2.3 Writer's Workshop: Short Stories

Writing Goal: Short Story

Stories take us to different worlds where we meet new people and experience new ideas and situations. For example, we can go on an historical journey, take part in an action-packed adventure, or help solve a mystery.

In 2.3, you will review important elements of fiction (make-believe) stories and choose the type you would like to write. You will then plan and write a story of your own, incorporating the necessary elements of setting, characters, plot, and theme. The story you write may be as imaginative or as realistic as you like. You may use your wildest fantasies or your own memories of something that happened to you or someone you know. Be colourful, creative, adventurous, and above all, have fun with your writing

Workshop Overview:  The Writer's Workshop consists of 2 parts.

Writer's Notebook:  As you go through the first five lessons, you will open your Writer's Notebook to complete specific steps that will help you understand elements for your writing piece.  

1. Learn how to punctuate when using dialogue (speaking parts) in a story.

2. Review examples of story types, setting, characters, conflict, characters, and plot.

3. Plan your short story, step-by-step.

Writer's Workshop:  Writing as Story 

1. Write a first draft.

2. Revise your writing. Use a "great beginning" strategy and learn how to use paragraph breaks with dialogue. 

3. Edit your writing. Submit your revised and edited draft for feedback.

4. Apply the feedback from your teacher. Publish. Submit your final draft. 

Writing Targets:

By the end of this workshop you will have incorporated the following into your piece:

• A clear setting
• Well developed characters
• Focus/Development of ideas
• A strong plot with an exposition, a clear problem, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
• A clear theme
• Use of literary devices (simile, metaphor, alliteration)
• Dialogue with proper use of quotation marks and paragraph breaks

Before you begin, take a moment to complete a mini-lesson on quotation marks.  Read about quotation marks and see examples of how to punctuate when your story has dialogue (conversation/speaking). 

Watch this video:

READ ABOUT QUOTATION MARKS

Then, use the examples on the link above to help you to complete the activity in your "Writer's Notebook".

You can check your answers here:

ANSWERS

Stories can be grouped into different types, or genres (pronounced jon-ruz), based on where and when the story takes place, what happens, and who the characters are. You learned about this in 2.1. Let's review:

Some of the most popular story types are:

Watch the video to help you to recall different genres of literature. As you watch, you can fill in the examples in your Writer's Notebook. 

Many stories are actually a combination of two or more genres. For example, a story that takes place in a South American jungle is both an adventure story and realistic fiction. Another story about aliens attacking a space colony is both science fiction and a horror story.  

Of course there are many more types of fiction. And many stories include elements of several genres.

Open your Writer's Notebook and complete 2. Choosing Your Story Type.

Setting is the WHERE and WHEN a story takes place, and the resulting MOOD.

Where - Location

This can be anywhere on Earth, from the top of mountain to the bottom of the ocean. The story can be set on another planet or even another plane of reality!

Where something happens is important because it helps you visualize the setting. If the story is about a Sherpa climbing Mount Everest, you think of cold temperatures, dangerous ice, and high altitude difficulties. If the story is set in a mermaid castle under the ocean,  you could visualize the pressure of the water, dangerous sea creatures, and mermaids having gills to live under water.   

When

WHEN can be any time period at all. It can be in the past, present, or the future. It can be morning, noon, or night. It can be in summer, spring, winter, or fall.

When something happens is important because it also helps to you visualize the setting and to understand the story. If it is happening in modern day times, then you will visualize people having the same clothes, products, and problems that people have today. If it is set in the past, you might be more dependent on the text details to visualize how they dressed, ate, and interacted.

The mood or feeling of the story

• is it a happy place? A sad place? A scary place?

  Authors carefully choose their settings in order to create a certain mood. For example, a story set in a haunted house on a dark, stormy night would be rather frightening. Another story set on a tropical island with a gentle breeze and waves lapping against the shore would be peaceful and relaxing. Skillful writers often take you through many different moods as they tell their story.

