Creative copy: How to write a short story
“A good [short story] would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.”
― David Sedaris
Do you have a short story, or the beginnings of one, tucked away on your laptop or at the back of a drawer? Would you like to take that story to the next level, but don’t know how to? I’m a Melbourne copywriter but also a published author who loves working with writers to develop their creative work.
So, let’s have a chat...
Short stories are a fantastic way to build your profile and hone your writing skills. Not only are shorts less work than a novel, at around 1,500 – 5000 words, but they provide the perfect space to practice your craft. A microcosm of the novel, they allow you to experiment with structure, character, plot, genre, style and setting.
Short stories are also a great way to build your writerly profile. Unlike the 80,000 words expected from your average novel. A short can be written and edited reasonably quickly, and sent out to publishers or entered into competitions. Just type ‘short story competition’ into your search engine and sit back as a plethora of local and international opportunities materialise on your screen — many of which award publication, fellowships and cash.
If you love writing this genre, you’re not alone. Many famous authors are also fans of the short — like Virginia Woolf, Haruki Murakami and Margaret Atwood to name a few.
However, despite their length, short stories can be tricky to write. You must be succinct and cut-throat with your words (to kill your darlings, as the old saying goes), while still creating a world and characters that are complex enough for a reader to want to follow you through the story.
So, what’s the secret to writing a gripping short, and how can my Melbourne copywriter services help you do it?
Take a look at the extract from one of my short stories below for a few pointers, then check out Creative Copy & Mentoring on the services page of my website.
The Underwater Sea
The desert track stretches straight and true through the middle of nowhere.
When I squint at it through the windscreen, the sunlight glinting off the bull-bar turns my vision white. (Anchor the reader with setting. Where is the character in time and place? But don’t over explain. Remember to SHOW not TELL, using visual language.)
‘Jen,’ Joel calls from the dark underbelly of our car. ‘Pass me the torch. It’s in the glove box.’ (Interactions between characters give the reader a sense of who they are as individuals while providing insight into their relationships. Are these character strangers or intimates? Or, are they simply passing ships in the night?)
I rub my eyes and flip open the glove box. The maps he’s collected spill onto my feet like leaves. ‘It’s not here,’ I yell out the window. The hot wind carries my voice away.
I wish we’d stayed longer in Dalhousie Springs with the seasoned campers.
That morning I’d watched them emerge from their tents, with wild hair and rubber thongs that flip-flopped the cracked path to the toilet block. They looked at ease next to their campfires and under the bonnets of their dusty vehicles. Natural. (Use observation and internal dialogue to place the reader in the character’s head, heart and setting.)
Pulling into the campgrounds in our new BMW 4WD, with its sleek black curves and Scandinavian roof pod had made me uneasy. It reminded me of a posh kid at a public school, parked in a row of dinged-up four-by-fours. (Use material objects to reveal the character’s world view, personality and situation.)
Joel whistled, Achy Breaky Heart as he worked, but I didn’t complain. I didn’t have the energy.
After dark, I walked past the springs and stared out, into the desert. It was black, like standing on the edge of an abyss... (Create tension early on in the story. Use metaphor or pose a question to hang the story on? For instance, what is this woman doing in the desert and why does she feel as if she’s standing on the edge of a precipice?)
For more information about how we can work together to develop your writing project, check out my services page. I collaborate with new and established writers at any stage of the writing process — be it inspiration, publication, editing or a manuscript assessment.
