Short Stories and Creative Writing

Some Amazing Short StoriesElements of a Story

Descriptive Creative Storytelling Novel Creation

Silent Reading OR Silent Writing. Study a short story element and fill in the

glossary handout. Read a short story. Do a project that ties into the story and the

element.

Typical Block(s)

Anytime you are reading and come across a

word that is descriptive or a word that is new to you put it in the Fancy Words Box and we will discuss it at the start of class.

Fancy Words Board

Protagonist – the main character. Usually a good person

with admirable qualities who acts as a hero. If they do not have admirable qualities they are an anti-hero.

Antagonist – the main force against the protagonist. The villain.

Character Foil – someone who has contradictory characteristics to the protagonist. The reader learns more about the protagonist by seeing them contrasted next to the character foil.

Characters

Dynamic - A dynamic character is a

person who changes over time, usually central characters are dynamic.

Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.

Characters

Static - A static character is someone who

does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve.

Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or characteristic.

Stock - characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to readers or audience members

Characters

1st Person = the narrator is a character and refers to

themselves as “I”.

3rd Person Limited Omniscient = the narrator is not a character but their knowledge is limit to that of one character.

3rd Person Omniscient = the narrator knows everything about all the characters.

Omniscient = one having total knowledge

Point of View

Each time a new speaker talks give them their own line. Put their words in quotation marks. Then carry on with

the paragrah.

The Do and Do Not of Good Dialogue http://www.creative-writing-now.com/how-to-write-

dialogue.html

Dialogue Activity = you will be given three pieces of paper. Two of the papers have characters on them, the third has a topic. Write out a conversation.

Writing Dialogue

Where and when does the story take

place? Describe the area as a whole but be

specific about all the little details. It needs to create a concrete image in

the reader’s mind.

Picture Activity – next slide

Setting

Using your picture, create a vivid setting that creates a clear

image in the reader’s mind. Be specific!

Setting Picture Activity

A small town Seba Beach is a quaint town in central Alberta with a year round population of only 500. It’s the type of town where everyone knows your name and a trip to the store is as much a social event as it is a chore.

1930s The year is 1931, the prosperous times of the 1920s are over and although there is very little of anything to go around the people of Seba Beach don’t let it get them down.

Internal

Person vs. Self – the character is dealing with an inner struggle; for example, addiction, body image issues, self-doubt, etc..

External Person vs. Person Person vs. Society Person vs. Nature Person vs. Supernatural

Conflict

What is the deeper message the author is trying to

give? Theme is universal it exists in a variety of settings

with a variety of characters. Novels can have more than one theme. Fairytales and Fables have specific lessons as their

theme. Examples:

Cherish your family. Think for yourself. Perseverance pays off.

Theme

Plot

In groups of four brainstorm ideas. Share ideas and vote as a class.

Get your section assignment. In your groups figure out the specific details.

Put your details on the class plot diagram. Do they match up with the next groups?

Figure out chapter breaks and assign chapters.

Our Plot

Flashback

Returning to a prior event mid story. Foreshadowing

Clues that help the reader predict what will happen next. Irony http://theoatmeal.com/comics/irony

Verbal – saying one thing but meaning the opposite. Situational – a reversal of expectations. Dramatic – when the audience knows what is going to happen before

the character clues in. Mood and Tone

How the story makes the reader feel. Red Herring

Events designed to through the reader or the character down the wrong path.

Some Literary Techniques

Read the point form story on the board. Pretty boring

right? It just TELLS you what happens. Examine the “A to Z of Emotions” list the class has

made. Pick an emotion. Now re-write the story according to your emotion.

This time SHOW what is going on. Happy Example

The boy was happy the school day was over. The second the sound of the bell rang through the halls

the boy jumped out of his seat, flung his backpack on, and raced out the doors and towards his home with a massive smile on his face. “Free at last,” he thought to himself.

Mood and Tone Activity