Eiji Tunsinagi

Does anybody have any advice on where to get advice on writing short stories? (I've always stuck to long stuff....only to find----it doesnt HAVE to be long...)

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Rayhi

HERE!! Right here!!! Where else could you get advice and friendship?!

Ask away! There's lots of short story writers here that would love to answer and help.

Ask here first okay?!! That's why this Dboard is here!!

Rayhi.

Eiji Tunsinagi

uhm.......how do I make a good, straightforward story not too long?

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"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

Chris

That's a weird and very general question. It really depends what you want to write about. These are some general tips, which while do not apply to all short stories, may help:

- stick with one character's perspective.
- have about 3 main characters, sometimes 1 works even better.
- focus on one conflict, idea or issue.
- set the story around an incident (although a lot of great stories have plenty of incidents).
- pick up an anthology of short stories from your bookstore, or read some off the Internet.

I'd reccommend some writers, but my favourite short story authors are generall New Zealand ones, and I'm not sure how readily available they are internationally. However I do really like Michael Cunningham's White Angel most of Hemmingway's stuff especially Hills Like White Elephants and A clear well lighted place (might of got that title wrong). Joyce Carol Oates, Annie Prouxl (sp?), John Cheever, Raymond Carver, and John Updike are also worth checking out.

Okay, so I like a lot of American short story writers too.

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Nazareth

Go to library and check out Steven King's Short stories- He makes it a policy to write so many each year in addition to his novels

River1034

a short story can have the same content as a longer story like a novella as long as you do a few things. First of all cut out the fat, dont have extra sentences, keep your descriptions short and vivid. The best thing my teacher taught me was that if you writing a short story and you describe a gun hanging above the mantle, that gun better come into play in the story at some point.
So basically just keep your descriptions short, use only necessarily details, make every word count. Short stories tend to be much more vivid than novels.
Good luck! .

Nazareth

You don't have to wqrite out a detailed rigid plan- but there are a few things you can do to kind of organize and work out in advance so the actual writing will go a bit smoother

Before you start- flesh out some of these basic points

1: Dynamic conflict (What turmoil will main character face? What difficulties will they encounter as they try to sort out the main conflict ie: Who will try to stop them and why)

2: Inner conflict (Say like a business man/city dweller stranded in the wilderness- has to overcome (or succom to their intrepidation- like he'll have to eat bugs to survive- perhaps drink his own urine- As the story progresses you'd show Him evolving from a prim and proper person into one who reaches inside himself and summons up courage and tenacity to make it out alive)

Sit down and think in steps- sometimes this helps me- I'll ask questions liek

1: What Dynamic conflict will Main character face in this story? Answer: Law abiding person that is driven over the edge because mob is shaking him down. He snaps- He grabs a bag of loot and takes off - mob puts out a hit on him- hires 'Tony No Kneck' Noone ever survives when Tony hunts them down. (So the dynamic conflicts will arise from the inter-actions between Tough Guy Tony and not so tough guy Pete the main character)

2: Pete is easy going, doesn't like confrontations. People think he is too easy going and always criticise him for not being active enough even if it means jeopardy for himself or business or family- After Pete snaps- he will go through a metamorphosis and gradualy overcome his reluctance to take action. We'll see him hesitate and contemplate giving up- We'll see his fear- We'll see Him struggle to overcome this problem that he finally comes to realize he has

Usually, a main character will have some kind of problem in their life & not realize it while everyone around them notices it and maybe even has tried to get the main character to change- Main character will deny it- Even try to prove that he doesn't have problem- A good story will develope and force the main character to realize they have some kind of problem or fear or whatever - Inner conflicts/problems are what draw the audience into a character & make them want to root for them- They want to say "You can do it". When I say everyone around the main character knows he has a problem, I mean the audience too- it's like you 'know something about' the main character that they are unaware of - that really draws you intro the story. But, while inner conflict is important- Don't make it overshadow the Dynamic conflict and theme of the story.

Eiji Tunsinagi

My other question is----what is the difference between short stories, novellas, and novels---except for length? Or is that the only difference?

Thanks.

__________________
"nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

"how will you go about finding that thing the nature of which is totally unknown to you?"

River1034

i would say its length, i cant really think of any factors that determine the classification other than length.

eleutheromaniac

Novels and novellas have multiple scenes, sub-plots, and mini-climaxes. They also usually have well-defined sections (chapters, introduction, epilogue, prologue). And generally speaking, novels and novellas follow a story arc (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution); there is no such restriction with short stories.


The best advice I can give is to read a lot of well written short stories. I highly recommend this book of Great Russian Short Stories. For two bucks! An absolute steal and some great examples of well crafted short stories. Here's another steal: Great Short Stories of the World. And of course, JD Salinger's Nine Stories is a must-have.

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