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Writing Short Stories/Questions Answered by Expert Brian Lawrence
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Multiple Submissions | 11/5/2011 |
| Q: I would dearly love to know how I can know if multiple submissions are acceptable when a magazine ... A: Virginia, I think you mean simultaneous submissions - right - to more than one publisher at a time. ... | |
| cover letter | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a short fantasy story that I will be submitting to an online fantasy magazine called "Beneath ... A: Is the magazine asking for a cover letter? If it's not required, I generally don't even do one. If ... | |
| type help | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I am writing a Short Story and I need some help with how to use my Punctuation Marks. Here is just ... A: First of all, it's sentence. She looked back over her shoulder with a snicker and replied, "Because ... | |
| Murder Mystery Short Story | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: Please can you help me structure and plan a short murder story. I don't know how to plan it or know ... A: Lucy, I'm sorry, but that is beyond the scope of what I can do. My suggestion is that you read a ... | |
| Publishing short stories | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: First of all, thank you for providing this service, I greatly appreciate. In this world it is rare ... A: Robert, Publishing an anthology is difficult for an unknown writer. Not that it can't be done, but ... | |
| Humorous Story | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: I have written a short humorous story (half page long). It's not offensive but a little naughty. ... A: Kenneth, I'm sorry, but I cannot edit other people's stories for various reasons. My suggestion is ... | |
| copywriting | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: If I write a short 25 page booklet and self publish it and self manufacture it what is the procedure ... A: Al, By law anything you write is automatically copywrited. One way to protect yourself is to mail ... | |
| short story collection | 4/27/2010 |
| Q: Where is the best place to submit a collection of short stories about women in the West? A: Gretchen, My suggestion is to look at either a book of literary agents or online for literary ... | |
| Childrens Fairy Tales | 11/27/2009 |
| Q: Who can I get{besides my mother},to read and give and honest opinion about a children's fairy tale ... A: Jennifer, You can try several places. There are quite a few writing groups online. Try searching ... | |
| description vs dialogue | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to write a short story which seems to be getting longer and longer as I add more and more ... A: Sarah, This is difficult for me to answer without seeing the story and unfortunately, I don't ... | |
| online magazines. | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering: would online magazines be looked upon as greater or lesser than print publications ... A: Demetrius, Create a section on your resume called "Publications" and list the published story using ... | |
| online magazines. | 9/28/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering: would online magazines be looked upon as greater or lesser than print publications ... A: Demetrius, First, editors rarely care where else you've been published. It's just something for ... | |
| i need to publish my novels | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: how can i guarantee that my stories wont be stolen through the internet ? A: Rozy, Don't put them on the Internet. And send only to reputable publishers and agents. There is ... | |
| Cheating? | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: Well I have another question.We were going over a paper in class and the girl beside me wanted to ... A: Yes, your motivation was to avoid confrontation. This isn't always bad, but if it leads to further ... | |
| Cheating? | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: Well I have another question.We were going over a paper in class and the girl beside me wanted to ... A: You need to follow your own conscience. If you think it's cheating and are uncomfortable doing it, ... | |
| Short stories | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I love to write and have a few short stories (750 - 900 words), and articles that I would like to ... A: Manu, Since you have Internet access, the best thing to do is to find the types of magazines your ... | |
| Publishing Short Story | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: My Daughter is an excellent writer, of couse that is my opinion, she has just completed a short ... A: Dave, I suggest you search the Internet for "writer's guidelines" and find a magazine / online ... | |
| SHORT STORIES!!!! | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: DOES SHORT STORIES HAVE PARAGRAPHS....WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ESSAY AND A SHORT STORY????? A: Samantha, In general, a short story would have paragraphs, though it a story could be short enough ... | |
