Hints For Writing Very Short Stories

Crafting very short stories presents several choice challenges. The new demand for these pieces to be used on the web makes it a of service outline of writing to master. Here are six hints to garner in consciousness.

With this renewed bag in the very short story, being a particular plan of story writing, a specific set of guidelines is essential.

Hint #1:

Wanton to gab, an economy of words is principal. Never use a dozen when you can find one or two that will hump the alike general conceptualization or intent. For example in short story writing an author might have space to write: ' Everybody hated Henry Haddock. He kicked dogs, scared children with his cane, and inopportune at old women. ' In very short stories that might need to be reduced to: ' Henry was the Devil incarnate! ' ( Note that in a long story or a novel the description of his character might take several paragraphs or pages and may be developed with entries at several places in the story. )

Hint #2:

The same number of words when written as dialog uses considerably more page space than descriptive prose. When possible, incorporate ' dialog ' into ' regular ' sentences. ' Marjorie said, Nice day. Harold responded, Not for me, and flashed an angry look. ' The best suggestion is to just omit dialog in very shortest stories.

Hint #3:

Keep to a single point or train of thought. Very short stories must let the reader know what they are all about right from the first sentence and the remainder of the piece must develop that idea or concept. ' Sargent Lester was determined not to be killed even though pinned down in the dimly lit alley by the ruthless mobster who had recently sent his partner to intensive care. ' ( Notice how that sentence also gets away with being somewhat telegraphic, omitting the words ' he was ' between ' through ' and ' pinned '. It keeps the meaning and cuts two words. )

Hint #4:

In short story writing a certain amount of ' fluff ' is permitted ' prettying up ' descriptions, etc. In very short stories there is no room for fluff ( unless it is the name of the old lady ' s cat! ). Each sentence must act as a simple, essential, step between the the one before it and the one that follows.

Hint #5:

Where short story writing is pretty much just a more concise version of writing longer stories, think about very short stories in a different way as quick snapshots that cut away all but the essential element. Practice writing your life history in 400 words or less. I often ask students to write there life history in 50 words and then later have them ' expand ' it to 400. That exercise provides the necessary perspective for writing very short stories. ( It is fascinating that many students struggle to find enough words to fill up the entire 400 word goal. )

Hint #6:

Minimize the number of paragraphs in very short stories. Try to design the story within three. Set the story up in the first. Provide the ' meat ' in the second ( usually the longest ). Tie it all together or administer the ' twist ' in the final paragraph which is often a single, well constructed, sentence.

Although writing very short stories is quite a different process from typical story writing, it provides an intriguing set of challenges. Practice makes perfect well, at least it moves us in that direction!

Hello, Bastar The Story of Maoism in India

Bastar is a district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh with zilch extraordinary about it. Like prevalent ordinary districts in India, it is not talked about at all in the political discourse of this country, much less the world. No stupefaction, most of us sanctuary ' t heard of it, regular though the movement that Bastar is being associated with, has been called the " greatest internal security threat " antagonistic the nation, by the Prime Minister himself. Thankfully, there are a few journalists who have not particular gotten intelligent but have, in reality, become so intimate with this barbaric stretch of land that they act being the much needed sustentation to manage the desperate sound of its people to the world facade. Rahul Pandita, author of ' Hello, Bastar ', is one of those few.

The single most potent antecedent behind the credibility of the frequent vehement stories that make up this piece of non - fiction is that Rahul has spent years investigating this powerful, underground and prevalent phenomenon. He has followed the Naxal movement closely and travelled through the heart of Naxalite territory, talking to passionate grass - root activists, veteran ideologues, ' liberated ' farm workers and powerful leaders of the movement. The book is made up of heroic tales of individuals who found in Naxalism, the answer to the woes of their miserable lives in modern India. Almost like a Kanti Shah movie, the book is full of stories of gross injustice faced by dalits and landless farmers at the hands of rich upper caste landlords. Gruesome murders, beastly rapes and vengeful counter - strikes abound throughout the narrative.

There is also enough space given to introducing the reader to the Maoist school of thought and its evolution in the political scene of this country. The reader is also informed that recruits not only come from among the exploited classes but also from more affluent backgrounds, whose only motivation to adopt the hard life of a Naxalite ' comrade ' is the high ideals associated with it. The most pertinent chapter for most readers, I assume, would be the one titled ' The Urban Agenda '. As the name suggests, this part of the book is devoted to detailing the ultimate goal of the Naxalites, viz taking over the cities. By virtue of being over - populated economic centres, Indian cities have a huge problem of unemployment and poverty and could turn out to be major recruitment grounds for the people ' s war against a sold out government. As the author concludes the chapter, " [Liberating Gurgaon] may be a far cry but not as far as it sounds to the government. "

The book is not without its share of flaws. The flow of its narrative from one chapter to the next appears disrupted on many occasions. There are myriads of sub - plots and isolated events that sometimes tend to lose touch with the wider context. The author makes no attempt to hide his own sympathy to the Naxal cause but much is left desired in terms of considering alternative points of view. Surely, there is a flip side to the Naxal coin as well, which, if given enough space by the author, would lend the book even more authority and balance. Notwithstanding the above hitches, the book is a riveting read for anyone interested in finding out more about the Naxal movement, a sad outcome of India ' s feudal past and its schizophrenic present.

