: Re: Have I got the plot? I am looking for verification on what is a plot for a short story. For example: A man wants to develop a new rose variety for his girlfriend as a way to propose, but

@Pierce369

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There is an implicit question of what is the minimum plot required for a short story versus a novel.

Due to their brevity, a short story does not require a full plot. A man goes to work, is certain he will get that raise he asked for yesterday - he is fired.

Your first plot reminds me of Dumas’ Black Tulip (wonderful novel).

A short story can be and often is a slice of life. A person does something and the end. Gogol’s Overcoat is about a man who needs a new coat before winter. O Henry liked to add a twist, so in Gift of the Magi, a poor couple give each other gifts. He buys her pearl handle brushes and a comb for her beautiful hair, which she sold so she could buy him a chain for his beloved pocket watch - which he sold.

The plots you describe could fuel a novel or novella.

Waiting for Godot is a famous play where nothing happens. Two characters talk and wait for someone who never comes.

In Magic Mountain, Thomas Mann has very little happen to people you don’t really like or care for, yet the whole piece is an enchanting masterwork.

You could take a character you find interesting, have him or her go onto the porch and drink coffee, observing the neighbors or watching the grass grow.

Your second plot is more likely to fit within the confines of a short story. Man coming home from work (can’t tell anyone what he really does - they all think he is in accounting) and is discovered. Might not be the most highly skilled spy, but maybe his spouse is a natural at it, though doesn’t realize it.

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