Republic of the Philippines

Pangasinan State University

Bayambang, Pangasinan
COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Languages Department

Writing Fiction
and Drama

Banaag, Leanie Kim

Cadungo, Maria Erika

Cayabyab, Jeanelle

Ceralde, Faith

Espinoza, Beafel

Mamorno, Recca Lyn

Padua, Sheila Mae

Submitted To:

Mrs. Mary Ann Bullagay

 I. Introduction

Sullivan (2020) believes that Creative writing is any form of writing that exists outside of
journalism, business writing, or academic writing. It expresses an author's unique voice,
writing style, thoughts, and ideas in an engaging and imaginative manner.

Creative writing is any form of writing which is written with the creativity of mind: fiction
writing, poetry writing, creative nonfiction writing and more. The purpose is to express
something, whether it be feelings, thoughts, or emotions.

Morley D. (2007) asserts that Creative writing is to demystify itself without falsifying its
intricacy. Creative writing can be opened and learned like any craft, like any game of
importance. “You become a good writer just as you become a good carpenter: by planning
down your sentences.”

Creative writing encompasses such a broad range of genres, there are numerous types,
each of which is well-known. However, the focus of this course will be on writing fiction and
drama

II. Objectives

At the end of the discussion, students should be able to:

a. explain the different types of fiction;

b. identify the elements of a fiction;
c. construct fiction story using different general reminders for writing fiction;
d. discuss the different parts of a story;
e. compare and contrast flash fiction and short story;
f. write their own short story and/or flash fiction; and
g. determine the different elements of play writing.
 III. Content

A. TYPES OF FICTION

“Writing fiction is the act of weaving a series of lies to arrive at a greater truth.” –Khaled
Hosseini

Fiction gives us the comfort of our imaginative lies to feel the greater truths that we
ever wanted. Works of fiction are creatively manipulating every lost mind to be in another
world-imagination. The beauty of fiction is that, it can make the readers think creatively and at
the same time be entertained.

Fiction- this is a type of prose that describes imaginary events and people. It is defined
as something that is not true that is only based from the author’s imagination to express one
self and to entertain readers.

Purpose: To entertain

• Story
• Read to enjoy
• Creative
• Not based on true events
• Uses Literary elements; plot, setting, theme, characterization, points of view, and
conflict

Types of Fiction

1. Realistic Fiction

• A story that has believable events and characteristics that could actually happen in
real life
• Although it can take place in a real setting, it is not based on history or science
Examples:
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really, Really Angry—by Molly Bang
• Frindle—by Andrew Clements
• The Great Gilly Hopkins—by Katherine Paterson
2. Historical Fiction

• A mix of fiction and historical facts

• Based on historical events, but the story is mostly untrue
• Could possibly have historical character
Examples:
• Pink and Say—by Patricia Polacco
• Uncle Jed’s Barbershop—by Margaree King Mitchell
• The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963—by Christopher Paul Curtis

3. Science Fiction

• Fiction that deals with science and technology

• Scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on
another planets, forms part of the plot or background.
Examples:
• Ender’s Game
• The Monster Garden
• A Wrinkle in Time

4. Fantasy

• A fiction, or untrue, story

• The story couldn’t happen in real life
• Typically involves magic or supernatural powers
• Oftentimes takes place in another world or has make believe characters, such as
wizards or dragons
Examples:
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—by Roald Dahl
• Magic Tree House (series)—by Mary Pope Osborne
• A Bad Case of Stripes—by David Shannon

5. Mystery

• A fiction story based on a mysterious event or a crime

• The story provides clues throughout the story, but the mystery isn’t typically solved
until the end of the story
Examples
 • I Want My Hat Back—by Jon Klassen
• The Boxcar Children (series)—by Gertrude Chandler Warner
• Holes—by Louis Sachar

6. Traditional Literature

• Stories that are typically passed down from generation to generation

• A variety of types of traditional literature include:

a. Folktales- it deals with adventures both plausible and implausible wrapped in forms of
human or animal abilities.
Examples:
• Rapunzel
• The three little pigs
• Little Red Riding Hood

b. Fairytales- these stories typically have a theme of good vs. evil and typically have a happy
ending
Example:
• Sleeping Beauty
• Cinderella
• Snow White

c. Tall tales- it is usually humorous and exaggerates characteristics and accomplishments.

Examples:
• Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg
• Paulbunyan by Steven Kellogg
• John Henry by Julius Lester

d. Legends- these stories often exaggerate characteristics of a person that makes them
notable
Examples:
• The Legend of the BlueBonnet
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
• Biag ni Lam-Ang

e. Fables- these short stories often have animals as characters and teach a moral, or lesson
Examples:
 • The Lion and the Mouse
• Aesop’s Fables

f. Myths- Traditional literature that attempts to explain how things came to be and may involve
heroic quests.
Examples:
• Hercules
• The Lightning Thief
• The illustrated book of Myths

B. BEST EXAMPLE OF FICTION AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS

Fiction could be based on true stories from history. Although imaginary characters in
stories and novels are presented in a fictitious context, they may bear some resemblance to
real-life events and personalities. When writers take characters from real life and modify them,
they do it deftly.

Elements of Fiction

The First Element of Fiction: Character

In many ways, characters are the foundation for the entire work. Is there conflict?
That’s going to involve the emotional and mental condition of your characters. Have you
chosen a point of view? That’s you following specific characters as you tell the story. Your
characters are the people through whom your reader experiences the tale, and the trick is to
make those fictional characters feel completely real.

• You’ll need to know their backstory. This doesn’t mean your reader needs to
know it, but your understanding of your character’s history is crucial for how
and why your character responds to things.
• You’ll need at least a rudimentary grasp of psychology. You and I have both
read books which annoyed us because the characters just didn’t feel “real.”
Often, this is because basic psychology was ignored, and the characters
behaved in a way that made no sense for human beings.
• You’ll need to understand the power of the character arc. Your character should
not be the same at the end of the story as in the beginning. They change, and
their growth is a key aspect of your story’s momentum.
 If your characters are flat, your readers will have trouble empathizing. But if your characters
feel real and relatable, then your readers will eat your story up. Understanding what your
characters do and say (and how other characters respond to them) helps to paint the fullest
possible picture of your fictional creation.

The Second Element of Fiction: Plot

One small aside: plenty of folks would start this list with plot, not character. Both are fine.
Your characters live inside your plot, but your plot revolves around your characters. I just put
plot second in this list because when I write, my plot follows my characters, rather than the
other way around. If you do it differently, there’s nothing to fear: you’re still right! (I could say
“write,” but you might click the back button.)

