 Short Stories: December 17, 2008 Issue [#2770] |
  Short Stories
This week: Edited by: Vivian  
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Many of the components necessary for a short story have been covered often. However, we all need a refresher course.
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Major Components of Short Stories
plot
setting
characters
theme
dialogue
point of view
limited length
Plot: The action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result. In order to have a result, an event, or conflict, is necessary. The components of plot are conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution.
Setting: The background against which the story takes place: the place where, the time when, and conditions under which the story moves toward resolution. Includes atmosphere, tone, and feeling of the story (sad, cheerful, etc.). Setting does not need exact detail unless needed for plot or characters, but readers need to have a sense of when during history (Middle Ages, Victorian era, modern times) the story takes place. A general idea of whether the action is in a rural area or town or city is needed, even a specific location is not used.
Characters are beings in the story that think or act in order to create plot. Characters need to gain readers' sympathies and/or interest. Methods to reveal characters for readers: actions or thoughts of the character, conversations of characters, conversations between characters about another character, the author's opinion, overt or implied (often presented by use of point of view used). Characters need to be well-rounded, rather than one dimensional. The limited length of a short story limits the number of characters used.
Theme: The total meaning of the story, that does not have to be tied up in a simple moral, gives meaning or purpose to the story. Theme does not have to be stated, may be implied. Theme isn't always planned by a writer but evolves and becomes apparent during the process of the story or after it's finished.
Dialogue: According to My Den (http://myden-myden.blogspot.com/2007/08/structure-and-components-of-story.html), Dialogue makes fiction seem real. Interior dialogue is thoughts of a character. Dramatic dialogue is a character thinking aloud, without response from other characters. Indirect dialogue is the narrator telling what a character said. Dialogue should be used to develop character or to advance the story. It should not be used just to hear characters talk. A small amount of dialect in dialogue can be used to establish the nature of the character but should not be overused, as dialect can be difficult to read. The level of use of language by the characters (i.e. pronunciation, diction, grammar etc) is often used to characterize people in a story. The form of dialogue used should be varied to keep the reader interested.
Point of view: Three main forms include first person, second person, and third person (which is sub-divided into omniscient and limited). Many people confuse point of view with perspective (the character or characters perspective in third person).
With first person, the narrator is one of the characters and all actions, dialogue, and thoughts are only those which the narrator sees, hears, or thinks. I, me, my, mine are pronouns used in the narrative part of the story.
With second person, the writer tries to bring the reader into the writing as a character by using you, your, yours as pronouns in the narrative part of the story. Using second person in a short story isn't considered "good" writing, mainly because the read is not part of the action or story, and can't be.
Third person has a narrator relating all action in third person, using third person pronouns such as "he" or "she."
Limited third person gives only the thoughts and feelings of a single character and shows only the action and conversations heard by that character.
In omniscient third person, the narrator knows thoughts, feelings, actions, and conversations of all characters, or at least more than one character.
Length of writing: Most short stories are 1,000 and up to 20,000 words. The maximum length, though, considered appropriate by many is 7,500. Therefore, whether a story is allowed to be 20,000 or 7,500, the length is limited, and the writing needs to be concise enough to cover all the other components and stay within the word limit.
I hope the writing tips above will help everyone write terrific short stories.
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Words from Our Readers
Nikola~Thankful 
Thank for the resources, Viv! One more reason to write, rewrite and get those submissions out there.
I hope you can use the information, Nik, and hope you get some entries in the OWFI contest.
333rd Legend 
Thank you for this invaluable list. I'm sure many are just as appreciative as well.
As another idea as to getting short stories published would be to in corporate them into your novel where possible. For instance, I have a novel on the go where the main character learns important events in history that give him hints to solving the problems that lay ahead, both known and unknown. Stephen King does this a lot in the Dark Tower series.
Thanx again. May your dreams guide you, and your nightmares inspire you.
Also we can use our short stories to expand into novels, which I did with "The Midnight Hours" and wrote Midnight Hours, a mystery/suspense novel.
darkin
Very informative newsletter, Viv. I'll be checking out those links. 
Good for you. I hope you have great results.
G. F. Streuner
Thanks so much for the list of periodicals and other publications looking for short story submissions! I really appreciate this resource.
You're very welcome.
michellekeyes
There is also the Writer's Digest to provide markets for fiction.
True there is Writer's Digest, The Writer, and Writer's Market.
jackieboy
I have an anthology of short stories coming out on- www.virtualtales.com
YOU SHOULD PUT VIRTUAL TALES UP,
JACKIEBOY
I listed places where short stories can be published in print.
francie
Thanks for all the links you provided for publishing.
I enjoyed reading "Jaspar's Shed" . Good choice for this informative newsletter.
I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
Acme
Ace links, Viv Delight Thanks!
You're welcome.
NanoWriMo2018 Into the Earth 
This NL is a KEEPER! thank you soooo much for doing the hard work for us.
I'm glad I can help.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. May your 2009 be blessed and wonderful.
Viv |
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