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This article was co-authored by Lydia Stevens and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA. Lydia Stevens is the author of the Hellfire Series and the Ginger Davenport Escapades. She is a Developmental Editor and Writing Coach through her company "Creative Content Critiquing and Consulting." She also co-hosts a writing podcast on the craft of writing called "The REDink Writers." With over ten years of experience, she specializes in writing fantasy fiction, paranormal fiction, memoirs, and inspirational novels. Lydia holds a BA and MA in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University.
There are 23 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 4,733,090 times.
An effective short story is concise, focused, and impactful. Short stories generally range between 1,000 and 7,500 words and are a great way to experiment with different genres and writing techniques. Since they’re shorter, they also teach you how to be a disciplined writer and make every word count. In this article, we’re guiding you through the entire process, including brainstorming and outlining, drafting your story, editing, and more. wikiHow also partnered with professional writers to get helpful advice on crafting an effective short story.
Steps for Writing a Short Story
- Brainstorm ideas for the plot, characters, setting, and action.
- Create a plot outline that maps out the beginning, middle, and end.
- Work on the first draft, focusing on the opening, POV, dialogue, setting details, and ending.
- Read through the first draft, then make revisions.
- Get feedback from friends, family, writing workshops, or beta readers.
- Do another round of revisions and polish your second draft.
Steps
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Think of a specific event, character, or question to focus on. Professional writer Lucy V. Hay says to think about the concept of the story, what the story is going to be about, and what is going to happen in the story. Consider what you are trying to address or illustrate during the brainstorming process. Decide what your approach or angle on the story is going to be.[1] [2]- For example, you can start with a simple plot like your main character has to deal with bad news, or your main character gets an unwanted visit from a friend or family member.
- You can also try a more complicated plot, like your main character wakes up in a parallel dimension or your main character discovers someone else's deep, dark secret.
- Get inspired by real events. If you’re having a hard time coming up with a story idea, watch the news, observe what’s happening around you, or read up on a historical event that interests you. These may spark a fascinating storyline.[3]
Meet the wikiHow Experts
Lucy V. Hay is a professional writer who helps others improve their craft through writing workshops.
Lydia Stevens is an author and developmental editor. She’s the founder of "Creative Content Critiquing and Consulting," where she works as a writing coach.
Grant Faulkner, MA, is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month and has published two books on writing.
Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed., is an educational consultant who has over a decade of experience in the education industry.
Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, an organization that teaches entertainment professionals the art of script writing.
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Center your story on a complicated main character. Most short stories will focus on one to two main characters at the most. Hay suggests thinking about a main character who has a clear desire or want but who is also full of contradictions.[4] Do not simply have a good character or a bad character. Give your main character interesting attributes and feelings so they feel complicated and well-rounded.[5]- Characters are all around you. Spend some time people-watching in a public place. Make notes about interesting people you see and think about how you could incorporate them into your story. You can also borrow traits from people you know.
- Create a realistic fiction character who makes your plot more interesting and complicated. For example, if your character is a teenage girl who really cares about her family, you might expect her to protect her brother from school bullies. If she hates her brother, though, and is friends with his bullies, she’s conflicted in a way that makes your plot even more interesting.
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Create a central conflict for the main character. Every good short story will have a major conflict, where the protagonist has to deal with an issue or problem.[6] Author and developmental editor Lydia Stevens says that many stories she edits don’t have enough conflict. She explains that one of the best things to do is to “take your main character and make something really awful happen to them, and then make something even worse happen.”[7]- For example, your main character has a desire or want that they have a hard time fulfilling. Or, perhaps your main character is trapped in a bad or dangerous situation and must figure out how to stay alive.
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Develop an intriguing backstory. Backstory can give context to the main plot and hint at important events that happened before that are crucial to your characters and narrative. Delve into your main character’s past experiences to figure out what makes them tick. What was the lonely old man like as a child? Where did he get that scar on his hand? Backstory can give more complexity to what is really motivating your protagonist.[8]- When writing backstory, only include details that drive the plot and make an impact. Anything extra, like what your character does with their friends, is unnecessary to explain unless it’s somehow related to the main action.
