| 1. The Title: Many writers often undermine a great | | | | essential feature of style? |
| story by a prosaic or uninteresting title. Look at | | | | 7. Action: This does not necessarily mean violent, |
| the titles of the stories in various anthologies. | | | | physical action. Your story must have a sense of |
| Admittedly, not all of them may be novel or | | | | movement, it must seem to be flowing rapidly |
| striking, but in a book collection it is necessary to | | | | towards some emotionally satisfying or terrifying |
| vary the titles a bit. However, when submitting a | | | | or unexpected Niagara, not eddying around in |
| short story in a Contest, remember that the title | | | | circles, going nowhere. |
| is the first thing a judge sees. Try to think of a | | | | 8. Tied in with action are the so-called "Greek |
| title that is clever, original and relevant. | | | | Unities" of time, place and theme. Is it essential |
| 2. Length: Many writers don't know when to stop | | | | that a story have a single, continuous time span? |
| writing. Avoid unnecessary anti-climaxes. A short | | | | Or be set in just one location? Must a successful |
| story must be concise. On the other hand, it is | | | | story have just one main theme? Is there room |
| not necessarily short. But even if your maximum | | | | for subsidiary themes? |
| limit is 8,000 or 10,000 words, to sustain reader | | | | 9. Characterization is a field in which many |
| interest in a story of this length, your entry must | | | | promising writers get lost. You should aim for |
| be strongly plotted and vividly characterized. | | | | recognizable yet offbeat, colorful yet natural, |
| 3. Cutting: It was formerly said that a writer's | | | | out-of-the-rut yet interesting, fully rounded yet |
| best tool was a blue pencil. But now it is the | | | | fascinating, seemingly real-life characters. Some |
| delete key on your computer. Put every word | | | | winning stories contain an unusually large number |
| under the microscope. Is that particular word | | | | of characters. How are these characters |
| absolutely necessary? Does your story read as | | | | individualized? Are they all important for the |
| well without it? Does it help make your sentences | | | | development and atmosphere of the story? |
| sing? Are you growing two or three words where | | | | 10. Conflict is an essential ingredient. Your |
| even one would be superfluous? | | | | characters must face and overcome conflicts |
| 4. First Lines and First Paragraph. So important, | | | | with other people in your story, with themselves |
| because they are the first words the judge and | | | | and with their circumstances. How many conflicts |
| your readers will see. Do they grab attention? | | | | can you find in previous prize-winning stories? Also |
| Look at the first lines (and first paragraphs) in | | | | notice that sometimes a winning story will break a |
| some published stories. What do you notice about | | | | rule, for example there may be more characters |
| them? | | | | than are strictly necessary or perhaps there's |
| 5. Dialog: Is it natural? Is it in character? Can you | | | | even a story within the story. Why? When is it |
| identify the speaker without the author telling you | | | | safe, and even commendable, to break the usual |
| who is speaking? What functions does dialog | | | | rules? |
| perform? For instance, does it advance the plot, | | | | 11. Theme: Try to make the subject of your |
| impart necessary background information, reveal | | | | story some issue or topic that people currently |
| character traits, conjure up atmosphere? | | | | consider important. |
| 6. Vocabulary: Unless you have already developed | | | | 12. Entertainment: Most people read stories not |
| a distinctive, individual style, avoid long words. | | | | for enlightenment, but for pleasure. Of course, |
| Especially words derived from Latin or Greek. Use | | | | there's no reason why an author cannot provide |
| Anglo-Saxon equivalents, unless you want to be | | | | both. |
| funny or wry or ironic. Is a writer's vocabulary an | | | | |