Five Important Tips for Writing a Great Short Story

As a college-goer, you might need to write short stories for your college assignments as well as the annual magazine. Well, there are many benefits to learning the art of story writing, especially when you are inspiring to become a writer. Every short story has a definite pattern that comprises a beginning, middle, and end. But the secret to successfully getting it published is adding something interesting that captures the attention of editors and readers alike.

In this blog, we have discussed some useful tips that will help your story stand out from the rest:

1) Brainstorm ideas

Ponder over the plot of your story and create an interesting character that would fit in the scene. You can come up with a simple scene like the main character gets an unwanted visit from a friend and family member. Apart from this, you can also think of a complicated storyline like your protagonist finds out a dark secret about his partner. You can also borrow some traits from the people around you and incorporate them into your lead characters. After this, decide the supporting persons and their roles in the story.

2) Make your characters interesting

Once you have decided the plot and characters, the next step is to look for a central conflict, where the protagonist has to deal with a serious issue. Instead of making his/her life simple, try making it difficult. For example, maybe he/she is trapped in a dangerous situation and figuring out how to stay alive. Besides this, delve into the past experiences of his life, such as how he became so honest or what are the factors that made him a benevolent person. Even if you don’t want to include all these information in the story, knowing about your protagonist’s past life will help you present him more interestingly.

3) Pick an interesting setting

Another essential element of a short story is the setting, or where the events of the story are taking place. Choose one that would sound realistic as well as interesting to your readers. One simple idea here is to write down the name of your settings like “a trip to Sydney,” and then visualize each place as vividly as you can and jot down every detail that comes to your mind. Imagine how the setting feels, sounds, tastes, smells, and looks to your main character. Moreover, try to make the scene a crucial part of your story so that the reader couldn’t imagine anything else. For example, if there is a scene in which a man meets with an accident on the highway, then writing that the weather is chilly and foggy will make the frame more practical.

4) Plan an emotional climax

Every short story should revolve around a central issue which works as the meat of the story. But if you manage to think about a shattering moment in the protagonist’s life where he/she may feel overwhelmed, trapped, desperate, or even out of control, the story will become more interesting. The climax of the story should ideally be somewhere in half. For example- you may think of a scene where the main character surrenders before the police in fear of encounter.

5) Create a satisfactory ending

For an interesting story, it’s equally important to write an exciting conclusion. Make sure it should not be an obvious one that the reader would guess before reading. Instead, give your readers a false sense of security, and then redirect their attention to a totally unexpected ending that leaves them shocked. Famous writers suggest that you should visualize a few different schemes, and then choose the one which feels more natural, surprising, or fulfilling.

With these tips in mind, you can write an interesting short story. And, once it is completed, proofread the story thoroughly and rectify all the grammatical errors, typos, and vague sentences. After this, ask your friends and family to read it carefully and take their opinions. It's important to seek feedback as this will help you make the plot better.

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