 Short Stories: October 11, 2023 Issue [#12218] |
This week: Short Story World Building Edited by: Leger~  
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The purpose of this newsletter is to help the Writing.com short story author hone their craft and improve their skills. Along with that, I would like to inform, advocate, and create new, fresh ideas for the short story author. Write to me if you have an idea you would like presented.
This week's Short Story Editor
Leger~
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Short Story World Building
How much time do you have? World-building in short stories is a little bit different than novels. Novel word counts give you the luxury of really describing the world and every detail. In short stories, we basically do a moon landing, describe the scene, and infer a lot of the rest. Let your readers imagine the world they want to see.
It's important to include relevant information, you don't want the reader imagining the jungle when the story takes place on an ice cap. Slip some clues into the character's dialog. Dribble in the description in each scene. Are there laws or rules in this world that are relevant to the story or help carry the story arc? Who is in charge here?
Know your genre, and create your world to support your story. In the end, it has to be believable. Show what the culture is in your world. You can use flashbacks, but sparingly. In the end, when you reach your edit mode and the story is told, be sure to make sure all of it is relevant or your short story will end up a novel 
And as always, Write On!
This month's question: What tips do you have for short story world-building? Send in your answer below!  Editors love feedback!
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October Site Contest
Character Prompt for October 2023:
Write a story about a classic horror villain
(vampire, werewolf, invisible man, mummy, Frankenstein, etc.)
who's not a villain at all ... just misunderstood.
| | | Blind Revenge 🥇 (13+)
She vowed to collect restitution. Personally. For Short Shots Oct 2020 - 1st place winner!
#2233683 by Roari ∞  |
Excerpt: Burning sagebrush stung at Jessa's nostrils. She looked up from her sewing, through the open window. Thick, black tendrils of smoke came rushing across the desert, driven by flames devouring drought-starved scrub. Outside, her father and siblings were working in the garden. She cried out to them, "Run!"
Excerpt: Wearing a cloak of silver-white mist several meters deep and thick enough to drink, Vetle marched at a clipped pace away from his home, his son, his life. Avoiding unpleasant necessities. His feet knew the way; they’d trudged the road between Emil’s humble farm and his own vast estate countless times. Woden’s eye, what would his half-brothers think? Shame had many mouths with tongues of flame.
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#2305930 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: “Lord Mordor may have a word with you?” Lady Fay Dexter said in his ear.
“Why of course, Madame Commissioner, lead the way!” the ambassador from Mars said, then excused himself from the group he was conversing with. He followed the Venusian representative to a podd fitted out like a library. He turned to close the door.
| |  | Naru (E)
Ever wonder what it be if the friendly night tickle dragon visited you? Well he's here!
#2299604 by Crystal  |
Excerpt: You sat there trembling under the covers, terrified of the thunderstorm that insured outside.
Lightning flashed and trees swayed, shadows casted and howling sounded. You have always had a fear of thunderstorms, and this one was the worst one you've ever seen. You covered up your face and huddled in your covers.
Excerpt: Tamsin held her hand a few inches from her face and squinted into the sunlight invading her apartment.
"Why am I awake?" she croaked.
Her toad – not a familiar and certainly not a human she'd turned into a toad – didn't answer.
Excerpt: This is going to sound strange. I know, it even seems unbelievable to me.
Excerpt: Ariel stopped, with a foot on two different steps, as an involuntary moan fell from her mouth. Her body doubled over, and her right hand pressed tightly against her stomach. A few seconds later, her chin rose from her chest to point toward the ceiling. With a deep breath, the fingers of her left hand caressed her cheek, and a shiver pulsed down through her arm.
Excerpt: "Jonas, come look at this." I called to my companion.
Jonas came to stand beside me. He lifted his spyglass for a closer look. The glow was constant and still moved in our direction.
Excerpt: Nils stood slowly and surveyed the finished project. It looked good - a smooth black box with a slit in the top and an "On/Off" switch on the right side. All of the working parts were inside the box making for a nice sleek tool.
Now, did it work?
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This month's question: What tips do you have for short story world-building? Send in your answer below! Editors love feedback!
Last month's "Short Stories Newsletter (September 13, 2023)" question: Tell me a fun greeting you've written!
Mouse says gobble gobble  : Merry Meet, you Muggle. May blessings follow you wherever you go, and may dark magick never shadow your door!
elephantsealer : Here's one fun greeting: Hey-Ho and how-do-you-do good people of the world!!!! Wake up, wake up to the beauty of a sunny day!!!!!
Kanishka : A birthday greeting
Happy birthday to you,
You live in a zoo,
You look like a monkey,
And act like one too.
keyisfake : My main character entered his office and saw a takeout coffee in a tray he thought his assistant brought him, instead my character's ex-boyfriend and the man he cheated with while dating my character, who are detectives, came out of his office. The new lover looked at my character and asked why his face was distorted.
It's funnier when you read it.
jackson : Thanks for this great article. I know you did a lot of research to write this. Great!
Beholden  : Thank you very much for including my short story, "Percy's Night Out" [18+], in your Editor's Pick section.
NaNotatoGo! : This was very informative. I never really gave much thought to greetings or what they may express.
Damon Nomad  : Another good topic and excellent summary. I have included this point subconsciously in my foreign settings in novels. I have only written about places where I have lived or travelled extensively. Luckily, I have covered a lot of ground. Here are three points for Arab counties in the Persian Gulf. First, don’t call it the Persian Gulf, they say Arabian Gulf. Second, many women do not shake hands with men. Third, do not ask a man about how his wife is doing, unless it is a close personal friend. |
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