2.3 Writer's Workshop: Short Stories

Did you complete the “Elements of a Story” Quiz and submit your Writer's Notebook? If not, please do so now. Then continue in this lesson. 

You have already started planning and brainstorming your short story on bravery in your writer's notebook. It is now time to start writing! Remember it doesn't have to be a long story just a well-written one including all the necessary elements of a story that have been discussed.

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For each step of the story-writing process, you will use this template to complete your writing; use the same file and add to it as you complete the writing process.

You completed pre-writing in your Writer's Workshop, so you already have ideas for your setting, characters, and plot. 

Now it's time to write a first draft. A first draft is where you put your ideas into sentences and paragraphs.

Here are some tips that will help you write a first draft of your story.

• Work in a place where you can concentrate without distractions.

• Read your prewriting ideas carefully then begin your draft while the ideas are clear in your mind.

• Think carefully about your opening. This is where you introduce the characters, describe the setting and mood, and indicate what the problem or conflict in the story will be.

• Introduce your main characters as soon as possible. Make sure their actions, dialogue, and appearance are appropriate for your chosen story type. For example, characters in a historical fiction story need to be act, talk, and dress accurately for the time and place of the story.

• If the setting is important, add more details about it as your story progresses.

• Make sure the setting is appropriate for your chosen story type. For example, an adventure story about lost hikers is better set in the mountains than in a city.

• Everything in your story must lead up to the turning point or climax. If you keep this in mind while you develop your characters, setting, and plot, then your dialogue and narration will build towards the climax.

• Your story can have a happy ending, or a not-so-happy ending. Either way, it should end when the conflict or problem has been resolved. Don’t drag it out!

• Let your ideas flow naturally and keep writing. Don’t stop to evaluate your work.

• Don’t worry about order. You can move words, sentences, and even paragraphs later.

• After you’ve finished writing the first draft, set it aside for a day. 

Check it over:

• Do you have a good start on:

  • A clear setting
  • Well developed characters
  • A strong plot with a beginning, rising action, climax, falling action and conclusion.