Are you someone who always pours down your emotions on a piece of paper?
Do you have a fast-paced typing speed because you are always saving your write-ups in notes? Is the Notes App on your phone is used more than any other? If the answer to all or any of the questions was “YES” we have an opportunity this quarantine, for you to showcase your story to the world.
The easiest way to become a superhero is NOW! All you need to do is stay at home and find peace in this chaos.
Writing is an art that requires patience when editing and so to make it easy for you, we have come up with Quarantine Tales – an anthology wherein you have to write a fictional short story with a maximum word limit of 1000 words. The deadline is 14th April, midnight and the proceedings from the same will go for donation to fight against COVID-19.
But, what if poems or long stories are your forte? Well, we are here with tips and tricks to help you write a short story.
- You cannot edit a blank page
You just need to start writing whatever comes to mind. You don’t need to worry about what should you write next or if it sounds fancy enough to be loved by readers or if the plot is going in the right direction. You need your work to be confusing, mismanaged, simple language because it is your first draft and will set the base for letter steps.
- Don’t be afraid of flaws
This advice is for you and your characters. Make them real and relatable. Readers are looking to read a book that makes them believe that it is okay to have flaws and still live a great life. It gives them a hope that something great out there is waiting for them and this is exactly what you have to do. Maybe, Batman would not have been loved this much if he was flawless. In the words of James Gordon: Because he’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.
Read: How to publish and write a book in India? Essential guide.
- Who died?
Spoiler Alert: We have read famous books like 2047: The Unifier, The Fault in our Stars or our childhood favorite – Harry Potter. Some characters or the other died in these stories and as much as we cried and hated the authors for killing off such beautiful characters, secretly, the pain made it worth remembering all these novels.
- What happens next?
You must have read tons of stories which start in the middle, with no background and so it makes you curious not just about the ending but also, about the beginning. It is difficult to explain so much in a short story but that is where your talent of writing comes in. You need to surprise yourself with the way you turn your story in order for your reader to get surprised. A reader feels while reading what a writer did while writing.
- Edit voraciously
You need to edit like a pro. Minor errors like grammatical mistakes or punctuation may seem something like which can be compromised upon, it shows how much effort you put in to make your work look perfect and it will help you put up an impression at the concerned person.
Simple? We understand that it’s not but with the pandemic that has hit us, we have to protect ourselves and our loved ones by staying safe at homes. Who knows when will be the next time when you will get this much free time to follow your passion and get your story published that you have always wanted. So, do it now!
Or if you have a whole novel ready to be published, you can do that, too!
Click the link and submit your details. One of our publishing experts will call and explain to you our publishing process.
[…] Read: Get your story published this quarantine […]