YOUR SHORT STORY!YOUR SHORT STORY!

Mr. Dooley’s Creative Writing Mr. Dooley’s Creative Writing Class – Spring 2007Class – Spring 2007

ELCELC

Mr. Dooley’sMr. Dooley’s 7 Cs of Fiction 7 Cs of Fiction

CharacterCharacter - Choice- Choice - Consequences- Consequences - Change- Change

ConflictConflictConclusionConclusion

ClarityClarity

Where Do You Begin?Where Do You Begin?

The EndThe End– Where do you want to Where do you want to gogo??– What do you want to What do you want to saysay??– What is your What is your topictopic??

A topic is a general statement or idea, like love, anger, war. A topic is a general statement or idea, like love, anger, war.

– What is your What is your themetheme??

A theme is a statement about the topic, like “love sometimes hurts, A theme is a statement about the topic, like “love sometimes hurts, “don’t let anger get the better of you,” or “war kills innocents.”“don’t let anger get the better of you,” or “war kills innocents.”

– What is IMPORTANT to YOU!?What is IMPORTANT to YOU!?

Kinds of CharactersKinds of CharactersProtagonistProtagonist

The main character who the The main character who the story is story is aboutabout. (Hero?) . (Hero?)

Good CharacterGood Character– Good descriptionGood description– Strong traits & Strong traits &

emotionsemotions– ““Flawed”Flawed”– BackgroundBackground– Wants & NeedsWants & Needs

AntagonistAntagonistOne who One who opposesopposes the the

protagonist. (Villain?) One protagonist. (Villain?) One who introduces or is a main who introduces or is a main part of the part of the conflictconflict. .

Bad CharacterBad Character– Bad descriptionBad description– Weak traits & Weak traits &

emotiuonsemotiuons– ““Perfect”Perfect”– No BackgroundNo Background– No Wants or NeedsNo Wants or Needs

How to Make a (Good) How to Make a (Good) CharacterCharacter

Description: Description: how they look, clothes, how they look, clothes, possessions, how they livepossessions, how they liveHowHow the author describes them: the author describes them: is a character is a character described?described?What they What they saysay—and why: —and why: opinions about life, opinions about life, politics, religion, others, and politics, religion, others, and howhow they talk: with they talk: with an accent, slow, fast, with a stutter, an accent, slow, fast, with a stutter, formal/informalformal/informalWhat they What they dodo—and why: action, —and why: action, emotionsemotions, , and choices! and choices! What other characters What other characters (friends and enemies)(friends and enemies) say about them—and whysay about them—and why

DescribeDescribethesethese

CharactersCharacters

The Plot ThickensThe Plot Thickens

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Resolution

Conclusion

Inciting Incident

Plotting TermsPlotting Terms

EXPOSITION: EXPOSITION: establishment of establishment of charactercharacter(s) and (s) and settingsettingINCITING INCIDENT: INCITING INCIDENT: the event that gets the the event that gets the character involved in the actual story: introduction character involved in the actual story: introduction of the of the conflict!conflict!CONFLICT: CONFLICT: a a problemproblem the main character has to the main character has to solve; a solve; a goalgoalRISING ACTION: RISING ACTION: complicationscomplications or or obstaclesobstacles the the character must overcomecharacter must overcomeCLIMAX: CLIMAX: highest point of highest point of tensiontension or or suspensesuspenseRESOLUTION: RESOLUTION: how the conflict is how the conflict is resolvedresolvedCONCLUSION: CONCLUSION: THE ENDTHE END

Types of ConflictTypes of Conflict

Without CONFLICT there is no Plot!Without CONFLICT there is no Plot!

Without CONFLICT there is no Story!Without CONFLICT there is no Story!

External/Interpersonal Conflict:External/Interpersonal Conflict:

- Character versus another character- Character versus another character

- Character versus nature- Character versus nature

- Character versus society- Character versus society

Internal Conflict:Internal Conflict:

- Character versus self- Character versus self

““Dialogue!” she shouted.Dialogue!” she shouted.

What’s good What’s good dialogue?dialogue?– NaturalNatural– FormalFormal– AccentAccent– Boring dialogueBoring dialogue

Revealing!Revealing!– Monologue vs. soliloquyMonologue vs. soliloquy

The Rest of the StoryThe Rest of the Story

SettingSetting– WhereWhere– WhenWhen

ToneTone

MoodMood

GenreGenre

Title!Title!