Mini manuscripts and stories seem pretty engaging. Authors quickly grab the audience with the plot and lead them to a short journey they have created. People love such kind of stories. They like to read more and more when the author provides interesting content. You can also create such entertaining stories, but take care of the following Dos and Don’ts to produce flawless stories.
Do’s:
- Know the message you want to convey:
Every story has a message that the author wants to convey to the audience. Focus on that message and brainstorm it to bring it perfectly into your words. Choose perfect words to describe what the characters in your story believe so that you can flawlessly convey that message.
- Know the word limits for your story:
You might be writing that story for a magazine or a website. Know how many words you can use to complete that story. Use the word counter tool to ensure your story does not exceed that word count.
- Ensure your story fits I the website/magazine/journal:
Carefully read all the latest issues of that magazine, website, or journal. You will get some idea on what the current issues are. You will know whether your short story fits or not.
- Revise that story before you submit it:
Are you someone, who sends the write-ups right after finishing them? Avoid such habits because you should read and revise that short story at least 5 times before you submit it to the publisher. You might make some essential changes to make it more interesting and entertaining.
Don’ts:
- Using clichés:
People should admire you as a versatile writer and just as someone who serves clichés time-and-again. Read your stories before you submit them to include fresh language and avoid clichés.
- Showy expressions:
That’s where you should be extra careful with the words you select to describe events. Avoid the use of showy expressions because readers do not like it. Jumping to a totally irrelevant issue is not fair. It can deviate your readers and actual message might get hidden behind your showy expressions.
- Adding too many characters:
Short stories have very few characters. It allows the author to create a meaningful plot and role for each character. It can be tough to deal with too many characters and you might not handle them properly. Your story can get boring if too many characters are in there.
- Arguments with the editor:
Every author feels disappointed when the editor rejects their work. Try to reveal the reason behind that rejection instead of arguing with the editor. That argument can vanish your chances of publishing stories to the people, who read that magazine or website quite often.
- Keep trying:
Rejection is common and some of the most famous authors have faced rejection several times in their life. They did not quite and they kept trying until the editor accepted their work. You should be one of those tough and dedicated story writers if you want to make a name for yourself.