Short story writing is a real art form and we get some crackers into the monthly Global Short Story Competition at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
Here’s some thoughts on how to get it right
1. Have a clear theme. What is the story about? That doesn't mean what is the plot line, the sequence of events or the character's actions, it means what is the underlying message or statement behind the words? What do you want to say? Get this right and your story will have more resonance in the minds of your readers.
2 Focus. The best stories are the ones that follow a narrow subject line. What is the point of your story? But keep it simple, otherwise you end up with a novel!
3. An effective short story often covers a very short time span. It may be one single event that proves pivotal in the life of the character, and that event will illustrate the theme. If you go for a long period of time, make it pass quickly ie ‘The next year...’
4. Don't have too many characters. Each new character will bring a new dimension to the story, and for an effective short story too many diverse dimensions will dilute the theme. Have only enough characters to effectively illustrate the theme.
5 Write in episodes - short chapters in effect.
6. Make every word count. There is no room for unnecessary expansion in a short story. If each word is not working towards putting across the theme, delete it.
John Dean
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