Now for the sixth instalment in my writing workshop series. I’ve covered the short storyendingas well as theopening. I’ve guided you throughdialogueand focused on the importance of taking time to do thingsproperly. Last week, it was a competitions refresher. This week there’s some advice on the art of the short story:

Top Tips…

On how to avoid a short story no-no

Writing short stories seems more competitive than ever, with fewer and fewer markets accepting them. But writers often unwittingly lessen their chances of acceptance through some common errors. Here are 10 to avoid:

1. Don’t open your short story with a long and wordy weather report about how the shimmering sky was a beautiful azure blue, the sun was shining through the trees and there was a soft and gentle breeze etc etc. You need to hook your reader’s interest in the opening…