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Valkyrie

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  1. Valkyrie

    The Gift of Prompts

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    I got a gift this Christmas of writing dice, so decided to roll them and use the results here.  My friends know me so well!  😁 I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with.   

     
    PT Prompt #318
    Character traits:  stubborn, empathetic 
    Conflict:  man vs technology 
    Setting:  Foreign country
    Theme: Power
    POV:  first person
    Time:  Ancient history 
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
  2. Valkyrie

    Happy New Year!

    By Valkyrie,


    Announcements
    Last week, Myr outlined some plans we have for 2026, and there are some exciting things on the horizon!  We had an outstanding response to our writing events in 2025, so I'm hoping we can equal or better it in 2026.  Stay tuned over the next few weeks for announcements regarding this year's anthologies.  Cheers to a great 2026! Let us know in the comments how you celebrated and if you stayed up till midnight. 
     
     

  3. Valkyrie

    2026 Writing Events

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Now that we're past the annual anthology, it's time to look ahead to what's next.  We're not quite done with 2025 yet, since we still have our annual Prompt Team Event coming up.  Stay tuned to tomorrow's blog for more information.   
    In the meantime, I've been working on 2026's offerings, so....

    2026 Writing Events
    Poetry Anthology - April
    Secret Author Contest - summer
    Annual Anthology - October
    Prompt Team Event - December
     
    There may be some surprises along the way, but those are the major events we have planned for next year.  Stay tuned for updates and reveals!

    THERE'S MORE!!!
    Even though this event will not happen until 2027, I wanted to announce it now.  @Jeff Burton recently described GA as "a tribe of siblings always available to help and listen but totally willing to dunk each other in the pool".  I can't think of a more fitting description for the relationships we develop here at GA, right @wildone and @Krista?  With that in mind, it hurts us deeply when we lose one of our own. Sadly, there have been a few tributes in recent years to honor beloved members who have passed on.  
    We thought it would be fitting to host an event every three years to honor the memories of our departed friends. The first of these Gone, but not Forgotten anthologies will take place in 2027, so keep an eye out next year for more information.  
     
  4. Valkyrie
    Who's ready for some genre fun? For this year's Prompt Team Event, @Aditus and I challenged authors to step outside their comfort zone and write in a randomly-selected genre/subgenre.  @Myr and team have done a lot of work curating a list of genres/subgenres, so there was an extensive list to choose from! Eight authors took up the challenge and sent me stories to include in the event.  We have prompt stories ranging from Historical/Ancient Orient to Fantasy/Arcanepunk.  Without further ado, please enjoy the genre Prompt Team Event! 
     
     
  5. Valkyrie

    2025 Prompt Team Event

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Calling all prompters!  It's time for the second annual Prompt Team Event! 

    Anyone who knows me and @Aditus will agree that we like to keep people guessing, so we're changing things up a bit this year.  Prompts are designed to help us grow as writers.  To push boundaries and explore ways of writing or genres we may not otherwise consider.  So this year, we are doing a genre/subgenre challenge! 
     
    To participate:
    PM either myself or Aditus.  We will assign you a random genre/subgenre. If you would like, you can request two subgenres to choose from.  Prompt responses may be any length, but if they are below 1,000 words, then they must be part of a collection.  If they are 1,000 words or more, then they may be posted as a stand-alone piece.  Responses must follow site guidelines.  Once the story is written, PM me with the link to the story or chapter (if part of a collection) by midnight EST on December 14th, and I will include in the December 18th blog. 
    ***Do not publish your story/chapter or set the date/time of publishing.  I will set the publish date when I create the blog.  
    I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! 
     