Plot is like blueprints. Your plot, its connections, and its structure determine the way you
shape your story. It includes the order in which your characters face things. It’s the organized
structure, the thing that will end up in an outline on Wikipedia (with spoiler alerts, of course).

Generally, “plot” as a concept is split into five parts:

• Exposition or introduction, which establishes characters and setting.

• Rising action, which reveals the conflict. Now that your characters are
established (along with some sense of what their “normal” looks like), you throw
in the wrench and raise the stakes.
• Now comes the climax, also known as the turning point. This should be the
greatest moment of tension in your story; everything is critical, with emotion
and interest peaked. This is make-or-break, the moment when things matter
the most.
• After that comes falling action, when things start to wind down. All that tension
is actively being resolved. Your reader has a deep need for that resolution in
this section, so make sure that when you “fix” the problems, you address the
issues you’ve been carefully setting up.
• Finally, we have resolution. Don’t let the word fool you: this ending isn’t
necessarily happy or sad. It means everything has been solved, and your
conclusion arrives at the place where all the events of the plot have strongly
led. It feels final, or at least, final enough that the reader can put the book down
without flipping back through the pages to see if they missed something. Again,
 this doesn’t require a happy ending. It does require a satisfying one, even if you
mean to continue in a sequel. If you’ve left any knots still tied, you’d better have
a good reason why—and better make sure your reader has a clue that the
answers are coming soon.

Examples of Fiction in Literature

Example #1: Alice in Wonderland (By Lewis Carrol)

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is a good example of fiction. The story narrates
various adventures of the main character, Alice, in a fictitious land full of incredible creatures
and events. Alice has to go through certain magical experiences in the wonderland. According
to the story, one day, while reading book, Alice grows bored, and notices a white rabbit. She
follows the rabbit when it goes into a hole in the ground.

When peeping through the hole, Alice loses her balance and falls in. She floats down
slowly into the hole, and observes everything around her. Then Alice enters Wonderland,
where she witnesses a number of weird things. This entire magical tale is fabricated and
imaginary, which makes it a good fiction to enjoy.

Example #2: Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen)

Another ample example to portray fiction is, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It is one
of the most famous English novels. Unlike the previous example, this story is set in a real-life-
like setting. All characters are humans, and no magical or strange events take place in this
novel. All of the characters, and the entire story is a made-up narrative, each element the
product of Jane Austen’s imagination. She not only presents the issues of the contemporary
life faced by middle class families, but also daily preoccupations of the common people. The
novel presents a good fiction of actual life of nineteenth century.

Example #3: Hamlet (by William Shakespeare)

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is another apt example of fiction. The story of the play
moves around the main character, Prince Hamlet. He is informed by the Ghost of his father
that his uncle murdered his father, King Hamlet, and married his wife and Hamlet’s mother,
Queen Gertrude. The Ghost elicits a promise from Hamlet that he will avenge his murder by
killing the murderer. This becomes Hamlet’s dilemma. He vows to kill his uncle, but delays it
on one pretext or another. Overall, the story is all about the intrigues and plots of the royal
castle of Elsinore in Denmark. The story may have some connection with the real-life events
and characters, yet it is completely a fabricated story created by Shakespeare to entertain the
Elizabeth audience of that time.

C. GENERAL REMINDERS FOR WRITING FICTION

Fiction writing is narrative writing that involves elements of plot and character created
entirely by the author, as opposed to nonfiction, which is based on real world events and real
people. According to an article entitled, “What’s the best thing you can do to improve your
writing?” Writing Fiction can be a real bloodletting at times. You give it your all, but your brain
freezes. Your story or novel is just not working out – the characters are flat, the scenes are
flat, and the plot is going nowhere. You sure could use a strategy or two, something that makes
your fiction live and breathe.
Characters, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, and there are six key elements for writing
fiction. Thus, great fiction writing requires dedication and hard work. Nonetheless, while there
is no definitive list of rules you should follow for fiction writing, there are a number of general
reminders to help you start writing, write better, craft a great story, and make the process go
more smoothly. Here are the seven (7) general reminders for writing fiction:

General Reminders for Writing Fiction

1. Make an outline
You can make an outline before, during, or after you finish your rough draft. It
will provide you with a road map, which is a mighty powerful tool to have at your
disposal.

2. Understand basic story structure

Professional writers are well-versed in the framework most stories follow, from
exposition and rising action through to the climax and falling action. Create an outline
to map your main plot and subplots on paper before you get started.
3. Write simple sentences
There is a time and place for bigger words and denser text, but you can get
story points across in simple sentences and language. Try using concise language
when writing, so that every word and sentence has a clear purpose.

4. Be careful with POV

Decide which point of view makes most sense for your story: first person;
second person; third person. Your narrator is your reader’s gateway into the story, so
be careful with point of view. You may also ask these questions as a guide:
• From what viewpoint is the story told? Is the story told by an anonymous third-person
narrator or by a character who uses first-person (I or we) point of view?
• If using first-person point of view, is the first-person narrator trustworthy? Is the narrator
participating in the action or just witnessing the story’s events?
• Does the point of view change?
• What effects result from the chosen point of view? Is it objective or subjective?
• How would a different point of view change the story?

5. Withhold information from your readers

When writing fiction, only give readers the information they need to know in the
moment. Ernest Hemingway’s iceberg theory in writing is to show your readers just the
tip of the iceberg. The supporting details—like backstory—should remain unseen, just
like the mass of an iceberg under the water’s surface. This prevents readers from
getting overwhelmed with information and lets them use their imagination to fill in the
blanks.

6. Consider your themes

On a related note, the underwater part of the “Hemingway iceberg” not only
consists of backstory, but also important themes. This is another aspect to contemplate
during the writing process: what are you trying to say about society and/or the human
condition? And how can you convey those themes in a subtle yet effective way? If
character is the most important aspect of fiction, then theme is the “meaning” of a story.
Your themes will depend on your genre and subject material, but they may also relate
closely to your personal beliefs and experiences. Try to embrace this, as writing what
you know is a great way to infuse your story with genuine emotion.
 7. Love your story

You might have a list of story ideas waiting to be fleshed out, but there’s likely
one you’re most passionate about. Start with that story. Many authors do their best
writing when they’re deeply invested in their characters and plot.

