STAGES OF WRITING A SHORT STORY
The steps below help me keep on track when writing a new
story. Through trial and error, I've come up with these ideas to stay
organized.
1. Get idea. Get
excited about your idea. Start
outlining, mental planning--whatever you do to get going. I always just dive into the writing.
2. Start writing the story. Open a second document on your
computer. I name mine [NAME OF STORY] notes.DOCX. Keep it open whenever you're working on this
manuscript. In it note each new character's
name and description as you write about him or her, and any descriptions and
names of specific places. If you’re in
flow and would rather wait until the end of your writing session to put this
info down, that's fine, but it will take you longer to find it again to copy
and paste.
After the list of names, do what I call a "post
outline." In a few sentences, write
down what happened in each scene. You
will bless yourself later for this when you are revising, writing your query
letter, and submitting
In the next section of your notes, copy and paste or type in
research you did and other items as they come up. To keep good track of your
research and to make it easier to go back to it, include the links to the
material if you found it on-line.
3. Revise.
4. Submit. In your notes document, make a table to show
where and when you submitted the story and the results of the submission. If
you need to write a cover letter, first write it in the notes doc, edit it
carefully, then copy and paste it into an email submission or into an on-line
form if that’s the way submissions are handled by your target.
5. Instead of waiting to see if it’s accepted, get to work
right away on a new story.
Good luck!
Jan Christensen ©2017
Jan Christensen lives and writes in Corpus Christi, Texas
now, after living on the road in an RV and writing wherever she happened to
land. She concentrates on mysteries, both short and long. More about her
here: www.janchristensen.com
7 comments:
Thanks, Jan. I especially like the suggestions about a separate notes document.
Best wishes,
Peter
Jan,
All good advice!
You've provided an excellent protocol for writing a short story, Jan. you certainly know how it's done, and the stories you turn out prove you do it well.
Glad to help, Peter. Took me a while the refine it all, for sure.
Thanks, Jacqueline!
Earl, you are too kind. Hope you can use some of my tips, although you are doing great already!
Good advice, Jan, especially the idea of a Notes page.
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