What Is the Structure of a Short Story?Īlthough a short story definitely does not have the numerous plot points that a full-length novel includes, it still boasts many of the same key elements in its story structure. Short stories generally do not exceed 8,000 words, but some writers have written longer ones that went up to 20,000 words.Īny longer than 20,000 words and you start to enter novella territory, which start at around 30,000 words. “Microfiction” falls anywhere below 2,000 words, and might even wrap up neatly below 500 words. Most short stories are consist of 2,000 to 5,000 words. In fact, some writers assert that the skill of telling a full-length story in a short time is more difficult to learn than writing it out in a longer novel.

But don’t let the low word count fool you: it’s actually a perfect way to challenge yourself to be concise, yet effective. The short story is an ideal starting point for beginners thanks to its limited word count, and there are many reasons to write short stories. But how can you harness the same power in your own writing? Writers like Edgar Allan Poe and Rudyard Kipling have shown us the power of the short story to fascinate as well as impact readers.

Examples of short stories to write