Students often ask: "How long should my story be?" instead of
realizing that any story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end.
This sort of open ended question really has no answer. How long should a
story be? Well, traditionally, short stories are shorter than novels.
That's a good place to begin.
Short stories are shorter than novels, and are usually not as complex or involved. Short stories were originally meant to be read in one sitting. As our culture has sped ahead, and we don't have much free time, short stories have become as short as a sentence or two and as long as the traditional short stories, fewer than 20,000 words. A short novel is about 50,000 words. Most publishers want novels that are anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 words or more.
Usually a short story focuses on only one event or incident. It usually has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time. Most writing students start off writing short stories because they are manageable. But the form is tricky and hard to perfect. Many authors spend their whole lives learning the craft of writing short fiction.
Longer short stories usually contain elements of dramatic structure: exposition (the introduction of setting, situation and main characters); complication (the event that introduces the conflict); rising action (development of the conflict), crisis (the decisive moment for the protagonist and her commitment to a course of action); climax (the point of highest tension and the point the protagonist faces her antagonist); resolution (the point when the conflict is resolved); and a sense of enlightenment, epiphany, or moral.
Short stories may or may not follow this pattern. Some do not follow patterns at all. Modern short stories only occasionally have an exposition. An abrupt beginning, with the story starting in the middle of the action (in media res) is more standard or typical.
Usually all short stories have a turning point and climax, but endings may be sudden or what is called "open"--leaving the story incomplete. As with all art forms, short stories will vary by author.
Read a few short short stories here. Discuss with your neighbor which stories are best and try to figure out why.
Then continue to write your short story using your interview notes (see post below).
HOMEWORK: For homework, select one of the following short stories and read it. Be prepared next class to talk about the story you read in a small group of students. You should be familiar enough with the plot, the characters, setting, point of view (POV) and general theme. Take notes on the story to answer these questions in your journal. Bring your journal to class Friday.
Select any of the following stories to complete your homework:
Horror or Suspense Stories
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
The Cats of Ulthar by H. P. Lovecraft
The Picture in the House by H. P. Lovecraft
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Hobnail by Crystal Arbogast
The Judge's House by Bram Stoker
The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Humorous or Satirical Stories
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
A Telephone Call by Dorothy Parker
2BRO2B by Kurt Vonnegut
Fantasy Stories
A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum
A Witch Shall be Born by Robert E. Howard
The Jewels of Gwahlur by Robert E. Howard
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
Science Fiction Stories
A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
All Cats Are Gray by Andre Norton
Beyond the Door by Philip K. Dick
Mystery or Crime Stories
The Red-Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
Classic Short Stories
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The Lady or the Tiger by Frank Stockton
Miscellaneous and Realistic Stories
One of These Days by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell
Thank You, M'am by Langston Hughes
Flowers by Alice Walker
Recitatif by Toni Morrison
For those of you having a hard time reading, due to low reading skills, here's a simpler story:
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Short stories are shorter than novels, and are usually not as complex or involved. Short stories were originally meant to be read in one sitting. As our culture has sped ahead, and we don't have much free time, short stories have become as short as a sentence or two and as long as the traditional short stories, fewer than 20,000 words. A short novel is about 50,000 words. Most publishers want novels that are anywhere from 75,000 to 100,000 words or more.
Usually a short story focuses on only one event or incident. It usually has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time. Most writing students start off writing short stories because they are manageable. But the form is tricky and hard to perfect. Many authors spend their whole lives learning the craft of writing short fiction.
Longer short stories usually contain elements of dramatic structure: exposition (the introduction of setting, situation and main characters); complication (the event that introduces the conflict); rising action (development of the conflict), crisis (the decisive moment for the protagonist and her commitment to a course of action); climax (the point of highest tension and the point the protagonist faces her antagonist); resolution (the point when the conflict is resolved); and a sense of enlightenment, epiphany, or moral.
Short stories may or may not follow this pattern. Some do not follow patterns at all. Modern short stories only occasionally have an exposition. An abrupt beginning, with the story starting in the middle of the action (in media res) is more standard or typical.
Usually all short stories have a turning point and climax, but endings may be sudden or what is called "open"--leaving the story incomplete. As with all art forms, short stories will vary by author.
Read a few short short stories here. Discuss with your neighbor which stories are best and try to figure out why.
Then continue to write your short story using your interview notes (see post below).
HOMEWORK: For homework, select one of the following short stories and read it. Be prepared next class to talk about the story you read in a small group of students. You should be familiar enough with the plot, the characters, setting, point of view (POV) and general theme. Take notes on the story to answer these questions in your journal. Bring your journal to class Friday.
Select any of the following stories to complete your homework:
Horror or Suspense Stories
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe
The Cats of Ulthar by H. P. Lovecraft
The Picture in the House by H. P. Lovecraft
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
Hobnail by Crystal Arbogast
The Judge's House by Bram Stoker
The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Humorous or Satirical Stories
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
A Telephone Call by Dorothy Parker
2BRO2B by Kurt Vonnegut
Fantasy Stories
A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum
A Witch Shall be Born by Robert E. Howard
The Jewels of Gwahlur by Robert E. Howard
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
Science Fiction Stories
A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
All Cats Are Gray by Andre Norton
Beyond the Door by Philip K. Dick
Mystery or Crime Stories
The Red-Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
Classic Short Stories
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The Lady or the Tiger by Frank Stockton
Miscellaneous and Realistic Stories
One of These Days by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Shooting an Elephant by George Orwell
Thank You, M'am by Langston Hughes
Flowers by Alice Walker
Recitatif by Toni Morrison
For those of you having a hard time reading, due to low reading skills, here's a simpler story:
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
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