D. REVIEW ON THE PARTS OF A STORY

A story has five basic yet essential parts. These five components are: the characters, the
setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. These essential elements keep the story
running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow.
Recognizing how each of these aspects contributes to the story assists the reader in
comprehending the structure and meaning of a short story.

PARTS OF A STORY
To break down a story into its elements for the purpose of analyzing it, it helps to start by
breaking the plot down into five stages:

Exposition (or Introduction) - The beginning part of your story where you establish the world,
the characters, the tone, and your writing style.
Rising Action - The rising action is usually prompted by your inciting incident. Here, you
escalate tension and problems, explore your characters. This is the biggest chunk of your
book.
Climax - This is the sort of “moment of truth”. The culmination of everything–the highest point
of tension. The point the plot has been leading up to.
Falling Action - What goes up must come down. This is where you resolve any subplots and
side stories.
Resolution - Resolution is the part where the outcome of the event and the fate of the
protagonist and antagonists are revealed.

To have a better understanding about details of the parts of a story, consider the questions
a writer would ask when writing a story:

• “Who?” = characters, point of view (POV)

• “What?” = conflict, plot, style, symbolism, theme
 • “When?” = setting
• “Where?”= setting
• “Why?” = conflict, morals/messages, perspective, plot, theme
• “How?” = plot, resolution, theme/s, tone

Characters
• A person or animal or really anything personified.

Conflict
• Every story must have a conflict, i.e. a challenge or problem around which the plot is
based.

Morals/Messages
• The moral of your story is related to the theme–what message do you want your story
to convey?

Perspective
• refers to the character’s interpretation of the world and their attitude toward it.

Plot
• is the actual story–what happens, when, how, why, and what’s the result?

Point of View (POV)

• is simply who is telling the story. The most common in fiction are first-person, third-
person limited, and third-person omniscient.

Resolution
• is the part where the outcome of the event and the fate of the protagonist and
antagonists are revealed.

Setting
• it is when and where the story takes place.

Style
• The author’s word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence
arrangement in the story.
Symbolism
• is a literary device used to convey subtle meanings.

Theme
• idea, belief, moral, lesson or insight. It’s the central argument that the author is trying
to make the reader understand. The theme is the “why” of the story.

Tone
• The overall emotional “tone” or meaning of the story.

E. SHORT STORY AND FLASH FICTION WRITING

You learn the skill of “showing”. Just because both are shorter compared to the novel
or novella, does not make them any easier to write. Short stories and flash fictions, with their
limited word counts, challenges the writer to convey the message of the story concisely without
being boring or sounding dull. The writer learns how to “show” the readers something rather
than just “telling”. Take for example, comparing these two sentences:

1. “John shoved back his chair and slammed his fist against the table.”
2. “John was angry.”

Use actions to convey meaning and appeal to two or three senses of the reader.
However, there are times that you don’t have to be too verbose just to “show”; remember,
short stories and flash fictions are supposed to be short. It also entirely depends on your
writing style.

Will help you with other writing projects. If you ever plan to write a novel or maybe
a script, anything other than short stories and flash fiction; you may be able to transfer some
concepts, style or skills. You may look at short stories as chapters in a book about a character
just waiting to be continued. As the saying goes, “Anything big starts small.”

Writing the Short Story

1. Read, read, read.

“Read a LOT of Chekhov. Then re-read it. Read Raymond Carver, Earnest
Hemingway, Alice Munro, and Tobias Wolff. ... He will teach you more than any
writing teacher or workshop ever could.”
 -Allyson Goldin, UWEC Asst. Professor of Creative Writing
Trying to write a short story and conveying a message in limited amount of
words can be challenging; and it’s not enough to slap on just any synonym of a word
to avoid redundancy. Having a wide vocabulary and gaining inspiration and ideas for
your project can be acquired through reading a lot – or perhaps also listen and speak
in the target language. Workshops and learning concepts and tips may help you but
nothing beats personal experiences.

2. Develop Characters

In order for a short story to be impactful, you have to know your character well.
You only have a certain amount of time to show your readers who that person is and
you can’t do that if you don’t even know who they are. You may also want to limit the
number of your characters in a short story; identifying the conflict of your story may
help you do that. Below are four areas in which you may focus on presenting your
character/s.

➢ Appearance. Gives your reader a visual understanding of the character.

I think it was his eye. His eye was like the eye of a vulture, the eye of one of
those terrible birds that watch and wait while an animal dies, and then fall upon
the dead body and pull it to pieces to eat it.

➢ Action. Show the reader what kind of person your character is, by describing
actions rather than simply listing adjectives.

So I am mad, you say? You should have seen how careful I was to put the body
where no one could find it. First, I cut off the head, then the arms and the legs.
I was careful not to let a single drop of blood fall on the floor. I pulled up three
of the boards that formed the floor, and put the pieces of the body there. Then
I put the boards down again, carefully, so carefully that no human eye could
see that they had been moved.

➢ Speech. Develop the character as a person — don’t merely have your character
announce important plot details.

“Yes! Yes, I killed him. Pull up the boards and you shall see! I killed him. But
why does his heart not stop beating?! Why does it not stop!?”

➢ Thought. Bring the reader into your character’s mind, to show them your
character’s unexpressed memories, fears, and hopes.
 My easy, quiet manner made the policemen believe my story. So they sat
talking with me in a friendly way. But although I answered them in the same
way, I soon wished that they would go. My head hurt and there was a strange
sound in my ears. I talked more, and faster. The sound became clearer. And
still they sat and talked.

Suddenly I knew that the sound was not in my ears, it was not just inside my
head. At that moment I must have become quite white. I talked still faster and
louder. And the sound, too, became louder. It was a quick, low, soft sound, like
the sound of a clock heard through a wall, a sound I knew well. Louder it
became, and louder. Why did the men not go? Louder, louder. I stood up and
walked quickly around the room. I pushed my chair across the floor to make
more noise, to cover that terrible sound. I talked even louder. And still the men
sat and talked, and smiled. Was it possible that they could not hear??

No! They heard! I was certain of it. They knew! Now it was they who were
playing a game with me. I was suffering more than I could bear, from their
smiles, and from that sound. Louder, louder, louder! Suddenly I could bear it
no longer. I pointed at the boards and cried, “Yes! Yes, I killed him. Pull up the
boards and you shall see! I killed him. But why does his heart not stop beating?!
Why does it not stop!?”

