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I know that it is good to write short stories, along with the longer novels. Ever since I was a kid, and had to do research papers or creative stories, I'd always be at the limit of the pages. If we had to write between 5-10 pages, I'd ALWAYS be at the 10 mark, the usual opposite for what teens do when they try and rush an assignment. I don't try and go off on literary tangents, but I just always think in big ideas.
I think it comes from being talkative, but feeling shy at the same time as a child (kids don't like other talkative kids). BUT when I write I didn't feel that same shame, and could be myself and open.
I'm trying to learn how to get smaller ideas, and more concise writing. These skills come hard to me, and I really want to start writing short stories before I publish my WIP novel. Has anyone else ever been in my shoes, and now can write a shorter tale w/o any difficulties? If so, what helped in learning this sometimes HARDER craft? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Read as many short stories as you can. Scifiction and Strange Horizons and a slew of other online (free) and very good webzines are available. Major magazines: Asimov's, Analog, MF&SF, Realms of Fantasy, etc. Grab some leading anthologies (e.g. year's bests, etc.)
Also, there are a few good books on crafting the short story amon Knight's "Creating Short Fiction" is good. And there's a book called "Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular" by Rust Hills that is also good.
Also, aim to do as many critiques in online workshops (critters, OWW, Hatrack, etc.) as possible, as well as any local, in-person, writers groups that you can find.
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Actually Alexis, I've suffered from the same problem. Whenever I come up with an idea, even a small one, I instantly blow it up into this huge idea that could span an entire series of novels. Honestly, I haven't come up with any fool-proof solutions for this.
What I try to do is basically force myself to remained focused on a tighter storyline. You could try to spread your idea over several different shorts or could decide during editing which ideas to keep in a single story.
Reading that back to myself, I have no idea if it helps, but just remember you're not alone.
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Maybe you could place self-imposed length limits on yourself? You said in school, if it was 5-10 pages, you'd always write ten...but not eleven or three hundred. So, if you have an idea for a story, you could write down: "This will be between 2,000 and 4,000 words." If you stuck to that like you would an assignment, you'd have your short story. I got the impression (maybe I'm wrong), that you have a hard time with short stories because there's always more to tell, another scene or minor character that would illuminate such-and-such an aspect. Maybe a word-constraint would force you to strip it down to the essentials and write a short-story instead of a budding novel. I hope that was a helpful idea -- good luck to you. Posts: 189 | Registered: Jul 2005
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What I would recommend is a timed writing challenge, such as the ones at Liberty Hall. You get a trigger, such as a picture or phrase or even a single word, but have only 90 minutes to write an entire story. It sort of forces you to focus in and write tightly or you can't finish in time. I'd give it a try if I were you. Look at any of the topics called Flash Challenge with a number after them to find out details.
Posts: 818 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I like the idea of setting a word limit. If you reach the limit and you're not done yet, then you have to go back and take something out or cut back on descriptions. You could look at it as a word tetris.
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I'm going to go against the current here. Maybe you should be writing novels. But it is true, the more you write, the more you will recognize a short story idea when you come across it.
I suffered from the problem of not being able to write anything between 2500 words and 60,000 words. Everything I wrote was either under 2500 words, or a full blown novel (one of which I finally finished).
I spent the day with a well-known SF writer a few months ago (I won't say who on a public board and appreciate if those who know don't either) and when I mentioned this problem, the writer said, "It'll come."
So, write what you write, and don't worry about it.
[This message has been edited by Spaceman (edited August 03, 2005).]
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One thing that was an interesting exercise for me was to try to think of plots that could all happen in one day. Then write that day. I mean, you could write a novel about one day, people have probably done it, but it's more likely you'll end up with a nice, tight, short story.
Posts: 814 | Registered: Nov 2000
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My best friend once told me that I "think in epics", and went on to tell me that she didn't think I had it in me to write a short story. My reaction, as she knew it would be, was to find a way to prove her wrong. (I'm just stubborn like that, I guess.)
My method: limits, but not of words. For my first attempt, I gave myself a character limit of three characters. For the second, one setting. For the third, two ideas. And so on.
That really helped me focus down, much more so than word and page limits ever did. With word and page limits, you can still put so much in that the story is incomplete. With story element limits, it's a lot easier to control your length.
quote:One thing that was an interesting exercise for me was to try to think of plots that could all happen in one day. Then write that day. I mean, you could write a novel about one day, people have probably done it, but it's more likely you'll end up with a nice, tight, short story.
Brinestone! I don't recall seeing you around for a while. Welcome back.
And your suggestion is a good one for people who want to write short stories. In fact, the operative word is "one" (also known as "unity").
The "unity" theory of short story writing is all about one: one character (or one main character), one problem, one place, one short time period (usually one day or one part of a day), and so on.
However, you still should have more than one idea to make a complete story. Just focus your more-than-one idea down to unity in character, plot, setting and time, and you have a much better chance of writing a short story that works.
[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited August 06, 2005).]
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I think the big mistake I made when first beginning to tackle the short story was to think it would be easier than a longer one, when in truth it's much more difficult. This is why I think that practicing your craft with the Flash Challenges, like Autumn suggested, is such a good idea. You hone your skill to the point of being a well-oiled machine. You learn how to look at a plot or a character and fit them into under 1000words in a sharp and concise manner. It's actually really fun. I've become addicted to it. Good or bad, I create, and it's very satisfying.
So on that note I'm off to start the clock for this week's challenge...
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Oh, me too, me too. I was just wondering the other day (which may have been a week or so ago) where various Golden Age members had gone.
Posts: 8322 | Registered: Aug 1999
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amon Knight's "Creating Short Fiction" is good. And there's a book called "Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular" by Rust Hills that is also good.
