- Resources for writing stories
- 1. Ellipsis
- 2. Concise language
- 3. Analogy, parallelism and symbol
- 4. Unit of effect
- 5. Suspense
- References
Some resources are used by short story writers to ensure the effectiveness of their stories. Through these tools, they manage to cause different emotions in the reader.
The main characteristic of the stories is their brevity. The writer must adjust his argument and what he wants to tell in a few pages. This limitation demands and conditions all aspects of the narrative.
Thanks to different techniques, limitations can be exploited and turned into an advantage that allows for exciting stories.
The ultimate goal of any story is to hold the reader's attention to the last lines.
Resources for writing stories
Writing a story should not be left to chance. Due to its short length, none of its elements should be left lightly.
Below we can list different resources or techniques to write an effective story.
1. Ellipsis
In view of its restricted extension, the main resource that the story uses is the ellipsis. It consists of the thoughtful suppression of superfluous or unnecessary elements of a certain narrative sequence.
Ellipsis allows you to eliminate events or characters that do not add much to the plot and that only distract or confuse.
Its use ensures that only relevant facts are given importance and that they contribute information to the narrative.
This resource also allows the reader's full attention to be kept on a few but succinct events.
2. Concise language
Conciseness is also an essential resource to keep texts short. The use of concise language frees the narrative from ambiguous elements or accessory embellishments.
For this reason, the discreet use of qualifying adjectives or the exaggerated use of euphemisms and epithets, only hinder the flow of the story and reduce the interest of the reader.
It is preferable to use precise nouns and verbs that provide a clear picture of the events narrated.
In this sense, concise language also demands avoiding repetitions and expressions of doubt, as well as digressions and subordinate ideas.
3. Analogy, parallelism and symbol
If we take into account the reduced length of the stories, it is not uncommon for their structure to mimic, reference or represent another known structure. This allows you to inherit the rules and stresses of the previous material without going into detail.
If we consider a story that emulates the journey of the Odyssey, this reference allows us to redefine and expand the sense of the narrative.
It could be in the form of a parody or a recreation. It could just be an allegory or just take the key elements.
4. Unit of effect
One consequence of the brevity in the stories lies in the intensity. A narrative stripped of debris and unnecessary ornaments, achieves an emotional response in the reader in a few pages.
This effect on the receiver of the narrative must be premeditated from the first intention of telling a story.
The writer chooses a specific effect that he wants to demonstrate, be it horror, laughter, tenderness, sadness, lust or joy. The entire construction of the story is subordinated to transmitting that emotion.
5. Suspense
To maintain the interest of the reader, a story should not show all the information in one go.
Ideally, you will discover it as you read. In the classic tale, it is usual for its ending to correspond with a surprising revelation.
However, that final surprise should not be improvised. From the first words it is necessary to give clues and that the entire course of the actions of the characters form a unambiguous path towards this descent.
References
- Herz, Henry (2014). 5 Powerful Writing Techniques That Bring Stories to Life. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from thewritelife.com.
- Hood, Dave (2011). The Craft of Fiction: Techniques of Short Story Writing. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from davehood59.wordpress.com.
- Lohrey, Amanda (2010). 10 Tips for Writing A Short Story. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from theincblot.blogspot.com.
- Robertson, Eliza. Six Tips For Writing Short Stories. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from writersandartists.co.uk
- Wiehardt, Ginny (2017). Learn How to Write a Great Short Story. Retrieved on November 20, 2017 from thebalance.com.