Della Galton - How to Write and Sell Short Stories

Della Galton

Published by Accent Press Ltd 2008
Reprinted November 2009

ISBN 9781906373337

Copyright Della Galton 2008

The right of Della Galton to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, The Old School, Upper High St, Bedlinog, Mid-Glamorgan CF46 6RY.

Printed and bound in the UK

Cover Design by Red Dot Design

For Mum and Dad, particularly Mum, who still insists that I taught her to spell when I was twelve. Im not so sure about that, Mum, but thanks anyway! My business side if Ive got one definitely comes from you.

Acknowledgments

As always, Id like to thank everyone at Accent Press for their support and encouragement. This book couldnt have been written without the help of many, many people, not least the ones who gave me quotes for it. (There is a full index of whos who at the end.) My special thanks go to Ian Burton, but I am eternally grateful to all the writers who contributed and who have by their kindness reaffirmed my long-held belief that writers truly are the loveliest people in the world.

Foreword

As an experienced and hugely popular writer of short stories, Della Galton is highly qualified to write this book for writers. Her ability to take readers out of their day-to-day lives and transport them into new and interesting scenarios has put her in the top league of short-story writers. Short-story writing should never be thought of as the ugly sister of real writing. It is a skill, and is one of the most sought-after ways of getting your work into print.

It is a fallacy to think that there is only one type of short story, and that they must all be womens reads. The womens fiction market is certainly the biggest one, but within that category there is a wealth of different stories to be told, from crime, to nostalgic, to humorous, to more traditional and romantic stories. Examining all of these in detail is only one aspect of this informative book. Short stories should entertain as well as appeal to readers, and Della pulls no punches in telling you how to go about it, and how to send your work to the right market to avoid the dreaded rejection slip.

Talent lies in the hands and imagination of the writer, but developing appealing characters and devising a plot that is not contrived is a technique that can be learned. Della shows how to write a story that will make editors reach for their chequebooks, which is what every aspiring writer wants. Short-story writing can be lucrative but also annoyingly frustrating when a writer is continually being told that his or her story is not quite right, and to try again.

Between these pages, you will discover some of the short-cuts to win over the most hard-hearted editor. These include the successful use of flashbacks, easy transitions, effective dialogue, and making the most of your characters emotions. Above all, how to bring drama into a story without making it a melodrama. How too, do you convey changes of time and place within the confining length of a short story without making the whole thing seem too staccato? And how to deal with that ever-popular twist ending without giving the game away? These are all components of the short story which may come naturally to the experienced writer, but which are bewildering to the beginner.

Dellas easy-to-read book not only tells you the way to do it, but shows you by example. Written with a light touch, but with the sureness of someone who knows exactly what she is talking about, aspiring writers will read this book avidly and learn a lot from someone who knows her craft well. More experienced writers will find it a useful dipping-in book to refer to when the elusive muse vanishes, or writers block takes over. But since neither of those things appear in a dedicated writers vocabulary, read, enjoy, and learn from it. This is a book that should be on every short-story writers shelf.

Jean Saunders

My journey as a writer began when I joined an evening class called Writing for Profit and Pleasure, run by a lady called Jean Dynes, way back in 1987. Or perhaps my journey began a little earlier than that if I think about it. My childhood was spent with my nose in a book although if the truth be known this was because I was very shy and didnt make friends easily. Books provided a welcome escape. In books I could be anyone I wanted to be: a princess, a hero or a winged horse. In fact, anyone other than who I was a gangly rather awkward child who didnt fit in.

Its amazing how many writers Ive met who tell exactly the same story. Many of us read to escape and often we began to write for the same reason. Then we became hooked on the joy of writing and finally we wondered what it would be like to see our work in print. Maybe this is you, too.

As a child, I didnt dream about writing fiction. I was going to be a poet. My first ever published piece of work was a poem in Pony Magazine when I was eight. I suspect they published it because of my age, rather than for its literary merit!

My gran tells me I wrote her stories and indeed has kept a few embarrassing examples. But I didnt harbour any ambitions towards a literary career. Confidence was not my strong point. Although I was good at English it was the only subject I was good at I did not do well at school. I left with just two O-levels dont let anyone tell you that you need a university education to be a successful writer. You do not.

There are other things you do need, though, and youll need them by the bucket-load: determination; persistence; patience; courage; and the ability to exist on next to no money (or a second income) while you get started. Getting published is not a fast track route to fame and riches. But, saying that, seeing your first short story in print is the best feeling in the world.

Where was I? Ah yes, an evening class in 1987. I joined out of curiosity and at the first class I attended, Jean Dynes asked if anyone had any success to report. A young woman stood up and announced she had just sold her twenty-seventh story that year.

I was impressed and amazed. And I knew in that moment that I wanted to be just like her. She was my first inspiration her name was Tina Wade. All through my writing career, its people who have inspired me. People who have helped and encouraged me, or simply people whose work Ive deeply admired. Many of them were kind enough to give me quotes for this book. Youll find them under the tips from the experts sections.

I hope this book will inspire you, too, but before you begin a word of warning. Writing for publication is the most difficult, frustrating and heartbreaking pursuit in the world. It will leave you battered and bruised and despairing. It is also the most wonderful pursuit in the world. Nothing beats seeing your name in print for the first time. Nothing beats the feeling of complete strangers telling you theyve been moved to tears, or enjoyed a quiet chuckle at the humour in something youve written.

The route to publication is a rollercoaster ride.

Enjoy the journey.

Chapter One

Perhaps I shouldnt be answering this question right at the beginning of this book, but hey, life is short, and if youre anything like me then fitting writing in between the trials and tribulations of living is difficult enough, let alone having to read books about it too, so here it is: