Short stories seem to be having a moment in popular culture. Director Wes Anderson has four new short films based on short stories by Roald Dahl set to stream on Netflix later this month and Reddit threads like r/shortstory not only allow people to read short stories for free, but also publish them for an audience thirsty for new fiction. It’s also no surprise to learn that Hollywood producers and studio execs are reading short stories with the end goal of developing them into larger properties like films. (Read this recent Q&A with Hollywood lit agent David Boxerbaum where he talks about looking for short stories for writers to adapt).
So, if you’re a screenwriter wondering if you should consider penning a short story, here are five reasons you should consider doing just that.
1.) Explore a New Genre
Many writers may have considered exploring genres like science fiction or fantasy but may be intimidated by writing outside of their wheelhouse. Writing an entire TV pilot or feature screenplay in a new genre can be a risky endeavor considering how specialized certain genres can be, but a short story, typically 5,000 to 20,000 words, may be your best bet when it comes to seeing if the genre is a good fit for you.
See if you can establish a genre-specific world of your choice and make it relevant to today by creating a relatable protagonist dealing with universal themes. This type of experiment can serve as a testing ground for writing with unfamiliar narrative conventions and exploring exciting worlds you may not think to explore in your screenplays.
Read More: How to Write a Short Story
2.) Create a Short Story Instead of an Outline
If you’re the type of writer we call a “Pantser,” meaning you like to write by the seat of your pants, letting inspiration guide you instead of creating a detailed outline, maybe writing a short story would help you work out the plot and character details in a fun, generative way. Any short story with a beginning, middle and end will likely fit into a three-act structure, so why not sit down and let the creativity flow?
Read More: 12 Best Short Stories to Read for Screenwriting Inspiration
3.) Writing Sample
Because of the growing popularity of online forums like Reddit’s ThrillSleep thread, short stories are now reaching a much wider audience. These pieces of short fiction can easily be adapted into other mediums and are getting read by Hollywood producers, executives and literary managers. Some TV showrunners are even requesting to read short stories as writing samples instead of original pilots. So, even if you’re looking to have a career in TV, having a well-written short story might get you a meeting or at the very least, be a refreshing addition to your writing samples.
Read More: How to Write Short Stories That Make an Emotional Impact
4.) Get Published
If you’re not a screenwriter but are interested in becoming a novelist, a short story is a great place to start if you want to get your foot in the door of the publishing world. There are dozens of literary magazines, journals and online fiction outlets seeking short story submissions year-round – some even pay to publish your work! If you do spend the months (or years) it takes to write a full-length novel, it may help to mention to potential book publishers that you’ve had a piece of short fiction published before and include a link if it’s available online. People love knowing someone else liked your work before they commit to reading a lengthy submission, so it’s a win-win situation.
Read More: Why Do Short Stories Make Great Movies?
5.) Explore an Antagonist in Depth
If you’ve ever written a screenplay and gotten the note that your antagonist or villain is too arch or not developed enough, a great experiment could be to write a short story from that character’s point of view. Write the narrative in the first person and really dig deep into their world and psychological state. See if you can really understand what motivates their actions. What do they value most of all? Are they a purely evil person? Or do they do the wrong things for the right reasons? If you can crawl inside your antagonist’s head, you’re likely to develop a greater awareness of what makes them tick and even create empathy for them.
Read More: 8 Films You Didn’t Know Were Based on Short Stories
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Writing short stories can enhance your screenwriting abilities by sharpening your storytelling skills, deepening character development and exploring new genres. Writing with a limited word count can also help you develop your own discipline when it comes to creating concise and engaging plots that get straight to the meat of the story. Having a surprising – maybe even mind-blowing – short story in your repertoire could set you apart from other writers.
Read More: Ground Control Producer Scott Glassgold Explains the Magic of Short Stories
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