3. Outline and Finish the Draft.

Aside from the parts of the plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action
and resolution) and whether to follow the basic flow or not; a writer should be clear on
what point of view to use, the setting, the characters, the conflict, and the message of
the story.

There is no universal style of outlining, some may use bullets, graphs or sticky
notes, or some write down their ideas to the smallest details. It all depends on the
individual style of the writer and where he/she is most comfortable with.

Also keep in mind to focus on a single message and conflict of your story as
much as possible. It helps you focus on how the story will proceed and avoid going all
in with broad topics or issues.

After outlining the story, finish the draft as soon as you can. The initial part of writing or
what we call pre-writing does not need to be perfect. Finishing your draft earlier on, gives
you an overview on how you can edit your work afterwards. The illustration below shows
how the different stages in writing are interrelated and does not need to be strictly linear.

Pre-writing

Revising/
Writing
Sharing

4. Start with something odd.

In order to hook readers with a short story, you should start with something
that’ll catch someone’s attention – and emotion right off the bat. For example, in the
first paragraph of Poe’s The Tell Tale Heart, the reader may immediately infer the
characteristics of the speaker who claims he is not mad. It is rather odd for someone
to immediately claim such out of the blue, hence may coax the reader to read further.
You don’t have to start your short story with something that strange but you do
want to give your readers a sense of who your character is by depicting something
different right away that also has to do with the core focus of your short story. Take for
example this first paragraph from O.Henry’s The Gift of the Magi:

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in
pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the
vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent
imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della
counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be
Christmas.

This is out of the ordinary because many readers understand that having such
little money right before Christmas isn’t typical. It is odd because it’s a time when gift-
giving is a normal occurence. Aside from this, it also hits their emotions right away.
5. Edit
Editing does not just happen after you write a single draft, you may write a few
more drafts then edit a few more times before you get your final work. Don’t worry, it
is part of the writing process in order to truly polish your work. Below are a few things
to keep an eye out for when editing your short story:
➢ Consistency of POV and tenses
➢ Consistency with the setting of your story
➢ Weak verbs
➢ Showing versus telling (stronger imagery)
➢ Spelling/grammar/dialogue

If you want to learn how to write a short story, editing is a necessary part of the
process. The editing process for short stories is more likely the same for novels. The
only difference is that short stories tend to focus more on imagery and exposition than
full character and plot development. However, do not edit your work too much lest you
completely change it.

6. Title It
While you may have a title before writing, from which you have drawn
inspiration, giving a title after you write your story has its own advantage. Writing the
story before a title may help you come up with the best title for your work because you
already know what it is all about and you don’t have to be too confined on a single
thought during writing. If you are not able to choose a title right away, you may list them
down too.

7. Get Feedback
Writers tend to have a “myopic view” of their own work, hence there is a need
to get feedback no matter how experienced (or inexperienced) you are as a writer. It’s
impossible to read your story with a critical eye when you’re the one who came up with
and wrote it in the first place.

To create your best work, it’s just part of the process when you’re learning how
to write a short story. It can feel scary, but feedback from the right people will help you
make your short story better. To learn, improve and ensure your message is coming
across as desired, you need someone else’s critique on it.

8. Write Often
 Aside from reading, writing often signficantly helps in developing one’s ability
in writing stories. “Practice makes perfect,” as the saying goes.
Always have a pen an a notebook with you and write down ideas or stories that
you can get and take inspiration from whenever and wherever. You may set up your
own schedule in writing short stories; everyday, every other day or every week. But
don’t throw you works away, keep it or let someone else read it and get feedback, this
way you can improve your skills and create your own style of writing.

Writing Flash Fiction

A Brief Poetics of Flash Fiction Stories

Flash fiction must accomplish the same as fiction does: namely, a complete story with
well-developed characters, a finished plot, and overarching themes. Whether writing literary
flash fiction or a genre such as horror flash fiction, the story must feel finished in under 1,000
words.

Despite its brevity, flash fiction still needs complexity. If the reader finishes the story
without giving it further thought, then the story has not engaged the reader enough. Flash
fiction length should not inhibit the story’s value.

So, how does flash fiction manage to be brief yet equally complex as other fiction?
Let’s explore the ways that flash fiction minces words, with flash fiction examples to follow.

Flash Fiction Devices

All great flash fiction stories use the following devices. Make sure you understand them
when writing flash fiction yourself.

Truncation

The language of flash fiction is sharp, economic, and to-the-point. Flash fiction writers
are often ruthless editors, truncating their sentences and scrapping whole paragraphs.

Flash fiction example: A Telephone Conversation by Mark Twain. Though the first
few paragraphs are wordy, this story cuts down on words by formatting its telephone
conversations like a play. This allows Twain to juxtapose incongruous ideas next to each other,
making this a finished, humorous story.

Symbolism
 Symbolism refers to the use of concrete objects to represent abstract concepts. Most
flash fiction stories have a lot of symbolism, allowing the writer to boil a wordy idea into a
symbolic object.

Flash fiction example: A Haunted House by Virginia Woolf. This prose poem
advances its narrative through its corporeal symbolism. From empty hands to the heartbeat of
a home, the heavy symbolism of the story helps contain its concise, hyperbolic emotion.

In Media Res

Many flash fiction pieces start in media res, which means that we start in the middle of
the story, rather than the beginning. This roundabout way of writing the plot could help crunch
down on the amount of details the story needs to be effectively told.

Flash fiction example: Everyone Cried by Lydia Davis. The story begins in the middle
of its moral: all adults want to be kids, sometimes. Though there isn’t a clear plot to the story,
it succinctly points out the irony and duality of adulthood.

Figurative Language

Flash fiction borrows a lot from the methods of poetry, especially in terms of figurative
language.

Flash fiction example: Sticks by George Saunders. This flash fiction story abounds
with metaphors, symbolism, and image-lead narrative. The reader experiences the story
through a father’s psychosis as he communicates through the way he decorates a pole. Each
image represents the father’s slow decline, communicating its ironies in short bursts of intense
feeling.

How to Write Flash Fiction Stories: 4 Approaches

In short, flash fiction has all the elements of longer stories, but with less “fluff.” So, the
challenge of writing flash fiction lies in crafting a complete story in under 1,000 words. How
should you approach the writing of flash fiction? Consider the following four approaches.

