Story Requirements '20

Borrowed from and inspired by my friend Susann Cokal. Thanks, Susann!

Topic: Your story can be in any genre (science fiction, mystery, fantasy, horror, thriller, literary, whatever)—let your imagination go wild! It can also cross genres.

Important: If you have a character based on someone your classmates and I might recognize, please hide that person's identity by changing their name and a key characteristic of their appearance.

Required elements of the story:

  • My story is 900 words long (no more!).

  • My story has a working title.

  • I have included direct dialogue.

  • I have used at least four of the five senses in my story.

  • I have included at least three significant, sensory details (and probably more).

  • I have described at least one emotion through the body (assuming my POV allows for this).

  • I have a clear setting and it uses concrete and significant detail (assuming this makes sense for your story).

  • I have included sufficient character detail (age, gender, etc.) for my main character.

  • I have thought through a backstory for my main character (even if it doesn't appear in the story)

  • My story is a scene, not a summary.

  • Something happens in my story--action occurs.

  • Something shifts or changes at the end of my story.

  • My story has a conflict, crisis, and resolution.

  • I have used thought or internal dialogue to deepen my main character (assuming my POV allows for this).

Mechanics:

    • I have put page numbers on my story.

    • I have used correct punctuation and talked to Julie if unsure.

    • I have formatted the dialogue correctly. (Please consult Writing Fiction, p. 63 if unsure. Also, you can consult any piece of professionally published conventional dialogue.)

    • I have stapled all the pages together (not applicable if you're just posting on turnitin.com).

    • I have checked the grammar. When the grammar is incorrect, it is intentionally so.

    • If an end-of-the-semester revision, I have also submitted the original piece with Jul's comments.

    • I have checked spelling.

    • I have used dark and legible print, double-spaced.

    • My margins are 1.25" on both left and right, top and bottom.

    • The first sentence of each paragraph is indented (unless, for intentional reasons, I choose not to do so).

    • I have read my story out loud prior to handing it in (this is a very effective way to catch mechanical errors and awkward phrasing).

Č