Writing a short story involves reading lots of other short stories, developing a character with a conflict and being concise with no room for wasted words. Compose a successful short story, using brevity to an advantage, with tips from a published author and English professor in this free video on writing.
Expert: David M. Harris
Bio: David M. Harris has taught English at Vanderbilt University and elsewhere.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Duration : 0:1:32
[youtube AufHWH_o2lA]
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
probably the best …
probably the best advice expertvillage has ever given
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Thanks for the …
Thanks for the advice…I’m not much of a writer so I just use a website called STORYJOIN You start a story and other members contribute to your story. It works for me, lol.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Maybe the behaviors …
Maybe the behaviors you are describing exist in your marriage but definitely not in mine. Authentic communication can flourish in a relationship where neither has to pretend to be someone else and you don’t bring third parties into the relationship and you can express your thoughts freely, but respectfully, never in a demeaning fashion. It’s not always easy but the payback is MORE than worth the investment.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
charlotteamalie i …
charlotteamalie i assume you are a female by the way you talk because the kind of “authentic communication” you long for does not come from the husband, did ur husband today feel comfortable telling you he checked out the bottom of a girl he was walking behind on the way to work and did he tell you you didn’t look as nice as you sometimes do in that new dress, never is their so much with held in a relationship as in marriage. it’s a thing husbands do called emotional management
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
also i dont think …
also i dont think you should have the mentality of “i’m not going to write anything as good as the greats” like you say you can see what they’ve done b4,which plus ur own talenbts enables u 2plunder their mechanics and in that way you have an advantage over them. if you think all the time is this good enuf or should i do that ur never going to move the genre on to the next level, shoulder’s of giants and all that.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
it’s not that i’m …
it’s not that i’m lazy, it’s more of a fear of not being able to pull the rabbit out of the hat on command again, so i put picking up the pen, til “hey presto” comes, today for avoidance i have meandered around the how to write vids on utube, so hilarious, wannabees who need some gratification, this video is how ever rather good, i’m treating a prologue as a short story, but with relevence to the main, i think the unnecassary though should be applied to all works not just short stories
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@charlotteamalie …
@charlotteamalie Evil leads to evil-doers, evil-doers lead to an evil one, and the evil one is ‘THE DEVIL,’ in one impish form or another. He is of course a purely cultural villain, with a different costume for every occasion. He’s a belief, and beliefs only exist to do battle with opposing beliefs. What other purpose would they have?
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
The word “ra” means …
The word “ra” means evil. The goal of the yetzer hara is to pull man towards evil pure and simple.
Anytime you give in to this impulse you stab yourself in the back and get further away from your goals. Case in point: Tiger Woods. He gave into all his evil impulses and destroyed his life; hence, the yetzer hara succeeded in destroying him!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@charlotteamalie Is …
@charlotteamalie Is it truly evil, or could it better be described as false? My own interpretation is that the “yetzer hara’s” role is to draw man away from The Truth. Therefore, concepts such as bad, evil or wicked, might better be described as ‘distraction from finding The Truth.’ Does that sound right?
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I have to write a …
I have to write a short story but i have no idea what to write about!! wish you could have helped me with this!!!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@ZenBarracuda: The …
@ZenBarracuda: The most important thing you have to remember is that whatever your goal in life is, whatever you hope to achieve, whether professional, marriage, kids, writing..whatever, there is a “yetzer hara” inside of you, or a “evil inclination” as exists in every man, that will try to spoil your dreams & make you fail so that you won’t succeed. Your job in life is to fight the yetzer hara and work hard at achieving what will make you a fulfilled person. That is all you have to remember!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I am single. You’re …
I am single. You’re right about that – and I’m a learning disability nurse. I work with young people with mental health issues. Unbelievably, I’m one of the most polite people you could ever hope to meet. As far back as I can remember people have called me a nice guy. I think the reason I’m so hung up on polite society is because I’m getting deeper into Buddhism and my perception of reality and who I am is beginning to change dramatically. I really am going down the rabbit hole.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I assume you are …
I assume you are single by the way you talk because the kind of “authentic communication” you long for only really comes out in a marriage. I would hope you would stay polite in your job because you want your patients to trust you. Writing is a great way for self-expression. You can let your inner voice speak on paper in ways that you can’t with real people in the real world. ‘Please’ and “thank you” are important in any language and culture. Don’t discount the importance of good manners!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I don’t like the …
I don’t like the word ‘polite.’ I’ve got a problem with it. I am always polite – and it rips me to pieces. Politeness is the brick wall that encases me. False sentiments, forced smiles, growing anxieties. I feel like a robot. What I desire is real authentic communication. No barriers, no walls, one life. You talk about stress. Well, I’ll be honest: it’s got me by the throat.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Trust me, you would …
Trust me, you would not want to live in an “impolite society” where people never politely inquired how you are feeling. We must train ourselves to always look on the bright side but have enough strength of character to work through our own problems. If you are feeling down about something, you can talk to a parent, a priest or a trusted counselor. The huge amount of stress can be dropped if we learn to accept our situation as being the best possible for our own growth.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@madmethod21 I …
@madmethod21 I can’t even relate to myself, much less my stories. lol.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@charlotteamalie I …
@charlotteamalie I guess I could be any kind of politician. I’m writing a story that will serve as an attack on polite society. When people say “How are you?” do they really mean it? All of these little lies really add up. I think a huge amount of strees would be dropped from our shoulders if we all had the strength of character to be ourselves. It’s a theme I’m exploring right now. If only on the page.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
You say that every …
You say that every time you open your mouth you lie? Are you sure you’re not a Democratic politician?
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
That’s good advice, …
That’s good advice, Charlotte, and I thank you for it. I’m just about to go out and buy a new book now. Your comment has proven to be very timely. I’m writing a story about honesty at the moment. Seems to me that every time I say anything to anybody it is a lie. Maybe that’s why I woke up in the night gasping for air.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
@ZenBarracuda: …
@ZenBarracuda: Read books that were written about people in your character’s situation. For instance, if your writing about a soldier, read “All Quiet on the Western Front” etc. Read everything you can get your hands on and then project your individual’s character onto this situation and create dialogue or situations that make up your story. Imagine what it would be like sitting in a trench shooting at the enemy and then start writing: the smells, the sounds, the sights, the conversations…
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I meant change the …
I meant change the direction not chance lol
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Um, I’m just moving …
Um, I’m just moving away from poetry and trying my hand at short story and/or novel writing but I would say if you hit a wall and you can’t relate to your character then chance the direction of where their heading. How can you write about something that you can’t relate to?
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I like what u said …
I like what u said !! but as the other here i wish it was longer
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
guys! didn’t u …
guys! didn’t u notice that he is talking about caracters as if they r already t here? like when sayin’ : you have to know your caracter and his/her problem ans stuff”????!!!!
April 8th, 2010 at 9:11 am
I greatly …
I greatly appreciate the tips and advice