Short Stories
Short Story Writing Project: What is a Short Story?
by John Hewitt on 2/10/2008
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What is the definition of a short story?
I define a short story as a brief, focused fictional piece that contains at minimum the following key elements: plot, setting, characterization and some sort of resolution.
How long should a short story be?
In my opinion, the optimal length for a short story is between ten and fifty double-spaced pages of text. To me, anything longer than this is a novella (a short novel). Some other ways of defining the length of a short story are:
• Short stories are short enough to be read in a single sitting (from a half hour two hours). This definition can be traced back to Edgar Allen Poe, one of the first great short story writers.
• Short stories are less than 5000 words.
• Short stories are shorter than a novel.
How is a short story different from a novel?
In my opinion, the true difference between a short story and a novel is that a short story has a unity of theme, character and plot that is much more focused than a novel. Here are some other ways of stating the difference:
• Short stories tend to concentrate on one major event or conflict.
• Short stories have only one or two main characters.
• Short stories create a single specific effect.
• Short stories are more compressed than novels.
• Short stories do not have sub-plots.
What are the minimum elements of a short story?
In my opinion, a short story has all of the elements of a novel. Specifically, they tell a story, as the name suggests. One or more characters experience an event or conflict, and that event or conflict has an observable effect on the character or characters. This differentiates a short story from a character sketch, which serves only to illustrate or flesh out a character. It also differentiates a short story from anecdotes or parables, which are often amusing or demonstrate a lesson, but which do not necessarily call for a character to be changed in any real way.
What kind of short stories are there?
Short stories are as varied as novels. They can come from such genres as horror, fantasy, romance, erotica, adventure and science fiction. They can be action packed and exciting or introspective and philosophical. They can be romantic, sexy, satirical, cynical, bleak or optimistic.
I tend to write what are called literary short stories. Literary short stories focus more on character and tone than plot. In most cases they avoid other genres. I also tend to include a lot of humor in my stories, often unintentionally. That is simply my style. Your style can be whatever you want it to be.
What are some good short stories that I can read online to get myself ready for this project?
The downside of the web is that most of the stories we can access by major authors are older, public domain stories. With that said, I found a nice variety of short stories to get people started.
• The Tell-Tale Heart — Edgar Allan Poe
• Hills Like White Elephants — Ernest Hemingway
• Cathedral — Raymond Carver
• To Build a Fire — Jack London
• Eyes of a Blue Dog — Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• What You Pawn I Will Redeem — Sherman Alexie
• Softcore — Joyce Carol Oates
How do YOU define a short story?
It’s your turn to speak up. Please leave your own definition of a short story in the notes below or at least comment on my definition. Feel free to mention your favorite short stories.
Tagged as: characters, novel, plot, story
Definition of the Short Story
Characteristics
1. A short story is a piece of prose fiction which can be read at a single sitting.
2. It ought to combine objective matter-of-fact description with poetic atmosphere.
3. It ought to present a unified impression of tone, colour and effect
"unity of effect" (Poe)
4. It mostly shows a decisive moment of life (which can entail a fatal blow).
5. There is often little action, hardly any character development, but we get a
snapshot of life (slice-of-life story).
6. Its plot is not very complex (in contrast to the novel), but it creates a unified
impression and leaves us with a vivid sensation rather than a number of remembered
facts.
7. There is a close connection between the short story and the poem as there is in
both a unique union of idea and structure.
8. There is a limited set of characters, one single action and a simple plot
(often: exposition, complication, crisis, sad / happy ending).
9. A short story very often has an open / abrupt beginning and an open or surprise
ending.
10.A short story is restricted to one setting only (fixed place and time, social surroundings).
It is the reader´s task to try to understand the author´s view of life as shown in
his work.
What should we consider when we judge on a short story?
1. What is the theme / the central idea?
Can we state it in one single sentence ( a short story should be rich in
its comment on life)?
2. What does the characterisation contribute to the total effect?
What are the main characters?
What does each want (succeed of fail)?
What are their inner motivations, their virtues, their human failings?
3. What does the plot contribute to the total effect?
What is the climax?
What sort of conflict does the main character go through?
Is the main action brought to a logical conclusion?
4. What does the setting contribute to the total effect?
Does the setting increase the credibility of character and action?
© J. Menrath / 2003
Does it contribute to the atmosphere?
5. In what atmosphere does the story take place?
The atmosphere is more a result than a cause.
What is the range of emotions the author deals with?
Is there any irony of situation?
6. Is the story plausible?
Does the story have a logic of its own and state some truth about
human existence?
Are there any improbable events or coincidences?
7. Does the style contribute to the final effect?
Does the diction (choice of words) fit the main tone?
Does the author use imagery (similes, metaphors, symbols) and
what purpose do they serve?
Does he use certain linguistic means (parallelisms, alliterations...)?
Is the style an indirect means of characterisation?
8. What structural elements are there in the story?
What are the meaningful events (exposition, climax, flashbacks, foreshadowings,
dénouement, solution, open ending)?
Who is the narrator?
Through whose eyes does the reader see the action (point of view)?
9. What is the literary background?
Can the story be considered as typical of any literary period (local
colour movement, impressionism, realism, expressionism...)?
Would you understand the story better if you knew the author´s life and
other works?
10. Judgement
Do you like the story?
Why do you like it / Why don´t you like it?
Can you point out any details to appreciate its value?
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories
http://kids.learnoutloud.com/Kids-Free-Stuff/Literature/Short-Stories
http://www.onlineaudiostories.com/
