Decades ago, a slick-covered magazine catering to the libidinous interests of some folks published a short story of mine—my first published work—for which I received 75 dollars. That publisher, as well as a couple more, said yes to additional short story submissions and, certainly proud of those achievements, I cut out the cover pages for…
Tag: short stories
Short Story Craft, Part 3: Setting
In preparation for the 2020 RMFW anthology, I’m doing a series of blog posts on short story craft. While plot and character are the two most important elements of your story, setting comes in a close third. In my opinion, setting is the fastest way to elevate a good story to a great one. A…
Rocky Mountain Writer #163
False Faces Produces Two “Best American Mystery Stories” If there has ever been a reason to declare “Breaking News” around Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, this might be it. For more than 20 years now, editor Otto Penzler has been publishing a volume called the Best American Mystery Stories. As part of that process, he reads…
Short Story Craft, Part 2: Character
In preparation for the 2020 RMFW anthology, I’m doing a series of blog posts on elements of short story craft. Last month I covered the basics of plotting your short story. Now, let’s talk about your characters. If plot is the skeleton of a short story, characters are the muscle. They move the plot forward….
Short Story Craft, Part 1: Plot
Short stories are a whole different animal from novels. Many writers (including me, a few years ago) shy away from short stories because they can be so difficult and frustrating. But once you get the hang of them, they’re an excellent way to hone your writing skills, play with new techniques, and get your name…