How to Write a Story

Introduction
You already know how to tell a story.  You do it every day!  Every time you tell someone about something that happened to you or something you did, you tell the "story" of what happened.  For example, if something funny happens at school, when you tell a friend about it, you've created a story.  The trick is to be able to write it down.

Get Started
There's a very scary blank piece of paper sitting there in front of you.  What do you put on it?  Here are a few tips to help you get started developing ideas and working through them.

1. Pay attention!  Amazing things are happening all around you.  You just have to see them.  "Like what," you say?  Well, the next time you are out shopping, look around you and try to count the number of people you see with red hair.  Is there a story in that?  The guy who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories thought so!  Paying attention to the world around you is the first step in developing ideas.
2. Listen!  How do people put words together when they talk?  Words fall into place and make stories.  The more you listen to others, the better writer you will become.
3. Think!  When somebody tells you about something, think about it for a minute.  Are there two sides to the story?  Is Mrs. ABC really and truly the worst teacher in the world?  Is Coach XYZ really blind and stupid?  Is that famous actress with the blond hair as smart as she seems in the movie?  Will your liver actually turn upside down if you stand on your head?  Are elephants the only mammals who can't jump?  Question things.  You'll be surprised how many ideas you'll get that way.
4. Get used to writing!  Start a diary.  When you see something interesting or when something happens, make a note of it in your diary.  Your diary doesn't have to be fancy, either.  A small notebook will do.
5. Read a book!  You know those funny-looking things made from papers stuck togeher with words inside?  You can find them all kinds of places, like libraries, schools, and even grocery stores.  Pick one up and start reading.
6. About that blank piece of paper. . . .  Pick up your pencil. . . .  Close your eyes. . . .  Write the word 'Now.'  The paper is no longer blank and your story has begun.  (If you're typing, close your eyes and hit some keys.  It really doesn't matter what word it is.  Get that paper dirty so it's no longer blank.)

               7. Have a clear theme. What is the story about? That doesn't mean what is the plot line, the sequence of events    or the character's actions, it means what is the underlying message or statement behind the words. Get this right and your story will have more resonance in the minds of your readers.
                    8. An effective short story covers a very short time span. It may be one single event that proves pivotal in the life of the character, and that event will illustrate the theme.
                    9. Don't have too many characters. Each new character will bring a new dimension to the story, and for an effective short story too many diverse dimensions (or directions) will dilute the theme. Have only enough characters to effectively illustrate the theme.
                    10. Make every word count. There is no room for unnecessary expansion in a short story. If each word is not working towards putting across the theme, delete it.
                   11. Focus. The best stories are the ones that follow a narrow subject line. What is the point of your story? Its point is its theme. It's tempting to digress, but in a 'short' you have to follow the straight and narrow otherwise you end up with either a novel beginning or a hodgepodge of ideas that add up to nothing.