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Whether you’re an aspiring professional writer or a stay-at-home mom with something to say, the short story is the perfect medium. While writing a novel is a Herculean task, just about anybody can craft and, most importantly, finish a short story .With practice, patience, and a passion for writing, they can be every bit as moving and memorable as their much longer cousins.
Steps
Read plenty of short stories. Choose authors that you enjoy, and also choose some of the “classics.” Pay attention to how the authors develop their characters, write dialogue, and structure their plots. Gather ideas for your story. So carry a notepad with you wherever you go so that you can write down story ideas as they come to you. If you have trouble finding inspiration, or if you need to write a story in a hurry learn how to brainstorm.
Choose an idea and flesh it out. At the very least, a story should have an exposition, (a turning point in a story brought about by conflict between characters or within a character), and a resolution (a satisfying ending to the story in which the central conflict is resolved - or not). Move backward or forward from your starting idea, and ask “What happens next?” or “what happened before this
For a story to be believable, the characters have to be believable, In other words, you should know as much as possible about your characters, from what their central motivations are to what their favorite foods are. You won’t include all this information in your story, but the more you know, the more your characters will come to life, both for you and for the reader.
Limit the breadth of your story. The main events of a short story should occur in a relatively short period of time (days or even minutes), and you typically won’t be able to develop effectively more than one plot, two or three main characters, and one setting. If your story has much more breadth, it probably needs to be a novella or novel.
Decide who will tell the story. There are three main points of view from which to tell a story: first-person (“I”), second-person (“you”), and third-person (“he” or “she”). In a first-person story, a character in the story tells the story; in the second-person the reader is made a character in the story; and in the third-person, an outside narrator tells the story. (Second-person narration is rarely used.) While third-person narrators can either know everything and explore every character’s thoughts, or be limited to only that which can be observed.
Start writing. Depending on how thoroughly you’ve sketched out your plot and characters, the actual writing process may simply be one of choosing the right words. Generally, however, writing is arduous. Outlines are not the same as stories, and actually writing a story is the only way to complete one.
Come out swinging. The first page—some would say the first sentence—of any writing should grab the reader’s attention and leave him wanting more. A quick start is especially important in short stories. Get right into the plot, and reveal details about the characters and setting piece-by-piece as you go along. Keep writing. Set aside a time to write each and every day, and make it a goal to finish, say, a page each day.
Let the story write itself. As you write your story, you may want to turn your plot in a different direction than you had planned, or you may want to substantially change or remove a character. Listen to your characters if they tell you to do something different, and don’t worry about scrapping your plans altogether if you can make a better story as you go.
Revise and edit. When you’ve finished the story, go back through it and correct mechanical mistakes, as well as logical and semantic errors. In general, make sure the story flows and the characters and their problems are introduced and resolved appropriately.
Get some second opinions. Send your revised and edited story off to a trusted friend or relative for revisions, edits, and suggestions. Let your reviewers know that you want to hear their real opinions of
the story. Give them time to read it and think about it, and give them a copy that they can write on.
Source:Hermes.ir
Steps
Read plenty of short stories. Choose authors that you enjoy, and also choose some of the “classics.” Pay attention to how the authors develop their characters, write dialogue, and structure their plots. Gather ideas for your story. So carry a notepad with you wherever you go so that you can write down story ideas as they come to you. If you have trouble finding inspiration, or if you need to write a story in a hurry learn how to brainstorm.
Choose an idea and flesh it out. At the very least, a story should have an exposition, (a turning point in a story brought about by conflict between characters or within a character), and a resolution (a satisfying ending to the story in which the central conflict is resolved - or not). Move backward or forward from your starting idea, and ask “What happens next?” or “what happened before this
For a story to be believable, the characters have to be believable, In other words, you should know as much as possible about your characters, from what their central motivations are to what their favorite foods are. You won’t include all this information in your story, but the more you know, the more your characters will come to life, both for you and for the reader.
Limit the breadth of your story. The main events of a short story should occur in a relatively short period of time (days or even minutes), and you typically won’t be able to develop effectively more than one plot, two or three main characters, and one setting. If your story has much more breadth, it probably needs to be a novella or novel.
Decide who will tell the story. There are three main points of view from which to tell a story: first-person (“I”), second-person (“you”), and third-person (“he” or “she”). In a first-person story, a character in the story tells the story; in the second-person the reader is made a character in the story; and in the third-person, an outside narrator tells the story. (Second-person narration is rarely used.) While third-person narrators can either know everything and explore every character’s thoughts, or be limited to only that which can be observed.
Start writing. Depending on how thoroughly you’ve sketched out your plot and characters, the actual writing process may simply be one of choosing the right words. Generally, however, writing is arduous. Outlines are not the same as stories, and actually writing a story is the only way to complete one.
Come out swinging. The first page—some would say the first sentence—of any writing should grab the reader’s attention and leave him wanting more. A quick start is especially important in short stories. Get right into the plot, and reveal details about the characters and setting piece-by-piece as you go along. Keep writing. Set aside a time to write each and every day, and make it a goal to finish, say, a page each day.
Let the story write itself. As you write your story, you may want to turn your plot in a different direction than you had planned, or you may want to substantially change or remove a character. Listen to your characters if they tell you to do something different, and don’t worry about scrapping your plans altogether if you can make a better story as you go.
Revise and edit. When you’ve finished the story, go back through it and correct mechanical mistakes, as well as logical and semantic errors. In general, make sure the story flows and the characters and their problems are introduced and resolved appropriately.
Get some second opinions. Send your revised and edited story off to a trusted friend or relative for revisions, edits, and suggestions. Let your reviewers know that you want to hear their real opinions of
the story. Give them time to read it and think about it, and give them a copy that they can write on.
Source:Hermes.ir