As you craft your short story, dear writers, here are some methods to try:
CHOOSE A MOMENT.
Rather than trying to capture a whole life, zoom in on one aspect of your character’s experience. You might focus, for example, on an encounter or event that changed the way they see or understand the world. You have limited space for full scenes, so you might select one or two to detail.
START “IN MEDIAS RES.”
Try beginning your story “in medias res,” which refers to beginning “in the middle of things.” Dive right into the main action or conflict of your narrative. Once you have your reader’s attention, then you can back up to provide context.
JUMP THROUGH TIME.
Rather than unspooling the plot in real time, try leaping forward and backward, telling the reader just what they need to know. Non-chronological storytelling can build tension, fuel momentum, and help to achieve a full narrative in a small space.
KNOW MORE THAN YOUR READER.
Readers should feel like they’re jumping into a fully-formed world that exists beyond the confines of the page. That means you need to be an expert on your story’s world, knowing things that you might not even tell the reader. You can hint at this expertise with quick brushstrokes of information – a reference to a historical event, a minor character, an invented language.
MAKE EVERY SENTENCE COUNT!
Writing a complete and satisfying short story in 1,000 words or less is a tall order, dear writers! As you revise, ask yourself: “What work is this sentence doing? How is it furthering the story?” Also, see if you can make some of your sentences do two things at once. Can it develop a character while furthering plot, or establish the setting and portray how the protagonist interacts with this environment?