1

Unit Designed by: Shirley Rogers

Subject/Topic Area(s): English
Grade Level(s): 9th/10th Grade
Unit Title: Short Story
Duration of Unit: 16 Days—50 Minute Class Periods

STAGE ONE: DESIRED RESULTS

1. Brief Summary of the Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):
In this unit, students will be introduced to the short story format in preparation for writing
their own short story. Additionally, students will study elements of writing important for
story development and success through using graphic organizers and free writing in response
to stories assigned to them and in-class mini lessons.

Included in this study are literary devices such as dialogue, the 5 elements of plot, theme,
characterization, hooks and grabbers, and language, tone, and audience. Most days, students
will listen to a short mini lesson on the day’s topic and segue into student individual and
small group activities as illustrated in the schedule, analyzing and responding through
homework and in class work.

Students will be graded heavily on class participation and completion of short homework
activities in response to the topic taught in class. At the conclusion of the unit, students will
have completed a 5-8 page short story accompanied by an illustrated story cover and in-text
illustrations to demonstrate their understanding of short story elements and writing devices
taught throughout the unit. In addition, students will participate in a Short Story Fair where
they present their stories to other students in the class.

2. Learning Targets
List the specific EALR’s, and or GLE’s that this unit will address.
GLEs: Reading
 2.1.3Apply comprehension monitoring strategies before, during, and after reading:
determine importance using theme, main ideas and supporting details in
informational/expository text and/or literary/narrative text.
 2.1.6. Apply comprehension monitoring strategies for informational and technical
materials, complex narratives, and expositions: monitor for meaning, create mental
images, and generate and answer questions.
 2.2.3. Understand and analyze story elements.
 2.2.4. Apply understanding of text organizational structures.
 2.3.3. Evaluate the use of literary devices to enhance comprehension.
 3.1. Read to learn new information.
 3.2. Read to perform a task.
 2
GLEs: Writing
 1.1.1. Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and planning
writing.
 1.2. Produces draft(s).
 1.3. Revises to improve text.
 1.4. Edits text.
 1.5. Publishes text to share with audience.
 1.6.2. Uses collaborative skills to adapt writing process.
 3.1.1. Analyzes ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using specific,
relevant details and/or examples.
 3.1.2. Analyzes and selects effective organizational structure.
 3.2.3. Uses a variety of sentences consistent with audience, purpose, and form.
 4.1.1. Analyzes and evaluates writing using established criteria.
 4.2.1. Evaluates and adjusts writing goals using criteria.

3. What understandings are desired?

Students will understand how to write a short story with complementary illustrations
appropriate to the story in conclusion to the unit.

Students will understand how literary devices and elements are used to create a story that
holds readers interests and delineates in a logical sequence.

Students will understand how to use the writing process (brainstorming, drafting, revising,
editing, publishing) to create a piece of text.

4. What essential questions will be considered?

How is a short story organized?

What are plot elements and how are they used?

How does a writer convey character?

What is “writing with the senses”?

How is tone, audience, and language used to create a successful story?

How is a short story different from a longer piece of writing?

What is the writing process and how can it be used to create a unique piece of text?
 3

Course Sequence

5. Previous Unit Topic and Key Understandings

Previous Unit Topic: Genre Study Unit

Students Understand that:

There are a variety of different kinds of genres of text including autobiography,
informational, newspapers, posters, advertisements, fiction, non-fiction, blog posts, songs,
and videos, and each genre has elements that are unique. However, all genres of text share
some elements and literary devices.

6. Next Unit Topic and Key Understandings

Next Unit Topic: Historical Fiction (WWII) Novel Study—“The Book Thief” by Marcus
Zusak

Students will understand that:

Study of one time in history can be accomplished by critically examining one novel in
addition to shorter companion texts. Having studied short story, students will be familiar
with story elements and literary devices, which are essential blocks of knowledge required
for understanding of The Book Thief. Students will use their understanding of writing to
analyze and interpret the text in accordance with the time period when it was set.

7. What prerequisite knowledge/skills are required of learners at beginning of the unit:

Students must know: Students must be able to:
 The differences between non-fiction  Work in small groups and
and fiction writing individually in class and at home
 Manage time in class and at home
to complete assignments
 Use informational handouts to
further their understanding of a
concept

8. What key knowledge and skills will students acquire by the end of this unit?
Students will know: Students will be able to:
 The 5 plot elements  Identify and create the 5 elements
 Literary devices of plot in a piece of writing
o Dialogue  Employ literary devices in their
o Characterization own writing and analyze their uses
o Language in others’ writing
o Tone  Manage writing work by using the
o Audience writing process over a period of
o Descriptive words several days
 The Writing Process
 4
o Brainstorming
o Drafting
o Revising
o Editing
o Publishing
 5

STAGE 2: EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

1. Strategies for Assessing Prior Knowledge and Preconceptions

List of anticipated misconceptions:
 All short stories are the same
 Stories are written by someone who sits down once and writes the entire story in one
sitting
 There are good writers and bad writers and there’s no way to cross those boundaries
 Writing is unintentional and the best writers subconsciously put all the right elements
into their work

Strategies for uncovering misconceptions:

 Ask students what they think a short story is and who writes them
 Ask students what they know about the writing process and if any of them use it on a
regular basis
 Ask students what makes a good writer and what makes a bad writer and whether
there’s room for improvement
 Ask students whether they think the best writers simply sit down and the story flows
out of them without effort or whether they think it takes time and practice to employ
the correct elements and devices

2. Strategies for Gaining an Understanding of Learners

Students will be given an interest inventory on the first day of the unit so the teacher can gain
an understanding of what they already know and what interests them in regards to topics and
storylines. Questions include:
 What is your preferred learning style?
 What are some of your favorite hobbies?
 What subjects are you interested in reading about?
 What is your favorite movie? Why?
 What is your favorite book? Why?
 Who is your favorite character of all time?
 How do you write? What processes do you go through before you have a final draft?
 What do you know about writing devices? Do you use any in your own writing?
 What do you think a great writer does? What do you think a bad writer does?
 What are your writing goals for this unit?

Evidence That Students Have Acquired Desired Understandings by the End of the Unit

3. List and briefly describe all sources of evidence (quizzes, tests, prompts, observations,
dialogues, work samples, etc.) to be used during the unit:
 Interest inventory
 Daily class participation
o Discussion
o Free writes
 6
o Peer editing
o Writing workshops
 Daily homework pieces
 Short Story Fair Participation

4. List and explain Student Self-Assessment and Reflection Tasks:

 Interest Inventory:
Students reflect on what they already know about short story, story elements, and literary devices
as a pre-assessment to the Short Story unit. Students assess their interests in subjects and other
texts (whether that be movies/books/songs/etc).
 Final Self Reflection at the End of the Unit:
Students write a 1-2 page reflection about what they learned during the unit, how they feel about
the product they created, what they would do to change it if they were to re-write it, and what
was most helpful for them to learn that assisted in their completion of their own short stories.

5. Unit Grading Plan: List all point-bearing assignments and the numbers of points; indicate a
grading scale based on the number of points for the unit.