1. Ruthless Editing

Some writers might try starting their flash fiction story as a normal story, then
cutting the words down. This is a common approach to writing flash fiction, especially
if your story isn’t far away from the 1,000 word mark. If you think you can cut a story
down after writing it, then kill your darlings—and have fun with it!
2. Plot-First

Flash fiction stories require bones before you can put meat on them, so start
with the story’s plot. With a plot-first approach, you start by writing only the details of
the story, without any description or figurative language. Then, once the plot is written,
you fill it with details until you hit the 1,000 word mark. This “fill in the blanks” approach
allows you to keep the story to its most important details while still being complete.

3. Start with Poetry

Many literary critics consider flash fiction stories to border the lines between
prose and poetry. Writing fiction from poetry? It’s more likely than you think. Many
literary critics consider flash fiction stories to border the lines between prose and
poetry, since it uses many poetic devices to convey plot. If you’re a poet as well as a
fiction writer, consider writing your story’s plot in verse, then expanding that verse into
a prose-poem or prose.

4. End with a Bang

For a flash fiction story to feel “complete,” it needs to “end with a bang.” The
final line(s) of the story must leave the reader thinking long after the story ends.

The end of a flash fiction story must surprise the reader in some way. Flash
fiction often offers a resolution to the story that inverts themes, uncovers ironies, or
offers unexpected dualities. Take the aforementioned story Sticks by George
Saunders, one of the strongest flash fiction examples out there. The final line of the
story presents the irony in the father’s pole ritual, since it is an unanswered cry for help.

DO’s and DONT’s

1. DO tell a story.

Even a micro-story should still be a story. Don’t stress the plot but do make sure
that you have all the other mainstays of a story: a hook, a conflict, an ending. Flash fiction
isn’t poetry — it demands tension. That’s why starting at the flashpoint, or the center of the
conflict, is a common way to kick off a flash fiction.

Map out your story beforehand to identify the beginning, middle, and end, and
ensure momentum and movement. Since your ending should impact readers’ emotions,
don’t be afraid to get personal. Some of the best micro-stories stem directly from
the author’s experience.
2. DO NOT tell too much.

Two things: 1) show, don’t tell, and 2) don’t tell too much.

Even though you are to write a story, revealing too much is a pitfal. Mapping the
movement is fine, but if you can't remember the rest of the plot without writing it down, you
probably have too much going on. Instead, be concise and let the mood carry the writing.

In addition to extraneous plot points, you should cut out any excess characters,
unnecessary dialogue, or (gratuitous) kissing. Remember, great flash fiction is very
different from bad fan fiction.

3. DO write with the form in mind.

If there’s a theme to this blog post so far, it’s that micro-stories are their own thing.
So, treat them as such! Operate within the boundaries of the form, and embrace its
conventions:

➢ Intense prose,
➢ Attentive language,
➢ A shining narrative voice,
➢ A powerful, central image, and
➢ The amplest meaning in the fewest words.

To best work within a 1,500-word frame, don’t just rework your more extensive
ideas to fit the constraints. If you write a long first draft before cutting back, that’s okay.
But if you start writing a short story just to cut it down to meet a word count, chances are
you’ll follow the conventions of short stories instead of short short ones.

That said, many mine their micro-stories from old paragraphs they loved that
nevertheless didn’t make it into their novel’s final draft. Take the opportunity to shine light
on your previous prose that didn’t totally fit into an overarching story.

4. DO NOT be too obvious.

As blunt and straightforward as sudden fiction should be, it should not be boring,
clichéd, or hokey — just because it’s short doesn’t mean it should artlessly blunt. Obvious
language is even less impactful in a couple of paragraphs than in a novel, so make sure
your wording is original. And don’t be afraid to experiment! The stakes have never been
lower.

5. DO be enigmatic.
 Like the intriguing detail Hemingway used to end “baby shoes,” good flash fiction
will often finish on an enigmatic and understated note. Surrender all the crucial information
early on and use the following paragraphs to dig deeper. The ending doesn’t need to be
overly dramatic. Instead, it should “ring like a bell,” giving clarity to the prior passage.

Start with a set up, and end with a punchline. Granted, not every ending needs to
blow a reader's mind. But if you manage to surprise them, or even side-step their
expectations, you’re probably doing something right.

6. DO NOT be ambiguous.

This is the inverse of the last point — an enigmatic ending can be enticing, but an
enigmatic beginning will only confuse. The rest of your details should be clear and
articulate. Mince words, rather than writing yourself in circles. Any sentence that does
not offer a distinct, new detail is unnecessary.

Additionally, keep in mind that POV shifts, jumps in time, and exposition or
extraneous context (like background history) will muddy up a story. So, to put it simply,
don’t do too many things at once. Pick one theme and build on it from the ground up.

F. PLAY WRITING

Leib (2013) believes that successful playwriting depends not only on dialogue, but on
intelligent plotting, credible characterization, and the ability to develop a theme through 70 to
90 pages of encounters and exchanges (in a full-length play). Below are the things needed to
be considered when writing a play according to Jonathan Dorf:

Story Structure

Should you divide your play into acts, or just into scenes? It's really a matter of personal
taste, as long as you recognize a few basic principles of play construction and why we have
these divisions in the first place.

• The first act is the Protasis, or exposition.

• The second act is the Epitasis, or complication.
• The final act is the Catastrophe, or resolution.
 So what does this three-act structure mean? It means that no matter whether you label
the divisions in your script acts or scenes, the arc of a good play will be roughly the same.
Logically, though, if you're writing a play that is not meant to have an intermission, it makes
sense simply to have scenes, whereas if you expect to have an intermission, put it between
two acts. Of course, you could also put an intermission between scenes if you prefer.

Story Development

There are so many ways to approach an idea. And the actual activity of logging in the
possibilities is not a pleasant task. But having an easy and systematic method to catalog ideas,
dialogue, and other snippets is like having an assistant available at all time to do your bidding.
In recent years software developers have created products to simplify this process; some are
for outlining/brainstorming and others specifically organize dramatic elements under a
theoretical umbrella. Whatever method you choose here is a "Top Ten Tip' List for you:

1. Create a world that's true to real life or fantastical or that mixes the mundane with the
magical. But whatever set of rules you create for that world, make sure you follow
them.
2. Write a conflict that builds as the play progresses. As you structure the conflict, think
in terms of your play having a beginning, a middle and an end.
3. Write characters that want something (which puts them in conflict with other
characters) and try to get what they want at every moment.
4. Make sure that each character has something at stake, a consequence if he doesn't
get what he wants.
5. Create a "ticking clock" that puts the characters under pressure to get what they want
right away.
6. Make sure there is a good reason, an "event," for your play. It's not enough for two
characters to sit around and talk for a while and then leave. There needs to be some
important reason why we're watching them now, at this particular moment.
7. Write dialogue that illuminates your characters and advances the plot at the same time.
8. Make each character speak in a distinctive voice. If you have trouble with that, try
imagining a specific actor you know - even if it's someone who will never play the part
- in the role.
9. Do not have a character tell us something she can show us instead. For example, it's
much more effective to hide under the bed than to say "I'm afraid."
 10. Give each character a "moment," something that justifies the character's existence in
your play and that makes him attractive for an actor to play.

