A short story that you feel good about is the result of a lot of hard work.You still haven't read it and edited it to be as tight as possible.If you are close to the material and have a hard time looking at it with a critical eye, you may struggle to edit a short story.You can try to revise the story on your own or show it to others to get feedback on how to make it better.
Step 1: Bring fresh eyes to the story.
To edit the story effectively, you need to read it from a different perspective.You can take a break and think about other things if you put the story away for a few days.Pull it out again and read it to yourself.You may be surprised at how different it is after you have not looked at it for a while.If you want to get your mind off of the short story, you can work on another piece of writing or do a relaxing activity.If you feel like you have forgotten about the short story, pull it out and read it again.This will allow you to see it from a different point of view.
Step 2: Listen to the story loud.
To hear how the short story sounds on the page, you should read it aloud.This can help you identify some of the basic issues.It will allow you to listen to the story and make sure you are writing for the ear.A good story will sound better if you read it loud.You can read the story out loud several times to get a sense of how the voice and tone works.When reading out loud, you can use a pen to mark down sections that don't sound clear or strong.
Step 3: Remove any excess words.
Make sure your language feels strong and intentional.Remove any words that seem excessive in the short story.It's possible to remove more than one word in a sentence to make it stronger.Reducing the words in each sentence will make them easier to read.You could have the following sentence in your story: "He raced through the crowded, bustling street to catch the smelly, congested number 1 bus."If you cut out one to two words, this sentence may be more effective.He raced through the crowded street to catch the bus.You should check for sentences that are long winded or run on sentences.If a sentence goes over three to four lines on a page, it is too long.The narrative voice of the short story may need to be changed.If this is the style and voice of the piece, it is possible to leave in longer sentences.If you leave in longer sentences, make sure they are intentional.
Step 4: Don't replace cliche phrases with boring ones.
If your short story is littered with cliches, this is a sign that the writing is not as strong as it could be.A cliche has lost its meaning because it has become so familiar.The descriptions in your short story should be specific to your characters and setting.Make sure your short story is unique, as this will make it stronger.You can use the phrase "She was as smart as a whip" in your short story.This phrase doesn't tell the reader much about the character.The second phrase tells the reader that the character is smart by describing her specific qualities, rather than relying on a cliche.
Step 5: Your dialogue needs to be clear and concise.
If your short story has dialogue, you should read it over and make sure it's clear and concise.Dialogue that is too vague can weaken your story.Try to hear the dialogue in your story.Is the dialogue true to the characters?Can I make this dialogue more engaging for the reader?When you are looking at the dialogue in your story, make sure you use the word " said" as a tag.You can write, "'Where is he?'Don't use dialogue tags such as "she said" or "'I'm out'" as this can be confusing for the reader.You could write, "'I hate this place,' she said."
Step 6: Don't tell if you are showing.
To make sure you are always showing the reader what is happening in the scene, you should read over your short story.If you don't tell the reader what's going on, it can deaden the emotional impact of the story.Information about the scene as the characters move around in a space should be included.Your writing needs to be compelling for the reader.Instead of writing, she hated the house.She wanted to move to New York.The house had bad plumbing and a rotting smell.She thought that New York would be better than this place.
Step 7: Show the story to someone you care about.
If you can't edit your writing on your own, you may try showing it to a friend or colleague.A friend who will be critical of your writing should be chosen.You can show the story to a colleague who is interested in writing and reading.You can give a hard copy of the short story to a friend or colleague.If you read the short story loud to them, they can tell you right away if a section is strong or weak.Don't take personal criticism of your short story.You are getting feedback on your writing, but it doesn't reflect on you as a person.Try to see feedback as part of the revising process.
Step 8: The story should be brought to a writing group.
You can bring the story to a writing group in your area.The writing group will critique the story.Listen to what the writers in the group have to say about the story.Don't interrupt anyone when they are talking about your story.You should listen and process the feedback from the group.You can take a writing class where you can learn how to write.In addition to getting your short story edited by other writers, you may find it useful to discuss the craft of writing and several different approaches to writing in the class.
Step 9: A professional editor is needed.
If you're having a hard time revising your short story, you may want to consider hiring a professional editor.You can hire a professional editor by searching for one online or by asking your peers in the writing community for a reference to a good one.If you submit a short story to a call for submissions, you could end up working with a professional editor.Minor issues in the story can be adjusted by the editor.