In a post on the Killzone blog, Elaine Viets offers two suggestions for getting unstuck in your short story: think small and think twisted.
When you find yourself blocked, Viets suggests you first consider whether you have too much going on for a short story. “In short, you may be writing a 5,000-word novel instead of a short story,” she says. Have you written lengthy descriptions of the setting, inserted multiple subplots, brought up too much of your character’s backstory? Are there too many characters? “If your short story has more than four major characters – you may — accent on may – have too many,” Viets says. “It’s like being in a small room with too many people. You can’t move.”
The antidote is to think small. Cut a few characters or combine them. Delete description that doesn’t move the plot. Read your story aloud and cut the parts you want to skip. A novel gives you space for a slow build, a short story does not.
If you’re still stuck, Viets says try a twist – surprise yourself and your reader somewhere. Say something shocking. Consider what specialized knowledge you have and build a story around it.
