My 1st writing was a full novel. My 2nd was an anthology consisting of 7 separate short stories. I discovered that as I am having my novel edited, working on a separate project was a good idea.
I dove right into writing novels without really knowing what I was doing. First novel was more obviously autobiographical.. the second more subtly autobiographical. I am proud of tackling such an amazing and complex theme in my 2nd novel..that of a minister unsure of his faith. I’m proud of “Numinous” because of how invested I became in the 7 year project. I also think the book may be more controversial than intended. Thanks for your channel and your great ideas!
Write both. I love this video and that is the best advice. When I think about someone like Stephen King, he's the master of short stories, novellas, novels, screenplays, and series. Considering that, as a writer, I know my job is to master each individual discipline. A short story follows certain rules. Genre fiction must follow certain rules. Etcetera. The trick is to think of the story I want to write, then choose how I'd like to deliver it. Some characters only need a short story. Others need a novel. Or, I can follow the Gloria Naylor approach and write short stories that weave themselves into novel form.
I've seen the "advantage to writing short stories" arguments before but the "reasons to not write a short story" were brand new to me. Thanks! I'm a novice writer who wants to write short stories in order to more quickly improve my skills, but all my works end up being novella length. My reviewers say my stories have enough ideas for novels, so I don't think cutting the word length of these stories will help. What are some tips to coming up with short story ideas? Should I limit the number of characters and scenes? I've heard you mention that short stories are more about "events" and not "arcs" but I love writing arcs.
Try thinking of a short story as your novel plot, but starting to write it as close to the climax as possible, leaving out act 1 and most of act 2. And then don't write the resolution (aka the end of act 3), just write the discovery of the solution - or a decision that will set the protagonist up for an unknown success or failure. There can still be an arc, but it will be a much shorter evolution. In this way you're writing about the 'events' the shape the 'arc.' without all the buildup.
I appreciate your videos and learn a lot from each one! I especially love the live streams! They help give me inspiration to write when I haven’t for days or weeks before, thank for heloing me find a part of myself again.
My creative writing professor always would say not to underestimate the value of short stories or other writing styles for that fact. Many novels are really just a collection of short stories that blend together under a main plot point linking them. Also, if you ever get stuck, write a chapter as a scene or act - it's a fun form of writing. Then, rewrite the scene as a chapter or two, but do this from either the main characters' perspective or audiences' perspective depending on your narrative style. I'm not sure if this is helpful for others. But, it's been super helpful for me when I write. Really, any form of creative writing can help. One assignment we were given was to write a poem about our day , where we were, or a specific emotion we had recently. Then, the follow-up assignment involved us drawing on the previous assignment as source material for a short story.
Great video! I'm still learning so I decided to stick to short stories for the next year. I'm using it as an exercise to discover my writing style and improve my skills. I aspire to write a novel one day but want to figure out the type of writer I am first!
every scene and or chapter in a novel uses short story elements, every page to page minor conflict (leading to big conflicts) is a self contained micro story. Novels are like nesting dolls.
I can't give a toss about short stories, though I've read some great ones, I just don't see myself writing one. Novels are it for me. But getting through one is the worst thing I've ever done to myself, it's messy and complex, and demotivating beyond belief. But, that's all I know how to do. So yeah, novels
I started with short stories, mostly fan-fic. (Star Wars, Avengers, and Loki) I feel that helped me gain knowledge and experience, enough to write a novella in 2019 and now a novel in 2021! God's been so faithful. It's been an awesome and fulfilling journey, and I hope to just keep writing and writing!
Good advice as ever from you 👍 I am pretty much new to the craft! And just couple days back I finaly was done with me second story. Actually started way back years ago. Well fear - ego etc (shit holing us back) was why it took me all this time! Long story short - I did it oh yes and now when I will write regulary ( started a month back -ish) I will ever stop 🙂 My first story was a short story. Dident plan it at all; just how it went! Same as this, my second story. And this one is one hell of a brick wall. So long I surely will have a lots of work on it. Well I cant wait to start it. But before editing I maybe will try doing a short story in Mind and the edit my Novell! What do you think is best. Start editing before doing a new novell/novella? Or let it sit a while, before doing any editing. King says let it sit 3 months. But I dont know. How do you all like it. Any advice for a newbie like me are welcome' And thank you all! Oh and I love your chanell. You truly are an inspiration. All good luck to you miss!
