Shorter forms of creative writing are popular because they’re easy to fit in anywhere. Whether you’re on the go or just want to find a quiet place to write, you can fit a short story in a pocket or purse. You can also write quick notes on business cards or napkins, so your friends and colleagues can get a quick idea of who you are and what you’re about. While longer forms of creative writing can be great for getting ideas down, the ability to write shorter forms is what makes them so handy.
Short form creative writing can take many different forms. You can write a quick little story for a business card or a quick note, or you can write a full-blown novel in a single sitting. What you decide to do will depend on how you want to use it and what you’ve got available to you.
Short Story Short
If you decide that you want to write a short piece for one of the many types of short forms, you can write a novella, a novelette, or even a short story. Short stories and novellas can be great for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is that you can get a few more words on a piece of paper than you could in a magazine. For some, the brevity of a short story is more convenient because it’s easier to fit in anywhere and anytime. If you’re visiting friends in the country and you want to give them a small gift, you can leave a short story on their doorstep. You can also write a short story to read aloud to children at bedtime or a short story for an anthology to show off your creative voice.
Depending on how many words you need for your piece, you can put down rough ideas on paper and then flesh them out later, when you’ve got a little more time. You can also use a word processor’s revision feature to edit down your work and fix any mistakes before pressing the publish button.
The final product might not always be polished, but it’s good enough for the person on the other end. Revising and editing can be tricky, so it’s important to take your time with these shorter forms.
Snippet Short
A snippet short is a shorter version of a longer piece of work. Think of a snippet as a scene from a longer narrative. It can be a scene from a book, a movie, or even a TV show. Rather than creating a separate piece, a snippet short can be used to highlight a particular event, setting, or character in a story. Snippet shorts are great for business card and note writing because you don’t want to write a book for the sake of it. If you’re going to write about the latest movie you saw or an event that happened, you can write a short scene and use it instead of the full piece. As a rule of thumb, you should write a few snippets before committing to a longer piece. Snippet shorts are often times fun to write, and it’s good practice to get ideas down on paper before committing them to memory.
Novel Short
A novel short is similar to a snippet short, but it’s been given enough words to be considered a stand-alone piece. Some prefer to use the terms short story or novella to refer to a novel short, but it really depends on the type of work. A novel short is a full-blown narrative that follows a familiar story arc with a couple of twists. For example, your typical love story between a boy and a girl might have a couple of funny twists to it, like a dog appearing out of nowhere or a romance that blossoms between a working class teen and a wealthy older man. These sorts of stories are what make up most of the English-language novel short canon, but the form can range from funny to serious and cover just about any topic you can think of. There’s a novel short for just about everyone.
How Do I Become Good At Short Form Creative Writing?
So you’ve decided that you want to become a better short form writer? There are a few things you can do. First, find something that you’re passionate about. Whether it’s fashion, science, or even food, you’ll find a community of people who share your interest. Second, find a mentor. There are plenty of experienced, successful short form writers out there who can help you get on your feet. Finally, read, read, read. And when I say “read”, I don’t mean just about the written word. Watch films, TV shows, and play through text-based games. You’ll develop the expertise needed to become a successful short form writer regardless of what genre you end up focusing on. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to writing. You’ll just have to find what works best for you.