What is a Short Story?
Fiction/Narrative
- It has a beginning, middle, and ending
- Characters
- Plot (Problem/Solution), or a conflict that needs to be resolved
- Setting: time and place
- Theme/Main Idea/Moral/Message/Author’s Purpose
Characteristics of a Short Story
- Short in Length
- Short on Problems (1 main conflict)
- Short on Settings (1 main setting)
- Short on Characters (1 or 2 main, 1 or 2 minor)
- Short on Character Details
- Short on Introductory Details
Specific Elements
Setting: time (24 hr clock, era), place, climate, season
Conflict:
Human vs. Himself/Herself – The conflict is inside the character; he/she must struggle against himself/herself (it may be physical, mental, emotional or moral).
Human vs. Human – One character has a direct conflict with another.
Human vs. Environment – A character struggles against the situation he/she is in (e.g. society, nature, government, etc.).
Human vs. The Unknown – The unknown includes God, gods, religion, fate, ghosts, the supernatural, luck, destiny, aliens or anything else that is beyond the control of human beings.
Theme: reason why the author wrote it
Mood: Emotion that runs through the story. It may change throughout.
Characters:
- primary and secondary characters
- revealed to the reader in many ways (DSTFL)
Personality characteristics
- actions
- thoughts
- what they say
- how they say it
- author’s description
- other character’s thought and actions
Physical characteristics
- actions
- descriptions
- other characters
- self-reflection
A Good Story has…
- Action flows/make sense
- Intriguing plot line/detailed
- Empathy/Emotion
- Voice!
- Matches your character
- Interests your reader
Tense
Must be consistent – if you start in present tense, stay in present tense
Perspective/POV
1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person – must stay consistent as well!