Assignment/Points:
1. Interest Inventory/15
2. Analysis of Theme/10
3. Analysis of Character Types/10
4. Characterization Free Write/10
5. Readers Theater Participation/10
6. Two Paragraph Response to “The Lottery”/10
7. Table of 5 Senses in Writing/10
8. Conflict Free Write/10
9. Script Reading Participation/10
10. Hook & Grabber Free Write/10
11. Plot Elements Graphic Organizer/5
12. Brainstorming Participation/10
13. Drafting Participation/10
14. Revising Conference Form/10
15. Editing Conference Form/10
16. Publishing/Illustrating Workshop Participation/10
17. Short Story Fair Participation/15
18. Short Story with Cover and Illustrations/100
19. End of Unit Reflection/25

Total: 300

Grade Scale:

A: 270-300 B: 240-269 C: 210-239

D: 180-209 F: Less than 180
 7

6. List all Performance Tasks

Published 5-8 page short story with cover and illustrations. Completed self reflection about
their short story.

Performance Task Description

(Complete a Performance Task Description for each task)
7. Which understandings/goals/EALRs or GLEs will be assessed through this task?
 Published 5-8 page short story
Understandings of topics presented each day throughout the unit will be assessed through
completion of this task. Students will demonstrate ability to translate their interpretation skills of
those topics into their own writing.
Writing GLEs:
o 1.1.1. Analyzes and selects effective strategies for generating ideas and
planning writing.
o 1.2. Produces draft(s).
o 1.3. Revises to improve text.
o 1.4. Edits text.
o 1.5. Publishes text to share with audience.
o 1.6.2. Uses collaborative skills to adapt writing process.
o 3.1.1. Analyzes ideas, selects a manageable topic, and elaborates using
specific, relevant details and/or examples.
o 3.1.2. Analyzes and selects effective organizational structure.
o 3.2.3. Uses a variety of sentences consistent with audience, purpose, and form.
o 4.1.1. Analyzes and evaluates writing using established criteria.

 Completed End-of-Unit Self Reflection

Students will self assess to determine their knowledge growth throughout the unit and how it has
affected them as a writer. Additionally, students will examine their own writing for what they
would do differently if they had more time/were to re-write it/were to choose a different topic.
Writing GLE:
o 4.1.1. Analyzes and evaluates writing using established criteria.
o 4.2.1. Evaluates and adjusts writing goals using criteria.

8. Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding?

Task Prompt or Description in GRASPS format:

Goal: The goal is for you to complete a 5-8 page short story with accompanying illustrations
and cover using the knowledge they have gained over the past class days to ensure usage of
literary devices and plot elements.

Role: You have been asked to use the knowledge you have gained over the past several class
periods to create a unique piece of writing and complete the writing process until you have a
finalized publish piece with illustrations and cover.
 8

Audience: Your target audience is the teacher and your classmates, both of who which will
have the opportunity to read your piece.

Situation: The challenge of this assignment involves transitioning from analysis and
interpretation to synthesis of own writing.

Product, Performance, and Purpose: You will create a 5-8 page short story with illustrations
and a cover in order to demonstrate your understanding of story elements, writing devices,
and writing process.

Standards and Criteria for Success: Your short story must demonstrate evidence of the five
plot elements, consistent use of literary devices to advance the story, evidence of the writing
process (through brainstorming sheets and drafts), and completion of a story cover and inside
illustrations.
 9
STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

Unit Pre-Assessment--Interest Inventory:

Name___________________________________

Interest Inventory

Please take the time to complete this survey so I get to know you better as a learner and student. Feel free to
go onto the back side of the paper.

1. What is a short story? Who writes them?

2. Can you name two of the five plot elements?

3. Why use dialogue in story?

4. How can you create a visual setting through words?

5. What makes a good writer? What makes a bad writer?

6. Do you think all good writers write effortlessly?

7. What is your preferred learning style?

8. What are some of your favorite hobbies?

9. What do you usually do after school?

10. If you could have one wish, what would it be?

11. What subjects are you interested in reading about?

12. What is your favorite movie?

13. What is your favorite book?

14. What TV programs do you like?

15. What singers and bands do you like?

16. Who is your favorite character of all time?

17. What would you like to do after finishing school?

18. Is there anything about middle school that still concerns you?

19. How do you write? What processes do you go through before you have a final draft?

20. What do you know about writing devices? Do you use any in your own writing?

21. What do you think a great writer does? What do you think a bad writer does?

22. What are your writing goals for this unit?

 10
3 Formative Assessment Strategies:

1. Analysis of Story Theme Through Reading The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K.
LeGuin
The teacher checks “theme” graphic organizer to assess student understanding of the use of theme in the story. Did
the student interpret a theme that logically fits the story with evidence to support? If not, where did the
interpretation go awry? What did the student miss? How can I re-teach this topic to the student so that they can
grasp the concept?
2. Table of Uses of the 5 Senses in Writing About a Familiar Setting
The teacher checks the “5 Senses in Writing” graphic organizer to ensure that students used logical details about a
setting in each of the “senses” columns. Did the student use descriptive language? Was the student able to provide
a thorough list? How can I support a student who was not able to provide language under one of the five columns?
3. Plot Elements Graphic Organizer
Was the student able to logically complete the graphic organizer of plot elements about a favorite movie/tv
show/book? Did the student mix up any of the elements? Under which element did the student have the most to
talk about? What does this say about this particular students’ writing process and interests?

Culminating Performance Task Student Assignment Guideline and Scoring Rubric

Short Story Assignment Guidelines

For this final assignment, you will be expected to write a 3-5 page fictional short story. This will be a
chance for you to show me everything you’ve learned over the short story unit. Your paper should
include: character development, plot elements of a short story, conflict, clear setting, dialogue or
monologue, a clear theme, consistent and appropriate language and tone, and a grabber or hook to
introduce your story, an appropriate illustrated cover and title, and appropriate in-text illustrations. You
will be expected to turn in two rough drafts with your final draft. One rough draft can be in the form of
prewriting/brainstorming. Additionally, please attach your peer edit “conference forms”. Time will be
made in class to workshop your stories, peer edit, and conference with the teacher. Keep in mind, this is
a chance for you to use as much creativity as you can. Your short story topics can be about anything
you’d like, as long as they are school appropriate. At the conclusion of this project, there will be a Short
Story Fair where each student will have the opportunity to “advertise” their story for up to 3 minutes.
Please keep this in mind when you are choosing story topics as classmates may request to read your
story after you present it! Please take notice of the rubric—I will be grading according to those
elements!