Example of "Setting"

Here is a passage from a sample short story. Notice how the location, time, and mood are developed in this passage. Word Choice: Think about the word choices: 

Which words paint a picture in your mind as a reader? Do you think he chose (this word/phrase) on purpose?

Can you identify the location, time, and mood? Here are some ideas:

Location

Time

• • Early afternoon. It probably takes place in the summer (the scent of lavender and presence of bees hints at this).

Mood

• • Very peaceful and quiet.

Open your Writer's Notebook and complete 3. Setting.

What is conflict? 

Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces. 

Why is conflict important? 

Conflict connects characters and plot.

Conflict "drives" the story forward.

Types of Conflict:

Below are the most common conflicts you find in stories.

1) Character vs. Character

The protagonist has a conflict with another person, animal or creature (like space aliens!).

2) Character vs. Nature

The leading character struggles against a force of nature like a storm, earthquake, being lost in a forest, etc. Sometimes the force is the "bad guy" in the story - a character itself. 

3) Character vs. Society

The protagonist struggles against the ideas, practices, laws or customs of society.

4) Character vs. Self 

The protagonist struggles with sense of identity, with a decision that has to be made, physical limitations, or big personal decisions, etc. 

Quiz Yourself:

Test your conflict identification skills. Figure out the answer. Then check your answer using the drop down menu below each statement.

1) The banker took money illegally from my bank account.

Answer Character vs. Character

2) Marcus rallied with the protestors outside the government office demanding equal pay for women.

Answer Character vs. Society

3) The ocean waves threw the boat violently, and Surya paddled harder to reach the shore.

Answer Character vs. Nature

4) The prime minister wondered if she made the right decision.

Answer Character vs. Self

Open your Writer's Notebook and complete 4. Conflict.

Good characters have strengths and weaknesses, just like characters in real life. They are believable and interesting, so we want to keep reading about them.  

How to Develop Characters?

Describe:

1. What your characters look like

• e.g., Rita was small and fragile but had immense courage.

2. What your characters do (how they behave and perform)

• e.g., With a determined effort, Rita managed to get the rowboat into the lake and clamber aboard.

3. What your characters say

• e.g., "I'm afraid but I'll do it anyway!" Rita shouted.

4. What your characters think or say about them

• e.g., Polly watched from shore, knowing it was impossible to stop Rita once she decided to do something.

TIPS FOR CREATING GOOD STORY CHARACTERS

• Keep a “character notebook” and write down details you notice about interesting people you see in stores, on the bus, in the news, etc.

• Look in magazines, newspapers, etc. for pictures of interesting people. Perhaps it is a young woman hiking up Mt. Kilimanjaro or an old man feeding bread crumbs to pigeons in the park.

• Interview someone you think would make a great character. This guarantees your characters are realistic and accurate.

• Decide on the facts about your characters—name, age, family background, occupation, etc. Stick to facts you can easily imagine and that fit with the setting of your story.

• Decide what and who is important to your characters. What are their likes and dislikes, beliefs, dreams, and fears? What do they think about?

• Decide what your characters look like, how they act, and what kind of clothing they wear. What do they talk about and how do their voices sound?

• Decide how a character will change during the story. 

• Reveal new information about your character as the story progresses, not all at once. This will help the audience better understand your character’s actions and motives.

• After you complete your character descriptions, ask a friend or family member to draw a picture of or describe your main characters. This picture or description might give clues about what is missing from your description.

Open your Writer's Notebook and complete 5. Characters.

A story needs characters and a setting but without a plot, it won’t go anywhere. Remember, the plot is the sequence of events that happen in a story. It is made up of:.

• Exposition: introduces you to the characters, setting, and problem
• Rising Action: all the events that build up to the climax, there is growing conflict that creates suspense
• Climax: the turning point and the most exciting part of the story
• Falling Action: shows the aftermath after the conflict and loose ends are tied up
• Resolution: the ending of the story

Let's review. Watch the following video on plot to learn about the 5 different parts.

