StoryStar - Top 10 tips

Judge and author Tabitha Suzuma's Top Ten Tips for writing a great short story

1. Take ideas from everywhere: a scene in a film, something on TV, an article in a newspaper, an incident at school and of course, things that have happened to you.

2. Fall in love with your main character. Boy or girl, goodie or baddie. You've got to live with them in your head, see them in your mind's eye as clearly as your own face in the mirror; you've got to hear them speak, learn their secrets and their fears. Know them like you know yourself, and your reader will get to know them too.

3. Write about something that interests you. Better still, something that fascinates you. If it's something you know a lot about, then that's great. But perhaps it's something you know very little about but wish you knew more: as long as it really interests you, you will be willing to do the research, and your fascination will feed your writing.

4. Every story should have hills and valleys. If it's all valleys - lengthy descriptions and lots of narrative - you'll send your reader to sleep. If it's all hills - high speed car chases, death-threats or intense emotions - you'll wear the reader out and the story will end up feeling flat. Lull your reader into a false sense of security before dropping a bombshell.

5. Don't have too big a supporting cast: especially if you're writing a short story. Lots of people and names to remember can be tedious.

6. Make sure you have a good balance between telling the story and dialogue. Speech is important as it creates a feeling of immediacy. It makes the reader feel present in the room with the characters. Make sure it's always clear who's talking.

7. Keep it clear. Short sharp sentences are better than long ones separated with loads of commas. Of course, some of your sentences will be longer than others, but make sure that your longer sentences are always clear on first reading. If you have to read it twice, then the chances are your reader will have to read it twice, and that will just annoy them.

8. It's okay to use SAID! People do not always exclaim, shout, murmur, hiss, warble or whatever. If your character is saying something in a particular way, then by all means find a word that accurately describes their speech. But let's face it, most of the time, we all SAY things. Avoid the 'he said' 'she said' if it goes on for longer than about four lines. And remember, you can always add action to it: 'she said, turning quickly away.'

9. Don't make it too complicated. If you're writing a short story, there really is only so much that can happen. Remember that at the planning stage and don't try to include too much. If you're writing sci-fi and/or fantasy, be aware that not all of your readers (i.e. your teacher) may be very familiar with the genre, so avoid including too many complicated gadgets or terminology that your readers may not understand.

10. Enjoy writing your story! Easier said than done, I know. Remember, this is all about you. It's all about who you are, what goes on in your head, what you've lived through, what you've read, what you've seen on TV... Anything and everything can be used. And who knows, with practice, maybe you'll start liking it so much you'll grow up to be an author. And then you'll really be in trouble.