  6. Valkyrie

    Prompt Team Event Check In

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    There's still time to participate in the annual Prompt Team Event!  We've had quite a few takers so far, but the more the merrier. How are those stories coming along?  PM either myself or @Aditus if you would like to be assigned a random genre/subgenre.    Don't forget to send me the link to your unpublished story, so it can be included in the feature blog.  Details can be found here: 
     
     
  7. Valkyrie

    I Can't Think of Anything Prompts

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    I've been wracking my brain, but sadly cannot come up with any kind of theme for the prompts this week.  So here are some random word lists.  Have fun and don't forget to enter the Prompt Team genre event!

     
    PT Prompt #314:
    Use the following words in a story:  fan, box, cat, snow, closet
     
    PT Prompt#315:
    Use the following words in a story: cheez balls, tree, raccoon, tuxedo, Empire State Building
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
  8. Valkyrie

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    By Valkyrie,


    Announcements
    It's Thanksgiving Day in the US, unlike some other countries who celebrate a month early...   On behalf of all site staff, I would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" for being a part of the site.  The community is what makes GA special, and the interaction between site authors, readers, and members is part of what makes GA so unique.  Thank you to all who participate in site events by writing, reading, commenting, and reviewing.  
    If you're celebrating today, leave a comment with your plans and favorite Thanksgiving tradition. We're getting hammered with a lake effect storm at the moment - oooh we just had thundersnow! - so my feast may end up being this weekend instead of tomorrow.    


     
  9. Valkyrie
    We had an incredible 23 stories for the anthology this year!   You guys rock!  All the comments, reactions, reviews, and comments are very much appreciated by our anthology authors.  Thank you to all who took the time to participate by writing, reading, and supporting our annual anthology.  It's a highly-anticipated site event every year, and we're already working on planning our events for next year.  Stay tuned next week for information on our final writing event of 2025.  

    Putting together the GA anthology is very much a team effort. A huge thank you to the team who made this year's anthology possible!
    2025 Anthology Support Team
    Anthology Coordinator
    Valkyrie
    Tech Support
    Myr
    Proof Team
    Lee Wilson
    Gary L
    Valkyrie
    Parker Owens
    rec
    Anthology Banner Creation
    Cia
    Thank you to Cia, Myr, and Wildone for their behind-the-scenes help and moral support with the technical aspects I sometimes struggle with. 
     
    If you haven't already, be sure to check out this year's amazing collection of Creature Features. 
     
     
  10. Valkyrie
    We had so many anthology stories this year, that I decided to spread them out over four weeks instead of three.  What better way to celebrate Halloween, than reading a bunch of Creature Features?  Here are five more stories to round out this year's anthology.  Enjoy and please comment, review, and react!  
     
     
  11. Valkyrie
    How has everyone been enjoying the anthology stories so far?  We've had 12 stories featured over the past two weeks, and here are another six.  And... drum roll... stay tuned for next week's blog because we're not done yet!  Keep those comments and reviews coming.  I know how much authors appreciate feedback, so please continue to show support to the authors who took time to participate in this year's anthology.  Now on to the featured creatures!
     
     
  13. Valkyrie
    It's here!  It's here!  We've been waiting all year, and it's finally time to release the beasts!  Uh... creatures... uh... anthology stories  

    We had a fantastic turnout for this anthology, so get ready to read, comment, react, and review! I'll be splitting up the submissions over the next few weeks, so if you don't see your story featured here today, don't worry, you're on the list for a different week this month. 
     
     
  14. Valkyrie

    Think Positive

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    It's super easy to get sucked into negativity, whether it's the news, social media, family, work, the weather...  I'm guilty of falling into this trap, but over the past few years I've been trying to learn how to find positives to counterbalance the negative.  Some days are definitely harder than others, that's for sure.  A dear friend of mine has been my inspiration in this journey.  They always know what to say to make me feel better, and their positive outlook on life is contagious.  We need more of this in the world.  

