How to write short stories
The image of the short story as a minor genre, a distraction for children, with a moral included, is outdated. Now it is a vital genre, used by the most important writers of our times. If you want to know how to write short stories, pay attention, because much like a short story, these tips win by KO.
1) Soak yourself in authors
Before you start writing, the advice is to read the great short story writers, old and new. The market knows what you want and there are several compilations available to make your work much lighter.
2) Draw your story
It is important that you draw an outline of your story. Where it will start, what will happen and how it will end. You don’t necessarily have to have all the elements clear, but the more you have them present in your mind, the more your short story will almost write itself.
3) Focus on one character
If you want to be a master on how to write short stories, a very important element to consider is that brevity and conciseness are crucial. There is no time to talk about many characters, their contexts, their life stories. One character is more than enough.
4) Something has to change
Your main character must not be the same at the beginning and at the end of your short story. Something has to happen for their change to be profound and permanent: it can be a tragic event, an encounter with someone or something, a self reflection, and so on. If you are clear about this, you are 50% on the way to knowing how to write short stories.
5) Know the genre
The moral is 200 years old. Don’t be afraid to explore the depths of the human mind. We know it can be scary, especially if you’re thinking that your story will be read by your mom and your SO. But you need to stop worrying about that. The priority here is how to write short stories.
With these initial tips, you’ll soon know how to write short stories. And you will have ready not just one, but a volume of several short stories. Don’t be embarrassed to show them to your loved ones, or to read and proofread them on your own.