Format Expectations:
 3-5 pages
 12 point Times New Roman font
 1 inch margins
 Double spaced
 Appropriate title
 Your name, date, title of class, and period in top left-hand corner
 Page numbers in top right-hand corner
 11

Short Story Grading Rubric

Comments

Character development (physical description, reactions or

actions, thoughts, dialogue, objects or possessions,
mannerisms/idiosyncrasies,
background information are all ways you can develop clear
characters. Must use at least three of these elements.)
10 Possible Points

Plot elements (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,

conclusion)
10 Possible Points

Conflict/problem
5 Possible Points

Setting (clear and easy for reader to picture)

8 Possible Points

Appropriate language (this means school appropriate)

5 Possible Points

Dialogue or monologue
8 Possible Points

Clear Theme
5 Possible Points

Grabber/hook
8 Possible Points

3-5 pages in length

5 Possible Points

Formatting:
 12 point Times New Roman font (or equivalent)
 1 inch margins
 Double spaced
 Appropriate title
 Your name, date, title of class, and period in upper left-
hand corner
 Page numbers in upper right-hand corners
8 Possible Points

Conventions:
 Spelling, grammar, punctuation is correct throughout
document unless intentionally incorrect for effect
8 Possible Points

Evidence of writing process in the form of a final polished story

as well as two drafts (one can be in the form of brainstorming or
prewriting)
10 Possible Points

Appropriate cover art, title, and in-text illustrations

10 Possible Points

Total: /100
 12

Student Self Reflection

This reflection is incorporated into the assignment so that you can reflect on yourself as a learner and writer.
Please answer the following questions in response to the Short Story Unit and your completion of the
required 5-8 page short story. Please word process your response and keep it 1-2 pages in length (12 pt.
Font).

1. Were you able to use all the required elements of the rubric in your short story? If not, why?
2. What was most helpful about this unit in helping you become a better writer? What was least helpful?
3. How do you feel you have grown as a writer now that you have completed this unit and have written
your own story?
4. What are your goals as a writer in reflection of this unit? What else do you want to work on?
5. What aspect of writing a short story was most interesting for you? What was least interesting?
6. If we were to do this unit over again, would you choose the same topic to write about? What changes
would you make in hindsight?
7. Are there any aspects of this unit you are still unsure about? Any topics that aren’t clear?
 STAGE 3: Learning Plan

Unit Name: Short Story

Day Assessment Task Lesson Title Learning Activity Overview Notes

(indicate number of points, purpose, feedback strategy) [ if plan developed]
1 In class and Homework: Interest Introduction to Short A discussion about what makes a The interest
Inventory Story story a “short story” and how that inventory will
(15 points, to gain knowledge of differs from longer pieces of be used as a
student understanding and interest, writing. Included is information formative
returned to students after teacher about short story length, quick assessment
reads through and gives comments succession of plot elements, about student
about possible topics and where delineation of character interest and
they can begin expanding their development, and prominence of pre-unit
ideas.) one conflict over many. Followed knowledge of
by an interest inventory to get short story.
student to begin thinking about
topics they can write about as well
as questions regarding their
knowledge of short story.
2 Homework: Analysis of short story Theme Mini-lesson on inferred vs. stated Short Story
for theme using the story “The theme and positive attributes of Analysis
Ones Who Walk Away from inferred theme through title use,
Omelas” by Ursula K. LeGuin. character changes, dialogue,
(10 points, students will complete a discussion of “big ideas” about life
graphic organizer regarding theme through character interaction, etc.
of the story and how they came to
that theme using literary evidence,
teacher will collect and grade based
on evidence used and logical
interpretation of theme.)
 14

3 In Class/Homework: analysis of Character Types Identifying difference between Short Story

character types in the short story antagonists, protagonists, main Analysis
“The Most Dangerous Game” by characters, minor characters, flat,
Richard Connell. (See “Character round, dynamic, and static
Types” handout). (10 points, characters.
graphic organizer chart of evidence
of character types in short story,
teacher collects and grades based
on logical analysis of character
types in the story and evidence
used to base that analysis.)
4 Free write (at least two pages) Character Focus on describing characters
about characterization based on Traits/Characterization through appearance, relationships,
the handout “Dipping a Character personal background, mannerisms,
in Paint: Four Notebook Entries to important objects/possessions,
Get a Writer Started”. Included in thoughts, reactions or actions,
this lesson will be the additional dialogue, monologue, etc.
handout titled “Eight Ways to
Reveal Character”.
(10 Points, students complete this
free write to get started on
practicing how to write about
character, teacher checks off that
students have completed the
assignment.)
5 Students participate in various Dialogue/Monologue How to use dialogue and Short Story
readers’ theater pieces to practice monologue to further story Analysis
dialogue and to emphasize development and keep reader
importance of it in a story. interest.
Additionally, students also receive
handouts “Tips for Writing
 15

Dialogue”(provided in
“Handouts” section) and “Tips for
Writing Monologue”.
For Homework: Students read
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
and write two paragraph response
on how dialogue contributed to the
success of the story.
(10 Participation Points, 10
Homework Points, students
participate to demonstrate
understanding of the importance of
dialogue, teacher checks for
participation and completion of
homework assignment.)
6 Homework: Students complete a Setting using the Senses Lesson on using the five senses in
table with the 5 senses listed and describing setting. Whole class
describing words/phrases they discussion about how to describe
would use for one specific setting “the school library” using the five
they are familiar with. senses as practice for student
(10 Points, students practice using homework.
the 5 senses to create descriptive
writing, teacher checks homework
for completion.)
7 Student free write (at least 2 pages) Conflict Focus on various kinds of conflict
of a conflict they’ve experienced (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man
before that shaped their lives or a vs. obstacle/society) and internal
major event in their life and what conflict (man vs. self).
kind of conflict it was (from conflict
types discussed in class).
(10 Points, students practice
 16

writing about conflict and how it

can shape a person’s life or major
period/event in a person’s life,
teacher checks for completion of
free write.)
8 Students read aloud a script Language, Tone, and A discussion on how language and
between two people (the same Audience tone can be used and changed
script each time) with various based on intended audience. How
focuses (read as if you’re fighting, would you write a letter to your
read as if you’re having an grandma vs. a letter to your friend?
academic conversation, read as if How does your vocabulary change
you’re really excited, read as if in these various forms of writing?
you’re confused about something,
etc)
(10 Participation Points, students
participate in practicing the
importance of tone and language to
create meaning in dialogue, teacher
checks for participation.)
9 Students choose one of the forms of Hooks and Grabbers How to interest the reader from the
“hook and grabber” as presented beginning (various forms of hooks
in the handout “Short Story Leads: and grabbers): beginning in the
Hooking the Reader” and free middle of a conversation, a peek
write how to transition from their into a characters mind, starting
chosen hook into their story. with a simile/metaphor/hyperbole/
(10 Points, students practice pun, starting with a question or
writing hooks in order to gain startling statement, etc.
understanding of the power of
grabbing the readers’ interest,
teacher checks for completion of
free write.)
 17

10 Homework: students choose a Plot Elements Overview Focus on five plot elements:
favorite movie or TV show or book exposition, rising action, climax,
and fill out a plot elements diagram falling action, and resolution.
for that piece. Also see
“Understanding Plot Elements”
handout that will be presented to
students during lesson. Further,
students will receive detailed
handouts on each plot element to
help them when they are writing
their own short stories (see
handouts for “How to Write
Exposition/Rising
Action/Climax/Falling
Action/Resolution”.)
(5 Points, students fill out a graphic
organizer of a favorite storyline to
demonstrate understanding of parts
of plot, teacher grades based on
logical analysis of plot elements.)
11 In class and homework: students Prewriting/Brainstorming Various ways to pre-write and
work on brainstorming short story brainstorm including webs, tables,
ideas using their preferred method flow charts, etc. In class writing
of brainstorming format. workshop.
(10 Participation Points, students
practice brainstorming for their
own short stories in preparation for
writing them, teacher checks for
students working on task.)
 18

