How to Write a Short Story in 6 Steps

I quite literally was moved to tears when he said "every light in the house was on."

I'm writing a book at 62 but never even read a book. I'm dyslexic and using google docs and a microphone to write and also to read back what I've written. I always knew technology would come along to help. thank you Jerry for your videos

I ferociously edited my comment to the following two words: Thank you.

The best 9 minute short story writing points tutorial you will ever find. Thank you.

1 - Read short strories 1:08 2 - Generate a winning idea 3:01 3 - Narrow your scope 4:30 4 - Employ a classic story structure 5:56 5 - A satisfying ending 7:13 6 - Edit Aggressively 8:20

Liked it, Screenshots, Saved it in the list, Subscribed, Motivated

The 'lights on' story is a great example of saying more with less. Thanks for sharing Jerry.

I just can’t believe that this man puts such valuable content online for free. I started writing my novel over a year ago. Everything that has gone well in it is almost completely thanks to Jerry Jenkins’ videos and his self-editing checklist. Brilliant. Thank you. God bless you.

As an MFA student, I can state with confidence this video is 10 minutes of solid gold writing instruction.

Once again, Jerry Jenkins comes through with excellent advice. If you want to write, sit down and listen to what he has to say. It's how I wrote my first science fiction book, Ark Three, and how I'm writing the second in the series, Ark One. Without Mr. Jenkins, I doubt that I would have actually self-published. If I can do it, anyone can.

I've been writing a book about how tourists act in rural Ireland, as I own a small nontourist shop in a touristy area of West coast Ireland. The first 2.5 years went great, 60000 words in I started to edit. That was a year ago, I had to put it down because of how negative I had wrote, it wasn't an account of how generally tourists act, it was a full on look for as much of the negative aspects I could find. I learned a lot about how negative a person I am that's for sure. I will finish it one day, hopefully in a much more accurate light.

At seventeen years of age I wrote a short story about an inmate of a mental hospital. It is about 40 pages and I consider it to be my batchelors. Fifty years later I'm writing the novel I've been thinking of all this time.

Hi Jerry. Commenting because it helps you with your channel. I am 64, a former alcoholic writing a story about overcoming addiction. Its done in story form to go alongside my audio course. Invaluable information. Thank you. I will be watching more of your videos as my main source of learning. ❤

Step 1- Read Short Stories(Start with reading books written by Bret Lott Step 2- Generate A Winning Idea(Recognize the germ, Create characters from people you know) Step 3- Narrow Your Scope Step 4- Employ A Classic Story Structure 4.1- Terrible Trouble 4.2- Attempted Fixes Make Things Worse 4.3- The Predicament Appears Hopeless 4.4- Heroic Growth Helps Hero Win Step 5- A Satisfying Ending Step 6- Edit Aggressively

I’m going to write a bunch of short stories with recurring characters and setting, then draft all these stories together as a novel. It’ll take a lot of drafting to make it coherent, but I think it’ll work for the story I want to write. I also think that just writing all these separate stories that have unique ideas may be easier than just connecting everything from the first draft. Each chapter will be like an episode of a Netflix binge series.

So so relieved to hear this. I got so overwhelmed and lost; I almost wanted to give up, but my love for the written words and melodies and love for being in the creative worlds just will not go away. I feel like VC Andrews starting at 53

This makes a lot of sense. I like the illustration of toddlers learning to walk, and plopping till they get it, and kids in grade school, going to graduate schools. Excuse me. I must go. Much ferocious editing to do!

Jerry, your videos are amazing. You're an excellent and patient teacher and I appreciate the wealth of information you share in each one. I'm currently writing picture books but need to give short story writing a shot again. I love Ray Bradbury and will be hauling out my dog-eared copy of "The October Country" tonight to rediscover everything from the poetic wonder of "The Emissary" to the creeping dread of "The Next in Line." Thank you for helping me fill in the technical blanks, and reawakening my desire to tackle a genre I didn't feel confident enough to handle. Wish me luck!

I needed to hear everything you said here. From the not starting out with a novel (which I’ve been insistent on doing, thus have gotten nothing published), to reading of other works, to allowing myself to write draft without editing. Your presentation style is inspiring. You’re the instructor I think I’ll need to get started on my writing career which I’ve put off since childhood.

I've never made notes from a youtube video. This was the most valuable thing I've learnt all year.