    Believe me, I know that things aren't sunshine and unicorns all the time, and I'm not saying they have to be.  I need a good ugly cry while stuffing my face with an entire bag of cheezy puffs every once in a while and feel no shame in doing so.  And I totally admit to flipping off more people than I probably should when driving.  But then I tell myself, maybe that a-hole who just cut me off after tailgating me is on their way to an emergency, or simply having an ugly-cry-cheeze-puff-eating day, and then sit on my hands instead of giving them the bird.  Anyway, enough rambling.  On to the prompts! 
     
     
    PT Prompt #310
    Create a negative situation for your character, then put a positive spin on it.  
     
    PT Prompt #311
    Write about how you handle negative situations like the traffic scenario above.  
     
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
  15. Valkyrie

    Looking Ahead

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Now that the anthology deadline has passed, it's time to look to what's next on the GA Writing Event agenda while we wait for the anthology stories to go live.  You guys were total rock stars this year, with 23 Secret Author stories, 17 tribute stories, and 8 poetry collections.  I challenged authors to at least meet, and hopefully surpass, the number of SA stories for the anthology.  Was that goal met?  You'll have to wait till next Thursday to find out    
    Our next writing event will be the annual Prompt Team Event, which will be announced after the conclusion of the anthology.  We're also working on finalizing what writing events will be offered next year, so stay tuned for that announcement as well.  We'll also be announcing a new writing event, in addition to our regular features. 
    With that in mind, tell us your favorite event this year.  To recap, we had Auld Lang Syne in honor of Carlos Hazday, Diversity - poetry anthology, our tribute to Comicality, and the Secret Author contest.  
    What events do you want to see next year?  

     
  16. Valkyrie

    One More Week!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Who's frantically writing and working to get their story done in time for the deadline?  


    While I don't have the official number of stories submitted yet, I can say we are very close to matching the number of Secret Author stories.  This is going to be a great anthology, so stay tuned!  
    The Proof Team is hard at work proofreading the stories that have been submitted so far.  Please be patient as more stories are coming in every day, and we are volunteers with a life outside of GA (I know.. who'd a thunk it?)  We will get through everyone's stories in plenty of time   
    Who's excited to start reading about our featured creatures?  
     
  17. Valkyrie
    I'm super excited about this year's theme!  There are so many possibilities.... Do I go with a cute fluffy kitty?  Or maybe a fire-breathing dragon?  Or an army of Norse penguins fighting Canadian otters?  

    It's a good thing there's a lot of time before the deadline, although with my prowess at procrastinating, I probably won't start till the week it's due   The guidelines for this year's anthology are posted below.  So now that we know the theme and the parameters... start writing!  
     
