Writing Short Stories

1. Writing Short Stories English 9A Unit 3 Nov. 2013 Mr. Shimizu

2. Some Announcements … • Dec. 2nd and Dec. 3rd are the last days to change your story idea … you mustlock it down by Wednesday’s class • All the writing we do in class is a rough draft … don’t get too attached to parts of your story that may need to change • All handouts (Prewriting Handout, Plot Map Handout, etc.) will be collected together with the final draft of your short story. DO NOT throw anything away. Stamps will be counted.

3. Some Writing Tips … • When you get stuck and don’t know how to continue your story, ask yourself: what would happen if … • Use what you know! Draw on real life and your own experiences for inspiration • Models for plot= “Lamb”; “The Gift of the Magi” • Models for character= “Cask”; “Necklace”; “Charles” • Models for dialogue= “Necklace”; “Magi” • Model for interior monologue= “Story of an Hour” • Student sample on p. 625 of your textbook

4. What belongs in the exposition stage of the plot? Introduce your protagonist and give at least one specific detail/description that sums up his/her personality What is the protagonist’s life like before the conflict of the story is introduced? Establish the protagonist’s relationships with other characters (i.e., connect your protagonist w/ the major characters in your story) Establish setting End this stage by introducing the conflict of the story

5. Comedy • A series of complications leads the protagonist into ridiculous things. • Happy endings; real life is exaggerated for laughs • Purpose is to amuse the reader • Mood: humorous, light, cheerful, happy • Examples: “Big Boy”; Diary of a Wimpy Kid

6. Discovery • Through some major disturbance the protagonist discovers something about themselves that gives them a better understanding of their life. • Self-discovery; overcoming hardship • Mood: serious, somber, intense, contemplative • Examples: “The Story of an Hour”

7. Escape • The protagonist is trapped by antagonistic forces and must escape, quick! • Examples: Snow White

8. Fish Out of Water • The protagonist tries to cope (deal) in an unfamiliar place, time, or world. • Often comedic • Requires the author to show the protagonist in a familiar time, place, or world first • Examples: Legally Blonde; E.T.; Edward Scissorhands

9. Journey and Return • The protagonist goes on a physical journey and comes back changed. • The physical journey is a metaphor for soul-searching and the journey the protagonist makes deeper into his or her psyche • Examples: The Wizard of Oz; Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

10. Love • A couple meet and overcome a series of obstacles to discover true love. • Examples: “The Gift of the Magi”; Romeo & Juliet; Titanic; Twilight

11. Maturation • The protagonist has an experience that helps him or her start a new stage of life, particularly adulthood. • These are “coming of age” stories • Conflict is often very personal and not grand in scale • Examples: Little Women; Perks of Being a Wallflower

12. Metamorphosis • The protagonist literally changes into something else. • Can be linked to the “fish out of water” story type • Examples: The Princess and the Frog; “The Metamorphosis” (Kafka)

13. Monster Force • A monster/alien/something supernatural must be fought and defeated/overcome. • Examples: Insidious; Paranormal Activity; Dracula

14. Pursuit • The protagonist must chase something or someone, usually in hide and seek fashion. • Think crime stories, spy thrillers, and mysteries • Examples: Taken

15. Quest • The protagonist searches for a person, place, or thing and overcomes a series of obstacles to find it. • Examples: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; The Da Vinci Code

16. Rags to Riches • The protagonist is poor then rich. • The quick gain in wealth often leads the protagonist to realize that being rich doesn’t solve every problem. • Examples: Great Expectations; The Lottery Changed My Life (TLC)

17. Rescue • The protagonist must save someone who is trapped emotionally or physically. • Examples: Taken; Saving Private Ryan

18. Revenge • The protagonist retaliates for a real or imagined injury. • Example: “The Cask of Amontillado”; The Count of Monte Cristo

19. Rivalry • The protagonist must triumph over an adversary to attain an object or goal. • Stories about sports/competitions usually follow this format • Examples: Remember the Titans