12 In class and homework: students Drafting Short lesson on transitioning from

create first draft of short story after brainstorming to drafting. In class
short lesson on transitioning from writing workshop.
brainstorming to drafting.
(10 Participation Points, students
begin drafting their story, teacher
checks for participation and
students working on task.)
13 In class and Homework: students Revising Short lesson on peer editing each
revise their story based on peer other’s revised stories and
edits (see handout “Short Story constructive criticism techniques.
Conference Form”) and one-on- Short lesson on revising drafts to
one conferences with teacher. create cleaner writing. In class
(10 Points for completion of writing workshop.
conference form, students
participate in peer editing in
preparation for revising their
stories, teacher checks off that each
student has completed a conference
form for another student.)
14 In class and Homework: students Editing Peer editing workshop followed by
peer edit (with a different student writing workshop.
this time) each other’s story
followed by writing workshop and
at-home polishing of story.
(10 Points for completion of
conference form, students
participate in peer editing in
preparation for editing their stories,
teacher checks off that each student
has completed a conference form
 19

for another student.)

15 In class and Homework: Students Publishing/Illustrating Short lesson on illustration

work on finalizing story and begin techniques and book cover
illustrations, including cover. elements. Followed by
(10 Participation Points, students writing/illustration workshop.
spend time working towards
finalizing their stories and
illustrations in preparation for
Short Story Fair, teacher checks for
student working on task.)
16 Short Story Fair: Students share Short Story Short presentations from each
with the class a 2-3 minute Fair/Completed Short student to the class discussing and
synopsis of their story and display Stories Due “advertising” their story.
their cover while trying to “hook”
the audience into reading it!
(15 Participation Points in Short
Story Fair, 100 Points for
completion of Short Story with
accompanying illustrated cover and
inside-story illustrations, the
purpose of the short story fair is to
allow students to share their story
topics and cover art and as a “wrap
up” of the unit, teacher checks for
student participation in fair.)
Homework: Students complete a 1-
2 page reflection about their short
story. Were they happy with the
 20

final version? What would they

change if they were going to
rewrite it? What was most helpful
for them to learn this quarter in
regards to completing this
assignment?
(25 Points, student reflect on the
unit and their student work and
knowledge gained during the unit,
teacher collects to summative
assess student understanding of
topics.)
A Selection of Handouts
 22

Day 3—“Character Types”

Character Types
Character:

1. A person who is portrayed in an artistic piece such as a novel or short story.

2. The combination of qualities and/or attributes that distinguishes one person, group or category from the rest.

Types of Characters:

Round Character: A character who is very detailed and the reader is able to see and visualize all sides of this character. Round
characters are usually protagonists and antagonists but exceptions do occur. An example of a round character would be Frodo
Baggins of The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. In the books and movies all sides and personalities to Frodo is seen.

Flat Character: A character who is not very detailed and the reader usually only sees a few sides to a character. A flat character
usually appears in the background. A flat characters' appearance may be detailed but its character is not and usually proceeds on
one characteristic. Whitney from “The Most Dangerous Game” is a flat character as the reader only gets the chance to see a few sides
of him.

Stock Character: Often known as a stereotypical character, the stock character relies on cultural stereotypes for its character,
appearance, language and manners of speech. A few examples of stereotypical characters are the country hillbilly and the urban
street thug/gangster.

Dynamic Character: A dynamic character is one that under goes change during the course of the plot. Change that applies to allow
the character to be dynamic are changes in insight or understanding, changes in commitment, and changes in values. Changes in
circumstance do not apply unless the change has caused the character to change within itself. An example of a dynamic character is
Rainsford from “The Most Dangerous Game.” He classifies as a dynamic character because after his hunt with General Zaroff he now
cares for those that are the hunted because he was one and it nearly cost him his life. He has changed insights and changed values
because he now cares for those who are unfortunate enough to be the hunted. Dynamic characters are very usually the protagonists.
Another example of a dynamic character is Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings. He changes physically but also within himself making
himself more powerful. Gimli quotes that "the new Gandalf is more grumpy than the old one" in the extended edition of The Two
Towers. Gandalf also tells them that he is Saruman as Saruman should have been. But antagonists are known to be dynamic.

Static Character: A static character is one that no change is applied to during the course of the story. Static characters are usually
background or secondary characters so that they can serve as thematic or plot elements. However, sometimes static characters can
be the main ones, such as Tom and Daisy from The Great Gatsby, and do not change their qualities of carelessness but move away
from their problems as they did before.

Protagonist: The protagonist is the main character in a story, novel, drama, or other literary work, the character that the reader or
audience empathizes with. The antagonist opposes the protagonist. In the most archetypical narratives, this boils down to bad guy
vs. good guy: Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vadar in the first Star Wars movie, for instance.

In complex works of literature, it may not be as obvious. Becky Sharpe is one of the main protagonists in Vanity Fair, but she's
extremely flawed. By the end of the book, she's almost unlikable. In this way she's a very good example of another truth: the well-
written protagonists are round characters. They should be the most interesting, complex characters in your book or story. Becky
Sharpe is by far more interesting than Vanity Fair's extremely good Amelia, and for this reason, the story's primary center of gravity
remains Becky Sharpe.

Antagonist: A character in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works again the main character, or protagonist, in some way.
The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be an person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that prevents the
main character from living “happily ever after." In fact, the antagonist could be a character of virtue in a literary work where the
protagonist represents evil. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, the antagonist is Iago. Throughout the play, he instigates
conflicts and sows distrust among the main characters, Othello and Desdemona, two lovers who have risked their livelihood in order
to elope. Iago is determined to break up their marriage due to his suspicions that Othello has taken certain liberties with his wife.

Sources:
 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/696761/characters_in_short_stories_a_breakdown.html?cat=38
 http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/protagonist.htm
 http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/general/glossary.htm
 23

Day 4—“Eight Ways to Reveal Character”

Eight Ways to Reveal Character

by Dewey Hensley
Actions
As Kevin moved down the street his feet made a steady echo sound against the pavement. He whistled despite the loud
rumble of the traffic and the car horns. When someone yelled out the window of his or her car to watch where he was going, he
just waved back like he was watching a best friend heading home. He passed by the garbage on the sidewalk and the old woman
pushing the shopping cart filled with newspaper, and continued to smile as he headed toward Cindy’s house. Nothing could erase
that smile from his face, not even the coldness of the streets he called home.

Dialogue
“I ain’t gonna leave you here, Ma’am . . . not with you needin’ help and all,” Jimmy said as he walked back to his truck to
get the jack. “I’d help anybody who needed it; my momma taught me better’en to just leave people. The good Lord’ll make it up to
me.”
“I don’t know . . .,” Linda stuttered. She had barely rolled down her window to hear Jimmy when he had left his pick-up
truck and offered help. “You know what they say about your kind . . .”

