How to Write Tips

All-genre plot:
Abducted from a safe territory by (renegades, outlaws, Indians, aliens, ghosts, witches, vampires, robbers, spies, villains, Iraqis), s/he was dragged into the middle of enemy territory. S/he suddenly had to interact with people and systems that challenged every fiber of his/her being and his/her very bliefs were questioned. Escape was impossible, so s/he made the best of his/her captivity. S/he maintained his/her morals and religious beliefs and through God changed the lives of his/her former enemies. S/he was the forerunner to a great revival.
S/he was uprooted from his/her home, family, friends, and entire way of life. S/he was forced to adopt her conqueror’s culture. S/he employed herself/himself to learn their language and their culture. God opened the doors to her supernatural wisdom and charisma and gave her/him great influence with two of the land’s most powerful kings.
S/he studied the literature, science and religion of her/his captors. Her/his name was replaced with one from their culture.
Instead of regarding these people as enemy agents sent to undermine her/his faith, s/he saw them as people to whom God wanted to reveal the substance of his/her faith.

Short Stories: Characteristics

•Short - Can usually be read in one sitting.
•Concise: Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told. This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot
•Usually tries to leave behind a single impression or effect. Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act.
•Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing personal experiences and prior knowledge to the story.

Four Major components of the Short Story

•PLOT
•SETTING
•CHARACTERS
•THEME
#1 PLOT
•The action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result. In order to have a result, we must have an initial event, or conflict.

Stages of a Plot
•Introduction of characters
• The situation: Initial conflict
•The generating circumstances, which create a
•Rising action – heightened anticipation for the reader
•Climax
•falling action and Conclusion. These two are also known as a denouement.

Short stories usually have:
•Dramatic conflict. Usually the basis of the story. Source of the problems which may or may not be overcome in the climax.
•Foreshadowing. Many stories, despite their surprise ending, have left clues through the story.
•Repetition. Helps drive home a point.
•Suspense. Draws readers to the work.
•Repetition. Helps drive home a point.

#2 SETTING
The background against which the incidents of the story take place. Not merely a place, it includes the place where, the time when, and social conditions under which the story moves along.
This can include atmosphere , the tone and feeling of a story, i.e. gloomy, cheery, etc.
In one form or another, setting is essential to the story. Often, the relevance of the story is lost in another setting.

#3 CHARACTERS
There must be living beings in the story that think or act in order to keep the story going. They must seem like living and feeling individuals in order for us to feel strongly about them
The worst thing that could happen for is writer is that you feel indifferent toward the characters.If we don’t care for the characters, we are not inclined to keep reading.

FOUR METHODS OF PRESENTING A CHARACTER:

•Actions or thoughts of the character.
•Conversations the character engages in.
•conversations of other characters about a third character.
•Author’s own opinion. This might be overt, or may be implied.

Points of View: Presentation of a Story
•Author Omniscient (all knowing, all seeing). This is a third person point of view. The omniscient author, writing in third person, sees whatever he wants to see, inside or outside his character, in privacy or public, and interprets as he chooses.
•Author participant (first person). The author may be the main character, or could be a secondary character.
•Author as an observer (3rd, person). Involves objective treatment, as though the story teller had no inner sight into the character’s thinking or behaviour.
•Multiple story tellers (3rd. Person).

#4 Theme
The total meaning of the story. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TIED UP IN A SIMPLE MORAL. Without it, the story lacks meaning or purpose.
Sometimes the theme is stated, sometimes it is only implied. In other stories, the theme may be a direct refutation of a traditional theme.

Literary Devices
Literary devices are tools a skilful writer uses to improve the reading experience. These include:
5-way sentence. An effective start to a story.
The 5-Way Sentence
The goal of the 5-way sentence is to hook readers inside the first couple of sentences of a story. This is acheived by providing a lot of essential information, a glimpse of action, and a lot of anticipation for the reader. A successful 5-way sentence creates the feeling that the story has already started and the reader has been dragged along for the ride. Alert readers must figure out what has already happened while also keeping up with the story as it unfolds. It is not an easy task to create, but when done properly the 5-way sentence is a very effective writing device.
Students were asked to create three 5-way sentences, pick one, then develop the characters and plot around the beginning of their story. Students were expected to pass in their good copy, rough copy, character development page, and plot development page.

