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: Re: Short Story Outline Issues I am writing a short story that has very little action that focuses mainly on the main character's development. I have tried outlining some of the major interactions
I believe some things that can help are:
Focus On Scenes
Stories are really scenes played out in front of the reader. This is really the show, don't tell axiom.
What Is Your Point?
I'm sure you have a point (theme) so go ahead and summarize that point. Maybe something like:
crime doesn't pay
people who own cats are the best people
shoes are an example of society's cruel overbearing pressure on people: go barefoot for freedom!
Okay, suppose you are going with the last theme.
Now, show me a scene where the main character who is trying to free people from their shoes in action.
What does he do? What does he say?
I hope he doesn't just sit around in an empty apartment barefoot, thinking about the oppressed people of the world all day.
What Do Scenes Do?
Scenes should:
show a point in action
move the story forward
place character farther behind his goals - this builds tension and keeps readers reading
Scene 1
Okay, so show your Anti-Shoe Hero and show him going to city hall and fighting for no-shoe laws to be placed in effect.
- Show main character get irate and get arrested (he's further behind)
Scene 2
He meets an ally in jail and they start a movement
he thinks he has a friend, but then learns the friend is a bit mentally off -- or is he?
You get the picture? Now move the story forward. You can outline the entire story like this if you keep the requirements for scenes in mind.
This is a way forward, instead of sitting and staring and thinking about what you might write.
Good luck.
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