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For fiction writing, this serves as a creative outline. Writers use the plot to map out their story before beginning with their writing process. It is a cause-and-effect chain of events that has a beginning point, a climax, and a resolution. #1 PlotĪ simple way to define plot is to call it a sequence of events in your narrative. Let’s take a closer look at these elements and figure out how you should use them in a short story. Here are the five key elements of a short story: How do the five elements of a short story work? How can you naturally inculcate them in your stories, and how can you tie them up to create one coherent whole? To help you get there, let’s take a careful look at these five short story elements. If you wish to write stories that are worthy of publishing, you must understand the characteristics of a short story. Short stories also offer writers the opportunity to see their writing flourish as a piece of fiction- a great confidence boost!
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They’re short and fairly simple, so the writer gets a chance to focus on the plot, character, and theme. These five elements make short stories the best starting point for novice writers. How do these writers craft such remarkable stories? They are the true masters at combining the five elements of a short story: plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme. Henry, Alice Munro, and Tobias Wolff are all big names in the short story genre.
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