Jamie+Morgan

What? Short Story
 * Proposal**

Why? Throughout school I've tampered with many different styles of writings. However, majority of my writings are poems, or small vignettes. Needless to say, I spent majority of my time taking "snap shots" within my writing rather then focusing on an entire story of theme. I think it will be interesting trying to come up with an entire story, develop a climax, and tie it all together with a conclusion.

What I know about short stories? Well, being as I'm a LLWT major, I've read plenty of short stories. I know they can vary in length. The expected length is usually based on the genre of writing. I am going to attempt to write about 4,000 words for my short story. I've noticed in the majority of short stories that I've read the character development takes place over time. Not just in a single paragraph

//Dear Jamie: This is a major undertaking, but you seem to know what you're in for. You might try developing a single character, then writing a story that revolves around that character's conflict. The more characters, the more challenging the genre. You want to be sure you have at least one believable and identifiable character.//

//Bill//


 * Annotative Bibliography**

Annotated Bibliography: Writing a Short Story

Stewart, Jennifer. [] accessed 2/6/2011 This source includes a list of nine things you should take into consideration when writing a short story. These things include suggestions on improving your structure, theme, setting an plot. The suggestions here not only seem helpful, but very easy to comprehend. Near the end of the article there are also sources listed.This goes into detail about vivid imagery within a short story that will not only help draw your audience in, but it will also help create a theme, and a better environment.

Smith, Fiona Veitch. [] accessed 2/6/2011 This is an excellent source that not only gives you tips on writing a short story but also helps define it. The author does a great job at explaining the difference between a novel in a short story as well as the suggested length of short stories. It also created a cathartic moment when she noted the idea that short stories are an endangered species Also her idea that a short story is a “slice of life” makes it a lot more approachable.The article also offers many different excersices that I will take into consideration when I am attempting to write the short story.

Jerz, Dennis G. [] accessed 2/6/2011 This selection is another list of things to take into consideration when you are writing a short story. This article is much more advanced then the first article. It takes Stewarts points but goes into much more detail. It asks questions that make me think a little bit more about my story, and what is it that I’m trying to convey, or accomplish. It also offers emergency tips when you are stuck on an idea. In addition to that it goes into detail on what makes a good story, not just on how to write a short story. It includes information on character development, writing a good first paragraph, and having a consistent, and meaningful plot.


 * How to Write a Short Story**

Throughout high school and college we are often introduced to many different tpes of creative writing. However, one thing that many high school and college students are not challenged with is writing a short story. In order to write a short story there are many steps to take in the process. You have to first develop the story, and the ideas you want portrayed in it. Second, develop the structure and layout of the story, and finally, you have to take the time to review, revise, and re-do anything that you don’t find suiting.

First, you need to begin to develop your story and the ideas you want portrayed in it. Since a short story can be anywhere from 600 to thousands of words, you want to take into consideration your level of interest in your story topic. You don’t want to begin writing a story that you do not find completely entertaining because it is more likely that you will lose interest in it somewhere in the writing process. If something like this is to happen it willmake your final piece seem extremely scattered. This is why the development process is so crucial when attempting to write a long piece.

In addition to that, you have to think of the ideas that you want developed throughout your story. Do you want it to make a point in the end? What genre did you want it to fall under? Taking the time to write an outline of series of events that you want to happen also helps. Being as this is a lengthy piece of writing you are given the opportunity to write about many different situations are scenarios that you find relevant.

Second, you want to develop the structure and layout of the story. Writing short stories can be done in many different ways. One of the first things you should take into consideration is the point of view of the story. Having a short story that is third person is a great way to convey a story, especially when you have many different characters if your story is only from the view of one, most often ties or not a first person view is a great way for the reader to get inside the head of the character. You can have different lay out of the story as well. A basic story should have a catchy beginning, and a dramatic end. One creative route that you can take is to start with the ending instead. This creates a suspenseful start to the story that will hopefully draw in your reader. In addition to this short stories can be done in different ways. For example, rather then taking the conventional route you can write something that is called an __epistemology__ [epistolary story] which is a short story that is written completely in letters.

Finally, after writing your piece you want to take some time afterwards to review it, or to have someone else to review. Contrary to popular belief this step is not to just simply fix any spelling errors. If you take your time to write something, and come back to it the next day or the next week it is very common that you will feel a little more refreshed about the topic. This will in turn give you a different creative outlet that will help you explain a different type of option or approach.

In conclusion, it is important that you not only put a lot of time into writing a short story, but you put a lot of thought into it as well. This genre gives you the opportunity that write about many different things, and gives you’re the challenge of making all of these things relate to one another. Though it may seem intimidating, try your best not to get writers apprehension. The rules behind short stories are ambiguous. Take what you know, and stretch it to its extremities until you’re looking at something completely beautiful.

//Dear Jamie: These are useful, but standard suggestions about story writing. Story writing is more complex than writing a beginning, middle, and end. How many well-developed characters can be portrayed? How do you portray character from his or her actions? How do you choose point of view? (first or third person) How do you create suspense? This gets us deeper into the process.// //You have shrunken the genre quite a bit. In a thousand words you have to get to the story much faster than in a conventional short story.//

//Bill//