 Short Stories: December 18, 2019 Issue [#9860] |
This week: Limitations of Short Stories Edited by: NaNoNette  
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| Dear short story writers and readers, I am NaNoNette and I will be your guest editor for this issue. |
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Limitations of Short Stories
Why aren't short stories mini novels?
There are many rules and ideas on how long a short story should be. A general rule of thumb is that a short story is going to be up to about 5,000 words. There will be variations, but that is about the amount of words that count as a short story. Besides word count limits, short stories have other limitations.
A complete short story should include an inciting incident, rising action, climax, and a resolution. Those story beats are the same as in a novel, except you will be limited to the amount of words that you can dedicate to each part of the story.
Inciting Incident
A short story should begin as late as possible in the story. Or as close as possible to the inciting incident. Get to this part with as little world building as possible. The supporting details of your world can be narrated after this point through actions, descriptions, and dialogue.
Rising Action
This part is where you flesh out the conflict. This is also the part where your protagonist will encounter any elements that make their adventure more difficult and heighten the peril, conflict, or difficulty.
Climax
The moment of highest tension. The climax, to be a true climactic moment in the story, must include the main protagonist. This is the highest point in the story. The turning point after which the tension will ebb off.
Resolution
To be complete, your short story needs a resolution. This doesn't mean all the characters die. Or any character dies. A character can die if you want to end the story like that. No matter what you do with the characters, the incident that kicked off the plot, the problem or issue raised during the inciting incident has to be resolved. This means that the reader is able to put the story down and have enough information to be satisfied. There are stories that end with an "open ending." That's okay too, but if you pay close attention, even the open ended stories offer some sort of closure, even if the closure is the knowledge that there is no closure.
Characters
Use as few characters as possible. Consolidate as many actions into as few characters and can accomplish the tasks. Short stories don't need a massive amount of people. Distill all the actions in your story and assign them to the smallest number of people. If you can tell a story with only two characters, do that. |
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I received the following replies to my last Short Stories newsletter "Your Cup of Tea"
dragonwoman  wrote: Thanks for choosing my retold fairy tale flash in this newsletter. Always makes me smile.
You're welcome. 
Jenstrying  wrote: Well done! Thank you! I like the way you broke things down in time. I like my short stories because they last long enough for me to get away on lunch (assuming no one talks to me). I can come back to reality a little refreshed.
That's a neat way to measure time too.
Turkey DrumStik  wrote: I think I know why my "short stories" are so long. It takes a good half hour for me to finish a hot beverage (or get to my old job by train); usually around three hours for my flight to reach my (domestic) destination; and at least 20 minutes to doze off. Clearly I'm a poky sort and thus wantba long "short" story to read.
You really get to decide for yourself what is a short story to you. Maybe three hours is a little on the long side. |
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