Creative Writing: Short stories

Freeman's patience and cunning in crafting this tale is well matched to the cat's marvellous waiting powers, hunting for its prey and anticipating the return of its master after a long brutal winter.

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death....

A diverse and original selection of stories. The five stories, ranging from the lyrical to the experimental, feature murder, loss of innocence, the unravelling of a dementia sufferer, lies and loss and a child’s quiet revenge through music.

The stories were praised by the judges for the power and sophistication of the storytelling and their bravery in experimenting with different styles of narrative. Open to 14 to 18 year olds, the Award attracted hundreds of entries.

Here are lots of short story ideas that you can use as writing prompts. Any of these ideas can be used either humorously or dramatically... or you can try both.

Here you'll find a step-by-step guide on how to write a story, including answers to these Frequently Asked Questions:

How can I write vivid descriptions?
How can I invent characters that feel like real people?
How can I create suspense?
How can I can I make readers care about my stories?

This worksheet makes it easy to turn your ideas into story plots. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to more resources, including a character profiling questionnaire and a guide to creating a novel outline.