Ever wanted to write a short story but weren’t sure how?

Or maybe you have only ever written long novels and don’t think you can write a short story.

News Flash!

You can write a short story!
And I’m going to give you some tips on how to do it.

• Pick a verse or line of a hymn or song, or a Bible verse to be a thread that keeps the story together.
  Keep it short and sweet. Don’t expect to share an entire song or a full chapter.
  
• Don’t have too many characters.
  Lots of characters mean lots of action, conversation, etc. You can have a many characters but only if you make sure most of them are background not main characters.
  
• Keep it happening in a day or two, don’t try to make the whole month.
  Remember this is a short story. Don’t drag it out.
  
• Be willing to skip time if you are trying to cover longer time periods.
  If it needs to take place over a longer time period, skip days, weeks, even years if you must. This is a short story not a full novel about someone’s entire life.
  
• Have only 1-2 main characters and keep the story focused on them.
  Don’t bring in all their siblings and friends and co-workers and neighbors who might start pushing to be the main characters.
  
• Pick one event or situation.
  I said ONE. A birthday party, an argument about what to have for supper, an afternoon of hiking, a phone call gone wrong. Don’t try to do all of the above situations!
  
• Don’t try to have long, complicated plots. You don’t have time for them.
  You need to think and focus on one thing. Maybe one aspect of a bigger picture. A little lesson, a small adventure, a short but powerful reminder.
  
• Think short.
  Cut out the unnecessary. Skip the long, drawn out descriptions. Eliminate the excess ramblings. Minimize the number of characters.

And just remember, not all short stories have to be wonderful and worthy of publishing. Sometimes it’s good to just write some short stories for fun, or to practice a new writing style, or to get that silly idea out of your head, or even to just get to writing again!

So, I’m challenging you today, go write a short story!