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!