    2025 Anthology - Due: October 1, 2025
    2025 Theme is: Creature Feature
    Feel free to interpret the theme in any way you want. The anthologies are not exclusive, but inclusive, so don't worry if you think your entry has only a tangential link to the theme. If you are inspired, then write a short story, poem, or play!
    Please read these submission guidelines carefully.
    You may address these themes in any style or genre you choose. Be creative! However, please note this is an anthology of short stories. By definition, a short story must stand alone and not require reading a prior story. It therefore cannot be a chapter in a serial.
    Who may participate:
    Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. However, you must be a member here at GA with author or poet status (which is free and can be purchased through the Activities tab: Store link).  Please RSVP to the 2025 Anthology Creature Feature event (can be found by accessing the activity tab, then events) to receive reminders and also to give the anthology team an idea of number of participants.
    Submission Guidelines
    Submission Date: October 1, 2025
    Please Note: Submission date is for submission to the Anthology Proof Team.
    Non-Poetry
    No Story Limit: Each story submitted must meet quality and editing guidelines. Each story posted as its own submission Minimum word count per story: 1,000 Maximum word count per story: 25,000 Poetry
    Unlimited number of poems, up to 10,000 words total Posted as a single submission (a collection)  
    Submission Procedure *Please read carefully*
    Once your story is complete and has gone through your beta and editing team, please complete the following steps:
    Contact @Valkyrie via PM. Include in the PM the following information: Title, original editor, genre, synopsis, word count, and excerpt in the body of the PM. Attach your story file as a Word document.  Please send as a .doc or .docx if possible.  We have had issues with .odt documents.  You will be paired with a proofreader from the Anthology Proof Team who will perform a final proof for the anthology and return the file to you. *Please Note: Prior editing required before submission.* Once you receive your proofed file, complete your edits and submit your story into the GA Stories Archive. For help, please read How do I upload my anthology entry into GA Stories? o   Make sure the story stays unpublished (DO NOT click on either the publish or publish now buttons for the story itself or later when adding a chapter/chapters.)
      Select “Fiction” as the category. It will be moved later by staff.  A maximum of four chapters may be included, but submitting the story as one chapter is highly preferred. Due to site limitations, if there are multiple chapters submitted, one chapter will post every 24 hours. This is not something we can change. When submitting multiple chapters, DO NOT SET A DATE for the ‘story’ or the chapters.  Site staff will set the dates for you once they are moved to the anthology category. The ‘story’ and first chapter will publish on the anthology release date, and subsequently, additional chapters will post every 24 hours after that.  Not following this guideline results in a LOT of extra work for staff, and you will risk your story not being included in the anthology. Mark your story status as COMPLETE. Only completed stories are allowed in the anthologies Please note that once you submit a story it will NOT show up in your list of stories until the anthology has gone live. Copy the URL for your story (not a chapter page) and paste it in the announcement thread in the Writer’s Circle so your submission may be checked to ensure it meets submission guidelines and is moved to the anthology category.  ***Please do a visual check of your story once it has been uploaded to ensure that it posted correctly. If it did not, contact @Cia or @Valkyrie.  

    IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT do ANYTHING with your story once it has been submitted to the anthology. We lock edits to anthologies, but we can only lock so much and making ANY changes can cause issues with the system. If there is something with your story that absolutely needs fixed, added, etc, PLEASE contact @Cia or @Valkyrie. Thank you!
    Extensions
    Occasionally things happen that prevent an author from meeting the deadline. If you need an extension, contact Valkyrie before the deadline (not the day of or after), and something may be able to be worked out.  If you have NOT made arrangements prior to the deadline, your anthology story will not be included. You are welcome to post your story independently and include a story note stating it was originally meant to be part of the anthology.
    Story Titles
    Please do not use the anthology theme or your GA Username as a title. Be as original as you can. In case of duplicate titles within the anthology, we will request that titles be changed.
    Unacceptable entries & Content Warnings
    Entries that are obviously unedited (containing many errors) or that violate site guidelines will be either declined or changes may be requested as a condition of entry. For information on what is considered to be unacceptable, please see the Story Content Rules FAQ. 
    Please include a Content Warning in the story notes if your story contains sensitive content, e.g.: abuse-physical, mental, sexual, extreme violence, taboo topics, etc.... 
    Previously posted stories (whether at GA or elsewhere) are not eligible for inclusion into the GA anthologies.
    Editing
    All entries MUST be edited prior to being sent to the Anthology Proof Team. If you need an editor, please visit the Editors section of the Writer’s Club to request one.  Please make sure to follow the guidelines when requesting an editor.  The proof team is under no obligation to provide a proofread of a story until it has been edited. Proofreads should take no more than 72 hours once you have been paired with a proofreader. If you have not received your story back within 72 hours, please contact Valkyrie via PM. If you send your stories in within the last 48 hours of the deadline, you have 48 hours after receiving it back to upload it in order for it to be included in the Anthology.
    Copyright
    As with all content in GA Stories, the rights remain with the individual authors. Your story will post with a simple 2025 copyright notice, using your GA user display name. If you have another preference (for example, a different name, or a Creative Commons license, or specific copyright wording you'd like to use), please include that with your submission.
    However, with this anthology, by submitting your story, you are giving GayAuthors.org first worldwide rights with 14 days exclusivity. What that means is you are giving GayAuthors.org permission to archive your story on its website, distribute it via RSS, kindle, iPhone, iPad, eyeball… and you agree not to publish it anywhere else for two weeks.
    If you later decide to post your story at another site, please mention at the beginning or end of the story that it was first published as part of the 2025 Gay Authors Anthology – Creature Feature and include a link back to GA if possible.
    If you have any questions, please post them in the Anthology Forum.
     
