Short Story Contest-VERY Short Story

In just under two weeks I will submit a short story to the Writer's Digest Short Story Competition. Over the last few weeks, I have had to shift gears from novel writing to short story mode. What's the difference? A story is a story, right? A short story should be even easier! 😁 Well, maybe for some but not me, at least not right now as I work through a story that will end up around 90,000 or more words.

This short story contest is limited to only 1,500 words! How am I gonna write a story in only 1500 words???? I need to set an opening scene, do some setup, some background info, create an event that changes everything for the main character, and so much more! How can I possibly do that? In a nutshell, it all boils down to brevity. The pace of the story will be faster than the much longer novel or a novella. The temptation for elaboration and wanting to create a well-crafted and involved plot twist must be resisted. I will need to create relatable and compelling characters quickly and relay subtle details and concise dialogue to give the reader a sense of who the characters are and what they are about. Yes, 1500 words, or roughly 5 pages, will definitely be a challenge for me. Once I have finished and submitted the story, it will be posted in the shorts section.

Wish Me Luck!