National Short Story Day

It wasn't until this year that I had even considered the idea of writing short stories. I've always wanted to be a novelist, but I have a real struggle with keeping hold of my motivation. So short stories seem like the perfect solution.

I certainly was right about one thing. I am a novelist and I had to learn an entire new set of skills to be able to write short stories. When you set out writing a novel, it's hard to keep it under 5,000 words. There's no time to gently introduce your world, or to slowly develop your characters or gradually unwrap the plot. It's more instantaneous: you have to be much more giving to your reader, more open, more honest.

Playing to your reader's expectations is also useful. I'm not saying to write cliches or stereotypes, but being able to quickly establish place, time and mood with just a few instantly recognisable signifiers is a handy trick. Characters need to already know who they are; there's little time for wavering between decisions. Editing is truly brutal. Everything has to go unless it's truly vital. You need to strike up a love affair with that big red editing pen of yours.

You can find out more about National Short Story Day here: www.nationalshortstoryday.co.uk

And you can read mine and many other short stories in the Mirador Fantasmagoria anthology.