  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Mavis Moog  
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This month's newsletter is a paraphrasing of a set of hand-outs I use with Creative Writing students.
It is a good recipe for any fiction, but particularly short stories. I hope you find it useful in helping to make your stories perform well in all the right areas.
Mavis Moog |
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Main Components of Fiction
There's more to writing a good story than simply getting a series of events down on a page. I think most of you know that, or you wouldn't be seriously be thinking of yourselves as writers. Have you actually summarised all the necessary ingredients, and do you use a checklist, when putting a story together?
Here I hope to provide you with such a check-list. Some of these items have been discussed in other newsletters, but collecting them together under one title, should help you organise your writing.
Story
This is the basic outline of events. The narrator can give the audience the facts of the tale, but a more satisfying method of presentation is to elaborate and use the following aspects of fiction to make the story live.
Plot
This is a development of the basic story-line showing causes and motivations.
Story: Boy meets girl.
Plot: Boy meets a girl who isn't ready for love, but he manages to convince her to give him a chance.
The plot captures the readers' interest and makes them want to know more about how and why the story happened.
Characters
The characters can be used in different ways.
Some may be mere vehicles for the plot. They are not sharply drawn and serve no other purpose than to move the story along. Such characters are sketched quickly and disappear rapidly. The flower seller from whom the boy buys a bouquet, or the ex-boyfriend of the girl, whose jealousy puts pressure on the new romance, are examples of such characters.
The important characters, the protagonist and the main relationships need far more sensitive writing. These characters are complex and the plot will rely on the emotional development of these characters. Their thoughts and motivations are central to the whole structure of the work.
Pattern
You should decide on a pattern for your story. Is it linear, circular or convoluted? In other words are you going to give the story in a straight-forward time scale and setting, moving from action A to consequence Z or are you wanting to return to an initial dilemma or assumption? Maybe you'll want to surprise and amuse your reader with intricate twists and feints.
Rhythm
This includes all the artistry of the prose. You should consider the sound of the words, the imagery (use of metaphor) and the actual rhythm of the sentences. These things are as important in narrative and prose as they are in poetry, so don't neglect them.
Hooks
These are the reasons you give for the reader to continue reading. It is not reasonable to expect a reader to plough through pages of description or straight story-telling without capturing his imagination with questions which need answers. Try to identify the interesting questions before you begin, and think about how you'll use them.
Providing hooks at the end of paragraphs is a great way to make a story fly by. The reader will not be able to stop reading because he will have to discover the next revelation.
hooks can be very simple;
 a knock at a door,
dramatic irony (when the reader knows a danger is present, but the character doesn't)
a well-flagged weakness in a character is about to be exposed. For instance he may be claustrophobic and he has to hide in a wardrobe.
or more complicated;
the character is searching for something and the reader wants to know if he finds it or not.
do the lovers make up and live happily ever after?
will a character be improved or destroyed by his experience.
Just inventing the hooks, can force your plot into more interesting areas, so it is worth planning them carefully and before you begin.
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If you are still not sure about any, or all, of these components, try reading a well-written story with them in mind. After reading, and hopefully enjoying, attempt to identify each component in the story.
Other aspects you should consider are the narrator's involvement in the story, what you enjoyed most and what you found least pleasing. Then use the ideas the exercise gives you to create something polished and complete of your own.
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This story from a new WDC member, really impressed me. It's written in an edgy but densely descriptive style. I found myself completely hooked from the start.
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I found the atmosphere of this story spell-binding. It has a simple plot but there is a deeper journey of self-discovery taking place.
This wistful story is moving and I identified with the protagonist. It's short but explores a complex aspect of aging in a satisfying way.
This story is strong on rhythm and pattern. It has a pleasing circular shape and I felt the sincerity in its message. Try reading this aloud, to hear the natural flow of the languange.
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A simple story with a clever plot, this packs a punch. In a few well chosen words it develops an idea and reaches a conclusion. There's a good hook here too.
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#1092286 by Not Available. |
I loved the unusual format of this story. It works very well. A circular story, but an arrow-like directness brings a tingle to the spine.
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#992576 by Not Available. |
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Strange Wulf
My problem is not a lack of ideas, but drive. Motivation comes hard for me. I often find there are little habits that keep me from what I love, yet sitting down to write can be stressful when I don't know which story to work on!
Perhaps you or someone else could do an NL on this? = Would be very helpful if I could get tips on how to focus and produce! Once every couple weeks is driving me crazy!
If you have any tips for Strange Wulf send them to me. Don't forget to put MM or Mavis at the top of your message. I will feature the most helpful answers here, next month.
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Short Stories: August 23, 2006 Issue [#1216]
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