The Five Way Sentence - Is an effective way to get stories started.
Found at the start of a story.
Can be two sentences, but should not be three or more
Creates a situation where the reader feels the story has started without them - the reader has to catch up.
5-WAY SENTENCES CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
Who
"What like" (describing word or phrase)
Suggestion of when (not necessarily specific time)
Suggestion of where
What he/she is doing - start in the middle of the story
Irony. Writers use irony to keep readers alert - helps avoid predictability, and often leaves an impression on the reader.
Foreshadowing. Many stories, despite an ending that may surprise some, have left clues through the story.
Repetition. Helps drive home a point.
Symbolism and metaphor. By drawing parallels between smaller objects and larger concepts, writers can create stories that others can relate to.
Every protag. Has a question (needs and desires) reflecting their motivation. E.g. “Why me?” “Will I ever be happy?” “Why am I alone?” “Why did she have to die?” “Why go on living?” etc. Answer this question by the story’s end (denouement).
Desire + need – aspiration
(wants) (destiny) (the turning point)
What’s at stake?
Describe sight, smell, sound, feel, touch, taste
Emotions
Smell the blood
Hear the screams
Shouting
Feel the fear
Sick to stomach
Wetness of the blood
Labored breathing
Biting
aggression
boil and spill over
taste the blood
feel the pain of a broken bone
hear the whistling of the blade
swoosh of the arrow
smell sweat
see eyes wide with shock
beads of sweat on upper lip

to slow a scene – costuming, terrain details, weather

Ending – protagonist has changed. The world is restored to some kind of order or show the new order.
Resolution of what was left unresolved by the climax
Climax usually resolves external conflict and plot. Resolution can resolve the internal psychological plot or romantic plot.
Faith-challenged (will s/he regain his/her faith?) = regained faith or know the loss is permanent (cynical)
Guilt-ridden and confession
Protag’s courage has prevented a cataclysm in the world order
Protag returns to equilibrium
The resolution is a scene that shows how the climax changed the protag’s understanding of faith, love, guilt, or his/her world, etc.
Romance = fulfilled love and how it changed the protag.
End might parallel the beginning.
Close the story with emotion: peace, understanding, empowerment, sadness, anger.
In a serial or soap, the resolution will only open up another story.

Witnesses
Physical evidence
Hold back
Fingerprints
weapon
Confession (need first two for this)

The rule of three: three questions, three daughters, trouble comes in threes (so do deaths of celebrities). If something is mentioned three times, it is of great importance. (compare the bible, trinity, man’s soul ego and body, etc.)

Formula fiction – stock characters and devices
A predictable plot and consistency
Lack or originality
Predictable plot patterns or archetypes
The perennially understaffed forces of good triumphing over monolithic evil
Absence of aesthetic significance
Self reflection
Playfulness

The seven basic plots (or 9)
1. overcoming the monster – hero’s ordeals to find and destroy monster, finally bring peace to the land
2. rags to riches – modest downtrodden character whose special talents or beauty is at last revealed for a happy ending
3. the quest – a hero and sidekicks travel the world, fight to overcome evil and secure a priceless treasure. Hero gets the treasure and the girl.
4. voyage and return – hero leaves normal experience to enter an alien world, returning after what amounts to a thrilling escape
5. comedy – confusion reigns until at last hero and heroine are united in love
6. tragedy – portrays human overreaching and its terrible consequences
7. rebirth – a change of heart, attitude and actions for the hero
8. rebellion – hero rebels against authority
9. mystery – detective sleuths for clues

The protag’s greatest strength becomes his/her heroic flaw – that which makes him/her great brings him/her down. The quality that provides the greatest power poses the greatest danger. The internal conflict gets in the way of solving the external problem. Your most valued asset is going to get you hurt.

What is character’s instinctive first step to dealing with a problem?
1. curious person – investigates
2. recklessly courageous person – plunges in
3. caretaking person – looks around for someone else to help
4. ambitious person – takes advantage to further his/her goals
5. leader person – takes charge
6. cautious person – researches and prepares

Story issues:
1. resist temptation
2. find your way home again
3. pick your battles
4. restore love
5. restore family
6. deception
7. hidden identity
8. accept responsibility
9. past trauma
10. friendship
11. ambition
12. freedom
13. parental abandonment
14. parental overprotectiveness
15. loss of self or loss of identity
16. forgiveness
17. divinely-ordained fate
18. defiance and rebellion
19. war
20. competition
21. self-discovery
22. horror
23. divided loyalties
24. family
25. religion
26. politics
27. self-deception
28. death
29. birth
30. betrayal
31. trust
32. vengeance
33. disappointment and shattered illusions