What Does a Play Look Like?

Not Like This!

You may have seen plays that look something like this:

ALEX. I want somewhere with a lawn.

MERC. What? That patch of dead grass on 133rd not good enough? (Merc eyes the
lock on the box of women's clothing.) Wish I had a lawn. I would've been a different
person. (Beat.) Make sure you get a lawn. (Beat.) You been through your Mom's
clothing?
ALEX. (Lying) No. You?

Notice that character name, dialogue and intermittent (stage directions) extend from
left margin to right margin, except for a small indent of the first line. Text is single-spaced.

Manuscript Format Elements

The Rules: Manuscript format is the only format to use when you are submitting your
script to theater companies, contests, publishers, agents and other theater opportunities. The
guiding principle here is easy reading.

• Title Page
• Cast Page
• Musical Numbers Page (musicals only)
• Act/Scene Heading
• At Rise Description
• Character Name
• Dialogue
• Stage Directions
• Transition
 No particular font, like the Courier 12 point in screenwriting, is the rule. Cursive fonts
or handwritten corrections are not acceptable. Whichever font you choose, though, keep the
size at 12 points for reading ease.

Play Page Layout

The Rules:

a. Use 8.5" by 11" paper (3 hole punch if possible).

b. Top and bottom margins are about 1".
c. Right margin is also 1". Left margin, where the binding is, is approximately 1.5".
d. Page numbering starts on page 2, place a page number in the upper right hand
corner (in the header).
e. Do not number the Cast Page.

Title Page Element

The Rules: Vertically centered on the page, type the play's title in all Caps, centered
directly below type your name in mixed case.

Keep your title page simple - no oversized letters, color or fancy graphics. Being
something of a minimalist, my title page might look something like this...

BEEF JUNKIES

Jon Dorf

An alternate method of presentation:

COLLISIONS IN AIR AND SPACE

by Jon Dorf

For a musical:

DAY ONE
 Book and lyrics by Jon Dorf

Music by Mary Nelson and James Balmer

What about a Copyright Notice?

Copyright notices are placed either below the address field on the right, or left
aligned on the first line of the address block.

There are two schools of thought on whether to put a copyright notice on the title
page. One argument is that it may deter would-be thieves from "borrowing" your work and
shows that you know your rights. The opposite argument is that it's a sign of paranoia or
amateurism.

Your script is copyrighted from the instant you write it, even though to receive
statutory protection it needs to be registered with the Register of Copyrights; therefore
including the copyright notice is redundant.

Here's what a complete title page might look like:

LAST RIGHT BEFORE THE VOID

Jon Dorf

c/o The Writers Store

2040 Westwood Blvd.
Westwood, CA 90025
(800) 272-8927
 [email protected]
DRAFT 2.3

Cast Page Element

Use the standard page margin, without page number. Capitalizing the character
names helps set them apart - you may even wish to write them in bold. If the character
description wraps onto a second line, use a .5" hanging indent.

The Rules: This is the readers' and potential producer or director's reference page.

• Detail your characters' age, gender and anything else that is essential to casting.
• If necessary, include a little spin on "who" your characters are.
• Include whether one actor is meant to play multiple characters (referred to as Multiple
Casting).
• Do not write exhaustive descriptions of the characters' behavior; you have to show
this in the play.

Here you can also include any setting information, whether there's an intermission in
your play, or no obvious act break. If you want the play to run without intermission, tell us
that too. Here's the Cast Page Dorf’s play, ‘Milk and Cookies’.

Cast of Characters

MARGE NANCY REAGAN BALLMOTH, harried thirty-something mother

JACKIE, her ten-year-old son, played by the actor who plays Rufus
BRUCE, the average-looking man from the milk carton and about Marge's age
BLONDIE, a youngish, not necessarily blond woman
MARGE'S HUSBAND, about Marge's age and played by the actor who plays Rufus
RUFUS, a thirty something mysterious freelance version of the witness protection
program living in Montana

The play takes place over several days in various suggested settings in California, Nevada,
Idaho and Montana.

Act/Scene Heading Element

 Typically, Act/Scene Headings are very simple. Act numbers are traditionally written
in Roman numerals, while Scene numbers are written as Arabic numbers. Text of both Act
and Scene are written in all CAPS and centered on the line. In the past playwrights used to
underline these headings, but boldface type stands out better.

The Rules: If you're writing a ten-minute or one-act play with only one scene, you don't need
to use Act/Scene headings. But if you're writing a one-act play with multiple scenes or a
multi-act play, you need to give your reader some road signs.

Look at it below:

ACT I

SCENE 1

Setting and At Rise Description Element

Typically, the At Rise and Setting Description are left indented at approximately 3.25"
(a little more than half across the page,) running to the right margin.

The Rules: When your play, or any new scene or act, begins, the reader wants to know the
Setting and who and what is seen on stage. This At Rise Description is so named because it
refers to the raising of the curtain most theaters used to have. While these days curtains are
mostly reserved for large, proscenium houses, such as on Broadway, we still need to know
what the stage looks like when the lights come up. Older formats would often call for the
Setting and the At Rise Description to be separated, but these days we tend to put them
together.

At RISE:

(A kitchen/living room somewhere in

 California. Early evening. MARGE, thirty

something mother, stops to scrutinize

the carton before pouring milk into a

bowl of flour. On the table are four

place settings, one of which includes a

martini.)

From the above description, your reader knows the setting (place and time) of the play,
as well as who and what occupies the space when the play begins.

Use the At Rise margins each time a new scene or new act begins. Since the whole
idea of starting a new scene is that either the place or time has changed - otherwise, you'd
still be in the same scene - it's common sense to set the new scene for your reader with an At
Rise description.

How to Describe the Setting

The amount of information playwrights include to set the scene varies incredibly.
Here are a few examples:

(A deserted road on the outskirts of a

not quite apocalyptic suburbia. Not

quite five o'clock in the not so distant

future. COWGIRL, late twenties and the

Bonnie half of a Bonnie and Clyde team,

holds a syringe. Her hands shake.

