"Fiction is like a spider's web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners." Virginia Woolf Date: Class: Name: Short Story Writing Handbook Grade 7 English Language Arts
Most short stories follow a similar format. When planning your short story, using the following model to guide your writing EXPOSITION IIISIN6 ACTION RESOLUTION CLIMAX 1. Create a narrative lead: show the main character in action, dialogue, or reaction. 2. Introduce the main character's character. Who are they? 3. Introduce the setting: the time and place of the main character's life. 4. Introduce and develop the problem the main character is facing. 5. Develop the plot and problem toward a climax, ex. Decision, action, conversation, or confrontation that shows the problem at its height. 6. Develop a change in the main character, ex. An acknowledgement or understanding of something, a decision, a course of action, or a regret. 7. Develop a resolution: how does the main character come to terms - or not - with his or her problem? Short Story Structure
The Brainstorming Session Before authors sit down to write, they have an idea of what they want to write and the audience that they are writing for. This may be the most challenging aspect of writing. Many students have been 4. Describe the setting of your short story. As we have discussed in class, setting is described as the time, place, lifestyle, climate, and weather of a story. Please be sure to include these in your detailed description. 3. Who are the main characters of your story? Do you have a protagonist and an antagonist? Describe your characters using visual aids such as character webs if it makes it easier for you. 2. What is the theme of your story going to be? Explain in detail. 1. What is my topic? (Write down the main idea for your story and explain what the central conflict.) Take your time and think about your ideas and answer the following questions with a high level of thought and detail. overheard saying, "I don't know what to write. I have no good ideas." The brainstorming session is the solution to those writer's block moments. Pre-Writing and Planning: What to do before you start writing.
Main Character Questionnaire To begin the planning stage of your short story, start by creating a protagonist. Use the following questionnaire as a way to get to know your character better. 1. What's your name? 2. How old are you? 3. What's the problem you are facing? 4. What is your family's background? 5. Where do you live? 6. What do you like to do? 7. What' s different about you? 8. What do you care about? 9. What do you fear?
11. Who are the important people in your life? 14. What will you understand about yourself and your world at the end of the story? 13. How will you change through confronting your problem? 12. What are the important things in your life? 10. What are your dreams?
Authors bring their characters to life using many techniques. When drafting your short story select a few methods from the list below to make your characters jump off the page with authenticity. Give your character something to love that reveals his or her private self. Beloved Object or Pet: Create your character's bedroom and fill it with the stuff of his or her life that reveals parts of the past and present. Intimate Setting: Imagine the habits, interests, skills, hobbies, goals, fears, tastes and preferences, daydreams, and nightmares that will flesh out your character. Quirks: Compare and contrast your character's actions, reactions, beliefs, values with those of others. Other Characters: Show how your character responds to actions, words, ideas, of others. Reaction: Recall events from the past that show why your character is behaving as he or she does today. Flashback: Get your character up and moving around, doing things both little and big that show what he or she is like. Actions: Get your character talking as a way to reveal himself or herself. Dialogue: Show what your character is thinking and feeling. Reflection: Ways to Develop a Character
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The First Draft Having completed the prewriting work, you should be ready for the best part of creating literary works - the writing. On as many sheets of loose leaf as you need, let your creative ideas flow and write a first Did you use correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar? Yes / No Have you used different types of sentences? Yes / No Did you choose interesting and powerful words to express your ideas? Yes / No Is your writing honest and personal? Yes / No Is your setting well developed? Yes / No Did you create well-developed and believable characters? Yes / No Does your writing focus on your theme and appeal to your audience? Yes / No Did you create a strong plot with a clear introduction, developed middle, and powerful conclusion? Yes / No Are your ideas organized, clear, and complete? Yes / No The Writing Process Checklist Review your short story using the following checklist. Take time to seriously contemplate your writing. Circle the appropriate answer. draft of your work. Take your time, dive into your work and enjoy the opportunity to explore your writing talents. Getting Down to the Writing
amazing what an outside pair of eyes will notice, and the insight that they can bring to your work. Please ask that your peer take the time and care required to do a thorough job reading and thinking about your writing. Ask your peer to answer the following two questions: 2. What area of the writing requires a little more attention? (A section that is not easily understood, a turn in the plot that does not seem quite right, a paragraph written in a different person from the remainder of the piece, etc...) 1. What were the strengths of the story? (A well-written passage, a descriptive paragraph, clever dialogue, a life-like character, etc...) Peer Editing Once you have read and revised your short story, it's time to turn it over to a peer to read. It's
Rearrange words and ideas. Add or take out parts. Change words or ideas to better ones. Complete unfinished thoughts. Replace overused or unclear words. Once you are done proofreading, share your story with the world. Proofreading & Publishing Now that your story is has been revised, it is time to make your writing error free. Read over your typed final draft to correct for punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Use the spell check and grammar check tools on your computer but be sure the changes you make are correct. Just because the computer suggests it doesn't mean it's correct. Revising Think about what others said about your story. Then begin revising to make your writing better.