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for my honors english class in high school I have to write a short story, which counts as our midterm, but i can't come up with any ideas. can anyone tell me how to get one? like what should i come up with first, the plot or the characters? can anyone help?!

2007-03-03 04:04:44 · 10 answers · asked by macey301 2 in Arts & Humanities Books & Authors

10 answers

Choose a locale or subject you are familiar with. In order to bring color to your writing you should be familiar with what you are trying to impart. Otherwise you have to do massive amounts of research into the site or subject you want to use as your backdrop. Decide what the main point you wish to build your story around. Is it the loss of a friend... the birth of a child... a race that is won or lost, etc. The human condition is something that all can equate to. You want something that your readers will be able to empathize with.

Create your primary character. Will this story be in the first part or in a narrative format? Decide what the traits of this character will be. Don't make him too perfect or he/she won't be believable.
What are the physical traits. What is the nature of this person? Know your character well and do not deviate from how he/she would react to situations.

Once you have the basics in mind... the rest will just flow from it.

2007-03-03 04:24:03 · answer #1 · answered by diane_b_33594 4 · 0 0

With me, when I write, the first thing I sketch out is a situation. From this comes a plot. An example would be a short story I wrote in high school called "X = Death". I was babysitting at a neighbor's house, and it was dark and windy. I was unused to the noises, and to calm myself I started writing a description of sitting in a strange house on a stormy night. I had just finished math homework, and somehow that feeling of satisfaction got into the description. Then I realized that the distraction of homework had made me unaware of the noises--until then. And suddenly a plot of a teenager sitting doing homework and only vaguely being aware of noises that came closer and closer came to me.

Hope that this technique works for you.

2007-03-03 04:17:54 · answer #2 · answered by KCBA 5 · 0 0

My Creative Writing teacher says just to start putting words on paper. Eventually, an idea will come. Or, just wait 'til you have inspiration. Or, write a story with you as the main character in it, and you're doing something that you love. Then, your character discovers a related problem to that situation.

for example: I write myself as an opera singer. I am in a performance, and the conductor comes in realizing that he has lost the score! My character would help him find it.

About how long is a short story? It is between two and five pages long. However, if it goes over, it is okay!

I hope this helps!

2007-03-03 04:16:38 · answer #3 · answered by Stephanie S 2 · 0 0

I'm a professional writer.
What I usually do is think of something that has happened to
me or a place I've been, or something that I want to do - etc.
Then start writing a story about it, making up people, places,
and things as I go along.
You need to have a good imagination and it helps to have
done many things but since you're in high school, that may
not be so helpful so think about things you want to do as an
adult or anything else that can get your brain working.
Don't have any distractions - no radio, TV or anything else.

2007-03-03 04:14:46 · answer #4 · answered by ha_mer 4 · 0 0

Short Stories aren't my favorite either. What I suggest is your just start writing about something that you enjoys writing about, whether its about school, games, music, sports, etc. Once you've started writing then develop a plot and characters and build off what u have

2007-03-03 04:14:09 · answer #5 · answered by Billy B 2 · 0 0

Most stories come from classic templates such as Shakespeare or Coleridge and the likes. Bill Cosby purchased his story line from Britain.

2007-03-03 04:18:55 · answer #6 · answered by lightwayvez 2 · 0 0

Characters shoud always be thought up first and then the plot.
If you think deeply enough about the characters, a plot should be easily thought up.
Daydreaming does help tremendously but I don't recommend it.

2007-03-03 04:12:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

THUMBLESS
frightening night- mysterious forest-u alone-saw a rat without a thumb- the rat bit u- u lost ur consciousness-when u regained, u were in a closed chamber-a mysterious creature walking towards u-u look at it properly-u find it was also thumbless!
The end.
Leave it for the reader o figure ou wat happend later on

2007-03-03 04:17:28 · answer #8 · answered by Ana C 3 · 0 1

Good vs. evil...big struggle...good prevails. THink of the person you love the most in the world- base the good character on them. THink of the person you loath the most in the world- base the evil character on them (I based mine on my mom- he he).

2007-03-03 04:15:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

searching a sturdy concept might want to correctly be hard. the first ingredient i might want to do is to chosen a form. Do you want delusion? Scifi? Romance? Horror? etc etc. i might want to carry off interpreting any short thoughts on your selected form until eventually you've a particular concept in options, that way you do not by danger borrow *too* many techniques. Writing's continually extra useful if it comes out of your individual head :-) once you've determined on a form, attempt to picture about issues that interest you in searching a plot. seem on the international round you for thought. the data might want to correctly be sturdy thought, as can music. imagine about a number of your prominent thoughts, or thoughts you'll have beloved extra useful if it might want to have gone a distinct way. in case you opt for to position in writing a horror, sit, turn off the lighting fixtures fixtures, and examine out to imagine the scariest ingredient you could imagine of happening to you. in case you want a romance, imagine about what might want to thoroughly sweep you off your ft. Scifi and delusion might want to correctly be ordinary--what type of international do you wish you would possibly want to stay in? what type of individual do you wish you would possibly want to be? what type of factors do you wish were authentic? when you've finished that, settle on even if you opt for it to be in first individual or in 0.33. First individual shows extra about the nature's options and emotions and reactions, at the same time as 0.33 individual shows extra of the large photo and has the prospect to create some dramatic irony--something significant the reader is prevalent with besides the undeniable fact that the nature would not. once you've determined all that, it truly is time to finish somewhat study! Now you would possibly want to study as many short thoughts on your form as you could to get a sense for the way that is finished. also, google is your pal--use it to seem up key words "aspects of fiction," so that you'll seem up such issues as plot, symbolism, increasing and falling action, etc etc. it is also conceivable to google "a thanks to position in writing a short tale," to attempt to get a outstanding, sturdy how-to. it truly is about all i can imagine of. once you've were given all that, something (ie, sturdy writing) is as a lot as you!

2016-10-17 10:04:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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