  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Storm Machine  
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I'm honored to be your Guest Editor this week.
Plot is a verb. |
| ASIN: B083RZ37SZ |
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Short Stories – Scenes and Sequels
Scenes are the pieces of stories that readers use to connect with the characters through experience and feelings. Here’s where we see action, dialogue, gestures, details of setting, thoughts, some commentary or observations , exposition as needed, and transitions into and out of the scene. The scenes are the pieces that build conflict, move toward goals, and show excitement.
The sequel to the scene is the aftermath. This is where cause and effect happens, where characters make new goals and decisions for the next steps. Here is the response of your characters to whatever happened – and it might not be exactly after the scene.
Consider a few situations of big emotional scenes: betrayal, surprise, and grief.
A scene where Jenna betrays Lori will leave both of them in different places after the scene. Perhaps the story follows Lori, and you show her denial of Jenna’s actions. Maybe Jenna’s your point of view character, and she feels guilty for cutting Lori down.
Surprise a character by showing someone in a different light – like an evil man Bob who saves a kitten (or something else, it doesn’t matter) might send your protagonist reeling the first time, and then lead him to a decision of finding a way to bring Bob down through that weakness. It wouldn’t occur at once, unless your protagonist is a crazy fast thinker, and even then it wouldn’t be believed.
Grief has stages to work through. At first there may be denial or anger, and eventually through a spectrum of feelings until your point of view character comes to peace with it. So if, in your romance, your major love interest dies, it’s going to seem oddly out of character for the person to fall in love with the next available person to walk by.
Make sure in your plan for the scenes that you also plan the sequels – your readers will connect better to your characters when you link their emotions with them. |
had a round close recently. Keep future rounds in mind to enter, and here are some stories from the most recent round.
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This item number is not valid.
#1647954 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#1648321 by Not Available. |
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This item number is not valid.
#1648147 by Not Available. |
|  | Broken (E)
They say the site where a bone was fractured, heals twice as strong.
#1648267 by Fyn  |
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This item number is not valid.
#1648300 by Not Available. |
These two are submitted from readers:
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This item number is not valid.
#1362704 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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bronxbishop
Today's Forecast? A great newsletter! An excellent tip arrived at quickly and clearly. Thanks for the reminder!
Bronx
Glad I could help.
Robert Waltz 
Good points on writing about the weather... "Storm." *snicker*
Seriously (or as seriously as I ever get), though, I've been known to put in story reviews: "Don't start with a weather report." There are exceptions to this admonition, of course, but remember, the weather is one of those "safe" things to talk about in polite company (as opposed to sex, religion, politics and internet dating). Don't be safe in your writing; take risks.
Yeah, I knew you'd *snicker* at that. Wait - you get serious?! 
writetight
Thanks for mentioning my "Invalid Item" in the Short Story newsletter, Storm Machine .
Someone's gotta keep an eye on you.
Vivian 
Thanks for an excellent editorial about the use of words to create imagery for the reader. ~~ Viv
Thanks, Viv!
emerin-liseli 
Great newsletter reminding us that every bit of information in that short story needs to mean something. Thanks for highlighting Let's Publish -- I really appreciate it!
Hugs,
Em
Let's Publish is a good group. Glad you got good information from the NL!
sunshine014
Smashing newsletter, Storm!  I'm revising a story that focuses on nature, so this was a lot of help to me. Thanks! 
Sweet! Good luck.
Just an Ordinary Boo! 
Snoopy's famous opening lines are parodied upon a write that received an award for the 'Worst Opening Line'. It has to be read in its entirety. One would think the attempt to get it wrong was deliberate!  To get the complete picture go to www.bulwer-lytton.com
Thanks for the link.
LJPC - the tortoise
Hey Storm! Thanks for the great NL! I find that weather is like a character in a story, and deserves equal time. Describign the weather is another part of describing location. The most interesting uses of weather are in sci-fi stories - nights can last a month, and 12 purple moons can cause strange tidal shifts.  -- Laura
Laura, that's a wonderful way to think of the weather - as just another character. |
| ASIN: B004PICKDS |
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Short Stories: March 10, 2010 Issue [#3597]
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