20. Temptation • The protagonist has to make a moral choice between right and wrong. • Well-suited to stories involving teenagers • Many religious stories, parables, and fables feature this type of story • Examples: Interview with the Vampire

21. Transformation • The protagonist lives through a series of events that change them as a person. • Commonly used for military stories, disaster stories • Examples: The Hunger Games; The Day After Tomorrow

22. Underdog • A participant in a fight/conflict/game who isn’t expected to win faces overwhelming odds and wins in the end. • Examples: Lord of the Rings; Tortoise and the Hare; Forrest Gump; Erin Brokovich

23. Begin in the middle of a conversation … • ““If you don’t put that away right now, you and I are gonna have problems,” Carla snarled as Janet scribbled in her writer’s notebook.” • “Just who do you think you are?” Mrs. Fleming asked as April slammed her notebook on the desk.

24. Begin with a description … • “Jason’s house was a lot like a museum. There were pretty, breakable objects everywhere and you weren’t allowed to touch a thing.” • “The room was warm, the curtains were closed, the two table lamps were lit. On the cupboard behind her there were two glasses and some drinks. Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home from work.”

25. Begin with background information … • “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.” • “Kevin was accustomed to being first. Since he had started track, a sixth grader on the high school team, he had always been a champion.” • “As long as she could rememer, Dimein’s name had always been mispronounced by the teacher on the first day of school.”

26. Begin with a peek into a character’s mind (int. monologue) • “How could things have gone so wrong? I asked myself, as I looked out over a sea of laughing faces.” • “Not this time, you won’t, I thought as I stood there staring into my father’s eyes. I picked up the basketball and began to dribble with my left hand.”

27. Start with a simile, metaphor, hyperbole or a pun • “They murdered him.” (The Chocolate War)

28. Start with a startling statement • “When I was little, I would think of ways to kill my daddy.” (Ellen Foster)

29. What belongs in the falling action stage of the plot? Tie up all loose ends resolve minor, unresolved conflicts this section usually is very short Examples of plot points= the return home after the battle; reuniting the rescued person with their loved ones; the trial of the villain; the clearing up after the storm

30. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = “Lamb” = “Story” = “Necklace” = “Magi” =

31. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = Montresor walling Fortunato up “Lamb” = “Story” = “Necklace” = “Magi” =

32. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = Montresor walling Fortunato up “Lamb” = Mary covering up her murder “Story” = “Necklace” = “Magi” =

33. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = Montresor walling Fortunato up “Lamb” = Mary covering up her murder “Story” = Louise embracing her new life of freedom “Necklace” = “Magi” =

34. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = Montresor walling Fortunato up “Lamb” = Mary covering up her murder “Story” = Louise embracing her new life of freedom “Necklace” = The Loisels working off their debt “Magi” =

35. What plot points fit the falling action stage of the following short stories? “Cask” = Montresor walling Fortunato up “Lamb” = Mary covering up her murder “Story” = Louise embracing her new life of freedom “Necklace” = The Loisels working off their debt “Magi” = Jim giving Della her present

36. WAYS TO END YOUR STORY Open-ended: The reader determines the meaning … Brendan’s eyes looked away from the priest and up to the mountains. Definitively resolved: There is a clear-cut outcome While John watched in despair, Helen loaded up the car with her belongings and drove away.

37. Parallel to the beginning: The ending parallels a situation/image from the beginning They were driving their 1964 Chevrolet Impala down the highway while the wind blew through their hair. They were driving their 1964 Chevrolet Impala down the highway while the wind blew through their hair. Monologue: Character comments I wish Tom could have known Sister Dalbec’s prickly guidance before the dust devils of Sin City battered his soul. Dialogue: Characters converse

38. Literal Image: The setting or an aspect of setting resolves the plot The aqueducts were empty now and the sun was shining once more. Symbolic Image: Details mentioned at the end represent a meaning beyond their literal meanings Looking up at the sky, I saw a cloud cross the shimmering blue sky above us as we stood in the morning heat of Sin City.