Keeping it Short
I think most fiction writers are naturally more comfortable with a particular length. But even those of us who are natural novelists should try their hands at short stories once in a while.
Writing short stories is a great way to learn to trim your prose, and writing tight can really benefit novel writing. It can also help you master character descriptions too. When you can only afford a paragraph to introduce each character you sharpen your skills for careful word selection.
In other words, writing short stories is great practice. In a short story you get to work through every phase of story writing: the hook, plot twists, character development, pacing, and wrapping up a strong ending. And as a bonus, you get to make all the normal mistakes without losing weeks or months figuring out how to backtrack and fix them.
And the time element allows for faster feedback too. Instead of spending a year writing a novel to get some feedback on how you drive a story to a strong conclusion, you can write a short story so in a fraction of the time you can get feedback on your writing. And it’s a lot easier on your first readers to get through a short story and give you immediate feedback.
There are also commercial advantages. Short stories can be an easy and inexpensive way for new readers to sample your writing style before they decide to dedicate the time required to read a novel. That’s the main reason I posted three of my short stories on Amazon for 99 cents as The Reliable Witness.
Like any form of writing, it pays to associate with others in the trade. I’m not aware of any conference specifically for short story writers, you can join a gathering of some of the best by joining the Short Mystery Fiction Society. The Society welcomes writers, editors, publishers, and readers to promote the creation, publication, and appreciation of the genre. Membership is free. You just have to join their Yahoo Group - - to get access to their discussions and participate in the annual Derringer Awards.
So if you’ve been laboring away at a novel for a while, why not take a break and try writing something short and sweet?
Writing short stories is a great way to learn to trim your prose, and writing tight can really benefit novel writing. It can also help you master character descriptions too. When you can only afford a paragraph to introduce each character you sharpen your skills for careful word selection.
In other words, writing short stories is great practice. In a short story you get to work through every phase of story writing: the hook, plot twists, character development, pacing, and wrapping up a strong ending. And as a bonus, you get to make all the normal mistakes without losing weeks or months figuring out how to backtrack and fix them.
And the time element allows for faster feedback too. Instead of spending a year writing a novel to get some feedback on how you drive a story to a strong conclusion, you can write a short story so in a fraction of the time you can get feedback on your writing. And it’s a lot easier on your first readers to get through a short story and give you immediate feedback.
There are also commercial advantages. Short stories can be an easy and inexpensive way for new readers to sample your writing style before they decide to dedicate the time required to read a novel. That’s the main reason I posted three of my short stories on Amazon for 99 cents as The Reliable Witness. Like any form of writing, it pays to associate with others in the trade. I’m not aware of any conference specifically for short story writers, you can join a gathering of some of the best by joining the Short Mystery Fiction Society. The Society welcomes writers, editors, publishers, and readers to promote the creation, publication, and appreciation of the genre. Membership is free. You just have to join their Yahoo Group - - to get access to their discussions and participate in the annual Derringer Awards.
So if you’ve been laboring away at a novel for a while, why not take a break and try writing something short and sweet?
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