In the spirit of this post, I thought I'd offer a condensed version of my upcoming short story writing conference. The challenge: can I cover the most important elements of writing short stories using 500 words or less? As short fiction (or, in this case, flash fiction) is all about getting the most bang for your buck, I'm going to share the five most important elements of crafting compelling short stories.
If you're submitting to a publication with a theme, stick to it!
The worst mistake writers can make when submitting to theme-based literary journals or magazine is not comitting to the theme—and I don't mean throwing in key words every now and again. I mean integrating the theme into every aspect of the story. It's the first thing editors look for and the first thing that gets your story put into the "thanks, but no thanks" pile.
2. Start with action.
When word count is at a premium, make sure you start your story with a bang and keep your foot on the pedal (mixed metaphors are fun!) until the very last sentence. Use a hook sentence to grab readers and don't let them go until the last moment.
3. Don't try to add too many plot twists
Even though you only have a limited amount of words (500 for flash fiction and generally up to 5,000 for short stories) that doesn't mean you have to fill up every sentence with twists and turns—you'll make readers dizzy. Have a beginning, middle, and end, but make those three structural elements as impactful as possible. Keep it interesting but not confusing! The line between the two is finer than you might think.
4. Format according to the publication's guidelines
The literary journal I act as associate editor for, WayWords, includes a detailed formatting section that lays out how we want each and every document to be formatted. 12 point font, Times New Roman, title info, these are all formatting elements that we look for. And if you don't include them or don't follow the guidelines, we don't even read the submission :( So do your homework and follow formatting guidelines!
5. Last but not least: have fun!
Don't forget to enjoy the writing process. Even if your submission isn't chosen for publication, know that you set out to start and finish a story and that's exactly what you did—and keep doing that until you refine your writing skills. Being able to call yourself a published author is a wonderful thing, and using the medium of short fiction is a great introduction to the world of submission, post-editorial work, and seeing your name in print.
There you go! There are the five most important elements of writing short stories. I didn't check the word count and I suspect I went over, but it was worth it to share these tips with you!
This fall I'm going to be hosting a short story writing conference in beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. If you find yourself in the area, come and see me!
Jessica Morris-Reade is the owner of JMR Literary Services and the associate editor of WayWords, a quarterly literary journal. She's been published as a ghostwriter and under her own name, in long-form novels and short story publications. Her work can be found in anthologies and literary journals, as well as in several published novels with 5-star Amazon ratings. For more information on working with her, check out her website at jmrliteraryservices.com.
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