Beginning Writer's

[IsaacNewton]

As with anything the best way to begin is with small steps. Come up with an idea and don't worry about if you think it is good or not, just come up with an idea. An ant walks across the road to get a french-fry someone tossed out of their car while driving back to work after lunch. Write a half page story. How old is the ant, where does he/she live, why is he/she going to get the french-fry, what is the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Usually the beginning and end are much easier than all that come between but so what. Writing should be the adventure of going on the trip yourself.

The point is, start VERY small and see what happens. Again don't worry about writing a masterpiece, just write A STORY. This guy started here, did this, and this happened. Read up on the three act stucture of most stories, and how and why you don't have to follow this or any formula to the letter and how you can personalize or inject your own sensibility into the structure. Don't like any structure? Then write what you like and see what happens.

Here is a one page short story from one of the venerated sci-fi writers of the 20th century.

Fredric Brown’s Answer

 

[IsaacNewton]

In addition, read many short stories. The shorter the better. Many poems are short stories written more as images than with words telling a story. Also don't limit yourself, story telling is one imagination creating a new world. The entire Star Wars universe didn't exist except in the mind of George Lucas until he wrote it down and made the film.