How To Write A Short Story – A 7-step Process

Posted on September 21, 2008 - Filed Under Business | Leave a Comment

Do you want to learn how to write a short story? If so, then this 7-step process can help you achieve your goal.

  1. Read Short Stories: In order to become good at writing a short story, it’s necessary to read short stories on a regular basis. You are following in the footsteps of excellent writers such as Raymond Carver and Flannery O’Connor. These writers can provide you with an excellent – and free – education if you let them.

  2. Write on a Topic of Interest: If you write about a topic you know about, it’ll be a lot easier for you. This is not a requirement. Plenty of writers have written about football players, doctors, and politicians without actually having worked as one. However, you might find you place the story in a town where you lived or where you live now. By doing so, you can easily access your impressions and memories of the locale or details without having to conduct research.

  3. Share with a Friend: You can gain a lot by sharing your drafts with a friend. They might be confused by sections of the story that seem completely clear to you. Listen. Do not try to defend yourself, or your friend might not be truthful. You want an honest and respectful assessment of whether your story makes sense to your readers.

  4. Check Your Grammar: Be sure to check your grammar and spelling before you send your story out for publication. Use a spellchecker and then read the story again, which brings me to the next point.

  5. Read Your Short Story Out Loud: When you read out loud, you’ll hear any clunky wording and find spelling and other errors. This is one of the easiest ways to edit and improve your story.

  6. Take a Class: Consider taking a class in order to find other people who share your goal. Meeting people with similar writing struggles as you will help keep you working towards your goal. You can find classes through your local community center, local writer’s center, or a college.

  7. Keep Writing Short Stories: It may sound obvious, yet it can’t be said often enough. Continue to write short stories in order to become better at writing them. You will learn an enormous amount from actually doing the work. What you read in storytelling lessons and textbooks will make a lot more sense once you’re engaged in the work yourself.

Of course, have a great time when you’re writing. Although writing a short story is a lot of work, it can also be fulfilling and enjoyable.

Deborah Nelson manages the How to Write a Short Story blog at http://howtowriteashortstory.wordpress.com. Visit the blog to get free storytelling lessons.

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