Suit up: A Guide to the Action World

⤷Tips on Writing Short Action Story pt.1

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𝕿𝖎𝖕𝖘 𝖔𝖓 𝖂𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕾𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖙 𝕬𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘

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Writing a short novel can be a challenge. It's hard to write or express the plot thoroughly because of its limitations. But today we are going to learn tips and ways that can help you express the plot, develop the characters, and also resolve conflicts.

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1. Identify a short story idea

Before you can put your head down, you first need an idea you can run with. Some writers can seemingly pluck interesting ideas out of thin air but if that's not you, then fear not. Here are some tips and tricks that will get your creative juices flowing and have you drumming up ideas in no time.

In writing short action stories it's important to keep in mind that you have to narrow everything down first. In a manner where the information starts from General to Specific, in this way you can control the thoughts and words you have to put in order for the text to not be lengthy.

-Start with an interesting character or setting

There's less pressure to have a rich narrative mapped out from A to Z before your pen hits the paper. Short story writers often find it fruitful to focus on a single character, or even — an approach that is responsible for some true classics. 

-Four L's (Less, List, Listen, and Learn)

In this part, it is important that you only write what you know. The less complicated the story the easier it is to navigate. In order for you to have a wide scope, it is also helpful to listen to the experiences of others. In that way, you can also incorporate other people in order for your story to be diverse. Lastly learning from all of these might help you see the general picture of the story you want to write.

-Try Drafting the Story

After doing the 4L's it is important to write a draft about the content, message, and details of the story. This includes a general description of your main character or what you want your story to start and end.

2. Define the character's main conflict and goal

You could be tempted to use typical novel-writing techniques on your story, such as precisely outlining each incident, generating extensive character biographies, and painstakingly mapping it onto a common story framework with a beginning, middle, and conclusion. However, all you actually need is a well-developed main character and one or two major events.

-Short stories should have an inciting incident and a climax

What's most important to remember is that short stories don't have the same privilege of time when it comes to exposition. To save time and make for a snappier piece of writing, it's usually better to fold backstory into it.

-Each scene should escalate the tension

Another effective short story structure is, which also skips over exposition and the inciting incident and starts with rising action. Typically, this part of the story will see the main character meet and overcome several smaller obstacles (with the exposition snuck in), crescendoing with the climax. This approach encourages writers to craft tension-packed narratives that get straight to the point. 

-Don't be afraid to experiment with structure and form

Short stories by design don't really have the time to settle into the familiar shape of a classic narrative. However, this restriction gives you free rein to play around with chronology and point of view — to take risks, and be experimental. 

3. Hook readers with a strong beginning

A lot rides on the opening lines of a short story. You'll want to strike the right tone, introduce the characters, and capture the reader's attention all at once — and you need to do it quickly because you don't have many words to work with! There are a few ways to do this, so let's take a look at the options.

-Start with an action

Starting with a bang — literally and figuratively — is a surefire way to grab your reader's attention. Action is a great way to immediately establish tension that you can sustain throughout the story. This doesn't have to be something hugely dramatic like a car crash. It can be as small and simple as missing a bus in a matter of seconds. So long as the reader understands that this action is in some way unusual, it can set the scene for the emotional turmoil that is to unfold.

-Start with an insight

One highly effective method for starting a short story is to write an opening hook. A 'hook' can seem an obtuse word, but what it really means is a sentence that immediately garners intrigue and encourages your reader to read on. 

-Start with an image

Another popular way of opening a story is by presenting your reader with a strong image. It could be a description of an object, a person, or even a location. It's not to everyone's taste (especially if you love plot-driven stories), but when done well, a well-drawn image has the ability to linger on the reader's mind. 

Continue to the second part................

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Web Resources: https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/short-story/how-to-write-a-short-story/