PART (A) - ADVICE AND QUESTIONS
PART (A) - ADVICE AND QUESTIONS
(i) Writing a short story can seem really easy and fun - you seem to have lots of freedom to invent amazing characters and enthralling plots, only worrying about the end of an exciting adventure when you get there. However, there are dangers in such an approach. The first danger to avoid is starting a story with no idea where it's going to end. This is important, since you can really spoil some good ideas if you don't think through the whole story before writing.
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(ii) When you're putting the story together in your mind or on a plan, think about the number of characters you want to involve in the story. You'll need at least two well-drawn characters, but you shouldn't think of more than three or four. You don't have long to tell your story, so too many characters might confuse the reader.
(iii) When you've worked out who's going to be involved, you need to think about your plot or story-line. It must be clear and simple enough for a reader to understand it on the first reading, so don't make it too complicated.
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(iv) It's very important that your reader can see a point to the story you're writing. It MUST satisfy the demands made by the title, but it must also be interesting in its own right. For this it must be well thought out in terms of the ideas it deals with and it must be CONVINCING for the reader.
NOW THAT YOU'VE READ THE ADVICE, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
1. Why do you think it is important to avoid starting a story with no idea where it's going to end?
2. What reason is given in the advice for limiting the number of characters in your story?
3. What quality must you be sure your story-line has?
When you have noted down your answers, click on the question to check your answers.
