Why I Write Short Stories (And Why You Might Want To)
People often ask if I write short stories. The answer is YES, absolutely!
I started my writing journey in the world of short fiction. That was a long time ago, but I
didn’t get very good at it because I didn’t practise consistently or have the focus, due to life. But I kept puddling around with it, because the great thing about short stories is that you can finish them quickly. So the payoff is often immediate. It might not be a good story, but the secret to writing is “muscle memory,” the discipline of writing that allows your work to go to the next level.
Short stories can sharpen your craft more than any course, book, or conference. They made me a better editor, a more confident risk-taker, and, paradoxically, a more patient novelist.
Why Is the Short Form So Valuable?
You need ruthless focus to craft a short story. You’ve got around 2,000 words to make the reader care, surprise them, and leave them thinking. That forces you to pay attention to every line. Is this sentence moving the story forward, revealing something vital, or just filling space?
Writing short fiction taught me to question every scene in my novel drafts. Does this chapter earn its place? Is this detour necessary, or am I just showing off? It’s a mindset I now bring to every stage of revision. Clarity and momentum are non-negotiable, no matter the length of the work.
The Playground Effect: Where I Test My Weirdest Ideas
I started treating short stories as experiments, little writing labs where I could play with form, genre, and voice. Want to try first-person narration? Want to explore a strange idea that you’d never try in a novel? Write a short story.
Because the time investment is lower and the stakes feel different, short stories gave me permission to get weird. Some of them became the basis for a novel or, at least sometimes, part of the story. That’s the beauty, they’re a great place to play around. Short fiction also lets you fail fast. If something isn’t working, it becomes clear much quicker than it does in a novel. I’ve binned more short stories than I care to admit (only joking, I keep everything - because you never know!), but I’ve never regretted writing them.
Not every short story needs to expand, but some will insist. The key is to listen carefully. Is this story complete as is, or is it just the prologue to something deeper?
Learning to Say More With Less
Perhaps the biggest lesson short stories teach is restraint. In novels, it’s tempting to explain, to make sure the reader gets it. But in short stories, implication is often more powerful than exposition. You learn to trust the reader, to leave a gap and let them make the leap.
That’s the power of brevity. It invites participation. It gives the reader a role in decoding, interpreting, and feeling. And that’s a skill I now try to carry into every chapter I write, no matter the length.
5 Key Lessons for Writing a Successful Short Story
Short stories are their own form, their own challenge, and their own kind of magic. Here are five things I’ve learned.
Start Close to the Heart of the Story. Begin as close as possible to the moment of change, tension, or decision, the point where something shifts. You simply don’t have the space for a long build-up.
Focus on a Single Core Idea or Emotion. Short stories work better when they explore one central idea, question, or emotional thread. This doesn’t mean that this idea shouldn’t be layered, because the best short stories are the ones that are layered with many nuances (and things that are implicit).
Every Word Has to Earn Its Place. There’s no room for fluff. Every line should serve the character, advance the plot, reveal theme, or create mood. Trim anything that doesn’t pull its weight, especially exposition and description.
End With Impact, Not Explanation Don’t try to tie everything up neatly. The best endings resonate or echo, rather than explain or resolve. Ask yourself, what feeling or thought do I want to leave lingering?
Enter Competitions and Pit Yourself Against Others. The competition is thick on the ground out there, but don’t let this put you off. Take it up as a challenge. You usually don’t get feedback unless you win or place, but if all you hear is crickets, then maybe your work isn’t quite there. Having said that, judging bias is an issue in small comps, so don’t always take it to heart.
Conclusion: Why I Keep Coming Back to Short Stories
Short stories aren’t just warm-ups or distractions, they're where real craft is forged. They demand precision, risk, restraint, and clarity, all under pressure. Whether they end up in the bin or become the seed of something bigger, every short story I write sharpens my skills and deepens my love for the art.
So yes, I absolutely write short stories. And if you’re serious about writing, I think you should too, not because they’re easy, but because they teach you everything that matters.
All the Best
Des Brady/Writer – Short Story Dabbler