I wrote some flash fiction and then attempted a novel. I did finish it, but all the editing wore me down! Now I prefer writing novellas, flash and short stories. I like the fact that I can get more work done.
I am busy writing my first novel and I have found that writing shorts has really helped me when I've hit a block. It can feel like you're locked into one "thing" when writing a novel because it takes so much work, so writing shorts allows you to break away and play around with new ideas and styles of writing while staying true to your novel. Something that I've started playing around with is writing shorts that expand on the lore or characters in my novel. It helps me to give my characters more depth and it's fun to do :)
Each chapter in a novel can be viewed as a short story, more or less. Having beginning, middle, a setting and often charater introuctions, (I know at this point the analogy falls apart.) Yet learning to choose an economy of evocative words stands one in good stead, for the challenge of tackling a larger work.
The first stories i wrote were little fairy tales that my teacher got me to write when i was in grade 3. I feel like if I hadn't done that, i wouldn't have been prepared to write my first chapter book, so I'm on the side of writing short stories first. Makes sense.
I've been writing short stories since 1986 and for a long time I wanted to write a novel length story. No mater how I tried, I just couldn't motivate myself to complete anything over 30,000 words. In 2011, I took on the NaNoWriMo challenge. I had ideas for three stories with which I thought had a chance of becoming something of 50,000 words or more. I Chose the idea I liked the least as I thought it might be the most likely of the three to go the distance. I completed a 50,055 word draft that month to have my first novel length tale. With revision in the years since, that story now stands at 112,000 words. I've since completed three more novel length stories with two more to be rounded out in the next couple months or so, and yet another by the end of the year. So, for me, motivation got me to where I needed to be.
also, I don't know what type of novels most people write but I switch perspectives all the time like almost every chapter I love writing short stories but it is so different from short stories
I started out with a novel which I just finished just a week ago after three years of edits and re-edits! I "am a new writer. I think now, trying short stories would be a welcome relief! The only thing I need to master now is mastering a good query letter and finding the right editor! Any suggestions would be appreciated My current genre is adult romance.
I want to write a collection of short stories but don't know how to make the reader empathise with the charcter in just a few lines... Any help with that? Thank you!!
i disagree short stories are so hard to write compared to my novella and learning how to write short stories is so hard especially if you are used to novels or novellas also my short stories are so complex so I completely disagree
@@avivastudios2311 short story (novellas) I find is somewhat more difficult to write, the author'd have to be more concise and be able to send across his /her entire message of the story in a shorter package.
I have published 5 novels (as Raegan Teller) and am now focusing on short fiction. I agree novels and short fiction are totally different . And I do not find short fiction to be *easier*. In many ways, they are harder because there is no room for error/fluff. I'm on a personal mission to promote short fiction as a thing all its own, not as an inevitable path to novels.
My 1st writing was a full novel. My 2nd was an anthology consisting of 7 separate short stories. I discovered that as I am having my novel edited, working on a separate project was a good idea.
I dove right into writing novels without really knowing what I was doing. First novel was more obviously autobiographical.. the second more subtly autobiographical. I am proud of tackling such an amazing and complex theme in my 2nd novel..that of a minister unsure of his faith. I’m proud of “Numinous” because of how invested I became in the 7 year project. I also think the book may be more controversial than intended. Thanks for your channel and your great ideas!
Never say no to writing--write everything, every style--try it. It's all practice in the craft. Learn every aspect of the craft you can.
Write both. I love this video and that is the best advice. When I think about someone like Stephen King, he's the master of short stories, novellas, novels, screenplays, and series. Considering that, as a writer, I know my job is to master each individual discipline. A short story follows certain rules. Genre fiction must follow certain rules. Etcetera. The trick is to think of the story I want to write, then choose how I'd like to deliver it. Some characters only need a short story. Others need a novel. Or, I can follow the Gloria Naylor approach and write short stories that weave themselves into novel form.
