If she hates her brother, though, and is friends with his bullies, she’s conflicted in a way that makes your plot even more interesting.

For example, if your character is a teenage girl who really cares about her family, you might expect her to protect her brother from school bullies. What was the lonely old man like as a child? Where did he get that scar on his hand? Even if you don’t include these details in the story, knowing your character deeply will help them ring true.Ĭharacters Make the Plot: Create a character who makes your plot more interesting and complicated. We get it: writing prompts are an excellent resource, but you want to know how to come up with your own story ideas. They also cut to the chase and establish and resolve. Children’s picture books could all be considered short stories, and there are plenty of options to choose from. You can also borrow traits from people you know.Ĭrafting a Backstory: Delve into your main character’s past experiences to figure out what makes them tick. How to come up with short story ideas yourself. While novels are 200-400 pages on average, short stories tell a complete story in 10,000 words or less.

Make notes about interesting people you see and think about how you could incorporate them into your story. Spend some time people-watching in a public place, like a mall or busy pedestrian street. They are journeys you can make to the far side of the universe and. Finding Inspiration: Characters are all around you. Short stories are tiny windows into other worlds and other minds and other dreams.

Best types of short stories to write