How to Write a Good Short

StoryELA 8 G/TAdapted from wikihow

Step 1: Get Inspired

Humans are natural story tellers, but when it comes to writing a good story, you may get stumped…even if you have a vivid imagination and a millions great ideas. To write a good story, you have to get inspired!

Pay attention to the world that is going on around you

Watch the local news. Maybe you’ll hear about a woman trapped in a car for hours

or a man who won the lottery twice in one lifetime.

Notice interesting character traits. Maybe you know a kid who takes his cat for a walk every

morning or a lady to talks to her plants every night.

Pay attention to your surroundings. Maybe you’ll see a pair of sneakers sitting on a park bench.

Or maybe you’ll see a single flower planted in the ground. How did they get there?

Listen to people talk. Just one interesting sentence can inspire an entire story. “I never did homework when I was in school.” “My dog doesn’t like men.”

Consider “What if” Scenarios

When you pay attention to the reality of the situation, don’t forget to consider the possibility of the situation! What if my parents decided our family was

moving to another country? What if my school enforced mandatory

uniforms next year? What if my neighbors suddenly disappeared?

Use Your Experiences

Consider experiences or situations you have already had and take them to a fictional level.

If you get too comfortable with writing about things that have already happened, you won’t have room for creativity. Maybe you had a childhood friend who

disappeared without telling a soul. What happened to him/her?

Maybe you were fascinated by a ferris wheel operator as a kid. What happened to him/her?

Get Inspired by a Setting

A story can come from a strong sense of place. It doesn’t have to be a breath-taking beach or an amazing vacation to Italy. Consider more simple settings as well—a local apple orchard or an amusement park.

Read Short Stories!

Find a few stories to read and consider the different styles and techniques used by authors.

Take out a sheet of paper.

Let’s Practice

Think of a person with an annoying habit. Now write a paragraph from his/her point of view. Try to make the reader sympathize with that person.

Let’s Practice

Describe two characters who are sitting next to each other. Without using dialogue between the characters, let the reader know exactly how these two people feel about each other.

Let’s Practice

On your birthday, a strange-looking lady came to your door and handed you a wrapped present. You rattled it. It made a noise. Write a paragraph about this present.

Let’s Practice!

Using as many sensory details as possible, write a paragraph to describe the setting.