This week: Suspense Edited by: Leger~  
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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~
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Suspense
It's horror, spooky, scary month at WDC - so a lot of contests are focused on this genre. What makes a good horror story? Obviously a great setting. Does it have to be dark and rainy with spiderwebs? No. Things can get scary in the middle of the day, it just takes the right order of events to create something frightening.
Characters can be scary in demeanor, looks, or behavior. What makes your character feel uncomfortable? Use your five senses, is it something visible? - a smell? - a sound? What I love best in a short story that I'm reading is when suspense slowly builds in my imagination until the peak of the story when the action takes over and scares me.
Write out your story, then when moving to the editing process, see if you cover the five senses and lead your reader down the right (or wrong  ) path.
Last, make sure your reader gets an ending. It doesn't have to be a happy ending, but you do need to wrap it up. Even if the bad guy disappears for a sequel.
Enjoy the process and Write On!
This month's question: How would you describe a favorite scary scene? Send in your answer below!  Editors love feedback!
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This month's WDC Official Contest:
The task is simple: Write a short story using the image prompt as inspiration!
Excerpt: Welcome to the 14th Annual NaNoWriMo Write-A-Thon, the activity where you can compete in NaNoWriMo and raise GPs for some great Writing.com causes at the same time!
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Excerpt: Ken Wembley stared down at his feet. It was bad enough that his last name was synonymous with a famous baseball field, but his mother refused to get him shoes that actually fit him!
Flash fiction is fun to read and a challenge to write. It must contain all the elements of a larger work of fiction, but in a much shorter space. Are you up for it?
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Excerpt: Eiolon sewed pieces of canvas together to form the likeness of a human body. She took special care with the joints, especially in the fingers. The homunculus would have to be dexterous enough for gardening and milking.
Excerpt: Jenna sat in the passenger seat frowning. Teri was driving fast towards the forest.
"For the last time, I am sick of Toni's jokes."
"Her call cut off. She said she was being chased."
Excerpt: Mom and Leah stood side by side, looking over their once beautiful garden. All that was left were leaves and stems, no beautiful red and pink geraniums, no yellow tulips, or pink, yellow, or viola tri-color pansies, all the pretty flowers were gone!
"Oh, no, not my pretty red, pink, and orange roses, too!" Mom exclaimed. "They're all gone."
Excerpt: "Clair!" A female voice penetrated her mind and she felt someone shaking her. "Clair!"
"What's wrong..." she knew she should recognize the voice, but she couldn't put a name or a face to it.
"Clair, open your eyes!"
Excerpt: I knew it would be an emotional day. Yet, I hadn't fully prepared myself for it. Traveling to "Ground Zero" of the World Trade Center had sounded like a good idea at the time. I needed closure and felt the company of people with similar needs would be a healthy undertaking.
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This month's question: How would you describe a favorite scary scene? Send in your answer below! Editors love feedback!
Last month's "Short Stories Newsletter (September 14, 2022)" question: Where do you leave your clues to the mystery??
Starling  : I try and scatter clues throughout the story. I don't use a lot of red-herrings but I do like to tease the reader.
🐺Wolfkingdom🏰 : Everywhere!!! I love throwing curveballs to bug a mystery!
Mousethyme  : My characters don't have much trouble finding the clues (some of which they just pick up absentmindedly) as they do finding out what they mean. For instance, a note is picked up in the first few pages of the book. It's written on ornate gold-trimmed special stationery and the writing is very distinct. It takes them a while to find out whose stationery it is and who's writing it is.
jdennis01jaj: One place I attempt to leave clues is in the characters' actions. Example: Eddy strolled nonchalantly down the alley, combing his hands through his greasy, black, shoulder-length hair. Suddenly he came upon a crowd gathering in the center of the street intersecting his alleyway. The crowd grumbled and gasped as they watched flames erupting from the windows of the building adjacent to the alley. Eddy turned, smirking at the burning building, then laughed.
Of course, this is a little obvious, but...
Elisa: Snowman Stik  : If I could remember where I left them, I'd tell ya.
elephantsealer : Aha, I leave my cues...no I am not saying; however, just a small tip: sometimes I just scatter those cues all over the place...
N.A Miller  : It is always the butler, gardener, Chaffer/driver, or the maid who does the deed.
keyisfake  : A little here, a little there. Sometimes under the bed.
TheBusmanPoet  : I leave no clues, that's why it's a mystery. 
bryanmchunter: I don't. I'm not really into mysteries.
Thanks to everyone for your responses, it's much appreciated!
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Short Stories: October 12, 2022 Issue [#11609]
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