I've seen the "advantage to writing short stories" arguments before but the "reasons to not write a short story" were brand new to me. Thanks! I'm a novice writer who wants to write short stories in order to more quickly improve my skills, but all my works end up being novella length. My reviewers say my stories have enough ideas for novels, so I don't think cutting the word length of these stories will help. What are some tips to coming up with short story ideas? Should I limit the number of characters and scenes? I've heard you mention that short stories are more about "events" and not "arcs" but I love writing arcs.
Try thinking of a short story as your novel plot, but starting to write it as close to the climax as possible, leaving out act 1 and most of act 2. And then don't write the resolution (aka the end of act 3), just write the discovery of the solution - or a decision that will set the protagonist up for an unknown success or failure. There can still be an arc, but it will be a much shorter evolution. In this way you're writing about the 'events' the shape the 'arc.' without all the buildup.
@@PunchbuggyBlue I'm going to give this a try.
I appreciate your videos and learn a lot from each one! I especially love the live streams! They help give me inspiration to write when I haven’t for days or weeks before, thank for heloing me find a part of myself again.
My creative writing professor always would say not to underestimate the value of short stories or other writing styles for that fact. Many novels are really just a collection of short stories that blend together under a main plot point linking them. Also, if you ever get stuck, write a chapter as a scene or act - it's a fun form of writing. Then, rewrite the scene as a chapter or two, but do this from either the main characters' perspective or audiences' perspective depending on your narrative style. I'm not sure if this is helpful for others. But, it's been super helpful for me when I write.
Really, any form of creative writing can help. One assignment we were given was to write a poem about our day , where we were, or a specific emotion we had recently. Then, the follow-up assignment involved us drawing on the previous assignment as source material for a short story.
Great video! I kept thinking about novellas as you were talking.
Great video! I'm still learning so I decided to stick to short stories for the next year. I'm using it as an exercise to discover my writing style and improve my skills. I aspire to write a novel one day but want to figure out the type of writer I am first!
Thank you guys for the great short videos that are packed with so much info, they help so much!
every scene and or chapter in a novel uses short story elements, every page to page minor conflict (leading to big conflicts) is a self contained micro story. Novels are like nesting dolls.
I can't give a toss about short stories, though I've read some great ones, I just don't see myself writing one. Novels are it for me. But getting through one is the worst thing I've ever done to myself, it's messy and complex, and demotivating beyond belief. But, that's all I know how to do. So yeah, novels
Great points! Do you have a video about novel ideas vs short story ideas? I'd love to see that one!
I started with short stories, mostly fan-fic. (Star Wars, Avengers, and Loki) I feel that helped me gain knowledge and experience, enough to write a novella in 2019 and now a novel in 2021! God's been so faithful. It's been an awesome and fulfilling journey, and I hope to just keep writing and writing!
Good advice as ever from you 👍
I am pretty much new to the craft!
And just couple days back I finaly was done with me second story. Actually started way back years ago. Well fear - ego etc (shit holing us back) was why it took me all this time!
Long story short - I did it oh yes and now when I will write regulary ( started a month back -ish) I will ever stop 🙂
My first story was a short story. Dident plan it at all; just how it went!
Same as this, my second story. And this one is one hell of a brick wall. So long I surely will have a lots of work on it.
Well I cant wait to start it. But before editing I maybe will try doing a short story in Mind and the edit my Novell!
What do you think is best. Start editing before doing a new novell/novella?
Or let it sit a while, before doing any editing. King says let it sit 3 months. But I dont know. How do you all like it. Any advice for a newbie like me are welcome'
And thank you all!
Oh and I love your chanell. You truly are an inspiration. All good luck to you miss!
I wrote some flash fiction and then attempted a novel. I did finish it, but all the editing wore me down! Now I prefer writing novellas, flash and short stories. I like the fact that I can get more work done.