In your assignment for this lesson, you will think about and describe the plot of the story you are going to write for this unit. Here are some tips for creating powerful plots that keep your readers turning the pages. Keep these tips in mind when you begin writing your story.

• Decide what the main problem in your story will be. Does the main character face an internal struggle, a problem with another character, or with a greater force, such as nature?
• Decide what events will take place as the main character faces this problem. There should be three to five for your short story. These events should become more complicated or serious as time passes until they reach a climax.
• Check to see if you need to add connections between events, especially if you are changing place or time.
• Make sure you include events that will end your story in a satisfying way. Don't be too abrupt, but don't drag out the conclusion either.
• What will the key events in your story be? How will the conflict be overcome, or will it?

Open your Writer's Notebook and complete 6. Plot.

Next, use the lessons and/or your learning guide and notebook to review the elements of a story – setting, character, conflict, plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution). 

Then, complete the “Elements of a Story” Quiz. 

Finally, submit your "Writer's Notebook" in the course dropbox. In the next lesson, you will download a template that you will use to complete the steps to write your story. 

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.

DOWNLOAD:

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.

Now you have written or typed out your first draft for your story. Nice work! 

Copy your draft and paste it under "Step Three: Revising" in your template. Then, using a different colour text, make the changes suggested below. By using a different colour, your teacher can see your revisions. 

The next steps are revising and editing. Read over the following instructions and then carefully go through your writing. Imagine your first draft is like a gem you found in a rock. Now you have to polish it up and make it pretty.

To make your story clear and complete, you might need to revise it several times. Remember, no one ever writes a perfect draft! Don’t worry about “small stuff” like spelling and punctuation though. Those things will be checked and corrected in the editing stage.

Revision Part One: Check the overall content:

• Is it in the best order?
• Did I say everything you wanted to say?
• Is it all relevant?
• Should I add, subtract, move, or change anything?

Revision Part Two: Look at word choice.

• Check: Do I have literary devices? Your teacher would like to see a simile, a metaphor, and an alliteration - at least one of each. 
  • If you said no to any of the above, take the time to enhance your word choices. 
• Check: Have I used sensory language? Your teacher would like to see three senses addressed (sight, sound, touch/feel, taste, smell)
  • If you do not have three senses included, take the time to enhance your word choices.Include stronger action verbs. Can you substitute, add, or remove any words? (looms, winding, pedaled, sought, absorbed, lapping, hummed)
• Check: Have I used vivid verbs and creatively applied adverbs? 
  • Where can I substitute, add, or improve any verbs and adverbs? (menacingly, casually, reluctantly, seemingly )
• Check: Have I enhanced some nouns with tantalizing adjectives? (majestic, grass-filled, endless, gentle, peaceful, threatening) 
  • Where can I substitute, add, or improve any adjectives?

The beginning of any story is very important. It will determine whether or not the reader will continue reading or if his or her eyes will gloss over with boredom and not turn another page! Pretty important, wouldn’t you say? 

Let's find out more about how to write a great beginning:

Let’s take a look at some good beginnings: 

• The author might begin with a quote and follow it up with an action in the form of a command. This type of beginning immediately puts the main character into the setting. Here is just such a beginning from the novel, Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil. 

“Angelo! Angelo! Look! A boat!” Angelo put down the net he was mending, pushed his red cap back off his forehead, and looked at Michelle. 

• Another great beginning tells us a little about the plot of the story. Look at this beginning from Jumanjiby Chris van Allsberg. Are the children going to be able to please their mother? 

“Now remember,” Mother said, “your father and I are bringing some guests by after the opera, so please keep the house neat.” 

• The author might begin with an action (noticing something) instead of a statement (He was ...). This makes the reader curious. Read this beginning from Stuart Little by E.B. White and see if you are left wondering why he was so small and if everyone was looking at him. 