Physical Description
Other guys walking through the hallway were taller and even more handsome, but there was something about Billy
Belaire. His arms swung loose at his side and his dark hair was long and pulled back behind his head, held by a rubber band. The
dark jacket he wore was straight out of the local thrift shop, she could tell, but the way he wore it suggested a sense of pride, or at
least a lack of caring what others thought about him.

Idiosyncrasies
Junior tapped his fingertips against the table and looked at his watch constantly. His leg bounced up and down and he
gulped the hot coffee as if it would hurry up his friend’s arrival.

Objects/Possessions
Michael touched the locket around his neck and rolled it between his fingers. His mother had given him that locket, with her
picture inside, when he had left to live with his father. What would she think of him now?

Reactions
Tony’s words stung Laura. It wasn’t what she expected to hear. They had been dating for over a month now, how could
he do this to her? How could he break her heart? All three of their dates had been fun; he had said so himself.
As Tony watched the floodgate of her eyes begin to open he looked at his watch. Jeez, I hope I can make it to the gym on
time.

Thoughts
He began to remember when he was a freshman in high school. The seniors really thought they were something back
then, always trying to play their little pranks on the ninth graders. He knew at that moment he couldn’t be one of those kinds of
people. He walked over to Jeff and Larry to tell them it was time to stop.

Background Information
Miles knew what it meant to be alone. When he was a child growing up his father had been in the military. They had
traveled from Florida, to Georgia, to California, to Kentucky. He had rarely had a friend for very long. By the leap from California
he had already decided having friends was a risk; the fewer the friends, the easier it was to leave. This philosophy had made him
a real outsider at Glenview High School. In the six months he had been there he had not really made a single friend but as he
stood there staring at Sheila, he realized that just might have to change.

Source: “Teaching the Short Story, Teacher’s Packet.” http://www.ket.org/education/guides/pd/teachingtheshortstory.pdf

 24

Day 4—“Dipping a Character in Paint”

“Dipping a Character in Paint”

Four Notebook Entries to Get a Writer Started
Created by Dewey Hensley, South Oldham High School

The best fiction centers around realistic, multi-dimensional characters (traditionally called round or dynamic
characters). Most writers rely upon their own knowledge and observations of people to create real characters for their fiction.
These four types of notebook entries can provide writers the raw materials to build a character.

Entry 1: Who is the most peculiar, colorful, or unique person you know? Describe this person in detail without using a name; try
to capture all the little things the person does, says, believes that makes him or her different. Also tell how the person looks, what
he or she wears, and even how others think about the person.

Entry 2: What are your “idiosyncrasies”? Idiosyncrasies are little mannerisms (things we do unconsciously) that make us the way
we are. Hensley puts his fingers together like a spider doing push-ups on a mirror; Mrs. Anderson hums softly while walking
around the room and runs her fingers through her hair whenever Hensley says something stupid. What are some of your
idiosyncrasies? Be specific; take time to reflect upon yourself.

Entry #3: Take 10 minutes to observe someone outside this classroom. Then, in your writer’s notebook, write down every detail
you can about this person. Draw a portrait of the person in words. How does this person look? What are his or her idiosyncrasies?
(If you don’t see any very clearly, predict what they might be.) What is the person’s history? If you don’t know anything about the
person, then create a history. What does the person smell like? Can you come up with a simile or metaphor about this person?

Entry #4: Extended entry . . . Take time to use the observation entries you have already done: the class discussions and books we
have done in class; and your own observations to create a character. Remember, you can draw on your previous entries to create
this character. Provide this “person” with a . . .
• Name
• Physical description
• List of objects that tell about him or her
• List of idiosyncracies he or she exhibits when certain things happen (when he or she is sad, scared, challenged, etc.)
• History: where has this person been; what things have happened that really make this person who he or she is

Source: “Teaching the Short Story, Teacher’s Packet.” http://www.ket.org/education/guides/pd/teachingtheshortstory.pdf

 25

Day 6—“Tips for Writing Dialogue”

Tips for Writing Dialogue

Writing dialogue -- realistic dialogue, anyway -- does not come easily to everyone. Done well, dialogue advances the story and
fleshes out the characters while providing a break from straight exposition.

However, just as realistic dialogue is one of the most powerful tools at a writer's disposal, nothing pulls the reader out of a story
faster than bad dialogue. It takes time to develop a good ear, but noting these simple rules and obvious pitfalls can make a huge
difference.

1. Listen to How People Talk.

Having a sense of natural speech patterns is essential to good dialogue. Start to pay attention to the expressions that people use
and the music of everyday conversation. This exercise asks you to do this more formally, but generally speaking it's helpful to
develop your ear by paying attention to the way people talk.

Further Tips
Go to a coffee shop or a restaurant where you can sit unobserved within earshot of other people. Jot down bits of dialogue as you
sit there (your activity will actually disguise the fact that you're listening).

If you get really good subjects, you might also be inspired to sketch out descriptions, noting what they're wearing, if they're well-
groomed or unkempt, and guessing at what kind of work they do. Notice how much you can learn or surmise just from sitting there
listening.

Of course, dialogue has to be shaped before you put it in a story, but notice how people basically communicate. Do they have to
explain a lot, or is much understood? Do they talk in complete sentences or fragments? How does rhythm come into play in
everyday speech? Also pay attention to how little it takes for you to understand what they're talking about. Your dialogue should
operate in the same way, communicating a lot, but spelling out very little.

2. Not Exactly like Real Speech.

But dialogue should read like real speech. How do you accomplish that? Alfred Hitchcock said that a good story was "life, with the
dull parts taken out." This very much applies to dialogue. A transcription of a conversation would be completely boring to read.
Edit out the filler words and unessential dialogue -- that is, the dialogue that doesn't contribute to the plot in some way.

Further Tips:

Your first draft of a story may be messy, with a lot of unnecessary words and phrases. You'll probably find that as you edit your
dialogue, it will become more succinct. If you've included any filler words, like "uh" and "oh," cut them. Although they are realistic -
- we use words like this all the time when we talk -- they look unprofessional on the page. (The same is true with trying to write a
stutter.)

In general, keep sentences short. Oakley Hall, in The Art and Craft of Novel Writing, offers the rule, "One thought at a time and keep
the lines short." Most people don't talk in perfectly formed, complex sentences. For example, in this passage from Raymond
Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," note how short and simple most of the sentences are:

"When I left, he drank rat poison," Terri said. She clasped her arms with her hands. "They took him to the hospital in Santa Fe.
That's where we lived then, about ten miles out. They saved his life. But his gums went crazy from it. I mean they pulled away from
his teeth. After that, his teeth stood out like fangs. My God," Terri said.

Paring down your sentences may not be enough, however. Chances are, there'll be scenes you wrote for yourself, to get to the next
part of the story. Cut any unnecessary dialogue. If it doesn't build character or advance your plot, edit it out. In the Gotham Writers'
Workshop guide to writing fiction, Allison Amend explains it this way: "The realism of good dialogue is something of an illusion.
Readers of fiction have a higher expectation for dialogue than the conversations of real life. Fictional dialogue needs to have more
impact, focus, relevance, than ordinary conversation."
 26

A conversation about the correct route to take, for instance, is extraneous if it goes like this:

"So I think we should take Elm all the way to Lincoln," Mary said, the map spread across her lap.
"Is that really the best way?" Mel asked her. "What if we hit traffic?"
"But it's Sunday. We'll be fine."

