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SHORT STORY STEPS AND OUTLINE
STUDENT NAME__________________
PREWRITING SHORT STORY STEPS
1) Plot
a) Create a plot outline for your story on the diagram below. Fill in the plot points using
your plot term sheet you received in class
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2) THEME
a) Theme is “ideas about life revealed through a literary work”
b) Explain what the theme of your story is.
c) What exactly do you want the reader to gain from this story
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3) SETTING
a)
b)
c)
d)
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Tell me about the setting you want to use in your story.
Why are you going to use this particular setting?
What is its importance to the story?
What kind of mood or atmosphere is conveyed by the setting?
4) CHARACTERS
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a) Who are the characters in your short story? Make an outline of each one: show their
inner characteristics and outer characteristics.
b) Explain whether each character is a major or minor character, flat, round. Are they a foil
character? Are they stereotypical?
c) Add more boxes for new characters as needed (just copy a box and paste it below the
others)
Character 1:
Character 2:
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Character 3:
Character 4:
Character 5:
5) POINT OF VIEW
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a) From what point of view will your story be told: first person, second person, third
person limited omniscient, third person omniscient or third person objective?
b) Explain why you chose this point of view over the others – be specific and technical
when answering
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SHORT STORY OUTLINE
INTERESTING SHORT STORY TITLE: _____________________________________
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YOUR TITLE SHOULD BE CENTRED ON THE PAGE
Often the title is the last thing done, because you need to develop your story to find the gist of
your discussion, which often becomes your title
PARAGRAPH 1: INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH(S)
a) Hook – Remember your compelling lead statement
b) Introduce - Setting, characters and begin creating an atmosphere
PARAGRAPH 2: CONFLICT PARAGRAPH
a) Create a paragraph outlining the early incident, which significantly develops the main conflict
MULTIPLE PARAGRAPHS: RISING ACTION
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a) This includes the events that show the development of incidents, crises and characters
that lead to the climax
b) List the action/event that develops in each paragraph on the line marked action/event
then write a summary of the action in the box. Add more boxes for a longer story.
Action/event ___________________________________
Action/event ___________________________________
Action/event ___________________________________
Action/event ___________________________________
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Action/event ___________________________________
PARAGRAPH: CLIMAX
Definition: The moment in the story where the conflict reaches its point of greatest intensity
and is thereafter resolved (sometimes the conflict is not irresolvable as well). It is usually the
peak of emotional response from the reader.
a) Develop the ideas for your climax in the box below. Think, how is the conflict
resolved? Develop an exciting or interesting way of resolving the conflict.
PARAGRAPH(S): FALLING ACTION
Definition: The unravelling or clarification of details that were hidden, missed, or were not
resolved in the climax.
a) Outline what details will need to be resolved in the falling action in the box below
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FINAL PARAGRAPH(S): CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS
a) Transitional phrase connecting to previous paragraph (Introduction of concluding paragraph):
b) Wrap up your story with a final episode/moment that readers will remember.
c) Include a memorable closing sentence based on the story line