expressing your ideas.

After writing the central part, finish your story in a way that makes it feel memorable. Do not try to end quickly. Instead, wrap it up slowly so that there are no questions in the reader’s mind.

Edit as much as you can

You may think highly about your story. But you’ll be greatly surprised when you edit it. Even an average story can be made concise and compelling if you possess great editing skills.

Some effective methods to edit include the following:

• See for areas where you can combine the characters.
• Ensure that you are getting to the main point without any unnecessary scenes.
• Eliminate the usage of repetitive words and unwanted adverbs and adjectives.
• Check if every sentence is meaningful.

Some Tips to Write a Short Story

Now you’re aware of the major steps for short story creation. So, it’s time to learn about some good habits and tips. Use these tips while you are at your desk.

• Make your story plot evident at the beginning– This technique works because it lets your reader know much about the story. They can decide for themselves about reading it or not.
• Keep the pace consistently fast– In novels, the pace quickens when it nears the final conflict. However, in a short story, you cannot write much. So, it’s crucial to keep a high pace right from the beginning.
• Include not more than four characters– You don’t need more than four characters to create a compelling short story. You can fully focus attention on developing them instead of more characters.
• Do not elaborate on the back story– Writing the back story of a character is essential. But it’s not crucial to elaborate on it when you write a short story. Just ensure that you have an idea of the back story so that you can write effectively.
• Refine the plot while editing– A great way to turn an average story into a fabulous one is by refining the plot. This can only be done when you spend good time editing. You can also seek assignment help online so that a professional editor can edit your work to perfection. Sometimes, you may feel lost while editing a lengthy draft. During that time, you can seek professional help.

Summing up

Hopefully, you will feel confident when asked to write a short story after reading this article. Keep your plot simple, the number of characters small, and try editing as best as possible. You can also seek expert help to develop a great short story in a limited time.

Citation

MLA: 

Wayne, David. “The Precise Way to Write a Short Story That Impresses Everyone!” Do Assignment Help. David Wayne, 28 Sep. 2022. Mon. 28 Sep. 2022.< https://www.doassignmenthelp.com/blog/write-a-short-story/ >.

APA: 

Wayne, D. (2022, September 28). The Precise Way to Write a Short Story That Impresses Everyone!. Retrieved from https://www.doassignmenthelp.com/blog/write-a-short-story/

Chicago: 

Wayne, David. “The Precise Way to Write a Short Story That Impresses Everyone!.” Do Assignment Help. https://www.doassignmenthelp.com/blog/write-a-short-story/ (accessed September 28, 2022).