How Do I Write Short?
I get asked that a lot. I guess I hadn’t thought about it – that people may find writing short stories challenging. But to some it is.
In today’s post, I’m going to talk about why I write short and tips to help people that want to write short.
Why I Write Short
I wish I could say I had this planned out from the beginning. That I knew I would write short stories and they would take off like they have. But I didn’t.
I started writing short stories because for years I thought about writing. But every time I sat down to write, I either got discouraged and couldn’t write or I would start and lose interest in the story. Thinking about writing a whole book was overwhelming to me.
I’ve always been an avid reader. I started reading shorter romance stories and LOVED them. I didn’t need thirty pages of sex scenes. I really liked reading shorter stories and decided maybe I could try it too.
Writing short stories came easy for me. Well, not easy, but definitely easier than writing a whole novel.
Why Should You Write Short
Here are the top reasons why you should write short:
-Easier to outline and write a short story than a full length novel
-It takes less time to write a short story than a full length novel
-You are able to produce more books at a faster rate
Should Everyone Write Short
Absolutely not! If you are able to write a full length novel, go for it. If you are just starting out and struggling planning out a whole book, then yes, I say give writing short a try.
Tips for Writing Short
1-Write an outline and stick to it (as much as you can)
2-Start in the middle of an action. This puts the reader right into the middle of things and gets the story moving quickly. Here’s an example from my book, Trust Me:
Mine.
That is the first thought that goes through my mind when I see her lying on my porch.
I knew pulling into my long winding driveway that there was something off. The short hairs at the nape of my neck were standing up. The closer I got to the house, the more intense that feeling became.
2-If you have to give historical details, do it briefly.
3-You don’t have to describe everything! Yes, it’s important that you give details that help build the story, but you don’t have to include everything. I once received a review that said ‘love your books. Do I care what color the dress was? No.’ This sums it up really. Should I have put the color of the dress in – YES. But this is an example of how I don’t go into great detail.
4-Transition of scenes do not need big explanations. I may end one chapter with a sex scene and then the next chapter begins a few weeks later. You may want to refer to what has happened to help build a relationship between the two characters.
5-Limit your characters. When you are writing short, you can’t have a lot of characters. It gets to be too much.
6-You can tell. I know people tell you all the time that you should show, not tell. Well, in a short story, sometimes you don’t have any other option but to TELL! So show when you can, but if you can’t, then TELL.
7-Don’t have a plot and a bunch of sub plots. If you are writing a short story, you usually stick to one plot. Full length novels are able to have multiple subplots. It is easier to have one plot in a short story.
Did this help you?
I hope this helps you. But if you still have questions, send me an email: authorhopeford@gmail.com
I will update this list with any questions I get!
