This was a comprehensive, though basic, guide to writing short stories aimed at those with little to no academic or practical experience with the topic. It is split into sections that outline every step of the process of planning, writing, and publishing a short story, including modern advice such as using ChatGPT or similar AI programmes to generate possible plot points. There are plenty of quotes and example sections to make the advice clear as well. I found the section about formatting very useful (nice to have it compiled, I have to google font sizes and indenting every time). The lists of websites that take submissions was also appreciated, as was the list of further resources.

Other than that, the organisation was slightly odd as almost everything was presented in bullet points, which made it feel like I was reading one of my university PowerPoints, but it’s not unreadable by any means. This book will be useful for beginner writers and hobbyists looking towards publishing, though a lot of the advice will be common sense or well-known techniques.

This is a fantastic, fast introduction into the possibilities of short story writing. Fink manages to pack a lot of information into this reference book and is neatly structured around a five day period. There is an abundance of top tips within these pages and the structure really lends itself towards the achievable and logical steps for progress.
Like many reference books, this book will be read differently from a novel. Therefore, be prepared for a lot of repetition. Fink reinforces his points with excellent examples from literature, but it will feel a little familiar after a while. As a reference book, used to encourage first-time writers, then this is a good thing. Examples are accessible and relevant giving the impression of a lot of weight behind each piece of advice.
There are some extremely contemporary issues that are discussed knowledgeably, such as the emergence of Chat GPT, and some personal reflections that make the writer's journey appear far more inclusive.
This is a brilliant starting book for anyone mildly interested in beginning writing or for those who desire a quick overview of what the process might look like.

I received a free electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a creative writing and English major, I've read quite a few "how to write" books, and this is one of the most useful. Not only did it give tips for writing, but it also shared methods for preparing stories for publication and where to take them. I appreciated the bullet-point style in which "How to Write a Short Story in Five Days" is presented as it made it easier to seek out relevant information instead of wading through rambling. I would definitely recommend this book to beginning writers.

(As a side note, I wrote a 1,600-word short story by using this book although I am not quite sure if what I came up with is any good or not.)

Have you ever thought about writing a short story but never got round to it? Jason Fink's handy, readable step-by-step guide could be just the motivation to get you started.

How to Write a Short Story in Five Days is an amazing and to the point guide on how to jumpstart your writing journey. I definitely recommend this to anyone needing help with plot development and in general getting started. Each day is laid out and has a measurable goal to help keep you moving forward. The writing style and layout of this book is written sort of like a research paper with bullet points and quick paragraphs. It makes it super digestible, but the writing style isn't necessarily the most engaging/entertaining so just a heads up on that. It's very matter of fact.

This short book gives a lot of good advice. It’s probably aimed at students and beginners, but I like the refresher. Laid out clearly, could easily be used for reference when working on various projects. Would work well for a writing group to use to sync up writing projects. I’d take at least a week for each task, but I’m an over thinker. A great guide with some super nice touches (prompts, publishing venues) and latest info (ChatGPT?) about tools in the field.

This would be a helpful book for writers of all levels (and even for those who want to write a longer story). The steps are simple and easy to follow, and they cover things from start (inspiration and outlining) to finish (final edits). The personal anecdotes may be relatable to readers.

This book is awesome if you're looking for some basic writing tips - whether you want to write a short or long story! Even though the title talks about writing a short story in five days, the advice in this book can totally be useful for longer stories or even novels that take much longer to write. It's a super easy-to-follow guide with simple steps that takes you from finding inspiration for your story all the way to the final editing stages.

Worth checking out.

In the fast-paced world we live in, it can be hard to find the time to sit down and write. But with the help of How to Write a Short Story in Five Days by Jason Fink, you can do just that! This book provides a practical and effective guide to crafting compelling short stories in a short amount of time. Whether you’re a writer looking for inspiration or someone who wants to try their hand at writing, this book is perfect for you! Let’s take an inside look at what makes this book so helpful.

How to Write a Short Story in Five Days is full of helpful advice for writers of all levels. From planning and outlining your story to refining and polishing it, Jason Fink covers each step with detailed instruction and expert advice. For example, he includes sections on writing tips for people with ADD and ADHD as well as sections on non-western structures, like using adaptive AI language models like ChatGPT. He also makes sure to provide plenty of tips and tricks throughout the book so your story will have maximum impact.

The book is written clearly and concisely so even if you’re not an experienced writer, you’ll be able to understand the concepts easily. It also contains personal anecdotes taken from other authors which make the content more engaging and relatable. All in all, How to Write a Short Story in Five Days provides readers with an insightful overview into how they can craft compelling stories quickly.

I found some of the lists of information useful to copy for future use by highlighting it on my kindle to save for later, making it easy to find when I need it.

If you're looking for an easy-to-read guide on how to write short stories quickly, then How To Write A Short Story In Five Days by Jason Fink is well worth checking out! With its clear instructions and helpful advice, this book will give you the confidence you need when embarking on your writing journey. Highly recommended!

Loved this and found it full of good advice.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Jason Fink's guide to writers was released on March 9, 2023. BooksGoSocial provided a galley for review.

I have always been an amateur dabbler in writing. Around 2000, I was part of a Yahoo Group for DC Comics fanfiction; over three years I wrote over 150 short stories - about one a week. I remember how disciplened I had to be to generate that kind of output on a steady basis.

Overall, this guide is very straightforward with very little fluff. Fink outlines a five-day approach and clearly, concisely expands upon each item. While this book is indeed a short read, it is definitely designed as something to be referred back too often for writers as they grow their abilities. And though the title emphasizes short stories, much of this advice is very practical in any writing of any length.

I connected to several of the Day 1 brainstorming techniques. We use freewriting (writing for a fixed time period) in the monthly writing group I lead at the library. Visualizing and outlining are also things I have used a lot over the years. I had not considered using predictive AI like ChatGPT as an option.

This was a great read for someone looking for any tips on writing - long or short really!
While the title says a "short story in five days", I think a lot of the information and steps in this book could be applicable to longer stories/novels where the process is much longer. It is a very easy to navigate guide with simple steps. It walks you through from story inspiration right down to the final marking steps. I really liked the relevant clips/dialogue/references to major works or authors to really punctuate the point.
Overall it was an easy quick read with great info.