All Write - Fiction Advice

SHORT STORIES Writing Short Stories – Part 1 So where do you start? Well, you start with an idea. Think of it as a wire frame from which to add layers and elements of your story, but remember, your idea is NOT the plot. The plot is the situation of your story; the idea is the thought process used to bring the story to life. The short story is concerned with a small but significant incident in the life of your main character. This will involve him or her solving a problem or achieving an important goal, and how he or she does this. ALL stories must have this. Your story will also need cohesion and structure, and an understanding of the mechanics of writing - elements that encompasses plot, theme, conflict and motivation. We’ll look at these in more detail in Part 2. In essence, all stories should follow a basic structure – The beginning, the middle and the end. Let’s look at these separately. Beginning • Introduce the Main character to your story. • Set the tone – Is it romance, horror,...

Tentative Steps... Firstly, there are no hard and fast rules about creative writing. Although the technicalities of grammar and syntax must be observed, the best way to learn to write is to simply do it. It’s rather like learning to ride a bike – you get better over time before you finally master it. Writing can be a dangerous affair, metaphorically speaking. The path to perfection is paved with potholes, barriers and dead ends, and never more so if you are a new writer. It is a daunting task, which can turn into something overwhelming when you are unsure how it all works, or how to put it all together. You’re left wondering how all those elements fit together or how you should approach your work. There many questions to ask, depending on whether you are writing short fiction or long fiction such as novellas or full-length novels. Questions like 'How should I write the chapters?' or 'Where am I supposed to start? Do I start at the beginning, somewhere in the middle ...