Young Writers Society

Sorry for kinda spamming the "ask an expert" section, but I really need help on this one. As always my poetry has been decent and my novel writing skills mediocre, but my short stories have always been just flat out horrific. I always end up adding too much plot line and it becomes just a really rushed short book, or don't do enough with my writing and it doesn't get my point across effectively. I'm good at editing and reviewing short stories but I'm just terrible at writing them. What tips and items would you suggest are necessary and helpful to writing a short story? Thanks!


TuckEr EllsworTh

Tuck! Don't worry, you didn't exactly spam the Ask an Expert. I think this is a very good question, though. I mean, you're a poet and all, and it's hard to balance out both. Let me give you tips per element, so you can easily apply them.

Plot
You've said you had problems with your plot, it becoming more elaborate at each word you type. Well, what you could do is simply to write in a paper--or your mind, even--what exactly is THE plot you want in it. Do you want the main character to succeed over this task and that? After that, write down the conflict. Why hasn't this character did this and that. In those two lines, those TWO LINES , base your story. I mean, every-time you try to write this and that, look at the paper, and ask yourself: is this very, very related to my main plot? If not, then don't include it. See, the plots of these stories aren't that broad, and they usually just make the character do this and that. So, if a background about a character provokes another subplot to come up, just try to evade it unless you think it is truly important.

Characters
Even when I read short stories, I see characters as not too elaborate people. Some even don't have names! In other words, in short stories, you don't need to build a big character with a background an all. All you need to do is find his reason, formulate his motives and give him a personality. With those, he or she can actually survive the plot. Or not, if you wish

Setting
It isn't too important, but if you're writing more about the place itself, then do give it some descriptions!

How to progress
in short stories, you don't need to progress in about every subplot you included, but actually only the plot. Make it happen, make it witty and that's it! Simply choose ONE point of view of things and one or two conflicts to go with your single plot, then push!

Hope I helped even a little!

Yours indefinitely,
Alf

Thanks for the advice Alf! I'll certainly apply those suggestions to my writing. My English teacher always takes some of my poetry for the Kokipeli book (A collection of the best works from school at the end of the year) But this year she's pestering me to get her a short story lol. Thank you anyways .

My best advice is: snapshot. You can't do too much so just make it a small picture of one's life and times. You don't have time to characterize everyone fully, but we can still get an idea about who they are.

I also always like really absurd things in short stories. I'm thinking Flannery O'Connor where in one of her stories this guy steals a wooden leg from a girl.

So yeah, those two things are really what I love about short stories.

So I write a lot of short stories, and I find that the best way to write is just by pretending your the character. Just try and see things from your characters point of view. Literally just put yourself in their place. Sometimes i just close my eyes and write (it helps me imagine everything better) but if you don't know how to touch type, don't try that. Anyway, this helped me tremendously.

Also, plot-wise I understand what you mean about having too much plot line. My plots also tend to be elaborate and full of twists that I can barely fit into a short story. I still haven't figured out how to fix this- if the plot is too big to fit into a short story, then save it for a short novel. It'll come out better when it doesn't sound hurried. Some things just don't fit, and squeezing it in will just make it way too fast paced and confusing. My best advice is to try and keep your plot very straight forward: try not to have to many goals and confusing side-plots going on.

Hope I helped!