Articles on How to Write Short Fiction

How Writers Can Benefit From the Short Story Market
by Paul R Turner
There are countless writers out there who dream of someday selling a novel manuscript and being able to make a full-time living as a professional writer or novelist. Here are a few tips about using the short story market to perfect your writing, get your name out there and eventually sell a novel manuscript.

Four Essential Phases Of A Great Story
by Kurt Mortensen
There are four phases that are absolutely essential to making your story cohesive, clear and easy to follow.

10 Beginnings to Avoid
by William Miekle
In the same way that editors don't want to see an ending they've seen before, equally, there are some story beginnings that have been done to death. Here are ten you shouldn't use.

10 Endings to Avoid
by William Miekle
A logical, satisfying ending is always required in a short story, but how do you ensure that yours is fresh and new? One of the ways is to avoid the obvious. Here are some common endings seen by editors: use them at your peril.

Why Write Flash Fiction?
by Pamela Heffernan
Not all stories are meant to be told as novel-length features. Pamela looks at ways to enhance your creativity by writing Flash Fiction.

Writing a Great Short Story
by Lee Masterson
Some shorter stories manage to leave a lingering impression on readers long after the final word was written. Others leave readers with the feeling that they have missed the point entirely. So how do you strike a balance between writing an effective, memorable short story and creating a short, aimless length of prose?

Writing Flash Fiction
by G.W.Thomas
Gary Thomas takes a look at creating short-short fiction and making it work in as few words as possible. Gary is the editor of the E-Genre News e-zine.

From Beginning to End - In a Flash!
by Pamela Heffernan
What exactly is flash fiction? And how do you write it well? Pamela takes a look at what makes flash fiction work.

Winning Writing Contests
by Lee Masterson
Entering writing contests is a great way to gain confidence and increase your published credits, but how do you increase your chances of winning?

Getting Your Short Fiction Published: The Hard Truth
by Kristy Taylor
The short story market is one of the hardest to break into. There are thousands of well-known writers pumping out short fiction, and thousands more just like you, struggling to get themselves published for the first time. But there are several things you can do to set yourself apart from the rest and start working your way to the head of the pack.

Short Fiction Writer: What League Are You In?
by Terry W. Ervin II
Many businesses and organizations are fixated on lists, charts and rankings. The writing community is no different. Am I a professional writer? If so, where do I stand—how do I compare?