More On Writing: Length

Happy November, All!

So, last time I started telling you about the writing process, now I'm going to make that a little more refined. I will tell you how to write a short story versus a novel, and how to write certain genres.

Now, I don't always sit down and say "this story will definitely be a novel," Likewise, I rarely sit down and say "this is a short story." Sometimes I do, like when I'm writing for my school's literary journal. However, most of the time I sit down with the story and just let the characters take it from there.

One thing that I have learned about writing length is that, sometimes, you are restricted. So, in the case of short stories here is my advise: plan ahead. I started writing a story that was meant to be under 12,000 words. Currently said story is closer to 20,000, and still going strong. This has taught me an important lesson about what I can, and Cannot, include in short stories.

 I have just finished the first draft of a "real" short story. It is a vignette, and it is 3,000 words. I will be submitting that to literary magazines soon, I just need to edit it a few times. What I have learned from my first attempt at writing short stories is that some things are just better left unsaid. For example: a short story is not the place for subplots. You get one plot, no more.

My first story, about a vampire, has about three or four subplots built in. It just did not make it as a short story. i had to change the ending, because it just didn't end the way it should have. I killed off characters before my audience could even know them. That was a big mistake. Fantasy does not make a good short story genre. Why? Because you have to spend so much time establishing the world and the dynamics, that your word count is used up before you even get to the embellishment.

Some genres, in my opinion, are just better as short stories. For example: romance, certain kinds of horror, "realistic" fiction, and historical fiction. All of these genres have a world pretty much built up around them. You don't need to spend great amounts of time explaining the normal world to your reader, because they already know it and live it. Plus, you know the setting. Now you just need to put some characters in there with a little conflict. Nothing major. You shouldn't do a dystopian as a short story (unless it is 'The Firefighter' by Ray Bradbury, then do it) because, like fantasy, you need to spend time introducing your audience to the "normal" world that you have created for them to inhabit.

Pretty much: learn as you go, but short stories are meant for little pieces of life that people can relate to. Make a little conflict (to drive the story) but nothing too epic. Learn how to sacrifice detail where it is not needed. But don't get discouraged if you can't write short stories. I have successfully written all of two in the last five years that I have been writing.

Novels and books are needed, so write those as well. But writing short stories can be more of a fun exercise. Because, let's face it, all writers need a little outlet. Something that we can write just for our eyes alone, and to keep our sanity.

On that happy note, I leave you.

Ciao!