Ray Bradbury talks about this in his speech at Point Loma Nazarene University (on UA-cam). Also one of the best speeches on writing ever recorded.
I am busy writing my first novel and I have found that writing shorts has really helped me when I've hit a block. It can feel like you're locked into one "thing" when writing a novel because it takes so much work, so writing shorts allows you to break away and play around with new ideas and styles of writing while staying true to your novel. Something that I've started playing around with is writing shorts that expand on the lore or characters in my novel. It helps me to give my characters more depth and it's fun to do :)
Great video, could you please make a video on how to start as a writer. I'm very lost and don't know where to start.
Start with the first sentence. :)
I just did my first NaNo, and you know this video is really warming me up to the idea of writing a short story next! Thanks! :D
Each chapter in a novel can be viewed as a short story, more or less. Having beginning, middle, a setting and often charater introuctions, (I know at this point the analogy falls apart.) Yet learning to choose an economy of evocative words stands one in good stead, for the challenge of tackling a larger work.
The first stories i wrote were little fairy tales that my teacher got me to write when i was in grade 3.
I feel like if I hadn't done that, i wouldn't have been prepared to write my first chapter book, so I'm on the side of writing short stories first. Makes sense.
I've been writing short stories since 1986 and for a long time I wanted to write a novel length story. No mater how I tried, I just couldn't motivate myself to complete anything over 30,000 words. In 2011, I took on the NaNoWriMo challenge. I had ideas for three stories with which I thought had a chance of becoming something of 50,000 words or more. I Chose the idea I liked the least as I thought it might be the most likely of the three to go the distance. I completed a 50,055 word draft that month to have my first novel length tale. With revision in the years since, that story now stands at 112,000 words. I've since completed three more novel length stories with two more to be rounded out in the next couple months or so, and yet another by the end of the year. So, for me, motivation got me to where I needed to be.
also, I don't know what type of novels most people write but I switch perspectives all the time like almost every chapter I love writing short stories but it is so different from short stories
Started with short fiction and kind of stuck there. Still not able to write one in the longer form.
Idk I often took on larger stories. When I just started.
I'm currently working on a short story, but it's ballooning into past the word count. Is it perhaps because I'm a pantser and not an outliner?
You can join more competitions too with short stories
I started out with a novel which I just finished just a week ago after three years of edits and re-edits! I "am a new writer. I think now, trying short stories would be a welcome relief! The only thing I need to master now is mastering a good query letter and finding the right editor! Any suggestions would be appreciated My current genre is adult romance.
I want to write novels but I have only written short stories. I want to graduate to novels
I want to write a collection of short stories but don't know how to make the reader empathise with the charcter in just a few lines... Any help with that? Thank you!!
writing novels, interesting advice
Hi. Shaelin. What about novellettes/novellas and novels given the disparities between short stories and novels? Would that be better?
I start writing short stories first, simply because I am incapable of writing something as lengthy as a novel yet.
😎
i disagree short stories are so hard to write compared to my novella and learning how to write short stories is so hard especially if you are used to novels or novellas also my short stories are so complex so I completely disagree
Would love a video on playwriting
I couldn’t care less for short stories
Until you pull a Borges and put off the novel your whole life
No. Short stories are a completely different animal from a novel. You don't get character arcs, plot structure etc in short stories
Nope. All writers can't possibly, or should not begin with short stories. Short have its own rules ad well, and they are not easier.
not easier? You know its all subjective right?
@@avivastudios2311 short story (novellas) I find is somewhat more difficult to write, the author'd have to be more concise and be able to send across his /her entire message of the story in a shorter package.
I have published 5 novels (as Raegan Teller) and am now focusing on short fiction. I agree novels and short fiction are totally different . And I do not find short fiction to be *easier*. In many ways, they are harder because there is no room for error/fluff. I'm on a personal mission to promote short fiction as a thing all its own, not as an inevitable path to novels.
@@wandacraig3432 Correct. Novellas are not easier.
shush
Can you give me your username in social media.please