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

1^st person, 2^nd person, 3^rd person – must stay consistent as well!