Belea Keeney’s Secrets of Short Story Writing

Thanks to WAG member Connie Morrison for writing the following summary:

Audience members received an in-depth presentation on writing and marketing the short story. Belea T. Keeney, an award-winning author and editor who has sold many short stories, shared her knowledge and expertise.

A short story is 7,000 words or fewer and, for the writer, is a valuable tool to practice the craft of writing. It is brief, does not have the depth of a novel, and editing is more flexible because of its length. A published short story can give you credits for your query cover letter, thus strengthening your ability to secure a publisher for your novel.

Shaw Shank Redemption and Apocalypse Now are among the many films originating from short stories. Small publishers rarely ask for film rights, leaving this as a possibility for your short story and for future income. Several magazine publishers pay for short stories, and The New Yorker leads the group at a top rate of $1,000. Woman’s World, Good Housekeeping, and others are possibilities for publication including anthologies.

Most short stories are character driven. The character does not need to be likable—think Hannibal Lecter—but they must be consistent and credible. You should set up your characters early in the story by showing intimate details of their lives and how they perceive things. Also, humor can give your story a breather and add a three-dimensional aspect.

Make sure your point of view is consistent, that is, whose head you are in. First and third person are popular with most publishers frowning on omniscient third person since it distances the reader. Carefully control your time period, keeping the action current and happening now. Short stories cover short time periods. Show emotions in a scene by gestures, facial expressions, and dialogue. All dialogue should advance the plot and be important to the story. Remember that famous quote of Elmore Leonard, “Leave out the boring parts.” No chit-chat. Inner dialogue may be in italics in genre fiction but not in literary fiction. Character dialects are important, but should not be overused. And remember, you must have conflict in your short story, or it is nothing more than a vignette.

An audience member asked, “What does ‘I am published’ mean?” Belea responded by saying, “If you have made your writing public, you are published.” However, be aware that if a publication is no longer in print, electronic or otherwise, you should not include it in your bio.

Writers Market, Writers Weekly, Duotrope, Hope Clark’s Newsletter, and the Wag Digest are excellent sources for locating publication opportunities. “Don’t overlook literary journals and contests,” Belea said, “but a $20 entry fee is my limit.”

A 20-25 page story should not take more than ten days for a first draft. Unfortunately, editors do not find short stories cost effective, leaving the writer to search out fellow authors and friends for that task. Look at previous contest winners and make sure your story is a good fit before entering.

Belea ended the program by graciously giving away one of her books to an audience member. The winner, John Waaser, was randomly selected by one of WAG’s popular authors, Sandra Lambert.

Thank you, Belea, for delighting our audience and for your memorable presentation.

This was her second presentation to a WAG audience. She spoke in early 2017 on Five Common Mistakes Writers Make.

She serves as editor for a variety of private freelance clients. She especially enjoys working on paranormal, horror, romances, memoirs, and most anything written about animals. You may contact her at www.beleatkeeney.com.