- According to Stevens, the backstory shouldn’t be delivered in chunks across several pages. It should be seamlessly spread throughout your story so it doesn't interrupt the pacing.[9]
- There are different methods you can use to weave in backstory. You can share it in a prologue or through flashbacks. Another way is the “backstory drip,” where you sprinkle bits of the backstory throughout the narrative, where it makes sense.
- Use our Character Backstory Generator to get inspiration for your short story.
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Pick an interesting setting. Another key element of a short story is the setting, or where the events of the story take place. You may stick to one central setting for the short story and add details of the setting to scenes with your characters. Choose a setting that is interesting to you and that you can make interesting for your reader.[10]- Based on your characters and the arc of your plot, where does your story need to take place? Make your setting a crucial part of your story, so that your readers couldn’t imagine it anywhere else. For example, if your main character is a man who gets into a car crash, setting the story in a small town in the winter creates a plausible reason for the accident, plus an added complication (now he’s stranded in the cold with a broken car).
- Write down the names of your settings, such as “small colony on Mars” or “the high school baseball field.” Visualize each place as vividly as you can and jot down whatever details come into your head. Set your characters down there, and picture what they might do in this place.
- Don’t overload the story with too many settings. This might confuse your reader or make it hard for them to get into the story. Using one or two settings is usually perfect for a short story.
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Choose an overarching theme that communicates the story’s meaning. Many short stories center on a theme and explore it from the point of view of a narrator or main character. You may take a broad theme like “love,” “desire,” or “loss,” and think about it from the point of view of your main character.[11] Professional writer Grant Faulkner, MA, believes that “the best themes emerge from the story.” He explains that as you write your story, you can explore possible themes and let them come through as you go.[12]- Other examples of themes can include “love between siblings,” “desire for friendship,” or “loss of a parent.”
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Plan an emotional climax. Every good short story has a shattering moment where the main character reaches an emotional high point. The climax usually occurs in the last half of the story or close to the end. At the climax of the story, the main character may feel overwhelmed, trapped, desperate, or even out of control.[13]- For example, you may have an emotional climax where your main character, a lonely elderly man, has to confront his neighbor about his illegal activity. Or, you may have an emotional climax where the main character, a young teenage girl, stands up for her brother against school bullies.
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Develop an ending with a twist or surprise. Brainstorm an ending that will leave your reader surprised, shocked, or intrigued. Avoid obvious endings, where the reader can guess the ending before it happens. Give your reader a false sense of security, where they think they know how the story is going to end, and then redirect their attention to another character or an image that leaves them shocked.[14]- Outline a few different endings you could use. Visualize each option and see which ones feel more natural, surprising, or fulfilling. It’s okay if you don’t find the right ending right away—it’s one of the hardest parts of the story to write!
- How do you want your readers to feel when they finish? Your ending is the last impression you’ll leave on your reader. How will they feel if your characters succeed, fail, or land somewhere in the middle?
- Stay away from cliches. Make sure you avoid gimmick endings, where you rely on familiar plot twists to surprise your reader. If your ending feels familiar or even boring, challenge yourself to make it more difficult for your characters.
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Make a plot outline. Organize your short story into a plot outline with five parts: exposition, an inciting incident, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution. Use the outline as a reference guide as you write the story to ensure it has a clear beginning, middle, and end.[15]- You can also try the snowflake method, where you have a one-sentence summary, a one-paragraph summary, a synopsis of all the characters in the story, and a spreadsheet of scenes.
- According to educational consultant Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed., it’s important for all the pieces of a story to connect like a puzzle, from beginning to end.[16] A well-planned outline can help you do this.
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Create an engaging opening. Write a beginning to your short story that contains action, conflict, or an unusual image to catch your reader’s attention. Introduce the main character and the setting to your reader in the first paragraph. Set your reader up for the key themes and ideas in the story. For instance, you could mention a secret or question here that gets the reader’s attention.[17]- For example, an opening line like: “I was lonely that day” does not tell your reader much about the narrator and is not unusual or engaging.
- Instead, try an opening line like: “The day after my wife left me, I rapped on the neighbor’s door to ask if she had any sugar for a cake I wasn’t going to bake.” This line gives the reader a past conflict (the wife leaving) and tension in the present between the narrator and the neighbor.
