Crafting an Interconnected World, One Short Story at a Time

As writers, we're drawn to the accomplishment of typing The End, especially when it's a short story. But have you ever closed the computer and thought, Is there more to this story? If so, you're not alone.

- P.M. RAYMOND

Short stories are deceptively more complex than their brevity suggests. It's no wonder this format could benefit from a few more words.

Sometimes you may want to extend the life of a short story, but a novel or even a novella may not be the best fit.

Perhaps creating an interconnected set of short stories is right for you.

Let's discuss why linking your short stories could be a great way to explore creativity and a few don'ts to keep in mind.

INTERCONNECTED STORIES CAN CREATE RICH NARRATIVE DEVELOPMENT BY LEVERAGING LOCATION-REAL OR FICTIONAL.

Interconnected themes, characters, and places create an immersive and rich environment that keeps readers engaged and invested-in other words, connected! Author AshleyRuth M. Bernier has built her career on leveraging the beautiful St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, her original home, in many of her short stories. Her collection, Mayhem Can't Stop De Mas, was a 2024 Claymore Award finalist, and the Caribbean island features heavily in each story.

For Bernier, the island and her protagonist through most of her work, Naomi Sinclair, lean into a familiarity that we have already been exposed to in the storytelling we consume. She says, "A major part of our current zeitgeist is the popularity of fandoms, like Marvel, and writing detailed, compelling interconnected stories is at the center of this." Recurring characters or situations within the stability of a location can create a sense of cohesion in the story and a sense of community for the reader. The key to building a universe is understanding what the "rules" are of your location-real or imaginary.