Short and Sweet: the Art of the Short Story

Rush hour traffic had finally extracted its claws from the Rose City. RedCrow hadn’t been looking for trouble, but that didn’t mean a goddamn thing; trouble had a way of tracking her down. That evening it found her on the seedier side of town and in a dangerous predicament: a wraith stood between her and the alley’s only exit.

The blade in RedCrow’s grasp was a custom-made job, forged for her hand alone. The weight of it gave her a false sense of hope; maybe she might escape this. A potent paralyzer, fear can also be a mighty motivator. Luckily, this wasn’t RedCrow’s first rodeo.

The wraith had begun tailing her six blocks ago when she’d left The Mug Shot, a biker bar with the least likely of clientele located just off Mississippi Avenue near the Freemont Bridge. Drawn to both her sacred spirit and warm flesh, it'd been easy enough to lure the creature into the alleyway. The sooner she dispatched the poor son-of-a-bitch the better the entire city would be.

-Taken from Sins of a Father, published in Analekta Anthology of Writing.

Don’t be intimidated by small word count. Short stories are full of potential and offer a unique opportunity for writers to hone their craft, experiment with different genres, and tell a compelling narrative within a limited framework.

From the concise and focused world of drabble (precisely 100 words – no more, no less), to the worlds of flash fiction and micro-fiction, to the more expansive narratives of novelettes and novellas, how do these bite-sized narratives pack so much punch with so few words? How is it that writers are able to convey complete and compelling stories within such limited spaces?

Whether you’re a plotter, or a panster like me, begin by deciding what genre or theme you want to explore for your story. A captivating first sentence is crucial in short stories as it acts as a hook to reel in readers. I like to begin all of my stories - novels, or shorts - with a bang.

Regardless of the length of your narrative, the elements are all the same. There’s a balance you’ll need to strike between brevity, and completeness. The structure of your story should feel cohesive and purposeful. You’ll want to provide enough information to create a sense of understanding to engage your audience, but don't bog things down with unnecessary details. A well-crafted short story should be succinct so don’t dilute your story’s focus with meandering subplots.

Characters are the heart of any tale, even in short story writing. Who is your protagonist and what are their goals and conflicts? You can develop their backstories and motivations to help readers to connect with their journeys without getting too wordy. Try to focus on one or two central characters to help keep your narrative brief.

Same goes for dialogue. Make your conversations authentic and purposeful. Each exchange should reveal character traits, advance your plot, or add depth to your story.

Concentrated spot-lights lit up the alley while rotating blue-red lights atop the police cruisers danced across every wet surface. Lillianna Renfield approached the alley, cordoned off by a string of yellow crime-scene tape which she ducked gracefully under. the man in a blue windbreaker bent over the remains spilled on the ground was Dr. Hedges, formerly of the county medical examiner’s office, presently with MJ12.

“Evening.” Renfield didn’t need to identify herself, the husky timbre of her feminine voice made her recognizable in the dark, “Those guys the only five-oh on scene?”

“It was called into dispatch, MJ12 intercepted it and rerouted first responders.”

“Do you have time or cause of death yet?”

“Negative on both.” Dr. Hedges stood and scratched the sandy scruff at his chin, “I don’t get it – a body in this condition should be a forensic entomologist’s wet dream but there’s zero insect activity on these remains; I don’t have so much as a single blow fly larva. It makes no sense,” he said again, then looked sheepishly at Renfield.

“What?” Renfield asked, not looking up from the corpse on the ground between them.

“I was – you know,” Dr. Hedges shrugged, “sort of hoping you might be able to pull a little of your necromancer mojo-”

 Renfield lifted her eyes and shot the doctor a withering look. “Do I look like a party favor to you?” she said more severely than she meant to.

In a limited word count, your story’s ideas, characters, and plot must be revealed with clarity and efficiency using minimal words to achieve maximum impact. Utilize descriptive language to paint a vivid backdrop, but avoid excessive details. Your story should move at a brisk pace while staying focused on the central narrative thread while avoiding tangents that can distract from the impact you intend to make.

From there, the rising action should build tension and complicate the conflict, leading to a climax that represents your story’s narrative peak. The resolution that follows should provide a sense of closure for your reader, even if it leaves some elements unresolved or even open to interpretation.

My suggestion is to simply word vomit your story in its entirety. Editing is where you’ll transform your story into a polished piece of work. Revise for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Eliminate unnecessary words and sentences while ensuring each element serves a purpose. If you can, seek feedback from peers or writing groups. New eyes offer fresh perspectives.

Once your short story is refined and polished, I encourage you to consider submitting it for publication. Research literary reviews, magazines, or anthologies. Try submitting to online platforms, or contests that accept short story submissions. Remember to carefully review submission guidelines to ensure your work aligns with the publication’s preferences.

Writing short stories is simple, but not always easy. You need to engage readers with an introduction that hooks, introduce your central conflict, build tension, and reach the climax. Embrace your unique themes and genres, develop captivating characters, and follow a concise story structure. Craft a compelling setting, and use dialogue purposefully. Remember, editing is your ally in refining your work and when your story is ready, consider submitting it for publication. Whether it’s thriller, or mystery; science fiction, fantasy or romance, let your passion infuse life into your storytelling. By keeping your narrative short and sweet, you can hone your art of the short story.

~Dani

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