5 Writing Tips for Short Stories

Written by: Ashley Fern

The ice is melting! COVID-19 cases are on the rise! 

Global issues and their implications are surfacing and resurfacing on every communication channel - and it is almost invariable that you would have to write about it.

Whether you're looking to try your luck winning a writing competition, or you're asked to write an essay submission, here are some tips which may either help you, or validate what you already know.

#1: Write with the End in Sight

Often, I feel a sense of apprehension when I try to begin writing - with the tip of my pen pressed on a blank page, or my fingers hovering over my keyboard, there are few things comparable to starting a new story. And this inertia may be quite difficult to overcome.

What helped was actually imagining the ending. What scene do I want my readers to part with? What happens to my characters? Do I want it to come as a complete surprise to my readers, or to gradually build up to the climax?

Clarity about the story's conclusion opens up a host of ways to begin the story. You can:

• Begin with an excerpt of the ending!

"It was too late. Tongues of flame lapped hungrily at the house, utterly devouring it. If only..."

• Begin with ominous foretelling of what is to come;

"The day began as any other day would, but little did Julie know that it would become a nightmare unlike any other."

• Or, begin with a completely innocuous opening!

"Sunlight streamed from above the forest canopy, casting slivers of light against the backdrop of greenery. It felt like walking right into a fairytale."

Take your pick!

#2: What Should Readers Feel?

After exploring ideas of endings and beginnings, it is now time to hammer out the remaining plot points.

You may want to ask yourself a set of questions:

• What is the plot structure & plot point at this juncture?

• What should the reader be feeling [insert feeling]?

• How do I create this feeling for the reader?

• Does it make sense?

For example, when building suspense:

• Should the reader be feeling suspense at this point in the plot?

• If so, how do I create a sense of unease or anticipation?

• What should the character think or experience?

• If I were him/her, would I feel the same?

Using tips #3 and #4 may help in bringing a character to life!

#3: Write with the 5 Senses

While monologue is a tried-and-true method of allowing readers to connect to a character's experience better, "thought" is just one of the other types of descriptions that can be used to help with reader immersion.

Even when monologuing, your character can think from the perspective of his/her 5 senses as well! Using 2-3 in describing a scene usually helps readers imagine themselves in the same situation.

For example,

"Henry could not help but notice the sharp pain in his palms, which he had used to brace against the fall. The air was cold, and it scraped against the back of his dry throat. It was unbearably dark, and he did not know where he was."

#4: Change Sentence Structures

It's always good to avoid repetitive sentence structures, as the reader may either get bored, or become less immersed in the storyline. By sentence structures, this refers to the arrangement of sentence components; i.e. nouns, verbs, adjectives and so on. While repeating the structure twice or thrice sometimes creates a special type of impression, and is in fact a useful technique in some situations, it should not be overused.

An example of overly repetitive sentence structures:

"The sky was clear and blue. The birds are chirping and flitting about. The trees stand tall and majestic. The sun shone bright and clear overhead. Lee felt happy and at peace." The sentences all start with a noun, and 2 adjectives. It would appear to be rather stiff, and while it works, it could be better!

Modified sentence structures:

"The sky was clear and blue; the birds are chirping and flitting about; and the trees stand tall and majestic. With the sun shining brightly and clearly overhead, Lee was feeling happy and at peace like never before."

To help in deciding sentence structures to use, it would be good to categorise the situation. If it is a languid scene, mostly descriptive and lacking in action, then longer sentence structures would imitate the slow pace in your character's thought process. Just as how taking a calming walk allows you to take in more details in your surroundings than when you are running from a rabid dog, the same principles apply when writing your story!

During fast-paced scenes, such as action scenes or climactic scenes, it may be more suitable to use shorter sentences, sound effects, and exclamations! For example,

"The sky was probably beautiful, but Lee could hardly afford to look up. His frantic heart all but drowned out the beautiful birdsong in the air. With the sun beating on his brow, he kept running. He needed to find her."

#5: Write First, Then Proofread

With all the above said, it is worthwhile to remember that the first draft is almost never perfect - nor is it expected to be!

Nitpicking at our working draft might result in perfect sentences, but it could really hinder the writing progress and affect your creativity. Chances are, you as the writer, who would have "experienced" the story firsthand, may even lose the immersion in the storyline!

While sentence structures and pretty descriptions are undeniably essential ingredients to a good piece of writing, they shouldn't take precedence over the story's creative and emotional flow!

So take a seat, and take a deep breath. You're going to finish that first draft in one sitting, and it won't be perfect. But that's perfectly okay!

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