10 Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing [Contributed Blog]
October 25, 2019 - 5 minutes read - Blogging, Content Writing, Contributed PostsShort stories are difficult to write because there is no place for calm storytelling, as in the case of novels. The author should to immediately “hook” the reader, and sometimes it is hard to do, especially if you must focus only on one main plot twist.
We have asked professional authors from essaypro.com to share their knowledge on how to create laconic, catchy and easy going pieces from scratch. Below are ten time-tested and foolproof tricks on how to make a short story interesting and exciting. Just start it!
1. Sketch the main points of the story, namely:
- who is the main hero and what aspirations he has;
- what he doing to get what he wants;
- character nature and personality;
- his obstacles and favorable circumstances;
- what details will help to form the right mood of the reader? These can be a description of the area, facial expression, appearance, and small additional plotlines.
Usually, a hooking ending describes the emotional state and the difficult choice of the hero.
2. Intrigue from the beginning
The first paragraph of the short story should immediately plunge the reader into the plot, without long descriptions and forewords. You can begin with the development of the main plotline immediately. The best choice is to start with some action scene.
3. Make the character alive
Think of the hero personality thoroughly, including his mimic, voice, traits, ethnicity, and appearance. This will help to make its description consistent and understandable. You need to know about your character much more than it will be said to the reader. Thoughts, memories, dreams, fears, etc. make him alive.
4. On whose behalf there is storytelling
If you want to open up the character and his inner world as much as possible, the story can be told from the first person. This can be both the main and secondary character (the watcher). You can talk directly to the reader, including him in dialogue and describing main-hero emotions and actions. The third person storytelling allows revealing the motives and actions of all the characters.
5. Make the dialogues emotional
The reader should feel the passion, tension, joy – the whole range of emotions experienced by the characters. At the same time, unnecessary information will overload any dialogue, and its essence may be lost. Do not forget about the correct construction of the text, thanks to which the dialogue will be clear.
6. Create a complete picture
The hero of the story is not living in a vacuum, so it is very important to briefly describe where he is, what surrounds him. Do not miss the details that can create the right atmosphere. Try to describe what is happening so that the reader can see this through the eyes of the character.
7. Create an interesting plot
If you find it difficult to choose the right plotline, then make a list of character behaviors. Then from all the options choose the most non-trivial and interesting. It is better to give preference to the most unexpected ones.
8. Add some conflict
The conflict is what drives the main hero, his struggle. He can fight the enemy, system, fate, God and even own desires. You can emphasize something that is common to all people in order to make the character closer to a reader.
9. Plot twists
The twist in the plot should be unexpected, and in no way connected with the main conflict, but heat up and develop it. This creates additional tension up to the climax and denouement.
10. Strike with an interesting ending
The end of the story is a solution to the conflict of the main hero. It can be of two types. Resolved – when everything is clear. Another one is Open – ambiguous ending forcing the reader to think about the story finish by himself.
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Tags: content writer, content writing, creative writing, how to write, improve creative writing
