Writing Tips: Write Snappy Stories that Stick!

Let’s be honest—writing a short story seems simple.

Simple, that is, until you realize you need to craft an entire plot with engaging characters, compelling stakes, and an ending that's both logical and unexpected -- all without surpassing 4,000 words. Not so simple now, is it? Don’t panic. You are totally capable of writing a gripping short story that will knock the socks off of your readers.

I've been a short story reader, writer, and editor -- a connoisseur if you will -- for a long time now, and I've picked up some tricks that may come in handy when it's time to get your story across the finish line. So here's how to write snappy stories that stick.

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1. Show versus tell

A compelling story reveals a character's true nature through their actions rather than just explicitly stating it. When you can "show" us important information, it not only paints a visual picture in the mind of the reader, but it can build suspense by letting the reader "guess" where the story will go next, keeping their attention.

For example, which is the "better" sentence?

Sentence 1:

Maurice was a maniacal man who attempted to use magic to torment anyone who he believed had crossed him -- especially if that someone was his neighbor's nosy, yet unassuming orange cat. (31 words)

OR

Sentence 2:

As Maurice dropped the final toxic ingredient into the cauldron, he stared menacingly out the window at the orange cat who was, once again, climbing over the fence between his and his neighbor's yard. (34 words)

In both sentences, we learn about Maurice, his affinity for magic, and his disdain for his neighbor's curious orange cat. The first sentence, however, reads like a summary of a story, as the reader takes a passive "backseat" to what's going on. The reader is being "told" what is happening without any sensory input to bring them in the world itself.

In the second sentence, we are "shown" Maurice in action. We learn additional information that sets the scene, and his actions pique our curiosity. What is Maurice going to do to the cat in his yard? Now, the rest of the story can provide the answer. The second sentence brings us into the world with sensory input, drawing us into the story itself and causing us to wonder what comes next.

Ultimately, "showing versus telling" comes down to trusting your readers to understand you with description instead of explanation -- like in this example, that Maurice is maniacal and magical (as shown by "Maurice dropped the final toxic ingredient into his cauldron") and that he wants to do something to the neighbor's cat (who is "climbing over the fence between his and his neighbor's yard"). We understand Maurice's intentions, not because they are explicitly stated to us, but because we understand the subtext within the description.

Keeping this in mind as you write is a fantastic way to bring the reader into the world you're creating, rather than just having them sit on the sidelines. Not only will this make your writing stronger, but it will give each word more purpose. And in a short story where space is limited, every word counts!

Which brings me to my next point...

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2. Each sentence should propel your story forward

We often see authors fall into the trap of explaining something insignificant at the expense of the actual story. Sometimes this comes in the form of excessive world building; sometimes it's spending too much time fixated on an emotion the character is feeling or an action a character is taking. It's easy to get caught up in a moment that may be gratifying to write, but ultimately stalls the story.

When you're working with limited space, it's important to prioritize information that advances the plot. This isn't to say your short story can't have detailed world building, complicated emotions, or the slow-mo action scene of your dreams. You just want to be mindful of how those sentences contribute to your overall objective.

When writing short stories, ask yourself the following questions about each and every one of your sentences. If the answer is not a resounding "yes" to at least one, the sentence should be reworded or simply cut.

• Is the information provided in this sentence crucial to how I want this person/place/thing to be understood?

• Is the outside action (what is actually occurring in the world of the story) and/or the inside action (what's going on in a characters mind) compelling?

• Will it be important for my readers to know this information for something that occurs later on in the story (aka is this information relevant)?

• Does this sentence make us ask "what's next?"

The good news is that if the answer is "no" to any of these questions, it's a super easy fix! Just use tip number one and present the information through a plot point. Even world building can happen through the eyes of your characters, which is a really engaging way to present new information.

It might seem like a lot at first, but once you get used to asking yourself these questions, you'll develop the skill of effortlessly writing sentences that meet the criteria and easily identifying the ones that don't. And your short stories will be better for it.

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3. Let it spill, then make it sparkle

I know I just gave you a long lecture about keeping things concise and informative, but at the end of the day, you're a writer. For that first draft, don't be afraid to just write!

(If you're stuck getting started, our blog post on beating the first draft blues offers some helpful tips to get you writing at a good pace.)

The most important thing for a first draft is to trust yourself, get your words down on paper, and write a story that makes YOU happy. Start by writing out the entire story -- wordy worldbuilding and all! You can always go back and incorporate the previous two tips to trim it down.

Sometimes it takes seeing ALL your thoughts on paper for you to realize that maybe this point isn't as important, or maybe that point can be said in a more interesting way, or maybe a character should be added here to amplify this plot point (I had this happen recently).

Even our Lead Editor, Anastasia Barbato, says it takes her a few drafts to get things right. "I re-wrote my story submission for the 2025 anthology 4 times before feeling comfortable submitting it," she admits.

"In each draft, I cut entire scenes, characters, and rewrote the ending until I felt confident that it was in a good place to submit. But at the beginning, my first draft was over 6,000 words!"

Any bestselling author will tell you it's totally normal to do multiple rounds of proofreading and editing to get your story to really shine, so if it isn't perfect on the first pass, don't be discouraged. There's an entire industry that's struggling -- but succeeding! -- right alongside you.

Another pro-tip from our Lead Editor: when working on rewrites, save every draft as a new document.

"I always make a new copy of each draft when I want to add changes," she says. "If I end up changing my mind about a decision I make in a later draft -- such as removing a character -- I can revisit exactly what I wrote before and add them back if I want to."

Version histories in web-based word processors are also helpful in tracking your progress and keeping a record of how far you've come.

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4. Know when your story is complete.

   
   

While every writer sees their story as a continuous work-in-progress, it's important to know when to put down the pen (or keyboard) and decide it's finished. But how?

This is why deadlines are incredibly helpful, as are cheerleaders who are excited to read your finished work. Having people waiting to read your story is a great motivator, and a "pencils down" date ensures you're taking your hands off it (at least for a little while). As it happens, Dreambridge gives you both when you submit to our annual short story anthology contests.

You can always return to your story after writing it to polish it up -- in fact, we encourage healthy editing! -- but knowing when to mark it as "complete" as it can be for now ensures you have time to write even more imaginative tales, without getting mired in the editing bog.

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Yes, short stories are...well, short. But it's because they're short that they demand serious precision, voice, and punch. No matter the content, we write with the same goal for our readers every time: hook them, shake them, and leave them thinking about it long after the final line.

So draft boldly, edit ruthlessly, and you'll see your short story published in our next anthology! I can't wait to read it. ;-)