Writing Rules for you to break.

Here’s something I’ve been doing over the past year, and the results have been fantastic.

I took a break from working on a novel and cobbled together some short stories. My goal was to finish at least one per month. Attainable and measurable. At the same time, I tried to work on specific parts of my writing. I’ve been decent at plot, but I’ve fallen short in character development. So, I worked specifically on that aspect of my writing.

The result has been rewarding. I’ve placed short stories in multiple publications, including Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The Twin Bill, and others. Just as important, I’ve improved in character development and writing dialog. Man, it’s fun to write dialog.

Want to try it? Here’s a suggestion. Read a couple of short stories first. I suggest Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants and Edgar Allan Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart. Oh, there are so many more great ones to choose from, so pick your own to get in the mood. Then pick an area of your own writing you want to work on. We’ll look at ways to submit your work in next week’s tip. Till then, keep tapping that keyboard.