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
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareRegardless of what sort of writer you are and how... Read More
Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and... Read More
It's a good idea to use TextPad because all opt-in... Read More
Picture this scene.Your hero is sitting in a bar. He's... Read More
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my... Read More
For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More
What to do when you get rejected.You've just finished your... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
Part 1 of this article discussed the experience you need... Read More
Mixing and mingling with industry professionals is an opportunity that... Read More
The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
I owe the completion and success of my book to... Read More
Great writing transports one vicariously to realms that the reader... Read More
People familiar with the Myers-Briggs Personality test know that the... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
In the ten years that I've taught people how to... Read More
When attempting to understand Creativity and Innovation, it pays to... Read More
(excerpted from the "How to Use a Journal" audio series... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More
Riding on the fumes of potential, you take pen to... Read More
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
Okay. So I'm not David Letterman. But I doubt if... Read More
One obvious question that can get overlooked in the process... Read More
Tips for your writing journeySo, you'd like to be a... Read More
----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute,... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?The writer, who doesn't have the time... Read More
Good writing requires self-examination. Why is one writing? What part... Read More
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More
Writers are an insecure lot.It's easy to understand why. You... Read More
1. Use Logic: Check for External PressuresAre you under physical... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
Is it possible to improve your writing instantly? The answer,... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More
This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
1. No one else will do it for you.2. No... Read More
1. Turning your idea into a bookWith non-fiction books the... Read More
Mixing and mingling with industry professionals is an opportunity that... Read More
Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More
When I first started tracking the information preferences of people... Read More
If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips:Your title is your selling tool. It's... Read More
Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More
Writing |