  18. Valkyrie

    Prompt Rewind

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Today's prompt blog is going to be a little bit different.  Five years ago, @wildone featured some guest prompts after our prompt guru Comicfan sadly passed away.  One of these prompts was recently resurrected, with several authors taking up the challenge.  This is one of my favorite technical prompts, as it gets authors to consider their words carefully and approach first person POV in a different way.  So please check out the prompt and responses and give it a go yourself.  Be sure to post your links in the comments here and in the prompt thread.  Now start writing!  

    Technical Prompt Challenge:
    Write a story (at least 500 words) in first person without using the pronoun "I". 
     
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
     
     
  19. Valkyrie

    Two Weeks!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    There are just two weeks left to get stories sent to me for the Proof Team to review.  From the selection I've read so far, this is going to be a great anthology! The Proof Team has been hard at work, but we're always eager for more, so keep sending me your creatures to feature!  

    Hmmm... maybe something a bit scarier?

    Nah... scarier. 

    That'll do   
     
     
  20. Valkyrie

    Wasn't it just June?

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    It's starting to feel like Fall here, with a few hot days thrown in.  It's mainly been cool, and the trees have even started to turn.  I love it.  Fall is my favorite time of year, with the beautiful Northeast foliage and cool temps.  It's time to pumpkin spice all the things!  

     
    It's also back to school season, which means more traffic and lots of cranky people. Let's write about the beginning of Fall. 
    PT Prompt #303:
    You've decided to go back to college at age 40.  What prompted this decision, and what are you studying?  How do you relate to classmates half your age? 
    PT Prompt #304:
    Take us on a walk through the woods.  Be as descriptive as possible.  Maybe there are creatures to encounter and feature in the anthology.  
     
    @Inkognito took on one of my sensory prompts last week, and came up with a unique interpretation.  Be sure to check it out! 
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
  21. Valkyrie

    Proofreading vs Editing

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthology
    Proofreading vs Editing
    No, it’s not a writing smackdown, but two different parts of the writing process that go hand-in-hand.  Since the proof team is working in overdrive at the moment, I thought it would be a good time to rehash the role we play and the difference between a proofread and an edit. 
    Editing is an in-depth process that looks at all aspects of the story.  So in addition to punctuation, spelling, grammar, language-usage, and the technical aspects of writing, a good edit includes looking at continuity errors, plausibility, author voice, and the overall story arc.  It can be a lengthy process, depending on the editor, author, and amount of revision needed. 
    Proofreading is the final step before the story goes live.  So once an author’s editing and beta reading team have dissected the story and the author has put it back together, then it’s always a good idea to give the story a final proofread to catch anything that might have been missed.  When the proof team completes a proof on an anthology story, we are looking for spelling errors, misused words, incorrect grammar, and punctuation.  Even the best editors sometimes miss things, so our job is to catch those mistakes and make the story as clean as possible. 
     
    There’s a great discussion going on right now in the Anthology Discussion Thread in the Writer’s Club about editing experiences, scary or otherwise.  I’ve received some memorable comments from editors, and one of the most memorable was when I was told to “Get your head out of your ass, stop writing like Jane Austen, and start writing like Valkyrie again!”.  Let’s hear your most memorable comments from your editors. 
     
