3 Tips for Writing Great Short Stories

The key to writing a short story that readers will want to read is to have a hook. That hook is something that will pull the reader into your story and make them keep reading until it’s finished.

One of the most effective ways to do this is through a character arc. A character arc is a series of events that lead your main character to grow and change.

1. Write from the point of view of one character.

In writing a short story, the point of view can make or break it. The wrong POV can jar the reader out of the story, while the right one can help them connect with your characters and experience the story from their perspective.

First-person, second-person, and third-person points of view are all used in storytelling, but there are pros and cons to each. The type of point of view you choose should depend on your story, the character you’re narrating it to, and what genre conventions you’re following.

For example, if you’re writing a romance, you’ll want to keep the POV of the main characters consistent. If you’re writing a mystery, the narrator might be a little more varied in their opinions, and if you’re writing an adventure or science fiction novel, you may want to use a wide variety of viewpoints to provide a sense of variety and keep the story fresh.

You’ll also need to think about which point of view best suits the voice and personality of your characters. Some writers prefer to write in first person to give each character a distinct voice, while others are better at developing their voices through close-perspective third person.

In any case, you’ll need to make sure your narrator is believable and the reader can relate to them. Be sure to review your writing frequently and scan for things like inconsistencies or errors in description that could trip up the reader.

Another important consideration when using a multiple-POV approach is making sure each POV narrator’s section is clearly separated from the other. You can do this by putting a dinkus or asterisk in the text to indicate the change, or you can use transitional phrases to set up the shift.

Then, be sure to use chapter breaks or line breaks where the narrator changes so readers don’t get confused and feel pulled out of the story. This is known as head hopping and it’s a common problem for many authors, so don’t be afraid to switch it up with different narrators.

If you do decide to switch narrators within a chapter, be sure to use transitional words and phrases such as “while on the other side of town” or “while you’re walking down the street” to let the reader know that a POV has changed. This can be especially tricky if you’re using a combination of narrators for the same scene, as it can be hard to make sure each narrator’s section is separate.

Finally, be careful not to tell the reader too much about the character’s feelings or thoughts. Often, telling the reader too much about their perspective can alienate them from your character and make it harder for them to connect with your story. Instead, try to utilize dialogue as much as possible to allow your characters to talk about their thoughts and feelings.

2. Don’t overdo it with a description.

During the first draft of your short story, you may be tempted to write more description than necessary. In some cases, this is fine, but in other instances, it could be detrimental to the plot or character development.

Instead, focus on writing concisely and avoiding extra detail. During this phase, it is important to remember that you have limited space and your words must be used wisely.

The key to crafting effective descriptions is to ensure that they are used in ways that support your main theme and evoke emotion. This means describing the protagonist in ways that highlight their traits and make them seem real.

Another way to avoid overdoing it with description is to make sure that your characters have clear and defined personalities, allowing the reader to understand them and their emotions.

As a result, the reader is more likely to relate with them and identify with them, making them more interesting to read about.

When you are ready to start revising your story, go back and reread your original draft and look for areas where you can trim or cut out unnecessary details. This can be as simple as cutting out a sentence that doesn’t add anything to the story, but it could also mean trimming an entire paragraph or two.

Before you begin to edit your short story, it is important to read it aloud. This will help you notice any awkward transitions or mistakes that you might have missed while writing it in your head. It will also give you a different perspective on your work and allow you to see where you could improve it.

Whether you’re writing an anthology or a one-off short story, the opening scene is crucial to hooking the reader. It should grab their attention right away and pull them into your story, which is why it’s so important to be familiar with the character before you start writing it.

If you’re trying to write a short story that will stand out from the crowd, it’s crucial that your opening scenes catch the reader’s eye and set up the mood of the story. It’s no good to have a boring opening line, so take some time to think about what you want your story to be like and try to imagine an opening that will capture your readers’ imaginations.

In addition, it’s important to read a lot of short stories in order to gain an understanding of the genre. This will help you learn the structure and style of short stories, which will allow you to develop your own unique writing style.

3. Be concise.

When you are writing a short story, don’t get bogged down by the amount of words that go into it. The key to writing a good short story is to be concise, and to keep the focus on the most important parts of your story.

One of the easiest ways to be concise when writing a short story is to focus on the plot and character development. This will help you to write the right kind of story and keep the reader engaged from beginning to end.

Another great way to be concise is to use dialogue to build your characters’ personalities and stories. This can be a great way to tell a story, and will make the reader feel like they are there in the moment.

Whether it is a short story or a novel, you should always have a conflict that will bring your main character to a breaking point and force him or her to make a decision. This will give the reader something to hold onto throughout the entire story and will ultimately lead to a satisfying resolution.

When writing a short story, it is also important to make sure that you have a strong opening hook. This will entice the reader to continue reading and ask questions that can be answered by the author in later sections of the story.

It is also a good idea to give your main character a passion and determination that will draw the reader in. This will create a bond between the two of you and make your character feel more real to the reader.

You can do this by giving your character an unusual or out-of-the-ordinary experience that is both surprising and relevant to the main focus of your short story. For example, if you’re writing about Christmas, you might start the story with the character having scraped up some money.

This is an unusual experience that the reader will understand and is a great way to captivate them from the start. It will also help your story to be memorable, which is important when it comes to a short story.

A great way to be concise is to avoid overdoing it with description. A good rule of thumb is to write no more than about a thousand words for every scene.

Once you have written about a thousand words, it is time to read it out loud to yourself or a friend. This will help you to pick up on errors and inconsistencies that you might miss if you are reading it silently.

The next step in writing a short story is to edit it for style and grammar. This is a vital step in the writing process, and will help you to ensure that your story is polished and complete.