COWBOY, about her age, holds a

 backpack.)

In Beef Junkies above, Dorf gave a sense of the world of the play and the time of day, but "a
deserted road" is as specific as I get about the set. But in the opening of The Wash, I give
more detail.

(The laundry room of a New York

apartment building. Friday night, around

nine o'clock. A row of washing machines

right. Opposite them, a row of dryers.

Center, several chairs for those who

wait. JUDITH, mid-twenties, puts her

laundry in a washing machine. Her

pocketbook is atop Agatha Christie's

Dead Man's Folly inside her empty

laundry basket.)

The Stage

Notice the use of the terms "right" and "center," which along with "left" are theatrical
shorthand for Stage Right, Stage Left and Center Stage. Right and left always refer to the
actors' right and left, and center is the center of the stage. Sometimes you'll also see "upstage"
or "downstage," or their shorter forms, *up and *down. The latter terms get their names from
the early days of theatre, when stages were raked, and if you walked toward the back of the
stage, you literally walked up, and if you walked toward the audience, you were walking down.
Few raked stages exist, but we still use the terms.

Character Name Element

Characters' names may appear in two ways: before dialogue and contained in the
stage directions. Character names that precede dialogue are always capitalized aligned at a
2.5" tab stop. In stage plays, opposed to screenplays, you are permitted to use boldface to
further set the character name apart.

PERRY

They were your dogs. And Rover just ran away. We don't even know for sure he's

dead.

MARLA

It's been two years.

PERRY

Probably found an owner who fed him more than Diet Dog.

For character names that appear in the stage directions you have the choice of two
formats. The first format is like screenwriting: the character name is in all CAPS the first time
it is introduced in the stage directions, after that it's always in mixed case. For example, Dorf
introduced Marla in this At Rise description.

(Late afternoon. A living room. MARLA,

thirty something, holds a cardboard dog

and looks out a window, which might be

indicated by a hanging frame.)

But later in the play, Dorf wrote

(Marla strokes the cardboard dog.)

The second way to format character names in stage directions is to use ALL CAPS throughout.
It's a matter of personal preference: pick the format that seems most readable and stick with
it.
Dialogue Element

Writing good dialogue is hard, but formatting it is easy. Dialogue, which is always mixed
case, single-spaced, typically runs margin to margin and follows the character name on the
next line. A blank line follows between the dialogue and the next character's name. A
formatting program will do the spacing and margin adjusting automatically for you.

COWGIRL

The hamburger is ten feet tall.

COWBOY

It's not there.

COWGIRL

I know, but it's dripping fat, and it's sizzling. It's on a sesame bun, and you

can just see some onion sticking out. There's a dab of ketchup on the onion.

Maybe it popped out from under the bun. It's winking at me.

Sometimes stage directions interrupt dialogue, but each adheres to its own
formatting rules. See below.

COWGIRL

Piece in your teeth.

(She puts the finger with the fragment of the mystery meat into her mouth. She instantly spits
it out.)

Ugh! Why'd you tell me it was beef?

Continuing Dialogue

If a character's dialogue is interrupted by a page break, and continues onto the next
page, you repeat the character name set-up on the next page with the (cont'd) remark after
the name. This is what formatting software was made for!

LADY SHAKESPEARE

And he fed the dog! Yeah, the dog ... I don't know ... No ... That population's

on the ups every day, and we're gonna' get buried in garbage else ... That's why

he's feedin' the dog ...

At the top of the next page:

LADY SHAKESPEARE (cont'd)

Don't tell me different. No, no, no ...

(She sees Ben.)

There's little trash babies, all kinds, eatin' their lunch out of a garbage

pail. I just know the Trash Man's comin'. Who thrown their babies to the

garbage?

Offstage Dialogue

When a character walks offstage while speaking either notate this as part of the stage
directions, or alongside the character name if the character is already offstage. You may write
either "Offstage" or "Off."

BAXTER

Yeah. Sure.

(Baxter exits to the kitchen. Off)

We mostly talk sports when he calls, 'cause he's into that. Talk a little

wrestling, a little football - he's a linebacker. Not a real good team - I snuck

over to see a game once. They're small. Josh is real fast. If they had some

other real fast kids they might be good. But now football's almost over and it's

time for wrestling.

...or...

HOLLY (off)

You still have to bandage it.

Interruptions

When one character interrupts another, use double dashes (--) or an em dash (a long
dash) to show that the speaker is being cut off. Below, I make use of an em dash. No need to
write "interrupts."

HUGO

If my Dad said we're moving just like that -

CHARLIE

You'd move. Hold this cone

(holds out the ice cream cone)

a sec?

Using ellipses ( ... ) does not signify that a character has been interrupted, but rather
that she hesitates or trails off of her own accord. For example, in Shining Sea, Pac can't bring
himself to ask a question:

PAC
Would you ... ?

CANDY

Would I what?

Emphasizing Dialogue

Occasionally, the actor's emphasis on a particular word may be so important that you
want to write that direction into the script. While there is no ironclad rule for this practice,
italicizing the word to be emphasized works best (underlining or capitalizing the word is both
confusing and cramping). To use italics successfully, do not overuse them. Below is an
example:

WENDY

You do? But she's my hallucination.

Simultaneous Dialogue

Sometimes characters speak at the same time. The rule of thumb is to divide your
page into two columns, placing the character names within their individual columns. Indent
any stage directions 1" instead of 2".

FLYER MAN

Only diamonds do the trick. Only diamonds do it. Say it with me: only diamonds

do it. Say it.

FLYER MAN BEN

Only diamonds do it. Only diamonds do it.

Transition Element

Since curtains are so rarely used, lighting has become the chief means of indicating
the beginning and end of your play. Typically, "Lights up" is understood as the direction at the
opening of any scene, so it's rarely written. However, a light out direction usually does appear
at the end of a scene or an act or the play. Among the common terms are "Lights fade" and
"Blackout."

Collisions in Air and Space is divided into scenes rather than acts. The end of Scene 1 looks
like this:

MERC

I know.

(He pats Alex on the back and looks out the window.

Beat)

There's somebody under the window.

(Alex joins him at the window as they look down. Blackout.)

If it's the end of an act, it's a good idea to indicate that too. For example, in Milk and Cookies:

BRUCE

For?

MARGE

Rufus.

