Emily and her mother Paula left the subway station and hurried down the sidewalk. “We’re running late,” Paula said, “so we’re going to have to take a shortcut down Small Gods.” Emily’s eyes widened. “Oh! We get to see the semigods? That’s so cool!” She adjusted her dress, smoothing the fabric like she had seen her mother do before answering […]
A Ghost Story Sue let out a sigh as they pulled into the convenience store parking lot. She had tried to enjoy her new job, but there was something depressing about uninstalling payphones. It reminded her of childhood trips to the beach, and watching the waves washing away her sand castle. Technology was shifting, the past fading away. Everything she
A science fiction short story Gary left his therapist’s office, still not feeling any better. Doctor Evans was supposed to be the best in the city, but she mostly just nodded and took notes. Once, he managed to peek in her notebook and saw the last three pages were nothing but doodles of corgis. He was paying thousands of dollars
Twist Endings Are All About The Foreplay Writing a story with a twist ending is a lot like writing a mystery. Both have to be set up properly to avoid confusing or frustrating your readers. You have to play fair and use foreshadowing to plant clues to the twist. When the twist is revealed, it should feel like finding the
Writing a Shocking Finale, Plus Story Ideas With a Twist Read More »
Choosing the right story order for your anthology If you’ve never published a short story collection or anthology, it might seem simple. You already have all the material, so all you need is a title and cover art, right? But wait, you have to think about the order! A well-planned arrangement of stories can keep readers turning the page and
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