    Finally, I’d like to re-feature a blog post about the proof team members.  It’s a sometimes thankless job, but we have a wonderful team who work hard behind the scenes to make the anthologies the best they can be.  I’d like to extend a special thank you to @cia for stepping in and helping out this year.  Another great reason to participate in the anthology is the possibility of having GA's editing guru herself take a look at your work.  It's a learning opportunity to definitely take advantage of.  We’ve received a lot of stories so far, and I hope they keep coming in!  Let’s get to that twenty mark I set earlier!
     
    https://gayauthors.org/blogs/entry/19795-meet-the-anthology-proof-team/
  22. Valkyrie

    The Proof is in the... Creature Feature!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    What does the Anthology Proof Team do?  Once your anthology story is finished and edited, then it's time to send it to me so I can assign a Proof Team member to give it a final once-over.  Why do we do this? To ensure that stories meet site guidelines and basic editing standards.  We look for anything the author and their team may have missed - misspelled words, misused words, unintentional grammar mistakes, punctuation.  I have a great team of knowledgeable proofreaders ready to go with their red pens.    
    There's one month to go before the deadline to send me stories, and I'm thrilled with the response to the anthology so far!  I have to apologize for those of you waiting on proofreads.  I don't really want to get into any personal issues, but I've been having a flare-up of a chronic health condition, so please bear with me, and thank you for your patience!    Everything will get done and returned in time for the anthology release.  And please continue sending me your featured creatures! 

  23. Valkyrie

    Sensory Overload

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Good writing engages the senses, so let's explore some ways to do that.  

     
    PT Prompt #301:
    Choose a sense and then describe something related to that sense to someone lacking that sense.  For example, describe colors to a blind person or music to a Deaf person.  
     
    PT Prompt #302:
    Write from the POV of an individual experiencing sensory overload.  It could be too much noise, light, touch, etc.  
     
     
     
    Be sure to check out @BendtedWreath and @chris191070's collaboration in response to @Aditus's prompts. 
     
     
     
    Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection.
    If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here:
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/
  24. Valkyrie

    Writing Short Stories

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Classic Author Libby Drew wrote a great guest article a couple of years ago about her take on writing short stories.  Since this year's anthology is fast approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to re-feature it.  
     
  25. Valkyrie

    Anthology 101 - Writing Short Stories

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Now that the Secret Author contest is behind us, it's time to start focusing on the anthology.  What better way to kick off this year's Leap of Faith anthology than with a guest article by our Secret Author contest winner, @Libby Drew?  Libby, like me, is a big fan of the short story medium, and has written a superb article about writing short stories.  Remember that anthology stories can be as little as 1,000 words, and when done well, those words can pack a huge punch.  So, read Libby's article and then start brainstorming for the anthology!  
     
    Writing Short Stories, and All That Jazz
      By Libby Drew
     Short stories can be just as powerful and moving as longer works of fiction. In fact, they can be even more impactful because they deliver their message in a single, commanding hit. A novel is a floodlight. A short story is a spotlight. It is a moment. An event. A mood.
     In an unsurprising ironic twist, I had trouble keeping this article brief. As the short story form is close to my heart, I waxed rather poetic in my first draft of this post. In the spirit of the topic, however, I edited heavily. I hope what remains is interesting and helpful.
     
