why are my stories so short? Is that bad?

Question

Even stories that are supposed to last several pages...they just end up being a page or two, maybe three (Maybe 2500 words if I'm really trying). Is it just style? I'm just curious what the reason could be. Maybe the event in the story is too brief? They are fully written etc with dialogue and conflict and all.

Should I be trying harder to make them longer?

Answer 1

A lot of it depends on your writing style and what you are writing about. It could be that the idea you're focusing on doesn't need a ton of writing to be effective, or you might have trouble working with bigger/longer ideas.



For me, a lot of times I will get ideas that I jot down and want to write about. Some of them I'm quite proud of, but they don't do very well to stand on their own, so I have to spend a lot of time developing the rest of the story around it. Sometimes I take fragments that I've had for a while and find a way to incorporate them into newer ideas. Keeping ideas written somewhere is a good way to keep track of your thoughts and revisit the things you've thought about in the past.



If you're interested in making your stories longer, take the basic plot of your story. Think about what you can add to it to make it longer - is there some conflict you can add between characters that could relate to the plot? Could you introduce new characters to interact with the ones already there to create conflict, or help find resolutions? Are there any side stories or sub-plots you can add that will enhance the main story? Do you need back story for anything that's going on? Could you use foreshadowing before a mundane event to create interest? Does anything need more description? (be careful of excessive descriptions though, they can really take away from your story)



If you're starting with a story from scratch, try to think of multiple plots/relationships/conflicts that don't necessarily have anything to do with one another and try to find ways that they can interact with each other. Having multiple things going on at once can be very engaging and make a story longer, as long as it isn't confusing. Try to figure out what works with how you write.

Answer 2

Ok a couple things to help you out - standard double spaced manuscript in publishing is considered 250 words - ignore work counting programs. If you are writing 2500 words you should get a whole lot more than one or two pages.



Next as to the reason, i suspect you stories do not contain much color and are little more than a fast sequence of events - it would help if we had an example of your writing but for sake of illustration here is an example of what I suspect is happening.



First what i think you are doing



Anna ran down the passage and burst into the sleeping charger walking Helen, You must flee! They are going to kill you!"



Now what you need to be doing



Anna moved as fast as she could in the dim light. The cold stone had nothing to do with the chill than seemed to turn her blood to ice . It was the overheard plot to kill the Royal Family and Princes Helen was in her care. She had to reach her first, duty demanded it but self preservation nagged at her.and undermined her resolve. If she was there when the assassins arrived her life could be forfeit servant girl that she was. The stone was uneven and she stumbled as she ran and slowed slightly, knowing she could help no one if she fell and broke something. It seemed forever before she reached the royal bedchamber of the Princes and she rushed to her bedside.



You see the difference in the two. Obviously with more a two minutes I could make a paragraph that was more detailed but you understand that when stories are short they may not convey the actual color or emotion of an event



However - short sentences and stories sometimes are very powerful IF designed that way...

Answer 3

I have been suffering from this forever. Some common tips I receive are add more detail, describe the characters in great depth, and create multiple conflicts that happen behind the main one being presented. Most of all, DETAIL. Sensory imaging, or whatever. Place yourself in the story. You ARE the main character.

Answer 4

3 pages??!!! now that's short. Try to describe the surroundings and the feeling of a character

Answer 5

just write about my big di c k and you will have plenty to write about