Do you want to write stories but don’t know how?
Here’s a Simple Template for starting Writing short stories on a regular basis.
Start Small, Start Now
- Start with 1 Word
- Can summarize the Story in 1 Word?
- This Word will be the Theme of the Story.
- It can become its Title.
- Can summarize each Chapter in 1 Word?
- This Word describes the main Event of the Chapter.
- Can summarize each Scene in 1 Word?
- Same as for the Chapter, but on a smaller scale.
- Can summarize each Character in 1 Word?
- This Word is the Character’s Goal.
- This Word determines the Character’s Name.
- Can summarize each Setting in 1 Word?
- This Word represents the Main Feature of this Setting.
- Is it a Colour?
- Is it a Landmark?
- Turn it into 1 Phrase
- Can you summarize your Story in 1 Phrase?
- Can you summarize the Plot of each Chapter in 1 Phrase?
- Can you summarize the Action of each Scene in 1 Phrase?
- Can you summarize the Behaviour of each Character in 1 Phrase?
- What are her Strengths?
- What are her Weaknesses?
- Can summarize each Setting in 1 Phrase?
- What does it look like?
- Who lives there?
- How’s the Weather?
- Summarize the Story in 1 Page
- You need 10 Phrases to summarize the Story.
- Each corresponding to a Chapter.
- From there you can expand each phrase into a paragraph answering the following questions:
- What’s the Issue?
- What are the Stakes?
- What’s the Outcome?
How large should the Story be?
- Small Scale, Full Scale
- Start with a Story as short as possible.
- Start in a Room.
- You can expand later.
- You can turn a short Story into Chapter of a larger Story.
- When you have written your 10 short Story look for the similarities.
- Look for the differences.
- Look for the balance between Diversity & Consistency.
- Can you turn them into a larger story?
- Which stories do you want to expand?
- How many Characters do we need?
- Start with 3.
- That’s the base minimum.
- 3 Characters will ensure you have solid relationships.
- What are their relationships?
- How do these relationships evolve?
- Which conflicts appear between them?
- What caused these conflicts?
- How do they resolve?
- How different are these 3 Characters?
- Do you need more Diversity?
- Do you want to add more Characters?
- How do I add more Characters?
- How many Settings do we need?
- You can start with 1.
- You can add as many settings you need.
- Generally, you’ll need 3 types of settings:
- A place where Crisis will occur.
- A place to Rest.
- A place where the Characters can Investigate & Ponder.
- These 3 types of settings can be rooms in the same Building.
- Or they can be 3 different Buildings.
- All is a matter of scale.
- You choose the scale you’re most comfortable with.
- How many Plotlines to we need?
- 1.
- You don’t need more than 1 Plot.
- You can add a Secondary Plotline.
- The Story will be easier to follow if the Main plot & Secondary plot are directly linked.
Start with the End
- A clear Destination
- Starting with the End makes the Story Clearer for You & the Public.
- It provides a sense of Stability.
- Write the ending in 1 Phrase.
- How much Safety does it provide you?
- How much Clarity?
- How much Predictability?
- How much Control over the Story do you now have?
- How to write the Ending?
- What’s the Atmosphere?
- Where does it happen?
- Which Character is Present?
- What’s the Issue?
- What is the Cause of this Issue?
- What are the Stakes?
- How is else implied in this Crisis?
- How do the Characters React?
- What’s the Outcome?
- What’s the Aftermath?
- Exposition
- You can follow this Plan for each following chapter.
- What is the 1st Scene?
- What’s the Atmosphere?
- Where does it happen?
- What’s particular with this Location?
- Which Character is Introduced?
- How are they Introduced?
- What is their Goal?
- What will be the Story’s Theme?
- Is there an Issue?
- What’s the Issue?
- What is the Cause of this Issue?
- What are the Stakes?
- How is else implied in this Crisis?
- How do the Characters React?
- What’s the Outcome?
- What’s the Aftermath?
3 Main Events
- 3 Crisis
- You’ll need 3 Crisis.
- They will serve as Tension points.
- After each Crisis comes a Relaxation chapter.
- These Relaxation chapters have 3 potential purposes:
- Investigating the cause of the Crisis
- Gathering Resources
- Pondering on the reason of the Loss/Defeat
- How to Write these Events?
- What is the Nature of the Crisis?
- What’s the Issue?
- What is the Cause of each Crisis?
- What are the Stakes?
- How is implied in this Crisis?
- How do the Characters React?
- Where does it happen?
- What’s the Atmosphere?
- What’s the Outcome?
- What’s the Aftermath?
How to Make Short Stories every day?
- Quotes, Sayings & 1 liners
- Do you enjoy Quotes?
- Have you ever tried to write some of your own?
- Quotes & 1 liners are useful when it comes to Dialogue.
- They allow you to define Character’s efficiently.
- Poems & Songs
- A Poem/Song can be written easily following a 4-Strophes Structure.
- The Poem is composed of 4 Strophes.
- Each of 4 Verses.
- And Between each Strophe the Refrain/Chorus.
- The basic Form of a Song/Poem is the Following:
-
- Strophe 1 – Theme A
- Chorus – Variation 1
- Strophe 2 – Theme B
- Chorus – Variation 2
- Strophe 3 – Theme A
- Chorus – Variation 1
- Strophe 4 – Theme B
- Chorus – Variation 2
-
- Illustrations & Comic Strip
- Do you Draw?
- An image can serve as an Ideal Introduction.
- Would you draw/paint a Picture for each Story?
- Would you draw/paint a Picture for each Chapter?
- Would you draw/paint a Picture for each Scene?
- Do you want to draw/paint the Characters?
- Do you start to enjoy writing Short Stories?
- Do you want a more detailed process?
Is there a fear of Writing?
- Is there a Writer’s Block?
- You can get rid of it by following a clear procedure.
- If the Procedure isn’t clear or complete ask question.
- If you have additional question, not covered by this article, post them in the comment.
- Fear of Disapproval
- What am I doing?
- I want to write but, what’s the purpose?
- Do Your Best.
- Write for Yourself.
- Focus on the Process.
- And People will come.
- Fear of doing the Unusual
- Start small.
- Really small.
- Implement the Process.
- Progressively to make it Permanent.
- This is a small Stakes habit.
- Small Stakes habits lead to High Stakes results.
- Fear of Success & Failure
- The 1st reward is self-gratification.
- Develop your Skills.
- Develop your World.
- Better, if your Stories can help people.
- Think about the Process.
- Following the Process is the true face of Success.