Do You Struggle With Structure In Your Short Stories?

An expansive mini-guide for structuring your short story.

Photo by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash

Structure and Character in the Short Story

Let’s talk about short story creation and structure.

Word Limits:

· A short story typically has 1500 to a 7500-words. You need to always read and follow submission guidelines when submitting stories.

· Flash Fiction has around 500 to a 1000-words.

Word count image created in Excel by the author using information from Wikipedia and the Author Learning Center

These tips tailored for — but not limited, to stories 3000 to 4000 words.

To Start:

· You need a character with a deep need or desire. Something that they will fight or struggle to get or resist. They need an external need/desire and an internal need/desire. This need or want is intertwined with the character’s core motivation for their actions and choices, consciously or subconsciously, good or bad. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

· Your character needs resistance, and by that, I mean something, someone, situation or event, that prevents them from fulfilling their deep need…