Compelling. A short story needs to be compelling to hold the reader's interest in a relatively short amount of reading time. It should have a strong hook at the beginning. 'Intriguing' is another suitable word. The plot or the characters in a short story should be mysterious or interesting enough to make the reader want to know more. And 'poignant'. Some short stories can touch the reader's heart deeply, like those that deal with themes of loss or love in a very concise and impactful way.
Cryptic. Since it's a mystery, there will be parts of the story that are cryptic, like a coded message or a strange behavior of a character that is not immediately explainable. 'Puzzling'. The reader is constantly faced with puzzles to solve within the story. It could be figuring out who the culprit is or what the real meaning behind an event is. 'Gripping'. A good mystery short story grips the reader and doesn't let go until the mystery is solved.
Engaging. A good short story grabs the reader's attention from the start and keeps them hooked throughout. Intriguing, as it makes the reader curious about what will happen next. Compelling, it has a certain force that drives the reader to keep turning the pages.
Words used to describe short stories were: short, concise, bright, concise, concise, compact, concise, clear, concise, straightforward, concise, quick, etc.
A wedding could be described in the following short words:
- The two of them finally walked into the hall of marriage hand in hand.
- Their love had received the best blessings and witness.
- They promised to love each other forever and walk forward hand in hand.
- This was a romantic and grand wedding that made their lives more complete.
Educational. A good short story for all ages can teach valuable lessons, like kindness or perseverance. Uplifting, it has the power to make the reader feel better about themselves or the world. Simple yet profound, easy to understand but with deep meaning.
The key elements of a short story are characters, plot, setting, theme, and point of view. Characters are the people or animals in the story. The plot is what happens in the story, including the conflict and resolution. The setting is the time and place where the story takes place. The theme is the central idea or message of the story. And the point of view is the perspective from which the story is told.
Eerie, spine - chilling, and macabre are good words to describe a scary story. 'Eerie' gives a sense of unease and strangeness, like something is not quite right. 'Spine - chilling' emphasizes the physical reaction of fear, making one's spine tingle. 'Macabre' is often associated with death and the grotesque, which are common elements in scary stories.
One word could be 'nightmarish'. It's like the story is a nightmare come to life. It can involve all sorts of terrifying and surreal elements. Another useful word is 'unnerving'. It takes away your sense of comfort and security. And 'dreadful' which simply means full of dread or great fear.