How To Write A Short Story

How to write a short story
Instructions
1. Choose a narrative point of view. You can write your story as if you were
one of the characters (first person), as a detached narrator who presents
just one character's thoughts and observations (third-person limited), or as
a detached narrator who presents the thoughts and observations of
several characters (third-person omniscient). A first-person point of view
will refer to the central character as 'I' instead of 'he' or 'she.'
2. Create a protagonist, or main character. This should be the most
developed and usually the most sympathetic character in your story.
3. Create a problem, or conflict, for your protagonist. The conflict of your
story should take one of five basic forms: person vs. person, person vs.
himself or herself, person vs. nature, person vs. society, or person vs. God
or fate. If you choose a person vs. person conflict, create an antagonist to
serve as the person your protagonist must contend with.
4. Establish believable characters and settings, with vivid descriptions and
dialogue, to create a story that your readers will care about.
5. Build the story's tension by having the protagonist make several failed
attempts to solve or overcome the problem. (You may want to skip this
step for shorter stories.)
6. Create a crisis that serves as the last chance for the protagonist to solve
his or her problem.
7. Resolve the tension by having the protagonist succeed through his or her
own intelligence, creativity, courage or other positive attributes. This is
usually referred to as the story's climax.
8. Extend this resolution phase, if you like, by reflecting on the action of the
story and its significance to the characters or society.
Writing a Short Story - 5 Key Steps

Writing a short story is quite different than writing a novel. There is the time factor and word
usage to take into consideration. It takes discipline to keep your short story brimming with
exciting life experiences in as few words as possible. Here are five key steps in writing your
short story.
1. THEME
The theme is your supporting structure in your short story. The theme is what you glue your
plot, your characters, and your setting to. It is the foundation that holds your story together. The
conflict and how it gets resolved wraps itself around the theme of your story.
2. PLOT
The plot is the introduction and the series of events that happens throughout your short story. It is
action and suspense. It is the romance and emotion. The plot involves some type of conflict that
needs to be resolved. Your plot has a beginning, middle, and an ending. A good story needs a
hook in the beginning to draw your reader in and keep him turning the page. Then of course,
always remember to save the best for last--the surprise twist ending to leave your reader
satisfied.
3. CHARACTERS
It is important not to crowd your short story with too many characters. Use two, perhaps three
characters, at the most. Most of your story will surround an important event that proves crucial in
the life of your protagonist. Every word counts. Too much characterization and description can
debase the affect of your story.
4. STICK TO THE POINT
Stick to the theme of your story. Make sure you don't overpopulate with unnecessary detail.
Follow the narrow path of your theme. If you must digress, make it short, otherwise you will lose
track of your purpose and get bogged down with a smorgasbord of trivialities that you don't
want.
5. THE SENSES
Keep your short story alive and vibrant by using the five senses - sight, sound, smell, taste and
touch. The five senses add depth to your short story. You will see your images more clearly. A
character or a setting once flat now speaks to the reader and becomes real. Here are some
examples from one of my writing lessons of a few years ago:
As the old man pressed the canteen to his blistered lips, he savored the last drops of the
precious liquid, and felt the wonderful wetness trickle down his parched throat. (Taste)
She wondered if her eyes were not deceiving her as she caught a glimpse of a shiny,
round object glimmering on the sidewalk. (Sight)
The stench of human waste and cheap wine filtered through wet air as she pushed her cart
past poor old souls taking refuge in the shelter of cardboard boxes. (Smell)
Long buried pain began to surface as she recalled how she watched her beloved, Teddy,
suffer till the end. (Feel)
The train swayed gently and the click, clack of the rails rendered a soothing timbre,
lulling Tyler into a deep, peaceful sleep. (Sound)
Notice how each one of the above conditions drew you in and made you want to know more
about the character or the setting. That's the key to using the five senses.
The five steps should help you get started. Once you've written your short story, go back through
and delete unnecessary words or paragraphs that do not contribute to the theme or plot. Short
stories have rhythm-make every word count. Most of all have fun while you write your short
story.

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