Three More Points to Ponder


by C. M. Clifton - Date: 2007-03-24 - Word Count: 828 Share This!

Whenever I begin a short story, I remind myself to do two things: to try to get in touch with readers' senses as much as possible by writing something to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and feel (emotionally), and to try to keep certain points in mind when writing my story in hopes of composing a tightly-written story that sticks in readers' minds. In the previous article, "Nine Points to Ponder When Writing Short Stories," focus, theme, time span, hook, setting, character development, description, twist, and denouement were discussed. This article discusses three additional points that other short story writers might want to consider: plot, point of view, and editing.

Plot

A plot includes the causal sequences of events that draws the reader into the character's lives and helps the reader understand character choices. For example, it is not enough for me to portray to readers that my main character wants to find a treasure rumored to fill its owner with magical powers. I need to also get readers to understand why the character seeks such a treasure by creating sensible character motivation(s). And whether readers come to love or hate the character, I need to at least give them a character to care about. These goals can be achieved through plot.

A plot's structure is the way in which the story elements are arranged. A plot usually consists of these elements: Exposition, the information needed to understand a story; Complication, the catalyst that begins the story's main conflict; Climax, the turning point in the story that occurs when characters try to resolve the complication; and Resolution, the set of events that bring the story to a close. Every short story does not have a plot structure that follows a straight line of the elements listed above. Plot structure can vary depending on the needs of the story.

Point of View

Choosing the story's narrator is as important as trying to create three-dimensional characters. There are several choices to consider when deciding who will tell the story. The most common types of POV used in short stories today include First Person POV and Limited Third Person POV. These are the two points of views that I mostly use in my short stories.

When a First Person POV is used, the story is told only through the first person point of view character. Anything not experienced by this character should not be a part of the story. When the Limited Third Person POV is used, the story is told through the experiences of one major or minor character. There is also the Third Person Omniscient POV and the Second Person POV. A story written in the Third Person Omniscient POV is told through a narrator who knows everything about the characters. This type of story is practically told through all of the characters' thoughts and actions. A story written in the Second Person POV is told in a way in which the narrator appears to be the reader. For example, "You enter the darkened room." While the Third Person Omniscient POV and the Second Person POV are not widely used in short fiction writing, a bit of experimentation can be fun.

Try to also be mindful of some of the point of view mistakes that can happen. Head-hopping and a slip in point of view are among the most common point of view mistakes. Head-hopping involves switching back and forth between different characters' thoughts and actions. A slip in point of view involves telling something that the point of view character couldn't know. For example, if a First Person POV character has been shown to be gazing ahead, then that same character is shown seeing something that occurred behind his back. Whatever point of view that is chosen, keeping that point of view consistent is important to the story.

Editing

Having an error-free manuscript that you are pleased with is a must-have. Editing uncovers misspellings and grammatical errors. The editing process might also expose rough spots in the story's narrative, dialogue, or plot. If possible, have your story read out loud to you, and make note of any awkwardness that the reader comes across. On the other hand, reading your story aloud to yourself offers the same chance. After completing the first draft, I usually let the story sit for at least a week. Try stepping away from your story for a short while. When you return to it, you will probably be approaching the story with fresher eyes that could perhaps catch mistakes that had previously escaped you, or lead you to make changes in the plot or other areas of the story.

No matter what genre a short story might fall into, its writer is more than likely seeking to affect readers in some way. Hopefully, these three points along with the other points addressed in "Nine Points to Ponder…" will help short story writers achieve that goal. Happy writing, and best wishes on earning publication if that is also your goal as a short story writer.


Related Tags: writing, tips, advice, short story, editing, plot, point of view

C. M. Clifton is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Fiction Writing.

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