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Flesh out your plot points. Develop your characters and plot through the exposition, rising action, climax, and ending. Include details that keep readers engaged and make them invested in the story. Use foreshadowing to hint at what's to come without giving too much away. Refer back to your outline as needed to make sure your story has a clear beginning, middle, and end and that your characters face challenges and evolve over the course of the story. -
Stick to one point of view. A short story is usually told in the first-person point of view and stays with one point of view only. This helps to give the short story a clear focus and perspective. You can also try writing the short story in third person point of view, though this may create distance between you and your reader.[18]- Some stories are written in second person, where the narrator uses “you.” This is usually only done if the second person is essential to the narrative, such as in Ted Chiang’s short story, “Story of Your Life,” or Junot Diaz’s short story, “This is How You Lose Her.”
- Most short stories are written in the past tense, though you can use the present tense if you’d like to give the story more immediacy.
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Include sensory details to draw readers in. Think about how the setting feels, sounds, tastes, smells, and looks to your main character. Describe your setting using the senses so it comes alive for your reader.[19] To achieve this, Stevens emphasizes the importance of showing instead of telling. She uses an example of a red barn, saying, “You can tell someone that it is a red barn. But what you need to do is show us with detail, [such as] the peeling paint on the side [or] areas where it's still rust colored.”[20]- Another example is describing your old high school as “a giant industrial-looking building that smells of gym socks, hair spray, lost dreams, and chalk.” Or, you may describe the sky by your house as “a blank sheet covered in thick, gray haze from wildfires that crackled in the nearby forest in the early morning.”
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Use dialogue to reveal characters and further the plot. The dialogue in your short story serves multiple purposes and does more than one thing at a time. Make sure the dialogue tells your reader something about the character who is speaking and adds to the overall plot of the story. Include dialogue tags that reveal character and give scenes more tension or conflict.[21] Also, format dialogue using quotation marks when a character is speaking, and put their lines in new, indented paragraphs.- Develop a voice for each character. Your characters are all unique, so all of their dialogue will sound a little different. Experiment to see what voice sounds right for each character.
- Sprinkle descriptive dialogue tags, like “stammered” or “shouted,” throughout your story, but don’t make them excessive. You can continue to use “said” in some situations, and choose a more descriptive tag when the scene really needs it.
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End with a realization or revelation. The realization or revelation does not have to be major or obvious. It can be subtle, where your characters are beginning to change or see things differently. You can end with a revelation that feels open or a revelation that feels resolved and clear.[22] Also, a good ending doesn't have to offer a complete resolution. It can contain some ambiguity and be open-ended, so it gives the reader something to continue to wonder about.[23]- You can also end on an interesting image or dialogue that reveals a character change or shift. For example, you may end your story when your main character decides to turn in their neighbor, even if that means losing them as a friend. Or, you may end your story with the image of your main character helping her bloodied brother walk home, just in time for dinner.
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Take a break from your story after finishing the first draft. Stepping away from your story for at least a couple of days resets your brain. You want to approach the editing process with a fresh mindset and clear set of eyes. If you jump into editing right away, you may miss a lot of things, like weak points in the plot or grammatical errors. When you take a brief hiatus from your short story, you can return to it more objectively and be ready to make any necessary changes.[24] -
Edit for the big picture. This is called developmental editing, and it’s beneficial to do before you dive right into revising your first draft. Read through your entire short story without making any edits. This stage isn’t about going line by line and making changes. Instead, check for any issues with your overall plot structure, pacing, and themes. Look at chunks of your story to make sure they connect the way they’re supposed to. This gives you an overall feel of your short story.[25]- While you’re not making any changes on the page yet, feel free to jot down anything you may want to circle back to when you’re ready to revise.
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Revise the short story for clarity and flow. With short stories, the general rule is that shorter is usually better. Most short stories are between 1,000 and 7,000 words or one to ten pages long. Be open to cutting scenes or removing sentences to shorten and tighten your story. Professional writer Melessa Sargent says to remove any fluff and only keep the most moving, impactful elements.[26] These should be details or moments that are essential to the story you are trying to tell. The following are some parts you may want to consider deleting:- Unnecessary description: Include just enough description to show the readers the most important characteristics of a place, a character, or an object while contributing to the story’s overall tone. If you have to clip out a particularly beautiful description, write it down and save it—you may be able to use it in another story!
