Short stories often seen as warm-ups, stepping stones, or something to do before you start your “real” writing career. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Short stories are where many great careers begin—and where many great writers return when they want to challenge themselves, hone their craft, or reconnect with the joy of storytelling.
In fact, some of the most powerful pieces of writing you’ll ever create might come in under 10,000 words.
Here’s why short stories are essential for every writer:
1. They Teach Precision
In a novel, you have hundreds of pages to develop your plot and characters. In a short story, you have to make every sentence count. Dialogue, pacing, and structure all sharpen when you’re working within tight boundaries.
2. They’re the Fastest Way to Get Your Work Published
While novel-length publishing can take years, short stories can open doors quickly. Anthologies, magazines, websites, and contests are constantly looking for strong stories. Many bestselling authors got their start this way, including Stephen King.
3. They Let You Explore (Without Committing to 100K Words)
Want to test out a new genre? Explore a risky theme? Dive into a weird idea? Hone your Point of View? Voice? I’ve taught a lot of authors how to get their tenses right through flash fiction. Short stories are the perfect playground for experimentation.
4. They Build Your Author Brand
Every published short story adds to your credibility, audience, and backlist. Each one can bring new readers into your world and show them what kind of writer you are. Plus, it’s a great palate cleanser between writing novels.
So, how do you take your story from draft to submission-ready?
That’s where most writers get stuck.
Maybe your dialogue feels flat.
Maybe the ending doesn’t hit right.
Maybe you’re unsure where—or even if—you should submit it.
I’ve worked with hundreds of writers over the past decade, and the truth is: great stories aren’t written—they’re revised.
That’s why I created the 31-Day Short Story Workshop (that and having a pleasure to attend a live reading by author Robert Ford).
In this hands-on workshop, Robert Ford and I will walk you through every stage of the revision process—from story structure and pacing to formatting, dialogue, clarity, and even public performance.
You’ll get:
- ✅ 4 Live Zoom Workshops
- ✅ Weekly assignments to apply to your short story
- ✅ A personal 1-on-1 Zoom session where your story will be read aloud—live—with expert feedback on the spot
- ✅ A Zoom workshop on live readings presented by Robert Ford
- ✅ Guidance on where and how to submit your story (including red flags to avoid)
- ✅ Downloadable content from both Joe and Robert
Whether you’re polishing a story for an anthology, contest, or just want to improve your skills, this workshop is built to take your writing to the next level.
Until next time,
Joe