On Writing : Tips & Books for Writing Short Stories by Maurice Vaughan

Hi Maurice, I like poetry, like haiku, I learned in high-school. I want to get back into poetry

Cool, Billy Kwack. I wrote poetry. I also wrote a slam poetry scene in a script once. It was fun. I might write another slam poetry scene. Let me know if you start writing poetry again.

Hi Maurice, I gotta go visit the library and see what they got

Maurice Vaughan, that’s awesome! Short stories are such a great way to sharpen storytelling skills and experiment with different styles and ideas.

A few tips that might help:

Start with a strong concept – Since short stories have limited space, focus on one compelling idea, moment, or conflict that drives the narrative.

Every word matters – Unlike novels, short stories don’t have the luxury of long setups, so make each sentence purposeful and impactful.

Drop the reader into the action – Instead of long exposition, try to start as close to the inciting moment as possible.

Strong endings are key – Whether it’s a twist, an emotional resolution, or an open-ended finale, a short story’s last lines should leave an impression.

For books on short story writing, I highly recommend:

On Writing by Stephen King – Not just about short stories, but full of great storytelling advice.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – A fantastic book on writing in general, but with great insights on concise, character-driven storytelling.

The Art of the Short Story by Dana Gioia and R.S. Gwynn – A collection of classic short stories with analysis on what makes them work.

The Best American Short Stories series – Reading great short stories is one of the best ways to learn structure, pacing, and voice.

Are you leaning toward writing fiction, sci-fi, horror, or something more personal? Would love to hear what ideas you’re playing around with!

Thanks for the tips and book recs, Ashley Renee Smith! I saved them. I keep hearing about On Writing by Stephen King. I'm gonna check it out. I'm not sure what genre my short story will be. I haven't thought of any story ideas yet. Maybe Sci-Fi.

Maurice Vaughan short stories as a medium are so, so, so challenging. Since I'm not aware of any texts specific to short story writing, my advice is what I tell everyone pursuing a new medium: read, read, read, read. But no doubt you already know that!

Hey, Jonathan Jordan. Thanks for the reminder! You're right. Read, read, read, read. I read some short stories back when I wrote my last short story. It helped me learn how to write the story and format it.

https://mwp.com/product/the-short-personal-writing-tools-to-free-the-ima...

That sounds great, Michael David! Thanks for the link!

There's so much great advice here! I'd also recommend (just in general, less specifically to short stories or even writing itself) "The War of Art" by Stephen Pressfield. It's very short, but it really stuck with me.

Ah...Let me second THE WAR OF ART, Dawn Prato. I was given it as a gift years ago and have paid it forward to many.

Sounds like a helpful book, Dawn Prato. Thanks for the book rec!

You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy :)