“When all the details fit in perfectly, something is probably wrong with the story.”
Short stories are pieces of fiction between 1,000 and 4,000 words, though some can stretch as far as 15,000 words. Essentially, these are stories that can be read in one session. In theory, it should be easy to write a short story, right? Nope. Short stories can be notoriously difficult to pen; this is usually because a writer falls short when it comes to their structure. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to keep things snappy, good news, you’re in the right place. Join us today at What We Reading as we run you through everything you need to know about plotting short stories and share with you our five steps on how to create a short story plot that is worthy of publishing!
How To Plot A Short Story
Effective short stories drop readers into the world, grab their attention from the get-go, and don’t let go until the final page finishes. Despite what you might think, plotting a short story doesn’t have to include lots and lots of plot points. In fact, it can be as simple as outlining a few crucial moments you may want to build toward or knowing a couple of sequences that you may want to work around as you edit later on.
Your original short story plot is going to go through a number of changes, which is all part of the fun. Things will fall into places you never would have imagined at the start, so it’s always worth having a record of your outline as you go.
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What Is Story Structure?
Before delving into plotting a short story, it’s worth sparing a few lines on what we mean by ‘structure’ and what the structure of short stories looks like.
Structure is an arrangement of the parts of a story put together in a way that is beneficial to the audience. The structure of a short story is not too different to that in a full-length novel, and readers expect the same rise in tension and conclusive resolution. A short story will usually include the following features:
- Exposition: The part of the story where readers are introduced to the setting and characters.
- Rising action: Rising action in short stories are moments where the protagonist faces challenges and crises. It is the action that kicks the plot into motion.
- Climax: The most exciting part of the story, a protagonist is confronted with their biggest test or obstacle.
- Falling action: The moment where all hope seems lost, the come-down from the climax and the point where the protagonist believes they have been unsuccessful in achieving their goals.
- Resolution: When the conflict is resolved and the protagonist has evolved. The outcome can vary between the protagonist getting what they want, not getting what they want, or not getting what they want but realising they have gained something else.
Check Out Our Guide To Writing Prologues
5 Steps For Writing Short Stories
Now that you have a bit more context behind what makes a short story effective, here are some pointers for plotting your next great read:
1. Brainstorm
Often, writers will feel they need to have multiple short story ideas ready to go when they sit down. Thankfully, this isn’t the case. All you need for plotting a story is one concrete concept. When inspiration hits you, sit down and build on it. Writing prompts are a great way of sparking ideas into life. Make a note of the characters, settings, quotes and dialogue or descriptions so you don’t lose them.
2. Create An Outline
Map out how your story is going to flow based on the events that happen over its course. This should feature key interactions between characters and the big moments that drive the plot forward. Sketch out the key characteristics and traits for central characters; however, when it comes to writing your draft, think about when you want to give backstories, and how much detail you’re willing to go into. Every piece of information in a short story needs to contribute to the narrative in some way.
3. Write The Central Conflict
To sell your main theme or conflict, you need to know exactly what it is your characters want, and what is stopping them from getting it. Conflicts can be internal or external, so think about where your characters are when a reader is introduced to them. Are they already on a downward spiral, or do obstacles get put in their way?
4. Pick A POV
A lot of short story writers opt for writing in the first person as it can give a narrative a more fast-paced feel. However, there’s no rule saying that you have to stick to this. If your story works better in the second or third person, go for that. Whichever POV you choose, it’s usually best to centre a short story around one character to ensure the narrative is concisely told and readers are well aware of the situation at hand.
Check Out The Differences Between First Person And Third Person
5. Choose The Right Structure
There is so much freedom when it comes to structuring a short story. You may want to deliver your short story in a traditional linear narrative or embrace a more nonlinear format. You could write a story that features a full narrative arc, or just one pivotal moment. There is even the chance to lead with the rising action or even begin your story in media res – which is used do describe beginning the story in the middle of the action. Because of how sharp short stories are, they allow writers plenty of opportunities to experiment.
Check Out How Long It Takes To Write A Book
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