There's no tension and nothing necessary is revealed here, so there's no reason to include this scene, though it is true to life.
Presumably, these characters are on their way to something important: why not fast-forward to those key scenes?

On the other hand, if the scene were to reveal something about Mel and Mary's relationship, something that mattered to the plot,
we would keep it:

"Why aren't we taking Elm?" Mary asked.

"Did I ask your opinion?" Mel said, switching lanes a bit too quickly. "When you drive, you can pick the route. But I'm driving, so I'll
pick the godd*@n route."
"Fine, fine," Mary said. With a sigh, she reached over to switch on the radio. "If you'd ever let me drive, then maybe I could," she
said under her breath.

3. Don't Provide Too Much Info at Once.

It should not be obvious to the reader that they're being fed important facts. Let the story unfold naturally. You don't have to tell
the reader everything up front, and you can trust him or her to remember details from earlier in the story.

Further Tips:

When writing dialogue, keep in mind the three-sentence rule: give no character more than three uninterrupted sentences at once.
You really can trust your audience to read between the lines: in fact, part of the pleasure of reading a story is putting the pieces
together. And most importantly, remember that your characters should not tell each other things they already know.

4. Break Up Dialogue with Action.

Remind your reader that your characters are physical human beings by grounding their dialogue in the physical world. Physical
details also help break up the words on the page: long periods of dialogue are easier for the reader's eye when broken up by
description. (And vice versa, for that matter.)

Further Tips:

Just as straight exposition gets old for the reader, dialogue on its own becomes tedious, too. Just a few simple
descriptions solve this problem and provide context.

While a scene can be composed entirely of dialogue, it's fairly rare. Note also that each change of speaker means a new paragraph
(on the page, the paragraphs would be indented).

5. Don't Overdo Dialogue Tags.

Veering too much beyond "he said/she said" only draws attention to the tags -- and you want the reader's attention centered on
your brilliant dialogue, not your ability to think of synonyms for "said."

Further Tips:

Veering too much from "he said/she said" only draws attention to the tags. While readers tend to read over these phrases, obvious
efforts to insert variety, through words such as "interjected," "counseled," or "conceded," pull the reader out of the action. If the
writer is doing his or her work, the reader is already aware that the speaker is interjecting, counseling, or conceding. The writer
won't have to say it again in the tag.
 27

A member of the forum expressed this perfectly: "The main reason for all the 'he said' / 'she said' tags is so your readers can keep
straight who is doing the talking. You can throw in other business to identify the speaker."

He went on to give the following examples:

 "You're late again, Clarence!" Petunia looked at her watch. "How much time does it take to put on your shoes, anyway?"
 "Didn't anybody do the homework?" Miss Smith tapped her ruler on the desk. "There will be a fifty point test on this
chapter tomorrow."

You can often omit the tags altogether if it's obvious enough who said what.

"Hello, what's your name?" Tom asked.

"Susan."
"What an unusual name."
"It was in an opera my parents liked."

6. Stereotypes, Profanity, and Slang.

Be aware of falling back on stereotypes, and use profanity and slang sparingly. All of these risk distracting or alienating your
reader. Anything that takes the reader out of the fictional world you're working so hard to create is not your friend. Read some
examples of how to achieve the tone you want without stereotypes, profanity, and slang.

Further tips:

Stereotypes are best avoided altogether, unless you're writing satire, and profanity and slang are best used sparingly. With
regard to stereotypes, only write in dialect if you know the culture intimately: Any Southerner will cringe if a character says "Pa"
in this day and age, and unless you grew up in Brooklyn, think twice before inserting, "Fugeddaboutit," into the mouth of your
Brooklyn cop. Get it wrong, and you risk appearing naïve and/or offending your reader.

As far as profanity and slang go, both will quickly date your work -- rather than make your characters look cool or tough.
Hemingway, whose characters included soldiers, fishermen, hunters, and artists, had excellent advice on this subject: "Try and
write straight English; never using slang except in dialogue and then only when unavoidable . . . slang goes sour in a short time."
And you'll notice that even with his toughest characters, profanity is as rare as slang.

7. Read Widely.

Pay attention to why things work or don't work. Where are you taken out of the story's action? Where did you stop believing in a
character? Or, alternatively, when did the character really jump off the page, and how did dialogue help accomplish that? You can
start reading like a writer with the link above, or pick up an anthology and start your own list of writers to learn from.

8. Punctuate Dialogue Correctly.

The rules for punctuating dialogue can be confusing: many writers need help getting them right in the beginning. Take some time
to learn the basics. A reader should get lost in your prose -- not feel lost trying to follow your dialogue.

Further Tips:

Nothing marks a beginning writer faster than improperly punctuated dialogue. Learn these rules, and you'll avoid obvious
mistakes:

1. Use a comma between the dialogue and the tag line (the words used to identify the speaker: "he said/she said"):

"I would like to go to the beach this weekend," she told him as they left the apartment.

2. Periods and commas go inside the quotation marks in American writing (the Brits have slightly different rules); other
punctuation -- semicolons, question marks, dashes, and exclamation points -- goes outside unless it directly pertains to
the material within the quotes, as in this example from Raymond Carver's "Where I'm Calling From":
 28

"I don't want any stupid cake," says the guy who goes to Europe and the Middle East. "Where's the champagne?" he says,
and laughs.

In the next example, the question mark goes outside the quotation marks because it is not part of the material being
quoted:

Did he say, "We should all go to the movies"?

Also note that the sentence ends with only one mark of punctuation: the question mark. In general, don't use double
punctuation marks, but go with the stronger punctuation. (Question marks and exclamation points are stronger than
commas and periods. Think of it as a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, if it helps.)

3. When a tag line interrupts a sentence, it should be set off by commas. Note that the first letter of the second half of the
sentence is in lower case, as in this example from Flannery O'Connor's "Greenleaf":

"That is," Wesley said, "that neither you nor me is her boy..."

4. To signal a quotation within a quotation, use single quotes:

"Have you read 'Hills Like White Elephants' yet?" he asked her.

5. For interior dialogue, italics are appropriate, just be consistent.

6. If a quotation spills out over more than one paragraph, don't use end quotes at the close of the first paragraph. Use them
only when a character is done speaking.

Source: http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/crafttechnique/tp/dialogue.htm
 29

Day 9— “Short Story Leads: Hooking the Reader”

Short Story Leads:
Hooking the Reader
Begin a story in the middle of a conversation.
“If you don’t put that away right now, you and I are gonna have problems,” Carla snarled as Janet scribbled in her writer’s
notebook. Janet stared at her round face, squinting eyes, and muscular arms crossed in front of her chest for just a second, snarled
right back at her, and continued to write furiously. All the other students around the playground were quiet.
“Just who do you think you are?” Mrs. Fleming asked as April slammed her notebook on the desk.