- Scenes that don’t move the plot forward: If you think a scene might not be necessary to the plot, try crossing it out and reading through the scenes before and after it. If the story still flows well and makes sense, you can probably delete the scene.
- Characters that don’t serve a purpose: You might have created a character to make a story seem realistic or to give your main character someone to talk to, but if that character isn’t important to the plot, they can probably be cut or merged into another character.
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Read the short story out loud. Listen to how each sentence sounds, particularly the dialogue. Notice if the story flows well from paragraph to paragraph. This is a great way to pick up on the cadence of the narrative and catch areas that don’t make sense or slow things down. Check for any awkward sentences or phrases and underline them so you can revise them later. Reading the story aloud can also help you catch any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.[27]- This process is another way to double-check if your story follows your plot outline and if there is a clear conflict for your main character.
- Record yourself reading your story, then play it back so you can hear it. Listening to your story can help you pick up on areas that need improving.
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Let others read and critique the short story. Show the short story to friends, family members, peers, and colleagues. Ask them if they find the story emotionally moving and engaging. Be open to constructive criticism from others, as it will only strengthen your writing. You can also search for beta readers online. These are individuals who read through drafts and give critiques. Some beta readers may charge a fee, so do your research if you go this route.[28]- You can also join a writing group and submit your short story to a workshop. Or, you may start your own writing group with friends so you can all workshop each other’s stories.
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Review the feedback, and do more revisions. Once you get feedback from others, edit the short story again so the draft is at its best. Carefully go over the critiques you received, and see how you can use them to make your piece better. Once you’ve gone through handling all of the revisions on your second draft, proofread it to see how the updated version flows. For this draft, you can be more detailed and focus on line edits, such as killing your darlings and strengthening the dialogue.[29] -
Come up with an interesting title. Most editors and readers will check the title of the story first to determine if they want to continue reading. Pick a title that will intrigue or interest your reader and encourage them to read the actual story. Use a theme, image, or character name from the story as the title. It also helps to keep it concise and easy to remember.[30]- For example, the title “Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You” by Alice Munro is a good one because it is a quote from a character in the story, and it addresses the reader directly, where the “I” has something to share with readers.
- The title “Snow, Apple, Glass” by Neil Gaiman is also a good one because it presents three objects that are interesting on their own, but even more interesting when placed together in one story.
- Need help coming up with a name for your short story? Get ideas by using our handy Book Title Generator!
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Sample Short Stories
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I create a good title?
Community AnswerA tip is to write your title after writing your story, then choose a sentence or word that relates to the plot in some way, or a play on words with the last or first sentence in your story. It is very important to choose a good title, because it often is the first thing a potential reader sees before deciding to read the whole story. -
QuestionThis is my first time writing a short story, and unlike my friends, I do not have a lot of experience. My words are not very intriguing compared to theirs. Is it okay to use common words and not very rare words?
Community AnswerYes, of course! "Common" words can sometimes be more effective when writing a story than "rare", unusual words, as they are easier to understand. A short story will only be difficult to read if it is filled words that are rarely used or heard of. Focus on the characters, the setting and the flow of the story, rather than how to embellish it with fancy words. -
QuestionIs it best to type or write it by hand?
Community AnswerEach writer is different. Some writers may prefer to type their story, as they can easily delete words, and typing may be faster. Other writers prefer to write their story by hand, as although it can be tiring and more time-consuming, writing in a notebook gives a sense of comfort and enjoyment.
