Seven Short Story Starters
The last time I wrote a list of Sixteen Scintillating Short Story Starters they were very popular – if my site stats are to be believed. It seems plenty of people were looking for story ideas.
So here goes with a new list, this time only seven. Why only seven? I’m tired, I’ve been busy and the day is going quickly. If this is not enough, let me know in the comments section and I’ll try to do more next week.
Promise.
If the brain is not overloaded too much!
Seven Short Story Starters:
- I think I shall never forget Angela. Especially that fateful day when she…
- John is not one to suffer fools easily. Only last week he…
- “How could you do that?” asked Jennifer. “I always thought that you…”
- I didn’t realise I was so close to the railway track until I heard the roar of the engine bearing down on where I stood crouched. How could I…
- “Stop!” interrupted Tim. “I think I can see the problem. Why don’t we…”
- “There is no use running. There is nowhere to go.” Don paused to allow his statement to sink in. “You might as well sit down and rest. Then we…”
- I’d never seen an elephant outside of a zoo. As I faced the monster in front of me…
Conditions:
- Feel free to use any of the story starters listed above.
- Give it your best shot.
- Edit your work carefully before sending it off to a publisher or posting it on your blog.
- Let me know in the comments section how it went.
- If you publish your story on your web site or on your blog let me know so I can make a link to it for others to read.
Short Fiction #11 Celebration Day
Celebration Day
At last Saturday arrived.
James and Amanda were excited.
They’d hardly slept all week.
“Are you ready?†asked Amanda.
“Yes, I think so.â€
Soon they were racing their bicycles along the street and down the hill.
Brakes screeched, bikes were dropped.
“We’ll have fun helping to blow out the one hundred candles on great Grandma’s cake!†said James.
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2006 Trevor W. Hampel
Read more of my short fiction here.
Sixteen Scintillating Short Story Starters
Darren Rowse over at ProBlogger has a group writing project on again this week. He has asked for submissions of lists.
Here is a short list of sixteen super, scintillating, stunning and simply sensational short story starters for writers. Try them. Let me know how they go – and if you get anything published – good luck.
And if you should be blessed enough to get a royalty cheque or two, you can send me a commision for the idea!
Sixteen Scintillating Short Story Starters:
- “It was a dark and stormy…” oops – that’s been used before.
Let’s start again…
- Harry was puzzled when the door didn’t open.
- The headlights were coming straight towards Peter and he couldn’t move.
- Only the flimsy wall of my tent separated me from the low rumbling growl.
- I was not expecting what was waiting for me just as I rounded the corner.
- Rosalie stifled her scream and cowered under the blanket.
- Those last few steps seemed the most difficult I had ever made in my life.
- As I read the contents of the letter, I was aware of the smile on my face.
- It happened so quickly I had no time to think, only react.
- Jenny finally became agitated by the monotonous ticking of the ornate clock on the mantlepiece.
- John stared open-mouthed as the ball soared majestically over the fence.
- Wendy didn’t see the danger ahead.
- Paul couldn’t resist shouting out his joy.
- The eagle swooped low over the trees.
- I didn’t know until that moment that Nell was so afraid of spiders.
- Greg closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and jumped.
- It was not the birthday gift I was expecting.
Just to show how generous I can be, here is a bonus idea:
- Suddenly, nothing happened – but it happened suddenly.
Happy writing.
Check out my own short fiction here.
More writing hints can be found here.
Related articles:
- Seven short story starters – ideas for writing
- Seven more short story starters – more ideas for writing
- Another seven short story starters – still more ideas
Check out my other blogs:
Update: for a complete list of my short story starters click here.
Short Fiction #3 The Open Door
The Open Door
Blake stopped.
He stared at the door.
He could tell at once that all was not well.
“What have we here?” he asked the open portal.
There was, of course, no reply.
Blake entered the house.
All was silent save for the dripping from the bathroom.
It was there that he found her body.
In the tub.
All rights reserved.
Copyright 2006 Trevor W. Hampel
Read more of my short fiction here.
Edited November 2013
Writing Advice from an Editor
Ellen Datlow is a highly awarded, respected and experienced editor in the field of speculative fiction. Many prominent writers have been edited by her, including the likes of Stephen King. She was recently interviewed while in Australia as an international guest of honour at the National Science Fiction Convention (Conflux conference in Canberra). A part of the interview has been published on the ABC News Arts and Entertainment column.
In the interview Ellen gave some important advice for aspiring writers of short stories in general, not just in the speculative fiction genre.
“One thing writers must do is keep sending out stories, you can’t sit and wait, you can’t send one story out and wait and see what the response is,” she said.
“Keep writing, keep producing, write many stories – send them out and then write another.
This is an area where I need to improve – vastly improve. My mother misnamed me. My middle name should be “procrastinate.” I busy myself with so many non-productive tasks that the real business of writing gets neglected. Publishers are loathe to come knocking on your door demanding your next story – unless you have a name like Stephen King et al.
Write, write, write and send those stories out. Then get back to writing and send some more out. Then, if you have say, fifteen stories out there being considered, and one rejection letter comes back, you still have fourteen “live” stories. Then dry the tears, and send out the rejected story to someone else with hopefully better judgment than the editor who just rejected your story. And keep on writing.
This is one of the reason I love blogging. One is “published” immediately with a potential world-wide audience. Then there is the wonderful feedback from readers in the comments section. A simple, cheap dialogue with readers is now available, giving one a closer sense of community with one’s readers.
A final piece of advice from Ellen concerns the writer’s voice.
“Develop your own voice – I think a lot of young writers think they’re doing something new but there aren’t that many new ideas. It’s the way the idea is approached. That’s much more important than a new idea, whether in science fiction, fantasy or horror.”
This is not as easy to do. Getting a new slant on an old theme, or a well worn story line takes thought, creativity, inspiration and hard work.