| short stories 1000 words | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: my daughter attending Oakland University in Auburn Hills Michigan. she is writing a short story for ... A: Steven, Sorry, I can't help with this. I've never heard of "8 piece format" in regards to short ... | |
| Help,nt sure where to go/do | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: I began writing a short story some time ago. Now that I've retired I would like to finish it up. I ... A: Joseph, First of all, I wouldn't hire someone to read your story. But yes, it is advisable to have ... | |
| Publication and spinoff | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: I wrote a short story for a University assignment. The professor liked what he saw. This Short story ... A: Cristobal, If the Grim Brother's have been dead for over 50 years, then the story is in the public ... | |
| inquiry: How to sell articles to magazines | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: Good day! I need information on the following questions. 1) What is the correct format in writing ... A: Amram, 1 - 1 inch margins. Double spaced. Times Roman 12pt font. White paper only. 2 - On a Word ... | |
| question please | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: 1- when I writing stories , how can I get a reference for my work to evaluate my work ? 2- whats ... A: 1 - A couple of options. One, look online for critique groups. Also, your local community college or ... | |
| writing a short story | 11/5/2007 |
| Q: my student's whant to try their hand a writing a short story Their biggest question is How do I ... A: Kimberly, To quote Maupassant - "Put black on white." Just start. There is no formula. Each writer ... | |
| Where to Start? | 7/1/2007 |
| Q: I feel that I have never had a problem with expressing myself even from childhood. I made what I ... A: Max, The most cost effective would be to find a writer's group. Check with your local bookstore or ... | |
| Where to Start? | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I feel that I have never had a problem with expressing myself even from childhood. I made what I ... A: Max, Yup, Word works just fine. That's what I've always used. As for copyright, by law, anything ... | |
| Creative Writing | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: I am 25 now but have been writing since I was a child. I enjoy it immensely. I have written many ... A: Violet, Personnally, I've never been much for writing excercises. Time is so precious, that when I ... | |
| publishing a story in a magizine | 12/26/2006 |
| Q: I wrote a couple of stories for my sisters but they thought that they were really good, they think ... A: Juanita, The best thing to do is check the guidelines of magazines. You can do this online by ... | |
| need to ask | 10/23/2006 |
| Q: i have some features make me feel that i can be a writer or have the talent but i didnt want to lie ... A: JX, The ability to tell a story is a talent. However, to turn it into something like good writing ... | |
| how to get my stories publish? | 10/17/2006 |
| Q: I have wrote several kinds of stories but have never been able to find a way to get them ... A: Rose, Actually, legitimate publishers do not charge. There are many magazines out there that will ... | |
| Short Stories | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: About your last comment. Are you saying I could write a story and send it to like, agency who does ... A: Aaron, There are many fiction magazines on the market. To get published in these magazines, you ... | |
| Short Stories | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: I'm having trouble getting started with writing short stories. How many pages are they in general? ... A: Aaron, You've asked a lot of questions and also seem to have a misconception. Short stories and ... | |
| short story publication | 8/5/2006 |
| Q: I know it's a difficult market but do you have any ideas about getting a short story collection ... A: Sandi, You're right, it's a tough market unless you're a known author. If the stories are all ... | |
| writing short stories | 7/26/2006 |
| Q: I read constantly and have many ideas for short stories but when I sit down to write I have no idea ... A: Robin, The best way to start is to write. Here are some suggestions. Write character sketches of ... | |
| Hi Brian, I have been writing... | 10/10/2005 |
| Q: I have been writing some short stories and wonder if you can suggest several beginning to ... A: Doug, My best advice on learning how to tell a story is to read those that are great storytellers ... | |
| about offering rights | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: This concerns the publishing of artwork in a magazine. The guidelines request I let the editor know ... A: Jim, I believe what they are asking is if this is first rights, in other words it's never been ... | |
| Publishing Process | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: I am a nurse, I write "how to" books for children. How do I get them published? A: Ms. Durham, My expertise is more in fiction, so I can only direct you to other sources. There are ... | |
