Teaching short story writing

Shorts require expert technique, more so than novels, and weaknesses in the writing are glaringly obvious. 

Too many new writers assume that because a short story is short, it will be easy.

On the contrary, because a short story is short, it is hard. 

William Faulkner said: "You can put more trash in a novel and be excused for it.  In a short story... almost every word has got to be almost exactly right."

H. E. Bates described short stories as "the most difficult and exacting of all prose forms."

I am a former tutor for The London School of Journalism, which offers a very good short story writing course. I recommend it for experienced as well as inexperienced writers.

For the past two years I've been concentrating on teaching novel writing rather than short stories, via my over-subscribed Novel Coach service.

I have also lectured on the subject at writing conferences and seminars. 

For some of my advice on short story writing visit Writing Articles.