Creative Writing Tips ?
It's no use coming up with a theme and not using it. Short stories are about a character or characters and about one situation or happening in those characters' lives.
By concentrating on that one thing, our stories are focused. You will need to focus to maintain a level of intensity and sticking to the theme enables us to do that.
Let me give you an example?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scenario One
Let's say your story is about a young man (main character) who is being harassed (one situation) by the school bully (secondary character.) Let's place the setting in grade school.
Now if we focus on that single happening and in our story say?.
Then we'll be focusing only on that incident which is what our story is about.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scenario Two
Now if we took that situation further and in our story said that this character grew up and was bullied in high school and then later by a colleague?
That will be listing three incidences, which will weaken our story because we are not focusing.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Remember a short story is short.
We don't have too much leeway to develop too many things so we have to be selective with what we choose to concentrate on. Short stories work best when they span over a short period of time.
Like in scenario one, this incident might span over a couple of days or a week, where in the second scenario, it spans over a number of years. The shorter the time span the more intense the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Your theme should begin at the beginning, run through the middle and conclude in the end. So let's put a theme to the first scenario?
'Strength Comes From Within And In The End Prevails.'
How can I have this theme running throughout my story?
Initially I will portray my main character as a weak individual. But I will excuse his weakness, by saying perhaps that?
"He comes from a closely knit, loving family and initially doesn't know how to deal with such a conflict."
As my story progresses, I will gradually show his inner strength and I will do this through incidences, which will show his maturity, like?
? He helps out by caring for his younger siblings and contributes with the housework.
And
? I can show him cutting the neighbours' lawns or delivering newspapers before school to show that he contributes economically too.
If I do this, my ending (when he wins against the bully) will be believable because I have developed his inner strength. My theme would have run its course.
Is your theme running throughout the story?
About The Author
Besides his passion for writing, Nick Vernon runs an online gift site where you will find gift information, articles and readers' funny stories. Visit http://www.we-recommend.com
Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More
Many writers stare at the blank page or clean computer... Read More
1. No one else will do it for you.2. No... Read More
Freelance writer STANLEY BURKHARDT has a passion for animals. He... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
Have you given up on getting your book out of... Read More
ESSAYS ON AUTOBIOGRAPHY: NUMBER 1Preamble:Nearly seven years ago I wrote... Read More
You are far more likely to successfully write and publish... Read More
9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have... Read More
Imagine a three hundred page book was in the author's... Read More
1. PLAY A GAME LIKE SOLITAIRE....for half an hour or... Read More
Suspense novels are probably the easiest novels to write. Suspense... Read More
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More
Screenwriting is a competitive trade. To distinguish yourself as a... Read More
Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More
Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of... Read More
Pictures they say are worth a thousand words, but many... Read More
The first and final rule of quality writing is this:... Read More
1. Make your goals achievable.By achievable, we mean realistic and... Read More
Joyce Carol Oates. Langston Hughes. Anne Sexton. F. Scott Fitzgerald.... Read More
When my first book "Starting Your Own Business" was published... Read More
A friend and I were talking the other day about... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More
Have you ever written a letter to a friend? Ever... Read More
More and more good authors are turning to the Internet... Read More
As writers, we initially tend to be either more cerebral... Read More
I hate to admit this, but I rarely get an... Read More
The tiniest things can be so useful when you come... Read More
In this article you will find tips on: How to... Read More
Chances are, you'll be busy over the next several weeks.... Read More
I've just come back to work after nine glorious, sun-drenched... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More
You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More
All Writers need the press, especially new writers. As a... Read More
Although he has his own website, John Grisham probably does... Read More
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices ? 4... Read More
Self-examination sheds light on a writers motives, goals, and aspirations,... Read More
|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about... Read More
Language Training - A key to Global CommunicationLanguage Training is... Read More
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals... Read More
Congratulations on writing your first book. That is quite an... Read More
Whether you keep a separate spiritual journal or just want... Read More
Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More
We all need a cheer squad.We all need people to... Read More
One Saturday afternoon, I sat in a packed conference room... Read More
In the beginning of your story you have to grab... Read More
Quite a few years ago, I enrolled in a Degree... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
Has the thought run across you mind that you might... Read More
Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on... Read More
ADAPTATION 101Brimming with confidence, you've just signed the check purchasing... Read More
Writing can be more difficult that just compiling your thoughts... Read More
If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be...uh, very... Read More
Iā??ve spoken to hundreds of editors, employers, and project managers... Read More
What am I supposed to give Anthony as a wedding... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
Often, time is an enemy of writers. Sales seem slow... Read More
Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More
There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think... Read More
Authors need to write their book according to their target... Read More
Hands up all those who'd like to have a successful... Read More
Writing |