A short story is a piece of prose that can be read in one sitting. It is usually less than 6000 words and can be written within fifty hours. This kind of prose is different from a novel in the sense that novels can be as long as whatever you like and may contain hundreds of plots or characters. Knowing the differences between this kind of prose and a novel can give you an edge over others in a submit short stories contest.
The first thing you should write about is the premise. The premise is a line or two that kicks off what the writer wants to write about. If the premise is not lengthy and yet succeeds in informing the reader the major lesson in the writing, then the writer is likely to win in his contest. The idea in the premise should be consistent especially with the end of the prose.
You are supposed to get things set before you start writing. You should spend a considerable amount of time in your first sitting so that you can pour out your thoughts at once to avoid any possible loss of idea. The more breaks you have, the more the possibility of getting tired to finish what you have started. You can prevent this by having a comfortable chair, table, enough books, pens and dictionaries.
Ideas to your story may not come the time you want it. Actually, inspirations for your short story can be gotten anytime. Once your mind is made up to do this, you are encouraged to carry along a pen and jotter where you can note any idea that comes your way. By having many of them, you can come up with a summarized writing that can win a prize.
Character development is perhaps the most critical moment of a story teller. Not defining them well will make the piece of prose difficult to understand and the reader may find it boring. The actions they take should be consistent except when another lesson should be learned from the story.
A small story should not take more than two plots. In fact, with just one plot, the narrator has a better chance of grabbing the prize over someone with two or more plots. Also, the events should not occur within a wide time frame. It is better to write for a season, a month or a year.
Also think about the narrator of the story. Narrators of stories may be first person, second person or third person. In first person narration, the writer of the story is the narrator who gives a breakdown of events while in the second person style, the reader is considered as one of the characters. Third person narration enables the writer to explore the thoughts of his characters even though this is also risky if done improperly as the reader may not know the character to focus on at the point where he becomes confused.
First time story tellers may not find it easy to write. To overcome the anxiety, it is advisable to start anyhow. Even if you have not yet decided what the entire thing should talk about, your first sentences can spur you to do more especially when the opening lines are quite interesting.
The first thing you should write about is the premise. The premise is a line or two that kicks off what the writer wants to write about. If the premise is not lengthy and yet succeeds in informing the reader the major lesson in the writing, then the writer is likely to win in his contest. The idea in the premise should be consistent especially with the end of the prose.
You are supposed to get things set before you start writing. You should spend a considerable amount of time in your first sitting so that you can pour out your thoughts at once to avoid any possible loss of idea. The more breaks you have, the more the possibility of getting tired to finish what you have started. You can prevent this by having a comfortable chair, table, enough books, pens and dictionaries.
Ideas to your story may not come the time you want it. Actually, inspirations for your short story can be gotten anytime. Once your mind is made up to do this, you are encouraged to carry along a pen and jotter where you can note any idea that comes your way. By having many of them, you can come up with a summarized writing that can win a prize.
Character development is perhaps the most critical moment of a story teller. Not defining them well will make the piece of prose difficult to understand and the reader may find it boring. The actions they take should be consistent except when another lesson should be learned from the story.
A small story should not take more than two plots. In fact, with just one plot, the narrator has a better chance of grabbing the prize over someone with two or more plots. Also, the events should not occur within a wide time frame. It is better to write for a season, a month or a year.
Also think about the narrator of the story. Narrators of stories may be first person, second person or third person. In first person narration, the writer of the story is the narrator who gives a breakdown of events while in the second person style, the reader is considered as one of the characters. Third person narration enables the writer to explore the thoughts of his characters even though this is also risky if done improperly as the reader may not know the character to focus on at the point where he becomes confused.
First time story tellers may not find it easy to write. To overcome the anxiety, it is advisable to start anyhow. Even if you have not yet decided what the entire thing should talk about, your first sentences can spur you to do more especially when the opening lines are quite interesting.
About the Author:
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