Writing stories that sell is every fiction writers dream and after all, considering the amount of outlets available world-wide, how difficult can it be? The good news is that it is not providing the writer has invested the time in learning ‘how to write’ compelling fiction that draws the read

er into the story. Writing professionally, like any other career has its own type of apprenticeship which provides a multitude of techniques to enable the writer to produce fiction of a high quality and to create stories that readers would love. Writing stories on a professional basis also means writing even when the creative flow is not apparent and it is a struggle to form each and every word. This is one main difference between a would-be writer and a published writer.  Writing stories regularly requires commitment and dedication to this often highly profitable art form and it also requires a sense of long-term vision.

Many new writers suddenly think of an idea and put pen to paper immediately and then wonder why half-way through the story, the idea begins to wane. Forward planning with writing is important and part of the writing process is actually contemplating the idea in full before even starting to capture words on paper. Once the writer is satisfied that the idea is a valid one and has potential, the real work begins. When writing stories that will sell, generating strong characters that are integral to the plot is all-important; readers need to be able to identify with those characters so they do need to be believable.

Word count is also a vital factor as it would be of no use submitting a 2000 word story to a publication that only requires stories of flash fiction length i.e. up to 1000 words.  Research into any publication is a must so that the writer only submits the fiction which is specifically aimed at the publications dedicated readership.

Generating ideas can be difficult for new writers and one easy way to overcome this dilemma is to use real-life scenarios and turn them into fiction. Watching the news for example will provide a mass of ideas that can be put to use. The scenarios are used for generating new versions and not merely copying them but once the brain is used to responding to searching out new ideas and then teasing those ideas into something more specific for use in a particular publication, ideas will start to form readily. Increasing observation skills and becoming a people watcher will also provide numerous ideas for characters and events within works of fiction.

To be a professional and successful writer, it requires a great deal of focus and commitment but it is possible. Improving spelling, grammar and editing skills will happen as the quantity of writing increases but from a creative aspect, it is essential that the writer learns how to create a story that people will be able to relate to. As much as the reader loves a happy ending, they also like to witness the characters overcome the obstacles en-route and they like to identify with emotions and events in addition. Writing stories that will sell is more than churning out word count, it is about creating believable and identifiable stories that people care about.