Writer's Blog Follow blog

Sometimes we do not need many words to tell a story. And for some, it's even more interesting like that. If you are one of those, we want to tell you about micro stories, which are extremely short fiction stories that have 50 to 250 words maximum. But the most important thing is that they are not a summarized text, but, rather, the opposite. A micro story is the boiling point of a longer story. Its key is to narrate the most important part of the plot and leave to the reader the power to imagine what we do not say.

We will go in parts.

First, unlike a novel, micro-stories do not have a specific literary genre, but they play with several. Sometimes they tend to be more poetic, others more undefined. Here it is worth experimenting and playing with creativity. The more original we are, the better.

Second, although art is needed, at the same time it is necessary to be direct. In a novel we can afford to decorate sentences, play with words or use more descriptions, but not here. We have so few lines that you should go straight to the point, but at the same time do it with style and good writing. Each word is important. A good micro story is one in which the reader realizes that the writer is good. You do not need to read more.

Third, do not tell everything. Here it is not necessary to write everything that happens in the story, not even the whole climax. Forget about the introduction, the knot, and the outcome, and only focus on the main action. What could you tell the reader to create an image in his head and at the same time leave him with a desire to continue reading?

Fourth, be concrete. Look for synonyms, simplicity but uncertainty, precision but sonority. Let each word evoke exactly what you want to convey. Do not use any characters or places, focus on a scene, a fact, or in two characters, which make the reader understand the essentials of your story.

Fifth, you must catch the reader. Therefore, the image created in his/her head is one of the fundamental points. The narrative must be so strong that it builds an imaginary scene in the reader's head.

Sixth, the end is the best. This must be so imposing that it forces the reader to keep thinking about it and to put his imagination at stake. You can play with ending a question that intrigues the reader, or with a phrase that unexpected.

Seventh, give it a mystery. Play with punctuation marks and silences. These also speak, and even more so in a micro-story, in which magic is in what you do not say.

Eighth, use the structure you want. Some, what they do is start intriguing the reader and then take it to action, which then triggers in a final or unexpected turn.

Ninth, the title is transcendental. As the micro story is so short, the title also brings information, light, and creativity to your text. Use it as part of what you want to convey.

And tenth, edit, edit and edit. It seems that writing a short text is very simple, but sometimes it is even more complicated since you must be as precise as creative. Do not worry if it does not come out the first time and if cutting out words seems like a pain in the neck because as you write more, you will get better. At the end of the day, with the immediacy of the digital age and that people read less, micro-stories have become "few words for great stories".