This week: Unlocking the Potential of Short Stories Edited by: Jayngle Bells  
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| Understanding successful short stories is essential for authors looking to hone their skills. By learning from the techniques employed by other writers, you can integrate their methods into your own work. In this newsletter, we'll analyze five short stories and explore the elements that you can use to create successful short stories of your own. |
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Short stories present unique challenges for writers because they require the same narrative elements as longer works – plot, character, setting, and theme – but within a much more condensed space. I know I frequently exceed the word count requirements on my first draft, but I consider that par for the course in my own writing. While I continue to try to “clean up” my first drafts – choosing cleaner sentence structures and precision vocabulary – sometimes it’s more important to get the story on the paper.
Precision is the Key, but What’s Driving this Thing?
It's not only that a short story demands precision language, but it also requires a keen sense of pacing, as authors must quickly engage the reader and create a satisfying, impactful narrative arc without the luxury of extensive development. This leads to short stories relying on subtlety and nuance, requiring the writer to convey depth and emotion through carefully chosen details and evocative imagery.
The constraints are demanding and require skill, patience, and creativity. A large part of developing those skills is reading the works of authors who’ve mastered the form, and employing their methods as you develop and refine your own style. Here are some stories to explore:
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson excels at creating suspense by withholding information and gradually revealing the story's true nature. Authors can use this technique to maintain reader engagement and deliver a powerful, unexpected conclusion. Additionally, examining the darker aspects of human nature through character interactions can add depth and provoke deeper reflection in your readers.
What You Can Learn
 How to rapidly build tension and create impactful endings.
How to use collective behaviour to provide a disturbing portrayal of human nature.
How to contrast idyllic settings with horrifying events.
How to combine themes of tradition, conformity, and the potential dangers of blindly following societal norms.
"The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe's mastery of creating suspense through unreliable narration and a tense atmosphere can serve as a valuable lesson for authors. By delving into the psyche of your characters and exploring their inner conflicts, you can create compelling, psychologically complex narratives. Additionally, consider how your story's setting can enhance the mood and contribute to its overall impact.
What You Can Learn
How to write a psychological thriller from the POV of someone spiralling out of control.
How to effectively use an unreliable narrator to create unease and tension.
How to use a claustrophobic environment to unsettle your reader.
How to weave themes of guilt, obsession, and the human capacity for evil into a single framework.
"A Temporary Matter" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri demonstrates the power of a character-driven narrative in exploring complex emotions and relationships. With her use of intimate settings and emotionally charged moments, she creates relatable, moving stories. She uses narrative devices that push characters to confront their emotions, and in doing so, invites the reader to do the same.
What You Can Learn
How to write an evolving relationship and an emotional journey.
How to reconcile the use of two different individual struggles within a single short story.
How to effectively use grief, loss and other complex emotions within a short story.
How to quickly build and maintain interpersonal and situational intensity.
How to use recurring events as a narrative device.
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" by James Thurber
Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" demonstrates the power of imagination and the importance of engaging characters in creating a compelling narrative. Authors can learn the use of daydreams as a narrative device to explore a protagonist's inner desires and create contrasting settings that captivate the reader.
What You Can Learn
How to develop relatable and multi-dimensional characters that resonate with a wide range of readers.
How to create an engaging narrative through escapism and sympathetic characters.
How to create contrast between reality and escapism.
How to explore human desires and how humans reconcile wants versus needs.
"The Bone Swans" by C.S.E. Cooney
Admittedly, this is not a short story, but it does condense many of the elements of epic fantasies into a slim novella. Weaving together elements of classic fairy tales and folklore, Cooney puts a personal stamp on the tale with an imaginative twist. It creates a rich and captivating narrative set within an intricate fantasy world, all using a relatively small word count.
What You Can Learn
How to create intricate worlds and diverse, complex characters without the need for excessive word counts.
How to effectively use nuanced narratives to explore emotion, love and courage without resorting to overdone tropes.
How to drive a story forward with interpersonal relationships and personal growth.
How to make an old concept fresh and unique.
Practice the Elements of Successful Short Stories
Authors can experiment with these methods and apply them to their own writing. It may feel awkward at the beginning, as the first attempts might feel like emulation instead of innovation. But with practice, you’ll find your own voice and create fresh, engaging stories that leave a lasting impact on your readers.
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Short Stories: April 12, 2023 Issue [#11905]
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