Writing an Effective Short Story By: Paul Blake A short story can be a wondrous thing. The paucity of words allows the writer to focus on the story, rather than on the nuts and bolts of world-building, character development, and backstory vital in longer work. A short story is usually centred around, or focused towards a single event, concept, or message, whereas a novel has subplots, minor character arcs, etc. For a writer, a short story allows for experimentation in voice, perspective, genre.