Writing about an issue as complex as this needs tremendous effort, which the author has clearly put in. For all its shortcomings, the book is bold enough to implicitly declare that our economy is built on the graveyard of the poor masses of this country and that it needs reforms, but in a radically different, if not contrary, spirit than the prevalent. A compelling story told in a sincere tone, it is priced at Rs. 250, which incidentally, is more than the total monthly income of many landless farmers in India. Certainly worth a read!

Help Tim Burton Write His Next Story on Twitter

Did you ever curiosity how Tim Burton comes up with his original characters and storylines? Now you can help him complete a story. He has started a story on Twitter, and the caliber is Stainboy. Next - chapters - will be written 140 characters per tweet, by Tweeters

The Burton Story website has named this project Cadavre Exquis, and it ' s a story drama of a game called Exquisite Corpse, which is a mode that was forged by artists to tell a story wherein each contributor adds to the last story line.

Burton ' s Stainboy is a young and nervous superhero from a poetry book, and the character has appeared in some short animated movies in 2000.

The story begins with Stainboy being called in to investigate some glowing, mysterious goo on the floor of the gallery. Anyone who wants to add to the story can tweet in their line. Each day, the best tweet will be selected and used, until December 6th. You can follow the full story to date at a separate link, and you can see all the tweets that have been selected under the all submissions link.

Tim Burton has been well - known since his initial offerings of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands. More recently, he worked on Alice in Wonderland ( remade ) and the 1989 Batman movie. He is giving tweeters the chance to help in his newest story, which will be an experiment of sorts in combining tweets.

There are not many rules for the new storyline, except that your tweet needs to be based on and follow logically the last tweets that were used for the story. Anyone is allowed to be a contributor. If your tweet is selected, you ' ll not only be a part of the cool storyline, but you ' ll have your name in bright lights on the website for the story.

It may be hard for Burton to see others move his creative idea from one step to the next, but it may be enjoyable and different for him, too. The approach to the story is unorthodox to say the least, as people on Twitter build a story around the watercolor hero Stainboy.

Followers of the story will read the previous installments and then use their imagination to add the next piece to the story. At the end of every day, the most creative tweet is chosen for inclusion in the story. This project is in the making until December 6, 2010, giving writers plenty of time to lead Stainboy to the best ending for the story.

Author box:

Burton ' s Stainboy is a young and nervous superhero from a poetry book, and the character has appeared in some short animated movies in 2000. You will get more information by visiting Twitter proxy.

How to Tell an Interesting Story That Will Connect With Clients

Having a story for your business is a nitty-gritty component of parcel marketing plan for entrepreneurs and small business owners. How too many do you set yourself apart from the competition, create an authentic, complete carved figure for your business and press the benefits you, and by oneself you, offer to your clients?

It is not enough to just flourish a story, though. You right be able to singular that story in a memorable and persuasive manner, in a way that will relays your key messages to your epitome clients and makes a stalwart, powerful connection. Oh, and it has to be interesting.

That may sound like an impossible chore, but studying great storytellers can offer insight to get you started.

1. Write about what interests you. More importantly, write about the benefits you produce that will interest your potential client. Talk more about the " after " photo than the " before " photo. People care more results than the process. ( How else do you explain hot dogs? ).

2. Be passionate. Allow your emotions and excitement shine through all of your marketing strategies. This is your business, your brainchild, your blood, sweat and tears. Expressing your passions for what you are doing will resonate with your ideal clients and bring them closer to you. If you are a very emotional, passionate person and you do not allow that to come through as you network and promote yourself, then how will clients react when they work with you? Be authentic, be yourself and your story will never be boring.

3. Know who you are speaking to. If you target a specific industry, speak their language so people feel comfortable with you and welcome you as part of the community. If you are crystal clear on your ideal client, then you will have no trouble speaking directly to their heart in a way few other businesses can.

4. Make your points. It is imperative to have a core message of three to five points that you want your audience to hear and remember. Do not try to make more points than that. You will become overbearing and your listeners will not be able to focus on what you are saying. Make your points east to understand and retain. Stay positive and keep it simple.

5. Be clear and concise. Even if the benefits or solutions you are offering are complex, you must find a way to be succinct and crisp. Most importantly, you must be able to support your claims, especially if you are new or have had tremendous results. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and you do not want that impression to an arrogant liar.

6. Know when to wrap it up. What is your attention span? What is the attention span of your audience? When in doubt, keep it short and sweet. If you have followed the above tips, then the impact you can make in just a few short minutes will benefit your business tremendously.

