Student Short Story

Compose a fictional story in which you have richly developed the indicated components for a short story in order to satisfy your reader (no set length).

The (indicated) components that should be developed in your story:

Setting
Characterization
Dialogue
Plot
Suspense
Point of View
Climax

The link included will assist you with understanding these short story components
Short Story Literary Definitions

The greatest imposed limitation will be that your narrative must rely on your true narrative essay for initial direction in order to move the action; your greatest challenge will no doubt be to separate yourself from the story.  Remember the writer makes up the rules, thus your story can follow whatever course you so desire.

Writers on writing

The final copy is due Day 4 of the fourth quarter.  The story must be typed or computer processed, display a cover page expressing the standard heading, and utilize MLA standards for page numbering and spacing.

 

APPLY THESE PRINCIPLES OF WRITING:

Write about what you know—or would like to know

There are no new stories in the world, only fresh ones.

Observe closely; then write with all your senses.

The I in your story is not you.

If you care for a character in your story, give it a kick in the pants.

Show, don’t tell.

Share your writing.

A good critic and a good friend are two different things.


1.  Brainstorming: 
webbing, short story outline

Reflection on life’s observations: I have never written a story in my life that didn’t have a very firm foundation in actual human experience            –Katherine Anne Porter

 

Whatever our theme in writing, it is old and tired.  Whatever our place, it has been visited by the stranger, it will never be new again.  It is only the vision that can be new; but that is enough.    –Eudora Welty

 

2.  Organizing:  Freytag’s Pyramid& Consideration of Theme

3.  Developing:  Compose your short story…write, write, write….

Sometimes you know the story. Sometimes you make it up as you go along and have no idea how it will come out.  Everything changes as it moves.  That is what makes the movement which makes the story.                                                                                                                 –Ernest Hemingway

A writer really writes for an audience of about ten persons.  Of course, if others like it, that is a clear gain.  But if those ten are satisfied, he is content.           –Alfred North Whitefield

4.  Finalizing:  Peer edit, Final Draft