Improve Your Short Story Writing Skills

In celebration of Short Story Month, we'd like to encourage authors to write more short stories.  Many of the Alaskan Author's we've interviewed began their novel careers based on a short story they wrote in a college class.  As the story developed, the writers became attached to the main character.  This in turn led to a desire to explore more about the protagonist and create a more detailed plot.  The end result was a completed novel, and in many cases, the first of a series of novels. 

Short stories can be a good starting point for authors uncertain which direction to take in their writing career.  It can also help authors explore new genres and stretch their writing skills.  Additionally, short stories in fan fiction on many popular websites can help build an audience base for marketing your future novels.

Authors can also submit their short stories to print magazine and ezines for publication (and often times small payment), which will also increase awareness of your name and writing style (another marketing bonus).  Here are just a few of the many magazines accepting short stories:

• The Three Penny Review
• The Atlantic
• All-Story
• The Antioch Review
• The First Line

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