Begin with a description:

Millie’s face turned red when she entered the room. Stapled on the walls all around were pictures of her. There she was
holding the first place trophy high above her head after her team won the state basketball tournament. Above the dresser was a
poster-size photograph of her eighth grade graduation; she was standing proudly at the podium delivering her class president’s
speech. To the left of the door was a collage of all her school pictures dating back to first grade, her gap-toothed smile framed by
her dark face and tangled brown hair. How had someone she had never seen before created such a monument in her honor?
Jason’s house was a lot like a museum. There were pretty, breakable objects everywhere and you weren’t allowed to
touch a thing.

Begin with background information (exposition):

Kevin was accustomed to being first. Since he had started track, a sixth grader on the high school team, he had always
been a champion.
As long as she could remember, Dimein’s name had always been mispronounced by the teacher on the first day of school.

Begin with a peek into a character’s mind:

Not this time, you won’t, I thought as I stood there staring into my father’s eyes. I picked up the basketball and began to
dribble with my left hand.
How could things have gone so wrong? I asked myself, as I looked out over a sea of laughing faces.

Start with a simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or pun:

They murdered him. (The Chocolate War)

Start with a startling statement:

When I was little, I would think of ways to kill my daddy. (Ellen Foster)

Start with a question:

What would you do if you were standing in the mall one day minding your own business, when suddenly, the girl who
you knew you would spend your whole life with . . . the girl who makes your heart beat like the drumming in Metallica’s best
songs . . . the woman whose fingers could crush you like a bug or hold you like a delicate flower . . . walks by? What would you do if
you had never seen her before and did not even know her name? You would do what I did, turn red in the face and tell your posse
to quit starin’.
Have you ever eaten one of those sugar-coated pieces of fried dough at the fair? I think they’re called elephant ears or
some such.

Begin with a quote from a song, movie, famous person or book:

David stared at the poster through the store window. It was a sketch of a man. “Nothing can be loved or hated until it is
first understood” was written below the picture, with the name Leonardo DaVinci. If only his parents would follow that
DaVinci’s advice.
“It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.” Kevin spun in circles as he listened to his older brother’s old R.E.M.
record in the basement. In a time like this, the lyrics seemed particularly suitable.

Source: “Teaching the Short Story, Teacher’s Packet.”

http://www.ket.org/education/guides/pd/teachingtheshortstory.pdf
 30

Day 10— “Understanding Plot Elements”

Understanding Plot Elements
What are “plot elements” and how will they help me write a story?
Plot elements are the basic building blocks for your story. There are five elements and each piece has a very important job when it
comes to writing a story. Understanding and using plot elements will help you generate ideas and plans for your stories and will
provide organization to your writing, especially in the pre-writing stage when you may not know where to go next with your storyline.

Five plot elements essential to every story:

1. Exposition: The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the
characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.

2. Rising Action: The rising action of a plot is the series of events that build up and create tension
and suspense. This tension is a result of the basic conflict that exists and makes the story
interesting.

3. Climax: Frequently, this is the moment of the highest interest, greatest emotion, and most
suspense. This is when we see the actions the characters take in their response to the conflict of
the story.

4. Falling Action: In this part of the story, events occur that start wrapping up the conflict. This is
where your story starts to conclude.

5. Resolution: The conflict is resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of release of
tension and anxiety for the reader.
(See an example of how to use these plot elements on the back side of this paper)

What can you do with this information?

You can use these five plot elements to create any kind of story. If you have an idea of a story in mind but don’t know how to
begin the story, end it, or what to do in the middle; using the above five plot elements can help you write a very logical and
interesting narrative. For instance, if you have a character in mind but don’t know what to write about that character, the first
thing you can do is describe him or her and come up with a conflict he or she might face. All this is information you would use
in the exposition.

Perhaps you already know what is going to happen to a character in the end of the story but you aren’t sure what events are
going to lead up to that resolution. One thing you can do is decide on a climax to the story, a turning point. You can decide how
your character will change from this event. What will your character decide? How will his or her personality/goals/thoughts
change as a result?
31
 32

Day 10— “How to Write Exposition in Ficton”

How to Write Exposition in Fiction

Exposition sets up the main plot of your story. It can also provide character background. When used effectively, exposition
broadens your story and brings depth to your characters. But sometimes, exposition can feel tacked on or distracting. Beginning
writers will often spend pages writing exposition before they get to the meat of their story. Readers get bored easily if they think
all they’re going to read is exposition. Here are some tips to write exposition effectively in your fiction and keep your readers
interested.

Instructions

1. Set up the plot or characters of your story quickly---time, setting, characters, relationships, etc. ---then move on.

2. Blend the exposition into the action of your story. For instance, include information about your character while they are
committing an act: “Jerry was only eighteen, but he had already committed four bank robberies before the heist at the
Western, which Tyrone had promised was going to be the biggest hold-up this town had seen in years.” Already we know
how old Jerry is, what he’s done in the past, the type of people he hangs out with, and what he is about to commit in the
present. We also have a hint of the town where he lives---“the biggest hold-up this town had seen in years.” Set the story
and its background up in as little exposition as possible.

3. Use exposition through dialogue. This is tricky because dialogue ends up sounding clunky and unrealistic when it serves
no purpose except to provide exposition. But there are ways of moving around that problem. For instance, one character
might be providing information that the other character wouldn’t know. Your character might be on a first date, might be
interviewing a witness for a criminal investigation, or might be on an interview for a new job. Situations like these offer
you the opportunity to write exposition into your story.

4. Set up questions in your story. For instance, let’s say you introduce your character stuffing a bloody knife into a zip-top
bag. This will engage your reader and have her wanting to know why the character has a bloody knife and why he is
stuffing it into a zip-top bag. This offers you the perfect opportunity to use exposition to answer these questions. Perhaps
the character is a crime scene investigator and he has been doing this work for years now. Your reader will not only want
to know that, but will welcome the expository information.

5. Include expository information only if it is necessary to tell your story. Your readers don’t have to know about your
character’s first trip to the dentist unless it is pertinent to your story. Perhaps it will explain why your character hates
seeing his dentist. If not, then cut out any and all information that only bogs down the pacing of your story.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4558516_write-exposition-fiction.html
 33

Day 10— “How to Use Rising Action in Writing”

How to Use Rising Action in Writing
Using rising action effectively in a story is crucial to capturing and sustaining a reader's attention. Rising action is the part of the
plot that adds complications and precedes the climax. Rising action focuses on the protagonist and/or the antagonist either trying
to rise above the conflict or avoid defeat.

Instructions
1. Create a protagonist who is a dynamic character who changes in a significant way whether positively or negatively in
order to begin an engaging rising action.

2. Place events, twists and the connections to the protagonist in a logical order so the story is clearly understood. Use vivid,
descriptive action words to forward the plot towards the climax or conflict ending point.

3. Intensify the rising action. Focus on entangling the protagonist in the conflicts or struggles between two forces in the
story. The protagonist could be struggling with loss, love, insanity, fate, society, self or nature.

