10 Top Tips for Writing a Superb Short Story

The following tips are in addition to the simple but essential advice we often hear…show don’t tell, don’t use too many adjectives, write with emotive, sense-driven language… The tips could be endless, but I believe the following cover some all-important, unknown bases, as these were the tips I never got taught. These are the tips that I discovered through trial-and-error as I climbed through the grades to publication…and now I’m sharing them with you! Good luck!

1. Expose opinions that OPPOSE the reader’s. Give them an unexpected response.
2. Link character and form. For example, the transformation from sobriety to intoxication could be reflected in the writing – clarity to confusion.
3. Narrative should flow smoothly: ditch the abstract word order you spent hours working on and assert some authority on that insinuation. Decide what you want to say, and say it.
4. Tone should involve simple images that leak detail about your characters or their situation. Your tone should be a window to the world you are creating.
5. When changing scene in single flow, don’t go too fast. Give the reader time to breathe and prepare for the change.
6. Be aware of the appropriate time to refer back to a previous point or image. Always be on the look out for opportunities to link parts of your story together.
7. Re-read and re-read. With the finest tooth comb imaginable. Ask yourself the following questions of every sentence: Does this part support or contribute to the story? Have I over-stated something obvious? Have I told the reader something where it would be more interesting to show them?
8. Don’t over-write. Sometimes (usually) simple writing is the most effective.
9. After your first draft ask: is this the best place to open? There might be a catchier line part way through that could let readers directly into the story.
10. Get inside your character’s heads. What can they see? What can they feel? Write their back-story even though you may not need all the details for your story – build a whole person and know their reactions.

With practise and passion, a superb story is not difficult to write…as long as you believe in the world and people you are creating, your readers will too. And one last thing – let your subconscious mind flow before that ever critical consciousness starts to edit away your imagination. See your ideas through to the end first, re-arrange them later!