When Mrs. Frederick C. Little’s second son was born, everybody noticed that he was not much bigger than a mouse. 

• The author could begin with a questionto get the reader’s attention. You may want to read on to find out the answer to Paul Goble’s question in his book, Her Seven Brothers. 

Do you know what the birds and animals say? 

• A story can begin with an action and a sound effect. We can almost see and hear the little boy dragging his teddy bear down the steps in A.A. Milne’s book, Winnie the Pooh. 

Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin.

Revision Part Three: Revise the beginning of your story using a "great beginning" strategy from this lesson page. 

Revising - Part Four - Add Dialogue or Enhance Your Use of Dialogue:

Dialogue (words that are spoken) helps the reader to learn more about the characters and events. If you haven't used dialogue yet, try adding it in a couple of places. It should enhance the story but there doesn't need to be so much it becomes the story. 

Then, think if words to say instead of "said". Here is a tool for this that you may want to print and keep for future projects and grades.

Words To Say Instead of Said

Now that you have revised your story, it's time to edit and proofread it in preparation for the final draft. Editing involves a last look at things like parts of speech and sentence and paragraph structure. Proofreading is where you focus on things like grammar, punctuation, and spelling—and on getting your story ready for the world to see.

Before you submit your draft to your teacher for feedback that you will apply to your final copy, you need to edit and proofread your draft. 

You might get a parent or friend to help you to proofread your paper. 

EDIT FOR "CUPS": 

Check for capitalization, usage (grammar), punctuation, and spelling.

The P in CUPS is for punctuation. If you used any dialogue, it's important you know how to use quotation marks. You learned about this in lesson 2.3A.

To help you edit your punctuation when you have dialogue, use this resource:

READ ABOUT QUOTATION MARKS  

Also, be sure to start a new paragraph each time you change speakers. You can't have two different people "speaking" in the same paragraph. This is what it looks like:

Read your story slowly out loud. Check that you have done each of these things:

Parts of Speech:

Did I use a consistent verb tense (e.g. past or present) throughout my writing?

Did I use the best words in my writing?

Sentences

Do all my sentences express complete thoughts?

Have I eliminated run-on sentences from my writing?

Have I eliminated short, choppy sentences from my writing?

Have I eliminated long, rambling sentences from my writing?

Did I use a variety of words and phrases to start my sentences?

Have I eliminated words that don't add meaning to my sentences?

After you have edited your story, read it aloud again.  Let your ear tell you what sounds awkward or ungrammatical.

I have read my story aloud at least twice while making edits.

Continue your edits by doing a careful proofreading. 

Title

Have I included a title?

Punctuation

Did I include a punctuation mark at the end of each sentence?

Did I use commas to separate items in a series?

Did I correctly punctuate the dialogue in my writing?

Did I use apostrophes to show possession or missing letters (not plural)?

Capitalization

Did I begin each sentence and direct quotation with a capital letter?

Did I capitalize nouns that name specific people, places, and things?

Spelling

Have I double-checked the spelling of the names of people and places?

Did I use the correct word form for words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings (e.g., their, they're, there;  too, to, two)?

Did I use the spell-check function on my computer?

Paragraphing

Have I indented each new paragraph or double-spaced it from the previous paragraph?

If there is dialogue, have I started a new paragraph each time the speaker changes?

Sometimes it can be difficult to spot mistakes in your own work, so you could ask a friend or family member to proofread it as well.

Submit your revised and edited draft for feedback.

Your teacher will give you suggestions and feedback.

After you apply the teacher feedback, you can then finish and submit your "published" story. 

Once you have:

• Revised your draft again based on feedback from your teacher
• Checked the rubric to make sure you have included all necessary elements

you are ready to submit your final copy! 

If you wish, you can put it together like an actual story with pictures and maybe even an "about the author" page, but that is not required. 

Submit under the dropbox: Unit 2 Short Story: Final Copy