Fernando Pessoa said, “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life”. However, what is truly agreeable is the final result which requires a long and painstaking work. Writers, whether they’re geniuses or amateurs, have all struggled with writer’s block.

Quiroga, one of the greatest short story writers, shares 10 of his writing secrets that could help you get inspired, overcome writer’s block and finally, write the perfect story. The Decalogue, or the Ten Commandments, are the 10 essential rules to be followed in the writing process.

Firstly, he commands writers to believe in one master, be it Poe, Maupassant, Kipling or Chekhov, among others. Why are classic authors so important? Because they will certainly not mislead you.

Believe that your art is unreachable summit. Don’t dream of reaching it, for once you can reach it, you will without even knowing you’ve done it.

Try to resist imitation as much as you can. Imitate only if the urge is too strong. More than anything, developing your own personality takes a lot of patience.

Have blind faith in your capacity to triumph, or in your desire to achieve it.

Don’t start to write if you don’t know where you are going from the first word. In a well structured short story, the first three words are as important as the last three.

If you want to write “a cold wind blew from the river”, these words are perfectly enough. Once you have mastered the use of words, don’t worry if they are consonants or assonants.

This brings us to the next point, which is simplicity: No unnecessary adjectives. Colorful words next to a simple noun will be useless! Your noun must have an incomparable colour. The trick is to find it.

Take your characters by their hand and lead them until the end, seeing only the path you have created for them. Don’t get distracted by seeing things that they cannot see or that don’t care to see.
Do not abuse the reader. A short story is not a short novel. Hold this as an absolute truth, even though it is not.

Do not be dominated by emotions. Let them die and remember them later. If you are able to evoke them, you are halfway to mastering your art.

Do not think about your friends while writing or on the effect that your story might have. Tell it as if it only mattered to the microcosm of your characters, of which you may be a part. This is the only way to breathe life into your story.