5 Reasons to Write a Short Story

I never thought I would write short stories.

In high school, I read stories such as "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell and "The Possiblity of Evil" by Shirley Jackson. To be honest, I didn’t like them at all and the reason I remember is because they have been branded into my mind. I left school with a distaste for most short stories.

But I didn’t realize that short stories are not only beautiful forms of literature but they are also beneficial for the art of writing.

So far, I’ve written 3 (soon to be 4) short stories and a myriad of flash fiction. Each work has built my arsenal of writing skills, boosting me up to the next step and getting me where I want to be as a writer. I think I can safely say that I’ve changed my mind about short stories. ;)

So without further ado, 5 reasons why you should write a short story...

1. Allows you to take a break from your main WIP

We all have love/hate relationships with our works-in-progress (WIPs for short). Some days, I’m completely in love with my book - words are just flowing from my mind and onto the page. Other days, I actually get nauseous thinking about my story and although I still want to create and write, my WIP is far from what I want to work on. Giving myself permission to write something else helps me to grow my craft while giving my mind a rest from my WIP. Taking a break can be both healthy and helpful to both you and your WIP.

2. Gives you somewhere to put your plot bunnies

I have at least 20 Pinterest boards with story ideas that aren't big enough to be made into full length novels. If you're a writer, I'm sure you get "plot bunnies" that jump into your life and make focusing on your WIP very challenging. Plot bunnies are those tiny, shiny, and interesting story ideas that pop out at us writers when we are going through our days. Whenever I want to write a short story, I usually go to my plot bunny Pinterest boards first since they are comprised mainly of vibes and imagery instead of full-blown plots. From there, I can manipulate the story however I want without feeling stuck. Plus, it gives me an opportunity to play with one of my plot bunnies without major commitment! 

3. Gets you practice revising and editing on a smaller scale

Learning how to revise and edit your own work is challenging and only comes more naturally with experience. Having a smaller work to practice on, like a short story, helps you with those skills without having to tackle a full manuscript. And besides, you will learn a lot about yourself as a writer as you refine your stories.

4. You’ll have a finished product sooner

Writing a novel can take years and when you have supportive friends and family, it can be hard to explain to them why they can’t read your writing right away or why it won’t be published next week. Although writing a short story takes the same commitment and work as a full length novel, it's also a shorter project. Where at novel might take years to finish, a short story can be completed in days, weeks, or even months depending on how you work and how polished you want it to be. It's an amazing feeling to have a finished piece of writing to be proud of and to share with others if you choose to. Short stories are great stepping stones to help you reach your goals as a writer while you chug away on a bigger project on the side. Plus, they can be a confidence booster!

5. It will grow your skills in storytelling

With a book, you have the entirety of 400+ pages to create an interesting world, believable characters, and an exciting plot. Writing short story means that you have to condense all of those things, cutting out unnecessary details and plot to keep the reader focused on the questions or thoughts you've raised in less than 10,000 or even 5,000 words. Short stories help hone in our skills and practice writing without the fluff and subplots. It's hard but it's absolutely worth it. 

At the end of the month, I am submitting a short story to a contest AND I AM SO NERVOUS! But I'm also very excited to have another finished product under my belt.

Do you write short stories? Are you working on one right now? I’d love to here!

Until next time!

~ K.J. Haakenson