(Blackout and end of Act I.)

 And then there's the end of the play. Here's the ending of War of the Buttons:

WALKER

(Beat. Exiting)

Good war.

CHARLIE

Yeah. You too.

(Walker exits. Beat. Charlie bites into the cone, then

exits as the lights dim. End of play.)

Instead of "End of play," you may wish to cling to tradition and write "Curtain."

Page Break Rules

The Rules:

• Do not break dialogue or stage directions in mid-sentence.

• Do not page break between a character name and the dialogue that follows.
• See Continuing Dialogue for instructions about how to break in the middle of a
character's dialogue.

Page Breaking rules like the above can be automatically dealt with. If there were any one
software product that could truly be said to have changed the world for scriptwriters, it has
been the 'Stand Alone Script Formatter.' These products store your character names, scene
locations, margin settings, and CASE settings for all elements. They have note annotation,
index card like viewing, voice read back of character dialogue, even online copyright
registration. In other words, they let you concentrate on your writing by doing virtually
everything else. The time you'll save makes this money very well spent.
 IV. Exercises
I. Multiple Choice.

Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer and write it on the blank provided before
each number.

_____ 1. A conversation between two or more characters.

a) Climax
b) Setting
c) Dialogue
d) Monologue

_____ 2. Obstacles that get in the way of a character achieving what he or she wants.
What the characters struggle against.

a) Antagonist
b) Plot
c) Monologue
d) Conflict

_____ 3. The time and place of a scene.

a) Exposition
b) Biography
c) Setting
d) Plot

_____ 4. A single situation or unit of dialogue in a play.

a) Beat
b) Act
c) Scene
d) Falling Action

_____ 5. This becomes the chief means of indicating the beginning and end of your play.

a) Curtain
b) Lighting
 c) Scene
d) Falling Action

_____ 6. It is a direction which usually appears at the end of a scene or an act or the play.

a) Lights Out
b) Scene
c) Cut
d) Lights Up

_____ 7. This is something that justifies the character's existence in your play and that
makes him attractive for an actor to play.

a) Act
b) Moment
c) Time
d) Scene

_____ 8. Instead of writing ‘interrupts’, you can use ___ to show that the speaker is being
cut off.

a) Comma
b) Period
c) Ellipses
d) Em dash

_____ 9. This is a type of dialogue wherein characters speak at the same time.

a) Emphasizing Dialogue
b) Continuing Dialogue
c) Offstage Dialogue
d) Simultaneous Dialogue

_____ 10. This is the only format to use when you are submitting your script to theater
companies, contests, publishers, agents and other theater opportunities.
 a) Dialogue Format
b) Manuscript Format
c) Act/Scene Format
d) Description Format

II. True or False.

Directions: Indicate whether each claim is true or false.

_____ 1. The character is already offstage when he/she walks offstage while speaking
either notate this as part of the stage directions, or alongside the character name.

_____ 2. Using ellipses ( ... ) signify that a character has been interrupted, but rather that
she hesitates or trails off of her own accord.

_____ 3. If a character's dialogue is interrupted by a page break, and continues onto the
next page, you do not have to repeat the character name set-up on the next page.

_____ 4. The second way to format character names in stage directions is to use ALL
CAPS throughout.

_____ 5. Act numbers are traditionally written in Arabic numbers, while Scene numbers
are written as Roman numerals.

Key Answer

Task 1. Multiple Choice

1. C
2. D
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. D
9. D
10. B

Task 2. True or False

1. True
 2. False
3. False
4. True
5. False

III. Flash Fiction

Direction: You will be tasked to write your own flash fiction, specifically a drabble (75-
100 words). You are free to use any theme or topic in writing your output. Refer to the
rubric below as your work will be graded based on it.

Criteria Score
- Presents a small, focused idea
-Setting, characters, plot are connected.
Organization
-Flow of action is logical.
and Content
-Plot is creative/ imaginative, and original.
(10)
-Contains an identifiable conflict -Effective twis
ending(optional).
-Vivid and imaginative descriptive details are
present, yet not too lengthy.
Style/Voice (8)
-Appropriate use of powerful image.
-Reflects a unique, consistent personal voice
-Word choice is inventive/ sophisticated/
Word Choice/
appropriate.
Language
-Dialogs are effective/ appropriate.
(7)
-Good sentence structure.
Conventions
-Correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
(5)

V. Summary

Here are some pointers to remember:

• Fiction- a type of prose that describes imaginary events and people. It is defined
as something that is not true that is only based from the author’s imagination to
express one self and to entertain readers.
• Characters, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, and there are six key elements for
writing fiction.
• General reminders for writing fiction: (1) Make an outline, (2) understand basic
story structure, (3) write simple sentences, (4) be careful with POV, (5) withhold
information from your readers (6) consider your themes, and (7) love your story.
• Plot is an element of literature that explains what happens in a story.
• The introduction, body, and conclusion more formally referred to as the exposition
(introduction), rising action, climax and falling action (body), (conclusion of a story)
it is often called as resolution or denouement.
• There are some extra elements to the story that may help every student to
understand how the various parts of the story works, and these are the: characters,
conflict, morals/messages, perspective, plot, point of view (POV), resolution,
setting, style, symbolism, theme, and tone.
• The short story is a piece of prose fiction that can be read in one sitting, and
contains around 1500-6000 words.
• A story that contains less than 1000 or 1500 words is a flash fiction including six-
word stories, dribble, drabble, twitterature etc.
• The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the dramatic "poet" (that's us) had
the power and the duty to "teach and to please," and it's a tradition that lives on to
this day.

WRITING THE SHORT STORY WRITING FLASH FICTION

Flash Fiction Devices
1.Read, read, read. 1. Truncation
2.Develop and Know your 2. Symbolism
Characters. 3. In Media Res
*Appearance *Action 4. Figurative Language
*Speech. *Thought.
3. Outline and Finish the Draft. Four Approaches in Writing
4. Start with something odd. Flash Fiction
5. Edit 1. Ruthless Editing
6. Title It 2. Plot-First
7. Get Feedback 3. Start with Poetry
8. Write Often 4. End with a Bang
VI. References
- Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling tips and Techniques. Retrieved from:
https://www.fcusd.org/cms/lib/CA01001934/Centricity/Domain/3762/Writing%
20Great%20Fiction.pdf
- Reading and Writing about Fiction. Retrieved from:
http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/writing_center/handout
s/pdf_handouts/readingandwritingabo.pdf
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