Start by WRITING SHORT STORIES!

READ. It sounds simple and it is. Reading is fundamental for a writer.

KEEP A JOURNAL. Use a favorite notebook, writing pad or your computer and make a habit of writing EVERY DAY! Devote 10, 15, 20 minutes a day and write.

FIND INSPIRATION. Keep a pad nearby and jot down inspirations, insights or dreams. Some of my best ideas come in the middle of the night or early morning.

MAKE A COMMITMENT TO WRITE. Once you have an idea or inspiration, build on it. Let your idea grow. Be open.

BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY. The best way to build your vocabulary (in any language) is to read. The second best is to use a dictionary and thesaurus when writing.

STRIVE TO BE CLEAR, SIMPLE. Visualize your characters. What do they look like? How old are they? Where do they live?

WRITE WHAT YOU FEEL. This is important. Put your heart into your words. Readers love to relate to story characters. If you write what you feel—with emotion—your writing will be honest and your readers will pay attention and relate to your story.

RECOGNIZE THE SEED OF A STORY. It sounds simple and it is. You’re walking down a street, riding a bus, waiting for an airplane and all of a sudden you’re hit with inspiration. Write it down, take notes.

NARROW THE STORY TO A FEW SCENES. A short story can run from 100 words to 1,000 (tops for flash fiction), or 5,000 words or more. Try to keep the crux of your story simple without too many scenes or take-aways.

POINT OF VIEW (POV). Who’s talking here? Are you narrating a story with first person (you or your protagonist)? Are you narrating it from afar, outside the action (third person)? Experiment. Try varying the point of view. See what happens.

FIRST DRAFT. Get the story down! Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation or spelling. Run with the idea until it’s done and you’re breathing heavy. Then relax. Breathe.

MAKE A COMMITMENT TO WRITE. FINISH. Once you have an idea or inspiration, build on it. Let your idea grow. Be open. You’ll refine your idea by writing. So keep going!

WHO ARE YOUR CHARACTERS? Visualize your characters. What do they look like? How old are they? Where do they live? What is the underlying motive or subtext?

HOOK THE READER. Here’s the deal: the first paragraph—often the first sentence—can make or break your story. Start your story with a compelling entry.

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN TO SAY. If you find yourself rambling on, circling your wagons and not saying what you mean, stop. Ask yourself: what am I trying to say? Clear out the wordy clutter. If you’re confused, your readers will be confused.

Not every story is a cliff hanger, but your words can still move the reader.

POINT OF VIEW (POV). Here’s the thing: thoughts are things, words have meaning. You are your words. So decide who’s talking. Is your narrative approach in first person? Are you relating a story from the past, present, or future?

DIALOGUE: HE/SHE SAID, “WHAT?” Dialogue can move the story plot and also the reader. In a few sentences you can establish an atmosphere and move the story forward. Remember: dialogue needs to sound natural.

NARROW THE STORY TO A FEW SCENES. If your story goes longer than a few scenes in the first draft, keep going until you can’t write any longer. Later, you’ll trim your story. As Kurt Vonnegut said, “Have the guts to cut.” Keep those cuts though. You might use one or more for future stories.

STORY STRUCTURE. You can complicate it but basically every story has a beginning, middle, and end. That’s all. The beginning: rising action. A character is in a situation with a problem—conflict. The middle: the situation worsens, the character repeatedly fails. The situation seems hopeless. Falling action & denouement: the protagonist makes a final effort and wins. There is a resolution, untying the knot.

PACING: FAST OR SLOW? Pacing affects the story’s mood. Study your genre. Control your story’s pace through sentence length. For a thriller, the pace is action, action, action. Use short, choppy sentences. To slow down use attention to detail. Introspection, like a monologue or stream of consciousness. With a whodunit, give your reader clues as you spool out the mystery. A romance reader savors saucy moments, betrayals and jealous lovers. Strong, clear dialogue helps pace your work. Good pacing does not mean fast-pace.