You have a short period of time to connect with your ideal client. Developing an interesting story that present you and your business in a positive light is an easy way to be remembered and set yourself apart.

( c ) Kristina Shands and Authentic Communications

How To Optimize Your News Story to Make it More Likeable for the Searches

Content is the heart of part news story. Without the real explanation of the bulletin, no one would want to go through the story. However, quite much trifling details can again make your reports dry and bleak. The perfect singularity in gob report coverage is large for the value of the report. Whether you want your media report to be published, in newspapers, magazines, or want to get an online space for your story, make sure that it is worthwhile for the readers.

No one wants to go through five different newspapers or different news sources just to catch up with the real news line. With the advent of internet the broadcasting styles changed majorly and people who used to find it hard to look through numerous different news broadcasts, shifted to the ease of the internet to be updated with just a click away coverage.

Today, the new - pull mechanism - has been used in the news reporting in the online media more readers are opting for the online news reports than switching on the different news channels on the TV and to avoid the flipping of the newspaper pages.

Every news forum has different formats of publishing the story. Here are a few things, which you should know when optimizing a news story to be published online:

Search Engine Optimization of Your News Story Online Publishing:

News optimization is a daunting task, which requires you to search the news in order to keep up with the latest updates. Any news publisher or marketer has to optimizing their search campaigns to capitalize on breaking news at a moment ' s notice.

The professionals who have been working with the experiences of search engine optimization and marketing processes are trying to come up with the right kind of market exposure to the newsreaders. In order to create a website link building for a news report, the two main aspects of making it requires the following aspects:

Are the online searching for news different form the way they look on the online news portals?

How to better prioritize the marketing efforts to gain media attention?

Understanding The User Search Behavior Online:

How people search news on the search engines and how they search it on the news sites differ greatly. Usually the five big search giants are used for the searches of any news reports, including Google, Yahoo, Bing search engine, AOL web search and Ask web search engines.

Apart from these great search engines, the stats repots states that the major online news forums that are being used by the people all around the world include Yahoo News, ABC News Network, Google News, Bing News, NYTimes. com, CNN. com, and MSNBC. com.

The February 2012 reports indicate that the total number of people who are have been using the search engines to look for the news bulletins were about 371 million in the United States. A 2. 3 percent of all search engines searches were performed during the month.

On the other hand, 581 million searches on non - search engine news sites were conducted in the month of February. This shows that despite the importance of search engines in searches, news portal and providers still run the pack when it comes to latest updates.

How to Create A Brand Story That Sells

A compelling brand story is the most powerful client attraction and enrollment tool there is, and a sadly underused branding shortcut. People love good stories they can relate to and observe intrigued and inspired by, so skilful storytelling is a highly able routine to rocking the know, like and reliance consideration, and skyrocketing your brand to star class with an abundance of psychotic fans eager to grindstone or partner up with you.

There are four key elements that all memorable brand stories that sell have in common.

Wan thermogenic truth

A successful brand story tells the truth about your brand and what your brand stands for in a deliciously enticing way, so that people feel instantaneously magnetized to your message and the movement you ' re creating with your business. This is about sharing the big idea that ' s fueling your brand with the world, as well as answering a myriad of " why " questions to give your audience the opportunity to fully understand what your brand is all about, like: Why have you chosen to build the brand you ' ve built? Why does your brand support the causes it supports, and disassociate itself from certain actions and behaviors you witness in your industry? What makes your solution to your clientele ' s problem stand out? Why are you able to meet your ideal clients ' needs, desires and expectations better than anyone else?

Strong emotional charge

To be truly effective, your brand story needs to evoke an emotional response in your ideal prospects. Remember, we make investment decisions emotionally, and then we justify them rationally. So, make sure your story has a suspenseful " before and after " structure to it which could involve you or someone else experiencing a profound transformation resulting in a leap from pain to paradise because of your expertise, product or service. Keeping the audience engaged and interested in your story while showing some vulnerability is a winning formula for crafting stories that people will resonate and identify with. The " superhero ( ine ) " approach isn ' t nearly as impressive.

Irresistible hook

Your audience is eager to discover what ' s in it for them; why should they invest they time and energy into learning more about your brand and the solutions you provide. If you want to win them over, tell them why they should care. What is your brand promise? How will their life and / or business change if they get involved in your brand movement? Anytime you communicate your brand story keep in mind it ' s all about your ( potential ) clients, so put the spotlight on them - make it about them, their aspirations, their success, their dreams. Show them that you care, and they will too.

Clear call to action

To serve more people and make more money, there is another crucial component to incorporate into your brand story; it ' s a supportive, confident, and inspiring call to action. Think about what you want your ideal prospects to do once they hear or read your story. Do you want them to sign up for a free gift, so you can continue the conversation? Do you want them to call or email you and schedule an appointment? Do you want them to tell their friends about your brand by using an instant message option within opt - in sequence, in exchange for an unannounced bonus? Whatever it is, make the call to action clear, specific and timely, so that it incentivizes people to take the next step immediately.