I've talked to so many writers who want to know how they can start a career in creative writing. They ask me:
- How do you get published?
- How do you stay disciplined enough to write a whole book?
- How do you build a platform for your fiction?
Like most writers, I thought writing short stories was a stupid way to build a career in writing. I wanted to write novels. The prestige and the money are in novels, I thought. Why would I write short stories?
But then something happened. After failing to finish another novel, I started writing a short story. Soon, it was finished and sent off to a literary magazine. For the first time in years, I had finished a creative writing project.
Get Published Sooner
There's something magical that happens when you finish a story.
- You can get published.
- You can get feedback.
- You can experience every aspect of the writing process, not just the first draft stage.
All of this leads to becoming a better writer faster. You also begin the process of building a writing career and a platform for your fiction.
I think that's why so many great novelist through history first published short stories. Mark Twain, Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway, and even Stephen King didn't start out writing novels. They built their craft and their careers with short stories.
For the last couple of months, I've been working on a resource for writers who are interested in the idea of writing short stories as the groundwork of a career in creative writing. The eBook is called Let's Write a Short Story! And it just came out today.
About the Book
—C. Hope Clark, founder fundsforwriters.com and author
Let’s Write a Short Story! is an eBook about the process of writing and publishing short stories. The book will guide you through the process of researching publications, writing your story, editing, and submitting your work to literary magazines.
It’s also a primer in how to make a career in fiction writing. If you’ve ever wanted to be a writer, this book will help get you started.
It's more than just a book, though. It's a challenge. Let’s Write a Short Story! won’t just give you the information you need. It will help you take the next step in becoming a published writer.
What People are Saying
Hundreds of people have already read Let's Write a Short Story! and are talking about how it helped them get back on track with writing. Some have told me they barely managed to finish the book because they kept wanting to go write a short story. Here's what they're saying:
“”As a storyteller, I will keep this resource at the ready,” says Darrell Vesterfelt.
“”We all need a good kick in the pants once in a while!” says Beck Gambill.
“”I jumped into this fully expecting a solid mix of productivity, writing and publishing tips. What Joe provides is much more that that: A comprehensive resource for both the novice and more seasoned writer to give their career a little shock therapy. Trust me—skip the short story class and nab this instead,” says Brett Henley.
“”Do I need one more book about writing? Yes I do,” says Mary Lofthus on Wide Margins.
Get the Book
Let's Write a Short Story! is available as a PDF or for your Kindle or Nook reader. It's also available on letswriteashortstory.com. Check out how you can save money on the packages.
Along with Let's Write a Short Story! you can also get the work book, 15 Days to Write and Submit a Short Story, which will take you step-by-step through the entire process, from researching publications to writing your story to formatting it for submission. It will even help you deal with writer's block if you get stuck.
At The Write Practice, we're all about taking small, practical steps toward improving at the craft of writing. This is a great way to take your practice to the next level.
Have you ever written a short story? Why did you decide to write it?
Good job Joe
Hey Joe, I was wondering if it’s possible to buy the workbook separately later? I’m looking for ways to kickstart a daily writing habit towards short stories and I think this book might help me. But I’m admittedly uncertain as to whether I’ll stick with it or not. That said I don’t really want to invest in the workbook yet until I’ve proved to myself that I’m going to take this seriously. So will the workbook be available to purchase separately eventually?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Hi Paul. Great question. That’s definitely my plan, but it may not be for a week or two. You might sign up for updates on letswriteashortstory.com to get notified exactly when it’s offered separately. I probably won’t announce it here.
Okay thanks Joe. Already signed up. 🙂
Congrats, Joe. I just Tweeted and FB’d it for you. Having read it, I’d say it’s a great ebook for those wanting to jumpstart a writing habit, maybe even gathering a few clips under their belts. As one who firmly believes in contests, I suggest to my readers all the time to enter their shorts in contests. Great springboard. Good luck with it, Joe!
C. Hope Clark
http://www.chopeclark.com
http://www.fundsforwriters.com
Great idea about contests, Hope. And thanks for all your support. I’m humbled to have your support.
Congratulations! I added your book’s site onto StumbleUpon, and I have a post slated for Tumblr. I’m also going to see if anyone on the writer’s forum I’m at is interested in checking it out.
I’m writing a short story right now. Got eight pages of it done today.
By the way, I’ll be sending the interview questions in a week or two, once launch time has passed. Are you being interviewed by anyone else?
8 Pages?! That’s insane. Great job, CZ!
Hi Joe,
I bought the silver package. I just wanted to let you know that there’s an easier way to get the book onto your Kindle. I simply attached the .mobi version to an email and sent it to my “Send-to-Kindle Email Address” and it magically appeared on my Kindle and worked straight away. The .mobi version will look just like a Kindle e-book. The .pdf version will also work, but won’t reflow. (I sent the workbook the same way.)
This works for wifi and 3G Kindles running recent software versions, and you can set up the address when you register your kindle, or change it later on the “Personal Document Settings” page of your Kindle account on Amazon.
Great point Tamyka. I should mention that. I wanted the failsafe option, because it doesn’t work for everyone’s Kindle, but you’re definitely right that it’s easier.
Having read the book too, I can honestly say that Let’s Write A Short Story! is a wonderful resource for any writer. It will kick your butt to start doing something, but advise you on all the steps you need to take and even point how to mail your submission and where. Great job Joe; this will help so many people.
Congrats, man. Excited for you and this excellent work. The world needs more stories worth reading.
I have written a few short stories: two when I was in Kindergarten and I think four here in The Write Practice. :3
I really want to try writing short stories, but for some reason, I can’t. Whenever I write a short story, somehow there’s this plot twist in my mind that makes me want to write a sequel, and then another one, and another one, until it becomes a novel. AND I can’t stand writing anything short 🙁 I’m usually satisfied when the story has 3000 words. XD
Congratulations Joe! One question that Indie authors always seem to ask me is “Where can I find someone that can make me a professional looking book cover.” I really don’t have a good answer for it, but can you shed some light onto it.
Hi Sonia. Great question. Erin ,of design-glory.com (our one and only ad in the side bar), made the cover for Let’s Write a Short Story! as well as the workbook. She’s amazing. Super fast and not too expensive. I HIGHLY recommend her. If you send people to design-glory.com, have them tell her I recommended her.
Thanks Joe, I’ll let everyone know.
I’ve written a short story because i wanted to finish something each day. But i feel like working on my novel and finish a short story is really hard. I can’t not work on my novel because i’m too attached and i can’t give up after all i’ve been through. But i feel like writing short stories could possibly help…
Amazing! I want to get the book as soon as possible. I’m trying to write a short story feel free to visit my blog and take a look.
double-infiniity.blogspot.com
Thanks. I did as suggested. Go see for yourself at http://www.jeralynlashsands.blogspot.com