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Once you decide on your theme, plot, and character traits, don't deviate from them! That way, your story will feel very cohesive all the way through.Thanks
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Learn what makes a short story successful and engaging for your reader by looking at examples by skilled writers. Read short stories in several genres, from literary fiction to science fiction to fantasy. Notice how the writer uses character, theme, setting, and plot to great effect in their short story. Here are some short stories to get you started:
- “The Lady with the Dog” by Anton Chekhov
- “Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You” by Alice Munro
- “For Esme-With Love and Squalor" by J.D. Salinger“A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury
- “Snow, Glass, Apples” by Neil Gaiman
- "Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx
- “Wants” by Grace Paley
- “Apollo” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- “This is How You Lose Her” by Junot Diaz
- “Seven” by Edwidge Danticat
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Tips from our Readers 
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Let yourself be inspired! Enjoy yourself and get a sense of emotion. Your own experiences are realistic and relatable, so start there. Maybe you recently felt a slight thrill that will interest the reader, or maybe you are currently feeling suspense on any level. Regardless of how you choose, every good story starts with inspiration.
- Make sure you're certain of your theme and stick to it. That way, readers won't get confused.
- Take a notebook everywhere in case inspiration strikes.
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References
- ↑ Lucy V. Hay. Professional Writer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/brainstorming.shtml
- ↑ https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/7-tips-for-starting-to-write-a-short-story
- ↑ Lucy V. Hay. Professional Writer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2049&context=honors
- ↑ https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Short+Stories.pdf
- ↑ Lydia Stevens. Author & Developmental Editor. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/guide-to-backstory/
- ↑ Lydia Stevens. Author & Developmental Editor. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-setting
- ↑ https://www.usi.edu/media/hjspqlfa/developing-a-theme.pdf
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/Short+Stories.pdf
- ↑ https://www.thenovelry.com/blog/how-to-end-a-story
- ↑ https://www.tcc.edu/wp-content/uploads/archive/writing-center-handouts/essay-types-plot-summary.pdf
- ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Educational Consultant. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://www.blurb.com/blog/how-to-write-a-short-story/
- ↑ https://teach.files.bbci.co.uk/teach/bbc_ywa_short_story_tips.pdf
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352908253_Short_story_writing_lesson
- ↑ Lydia Stevens. Author & Developmental Editor. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://centerforfiction.org/writing-tools/tips-for-writing-dialogue/
- ↑ https://www.ucd.ie/teaching/t4media/starting_your_short_story.pdf
- ↑ https://www.writermag.com/improve-your-writing/fiction/how-to-write-story-endings/
- ↑ https://thewritepractice.com/how-to-edit-a-short-story/
- ↑ https://frictionlit.org/your-guide-to-editing-a-first-draft/
- ↑ Melessa Sargent. Professional Writer. Expert Interview
- ↑ https://frictionlit.org/your-guide-to-editing-a-first-draft/
- ↑ https://frictionlit.org/your-guide-to-editing-a-first-draft/
- ↑ https://thewritepractice.com/how-to-edit-a-short-story/
- ↑ https://www.blurb.com/blog/what-makes-a-good-book-title/
About This Article
Author & Developmental Editor
This article was co-authored by Lydia Stevens and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA. Lydia Stevens is the author of the Hellfire Series and the Ginger Davenport Escapades. She is a Developmental Editor and Writing Coach through her company "Creative Content Critiquing and Consulting." She also co-hosts a writing podcast on the craft of writing called "The REDink Writers." With over ten years of experience, she specializes in writing fantasy fiction, paranormal fiction, memoirs, and inspirational novels. Lydia holds a BA and MA in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University. This article has been viewed 4,733,090 times.
Co-authors: 352
Updated: April 20, 2026
Views: 4,733,090
Categories: Featured Articles | Short Story Writing
Article SummaryX
If you want to write a short story, first decide on the central conflict for your story, then create a main character who deals with that problem, and decide whether they will interact with anyone else. Next, decide when and where your story will take place. Next, make a plot outline, with a climax and a resolution, and use that outline to create your first draft, telling the whole story without worrying about making it perfect. Read the short story out loud to yourself to help with proofreading and revision. To learn more about how to add details to your story and come up with an interesting title, keep reading the article!
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"It reminded me of using a rising action, and winding down to the conclusion. I've been writing for children and now, I'm taking on the challenge of writing a first draft online. I'm not sure if this was a good idea or not, but I have some readers waiting on the second page. I'm so glad I found this article, because it helped me move forward. It also helped me with deciding on a title. I'm using a title temporarily that feels like it doesn't fit. Thank you! "..." more
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