Break away from all other submission to (figuratively) stand out in the crowd of contest submissions. Give judges something they can’t put down. Reality (what is) is more interesting than most fiction (what if). Your fiction has to resonate with the truth to engage your readers and reflect what readers experience in their own lives.
Add an interesting flaw to your protagonist. It makes them more human and sympathetic. Think about it. How many perfect people do you know? A character with flaws is much more realistic than one without any. Your hero/protagonist generally can’t have a moral flaw or they aren’t a true hero, but they can have a hang up or tic or limp. The possibilities are endless and it makes your character expand from a two dimensional “person” to a three dimensional “person.” In addition, your villain/antagonist needs to have at least one redeeming character trait. This makes them slightly sympathetic so your readers can relate to a part of his/her motivation.
Details can kill your story as certainly as a bullet in the heart of your hero. Sprinkle in details like spices, enough for flavor without overtaking the dish. The rare, unexpected detail can make your work shine.
A twist at the end of a short story, poem or essay is a fantastic way to please and surprise your readers. An unexpected resolution keeps a reader from becoming blasé or bored with your piece.
Read good writers to learn from their skills. For short stories, turn to O. Henry, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway as novelists who also wrote short stories. For poetry, read the works of those famous for the particular type of poetry you want to perfect. Take note of how they craft dialogue, settings and conflict. I also recommend studying recent anthologies to learn from current writers and poets.
Some creative ways to put a twist in your writing is to look at what you have and ask, “What if?” What if your romance has the lovers getting into a fight near the end? This would be unexpected and would add to an interesting ending twist, even if they resolve the disagreement by chuckling while arm wrestling. What if your cowboy falls off his horse right before he rides out of town? Maybe his celebration of winning the gunfight got a little bit carried away. Readers would be intrigued by the hero having a bit of a flaw.
When you’re creating, you must be bound by good sense and good taste. Beyond that, don’t get hung up on fears of what someone might think of your work. You are free to write what you feel. Resist the urge to self-censor. Perhaps you’ll have to tone down your piece in the editing process, but don’t short change your writing to try to please others.
Previously published in the June, 2021 issue of Writers Monthly PDF.
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