Short Stories
Ben Nyberg's ONE GREAT WAY TO WRITE SHORT STORIES
could be a help to many. It has lots of advice on technique.
He writes, ".....writing a story requires knowing
technique. If you don't have that, no amount of heart or mind will make your
stories work. If you do, you can write effective, even publishable stories,
even if your creative gift is not huge."
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I recently set about to polish up one of my favorite
short stories that I wrote several years ago. What a surprise to me! The story
needed more than just a tweak here or there. And it needed more than just a
revision. About a third of it was dumped including a major premise. The
starting, the end, and several scenes were kept. The rest had to be rewritten.
Was it because I learned more technique, developed a
better critical eye and ear, or because
with time I could be more objective?
Going back to one of your older stories might be as
helpful to you as it was for me.
