For the next few weeks, were going to write a couple stories and see if we can create one or two a piece that are successful. A successful short story is kind of a rare thing.
Your assignment is to write a classic short story that embodies one of the themes in the Twelve Suggestions. So, first open up the link and choose one that you think would make an interesting story.
Remember, we write classic stories in our class. If you want random things happening because you think that's a funny effect (and sometimes it is), do it as a hobby.
I don't need to go over the elements of planning a story, because they are the same as the elements of reading one. You need a character with a background, personality, and desire. The desire is frustrated by a problem, preferable one that forces the protagonist to undergo an internal problem, too. The main character needs to take action to try and fix the problem, which must fail to fully fix the problem. Eventually the main character, often by realizing an important truth about life, does resolve the conflict.
It's just the five fingers.
Write a one paragraph skeleton of everything that happens in your story. All of the details I need to understand the story should be in there, but nothing else. Write no dialogue or description, just give me a summary of the Five Fingers elements. Bring it to me when you think that you're done.
I will be asking, "Why is character X like this?"
"What does the character realize that solves their problem?"
"Won't solving the problem so easily make people not enjoy your story?"
"What reason do you have for including this detail?"
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