    Why even write short stories?
     One, short stories are excellent novel-writing practice, if novel length stories are either your trade or goal. Creating short form fiction fleshes out your thoughts and pinpoints what’s relevant to the narrative. It’s a good method of cultivating focus, skills, and patience for writing a novel.
     Two, it frees you up to take more risks. Aside from taking (presumably) less time, effort and research, a short story allows you to experiment. Do you typically write from a man’s perspective? Try a woman’s. Third person? Try first. Maybe take a stab at a non-chronological narrative. Present tense over past. These are just a few examples. The point is, if you want to spread your wings, this is the perfect opportunity.
     It’s a marketing tool. This one’s self-explanatory, I think. If readers enjoy you in bite-sized pieces, they might be more willing to invest their time in one of your novels. Writing for anthologies, contests or any collection of short form fiction is an invaluable way to stretch your intellectual and writing muscles. The anthology opportunities on GA are a goldmine for gaining a loyal audience and have helped me discover some of my favorite authors here.
     Crafting short stories can rekindle your motivation for writing. It’s common to occasionally feel exhausted and directionless when all of our attention is on bigger and longer writing projects. If you find yourself procrastinating or lack motivation to push through a longer story, take a step back. Write something short. Flush the plot twists, lengthy list of characters, complicated settings and world-building and instead write a moment. A crisis. A feeling. 
     This is a biggie: writing short stories hones your craft. You will become a better editor because you’re forced to create a moving and engaging narrative within a tight space. Avoid extraneous content that doesn’t push the story forward. There’s no room for fluff. The practice of succinct writing can challenge you, and the more challenges you present yourself with, the better writer you will become.
     
    What is a short story?
     It is not an excuse to abandon engaging storytelling. You still need a protagonist, dilemma, decision, climax, and outcome. Short stories are often more focused than novels, as all the elements within—plot, character, pacing, story structure, and so on—must work together towards the common goal of brevity.
    How long is it?
     Depends on who you ask. A typical short story has a word count of anywhere between 1,000 to 7,500 words, although, as always, there are exceptions to the rule. Poe defined it as “something readable in a single sitting.” Ray Bradbury’s average short story word count is around 3,800. Hemingway, 5000. Flannery O’Connor’s works average about 7,000 words per story.
     My advice is to not become fixated on word count. Art is impossible to quantify, after all. Instead, focus on the following key elements. They are tenets of the short story form.
    ●      A clearly defined mood, idea or emotion
    ●      Clear, descriptive language
    ●      A small cast of vital characters
    ●      A strong point of view -- what do you want your readers to feel as they read?
     Tips for writing a short story
     Start as close to the end as possible. I’ve mentioned this before in my blog. Drop your reader into the unfolding story. Bypass the “before” and the “maybe related” and the “vaguely interesting thing about my protagonist.”
     Keep up the pace. Steady pacing, with rising tension, engages the reader.
     Keep the cast of characters small: a protagonist, an antagonist, and, maybe, someone to throw a wrench into the works. That’s all you need. Someone to cheer on, someone to hate, and, occasionally, someone who serves to advance the character arc for either the protagonist or antagonist.
     You can make a small cast of characters engaging. You can make them unforgettable, as a matter of fact. Give your main character a passion. Give him a weakness -- that’s always relatable. A glimpse into your character’s psyche is another good approach. This will make him feel real, and it draws the reader inside the story. And don’t forget…
     Conflict! Short doesn’t mean directionless. Your protagonist should have either a dilemma, a revelation, or be faced with a decision of some kind. Surrounding that conflict should be a good dose of tension. Conflict keeps readers invested in your story. It is the lifeblood of storytelling.
     Suggest a backstory, but don’t elaborate. You, the writer, need to understand a character’s motivation in order to write their story. The reader won’t need this level of detail if you draw them in with dialogue, tension, and by engaging their senses. On that topic…
     Engage all five senses. As humans, we don’t only see and hear. We smell, taste and feel as well. Visceral details are worth paragraphs of exposition.
     Dialogue brings a story to life. Don’t waste too much word count on scene setting. Tight dialogue is one of the best ways to build drama.
     Edit until it hurts. Delete transitory scenes and get right to the meat of the story. Get rid of repetitive words. Toss out unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Make every sentence count. For the greatest impact, keep your language succinct, fresh and exciting, specific and colorful. Vary your sentence structure. Avoid cliches and platitudes.
     
    In conclusion
     Just because short stories are short, doesn’t mean they are easy to write. But the benefits of trying can’t be overestimated. As with any skill, the more we practice, the better we become. The better we become, the more we captivate, enchant and enthrall the reader every time we endeavor to put the human experience to the page.
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