How to write short
by Roy Peter Clark · first published 2013
2mentions
1recommended by
2HN commenters
2009–2016first – last mentioned
50% recommend50% neutral
Offers advice and tips for packing a punch while being succinct when writing titles, essays, Tweets, letters, and emails in short form.
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…work. The story is not good. It's actually pretty bad, but all early stories are bad, so don't worry. My advice is to read a lot of science fiction, and a lot about how to write, how to write SF, and how to write short stories. Pick something and focus on it. In this story, you don't even have anything to focus on - what theory of reality are you actually getting at, and why doesn't it permeate the story? Never describe…
on “Ask HN:Review my science fiction story.” ↗…market segment seems to be entirely cornered by Elements of Style. There's simply nothing in the same category, in terms of size, that is anywhere near as well-regarded as Elements. Even a book called How to Write Short is nearly three times as long. I've (tried to) read many bigger books about style, usage, and grammar, of course, but I really would like a book I can plow through just before I sit down to write something…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