| About agents | 8/3/2005 |
| Q: Should I seek an agent to represent a short story for publishing? Thanks a lot A: J, No. Agents are not necessary for short stories. Only well-known writers use an agent and the ... | |
| How to get started? | 4/26/2005 |
| Q: I know you specialize in adult fiction, but I was hoping you could help me out. I have to write a ... A: Kalyn, Lack of story ideas has never been my problem. I have a lack of time to write. For me, I ... | |
| Starting | 3/18/2005 |
| Q: Lawrence I've always wanted to write fiction(suspense, mystery) and lack of time is not my excuse. ... A: Rick, I'll give you my process, but it's different for each person. I usually know the main ... | |
| short story publication | 3/15/2005 |
| Q: I have written a small children's book which I would like to get published but I don't know if I ... A: Tylor, Joining a writer's guild is a good way to make contacts and learn the craft of selling and ... | |
| getting published......... | 2/7/2005 |
| Q: i have written a short-ish story - the genre is 'humour' However i would like to know about ... A: Lal, I'll attempt to answer some of these. First, with your short story. You need to find a market ... | |
| Writing eduction/Background | 1/3/2005 |
| Q: I am a beginning writer and wonder what classes or degree is best for writers. A: John, It depends on what you want to do. If you want to write on your own, no degree is necessary. ... | |
| Teaching Teenagers to Write Short Stories | 9/17/2004 |
| Q: I've taken on a temporary teaching assignment. We are following the plans and reading short ... A: S.C. I think this sounds like a great project. Since most beginning writers' first stories are ... | |
| feedback | 9/3/2004 |
| Q: I read somewhere that a writer should never pay for feedback on his/her work. But where can a writer ... A: Lyn, There are good editors and there are scams. The problem is finding which is which. And yes, it ... | |
| short story requirements | 8/22/2004 |
| Q: Lawrence, My specialty is romance. I have several short stories I have written for an adult ... A: Vicki, Romance is not my specialty area. However, most authors who sell short story collections are ... | |
| A Rejected Short Story Submission | 7/7/2004 |
| Q: I'm wondering if you might help me to understand what went wrong with my first short story ... A: Patricia, Do you have a writing group or at least one or two people with some writing or editing ... | |
| A Rejected Short Story Submission | 7/6/2004 |
| Q: I'm wondering if you might help me to understand what went wrong with my first short story ... A: Patricia, Without knowing how you sent your story in, I'm not sure. The manuscript should be double ... | |
| Research | 6/30/2004 |
| Q: I'm writing a story set in California, but I'd like to know how you would research this area ... A: Hannah, Obviously, the best way would be to visit the area you're writing about. Another way would ... | |
| Contests | 6/18/2004 |
| Q: What online short story contests are legitimate and worthwhile? A: Greg, This is my personal opinion, but I would avoid these contests. It's not that they are ... | |
| publishing | 6/2/2004 |
| Q: i have accumulated many short stories. Most recently i've been writing more on the longer side of ... A: Kayleigh, The thing to do is research your markets. There are several online market guides, ... | |
| short stories | 5/4/2004 |
| Q: I have a number of writing books that give suggestions for writing short stories. As a result, I ... A: Monica, Just write! Sorry for the trite answer, but really, that is the first step. Forget the ... | |
| Plot | 4/25/2004 |
| Q: These days, plot seems to have fallen away while the character is everything. Do you believe that ... A: Steve, Many genres still tend to be plot-driven. Read any Tom Clancy book. One can still write a ... | |
| Writer's Rejection | 4/14/2004 |
| Q: I'm wondering if you might have some insight into those little rejection slips that come back with a ... A: Pat, The only thing you can conclude from a form letter rejection slip is that your work did not ... | |
| A short story | 3/14/2004 |
| Q: I have worked with a young girl from the age of 4 1/2 She is Blind, she is now 7. I am teaching her ... A: Susan, Sounds like a great project. Maybe you can write something in the style of a journal. ... | |
Writing Short Stories
Brian Lawrence
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
How to write short stories. How to be published. Writing as a craft. What is a story.
Experience
Published over 22 short stories and 2 novels. Previous acquisition editor of Mysterical-E and previous fiction editor of Futures Magazine
Organizations
St. Louis Writers Guild, Mystery Writers of America
Publications
Futures Magazine, Blue Murder, Somliloquy, AlienQ, AIM, Love Kills anthology, Felonious Felines anthology
Education/Credentials
Master's Degree in Computer Science. Bachelors Degree in Chemistry & Psychology
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