Story in a week- Day 6

Write a short story in seven days

Follow our step-by-step programme to produce a finished, edited piece of creative writing in a week.

You can write a story of your own choosing or if you’d prefer set guidelines, we suggest a story between 2,000 and 2,500 words on one of the following themes: a journey; the moment that changed everything; an encounter with a stranger.

Day 6. Edit your story

Today we’re in editing mode. Print out your story in double-spaced text, and sit down with a red pen. Move away from the screen – don’t edit as you go along.  This stage works best if you do it on paper. Read through your story without making any notes. What did you think of it? Are there any anomalies? Did it read convincingly? Then read it again, and mark any changes that need to be made on the page. Does that bit of dialogue work? Is that description overwritten? Is there anything that would work better if you cut it, changed it, wrote it in a different way? Be ruthless. Bear in mind that improving a story almost always involves taking words out, not putting more words in. Then go back to your computer and rewrite what needs to be rewritten.

By the end of the day you will have an edited second draft of your story. Come back tomorrow for the last day as we launch our special competition!