Problem with Short Stories

[Vivian Paschal]

Short stories are a bit difficult for me as well. I tend to create full characters, in the sense that I know every detail about them, even details I may never use in a book. For example, I could have favourite foods for all my characters, with no relevance to the plot. So, I sometimes tend to write more than is needed. I'm learning to cut out unnecessaries, no matter how interesting they are. I'm on my way to being good with short stories. They don't usually end up being short enough, but I make sure they don't get close to the size of a novel. I've written two flash fictions, so I think I'm getting there. I think you should take it a step at a time. Give yourself a number-of-words target and try to keep to it. But try your best never to rush the plot in a bid to keep it short. In all, it can be really tricky, but practice makes perfect.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Short story is a piece of a long story. So you have to omit certain parts. Just write something in a narrative manner. Read Illustrated short stories (Cannot remember the author....Check my Book shelf) to get an idea. I recommend that book to anyone who wants to learn about short story writing

[clint_csperry-org]

I take on the attitude that less is more. By that I mean, I focus on saying as much as I can in as few words as I can. That produces tight writing and keeps me from getting too detailed about things that in the end are not all that important. I have had the same issue you describe. I am now writing novels, it is better in the sense that I can allow all that stuff to get out on the page. I still focus on making every sentence do multiple jobs. Scene setting, plot movement, world building, all can be placed in an otherwise relatively mundane statement. The reader doesn't see it, but when the pieces start to come together in the climax, they are setup and ready for what will happen.

[Inkroverts]

I think you can try the writing exercise where you try to erase the unnecessary parts of the story. I tried it when I attended a writing course, and to my surprise, we could actually simplify a 1-page-long story into just a few sentences.
Sometimes descriptions and explanations can be skipped.

[shakilahamed1997]

With that in mind, let's take a look at short stories... Short fiction stories are generally referred to simply as "short stories", because the word "story" already conveys that the subject is fictional.

Referring to the written work as a "fiction story" or "fictional story" therefore, is redundant. However in keeping with the subject of this page and to satisfy the needs of aspiring writers I will continue to use the term, "short fiction story" on this page.

[Barbie_sidhu]

The problem i face while writing a short story is to contract the whole story-line within few pages but still maintaining the details.

[FuriousDestroyer75]

I'll tell you how I do it. I still focus on the details, but my story will get to the end fast. What i mean by that is: let's say that my story was about two kids stumbling across a creek, and a hole swallows them. That hole leads to a magical tunnel with booby traps, that can lead you out of there. Then when writing, use many details, but only have like two booby traps. That way it's sill intriguing and long enough, and it will only be a few pages.

[aruntr2001]

Sometimes I feel short stories may not convey the inner purpose of writing it. The deep meaning of incidents mentioned in a story cannot be understood by the reader as you won't give much time for your mind to think about it.

[Rodel Barnachea]

I was hoping that I could get some advice on how to write a short story. I tend to write way too much, and am always thinking on a novel, or series level. I don't want to give things away too soon, I want my characters and their motives to be mysterious in the beginning; hence I write too much. Any suggestions for how I can master the art of the short story?

I think that is actually good since when you revise and proofread your work, you can remove some unnecessary parts and make your short story better. If a round of editing doesn't shorten your work to short story level, just keep on editing, revising, and proofreading. I know that it sounds tedious, but that is what the writing process is.

[Rodel Barnachea]

The problem i face while writing a short story is to contract the whole story-line within few pages but still maintaining the details.

I also have this similar problem when I was starting to write short stories.

[Rodel Barnachea]

I think you can try the writing exercise where you try to erase the unnecessary parts of the story. I tried it when I attended a writing course, and to my surprise, we could actually simplify a 1-page-long story into just a few sentences.
Sometimes descriptions and explanations can be skipped.

Wow, you attended a writing course! Thank you for sharing this with us. My insight to this is that we should only focus on important details and just get rid of other unimportant ones.