4. Develop and weave literary elements that reflect or expand characters and conflicts within the story so that the reader
literally cannot put the book aside. Incorporate literary elements into the story such as suspense, irony, similes,
metaphors and symbols.

5. Add a last dimension to the rising action and include implications or have the reader infer or read between the lines.
Often, the most intriguing stories are those in which the reader has to really stretch his imagination.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2063017_use-rising-action-writing.html
 34

Day 10— “How to Use Climax in Writing”

How to Use Climax in Writing

The use of climax in fictional writing is how all writers make their work exciting and action-packed. In order for climax to be
effective, it must be both relevant to the story and impact the story's protagonist, antagonist or key characters. Climax can be a
little complicated to work into a story without it being obvious or awkward.

Instructions
1. Involve important characters. The climax of the story is the point at which the conflict reaches a boiling point, the mystery
gets solved or a life-changing event occurs. Since it will involve one or more of the major plots of the story, it makes sense
that one or more of the main characters will be involved as well.

2. Set the climax in an appropriate setting. The setting of the climax goes a long way towards making it more exciting,
dangerous or meaningful. Set your climax next to the grave of a murder victim, in a dark forest or in a warehouse that has
been set ablaze. A climax that takes place in one of these locations will obviously be more effective than one set in a
grocery store or someone's garage.

3. Create the unexpected. You will want your climax to ultimately be one that none of your readers see coming, the kind that
will cause them to gasp out loud and keep them reading until the end. So don't be afraid to think outside the box for your
climactic event and throw a few curveballs into the plot. Have the murder suspect save the day, one of your characters
turn out to be undiscovered royalty or reveal the love affair between your story's protagonist and antagonist. Plot twists
like these, right as the climax action of the story is taking place, will make your story unforgettable.

4. Work the climax into the story reasonably. The action of your climax must not be discounted by the improbability of it
occurring. Your climax should be exciting and unexpected, but it still needs to possible. You can work the climax in
seamlessly and still keep it exciting by using false conclusion, in which your protagonist intends to do one thing and is
then forced or compelled to do another, the latter being your climax action. You can also change the setting of the scene
abruptly so that the reader never sees the climax coming. If your characters are in the car taking a leisurely drive one
moment and are careening over a cliff while one admits to killing the other's brother, your reader will be caught by
surprise at the urgency and unexpectedness of the situation and also by the revelation of the characters. Thus, you have
created life-changing events that could really happen that will change the end of the book completely.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2154032_use-climax-writing.html
 35

Day 10— “How to Use Falling Action in Writing”

How to Use Falling Action in Writing

A story that doesn't have falling action is almost always a story that ends too abruptly and disappoints the reader. An author
must allow some time after the climactic scene to finish the story, show what happens to all the characters and suggest how
"life goes on" after the story's end. The following steps will help you finish up your action so that it is satisfying to the reader.

Instructions

Examples of Falling Action

1. Consider the plot of the movie "Star Wars." The climax occurs when the Luke blows up the Death Star, and everything
after that is falling action. Luke and Leia are reunited with Han, R2D2 is damaged but can be repaired, Han and Luke
receive medals for their bravery and the rebellion survives to continue the fight.

2. Reread the end of novel "The DaVinci Code." The climax occurs when Sophie discovers that her own existence is the
secret behind the DaVinci Code. She is reunited with her grandmother and brother, she and Langdon begin a romance,
Langdon returns to Paris and figures out the secret resting place of the Holy Grail.

3. Remember the movie "Jaws." After Chief Brody kills the shark (the climax), he rests amid the wreckage of the Orca,
where Hooper finds him. They tie a couple of barrels together and use them to get back to shore. No doubt Hooper goes
on to great academic success as a shark expert and Brody returns to the quiet life of Amity Island he had been enjoying
before the first shark attack.

4. Think about the ending of the novel, "The Great Gatsby." The climax occurs when Gatsby is killed by Wilson. Afterward,
Nick can't find anyone willing to attend Gatsby's funeral. Gatsby's father appears to tell Nick about Gatsby's childhood,
Nick breaks up with Jordan and returns to the Midwest.

Writing Falling Action

5. Write the climactic scene. Then ask yourself, "What happens next?" Be creative, but not so wild as to be something out
of character for "people" the reader feels he has come to know. Make it logical, yet creative. If you are setting up the
story for a sequel, leave a few ends open or pose a new challenge for the main character.

6. Deal out justice. In most stories, the protagonist defeats an enemy, and that enemy, along with his or her allies, should
face the consequences of being on the wrong side of the conflict. The hero and his or her allies should be rewarded.
(There are exceptions, such as when the enemy escapes justice and the hero resolves to pursue him or her, thus setting
up the possibility for a sequel or ongoing book series.)

7. Return to a new normal. The characters should return home, pick up their lives and go on. This doesn't necessarily
mean that their lives should be the same as before the events in the story, but it should be whatever would be normal
after the climax. For example, if a war was won, the characters may put away their weapons and get regular jobs or
they may ship out to a new assignment.

8. Remember the classic ending, "they lived happily ever after." End your story shortly after the climax.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2095686_falling-action-writing.html
 36

Day 10— “How to Use Resolution in Writing”

How to Use Resolution in Writing

When writing a work of fiction the ending or resolution is the most important part of your story. The resolution reflects the
progression of the characters. Under develop the resolution and the reader is left feeling unsatisfied. Use these simple
strategies to make the most of resolution when writing.

Instructions

1. Plan the resolution beforehand. Use a checklist to review the subplots and events taking place in the story. Check off
these story elements as you write to make sure that the resolution answers them.

2. Write the action. For a resolution to occur there has to be conflict. Show the results of the action by allowing the main
character to reflect on the story. In addition allow the reader to see the character change as a result of the resolution.

3. Make the resolution believable to the reader. The resolution needs to make sense in proportion to all the events that
have proceeded it. Stay true to the story by writing a resolution that satisfies the plot.

4. Create emotional conflict. An effective resolution is worth remembering and should linger with the reader long after
finishing the story. Provide an emotional connection and offers hints of the future to come for your characters.

5. Continue past the resolution. In some stories the resolution can't answer all the plot questions or reveal the
consequences the plot. In these cases prepare and write an epilogue to provide more info on the fate of the characters.

6. Consider the genre of fiction writing. Different genres of writing usually follow different rules in how to resolve a
story's conflict. Evaluate various categories of genre to see which methods work best.

Tips & Warnings

 The resolution should follow the climax and has to show the results of the climax.
 For your resolution to be effective all the tension created throughout the story should be released in the resolution.
 Remember to show the characters growth in the resolution. The protagonist should have gained some knowledge or
learned some lesson as a result of overcoming the events of the story.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_2095687_use-resolution-writing.html
 37

Day 13— “Short Story Conference Form”

Short Story Conference Form

1. Does the lead engage the reader? (Audience awareness)

2. Can you find evidence of these things? (Idea development)

• Dialogue/Monologue
• Using the 5 senses
• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution

3. Is the story organized so you can follow it? Where do you get confused?

4. Problem Words and Sentences:

Source: “Teaching the Short Story, Teacher’s Packet.” http://www.ket.org/education/guides/pd/teachingtheshortstory.pdf