Atzei Rimon

Everyone has a story to tell. Some people are natural orators, some are better in one-on-one deep conversations, and some prefer their actions to speak for themselves. But for many writers, the story inside them can struggle to come out for one simple reason – they just don’t know where to start.

Whether you’re a first-time writer looking to get over that initial fearful hump, or a seasoned creative needing to refresh your inspiration, follow these simple steps to get started writing your short story.

1. Look to your own life

A well-known writing adage is “write what you know”. This can seem strange when you consider we have stories about magic, dragons and talking dogs, but there is always an element of truth to this. Even if you are writing something completely fantastical, your own life can still be the first point of inspiration.

Next time something funny or strange happens – something that you make a note to tell your friends or family about – why not use that as a seed to plant a new story?

What if that bus you missed in a very annoying rush-hour panic also happened to have your one true love on it, and through a string of continously strange coincidences you eventually met them anyway? What if your funny conversation with a coworker led to finding out that they were in fact a secret superhero? Take these nuggests of story from your real life and run with them.

2. Pick one core concept

For a short story, you don’t need to weave in complex storylines and subplots. Short stories shine when they have one central idea – a specific emotional dilemma, a coming-of-age turning point or a clearly defined source of conflict.

Pick your core focus and keep it in mind throughout the writing process. As you progress, keep yourself focused on this core concept and make sure every word you use plays its part in contributing to this exact idea.

3. Layer your characters

In a short story, it’s easy to feel that there isn’t enough room to build a truly complex character. But the trick is that you don’t need to write every detail of what makes your character complex – you just need to know it.

Decide yourself what makes your character tick – what are their likes, dislikes, fears, flaws? What quirks do they have? If you build a solid personality for them, you will be able to feed this into their actions and dialogue, without having to include lengthy character descriptions.

4. Keep it tight

Short stories are obviously more limited in word count than novellas or novels. Though you can pack a lot of action and emotion into only a few words, you’ve got to be strict with yourself in terms of what you can afford to include.

Start the story close to the action – if not already in the action. You may find yourself writing additional scenes that help you as a writer, but don’t actually move them along. Don’t be afraid to cut it out. Save it somewhere else for a longer story! But make sure that every word you include in your story is totally essential to its goals.

5. End on a high

This doesn’t mean a hugh climactic ending or a conclusion that’s shocking or dramatic. But you do want your readers to feel satisfied and that they have been provided with a satisfying conclusion.

Does your ending tie up loose ends? Answer all questions? Is it a surprise? A moment of change? A solving of a mystery? Whatever it is, picture yourself as both the character and the reader – and think about how they might have been changed by the story.

6. Don’t expect a perfect first draft

One important thing for first-time writers to know – and seasoned writers to remember – is that you will almost always hate your first draft. Don’t get stuck on making your first draft perfect – just make it exist. Get your ideas down on the page and therefore give yourself the opprtunity to refine it. No story will come straight out of your brain and onto the page pre-refined. You have to do the work to refine it.

For many writers – beginner and experienced – the act of writing can be cathartic and also emotionally draining. It can be tempting to feel that you’ve put so much energy into your writing, that you don’t need to sully it by rereading it or changing anything.

But the truth is, the real story emerges when you start rewriting. Read your story aloud, share it with others, practice summarising it out loud. You will find yourself undertanding your story and characters in new ways, and creating a final draft that blows your first draft out of the water.

Ready to start writing your story? Get your ideas on the page now and kick-start the flow of inspiration!