Write a short story in which the central character is a child who gains a new insight into a parent or guardian, or in which an adult and child arrive at a mutual understanding and acceptance.
Tag: short story
Exhilarating Challenge
Write a personal narrative essay, feature article, or short story about a time when you were faced with an intimidating, yet exhilarating challenge. Use imagery in your writing.
Unclaimed Bank Balance
Write a short story that features the discovery of an unclaimed balance.
The Michelle I Know
Read “The Michelle I Know,” by Alison Lohans.
Respond to the Story
- Who is the hero in this story? Explain why you think so.
- What is the turning point? In what way does Michelle change?
- What is the overall message and mood?
- Why is humour an important part of this story?
- Why do you think Alison Lohans calls her story “The Michelle I Know”?
Story Craft
Investigate drawing a plot diagram for this story. Use an online tool or draw your own chart. Complete it by adding story details under each of the following: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Have you read other stories like “The Michelle I know”? Discuss these stories. How were their plots similar or different? How could you use a plot diagram the next time you write your own short story?
Write a Short Story
In most good stories the characters undergo a significant change, just as Michelle does. Think about, and jot down, some ideas for a short story about an ordinary person who undergoes a significant change. Which idea would make an entertaining story for an audience of your peers?
Write an outline for your short story, including notes on the following: main character and personality, setting, conflict, initial incident, rising action, changes, climax, and conclusion/denouement/resolution. Use this outline to write a first draft. Ask a partner to give you feedback about improving your story. Revise your draft using this feedback.
Vicious Tyrant
Would assassination or civil war ever be a justifiable response to rule by tyranny? What would you do if the leader of your country became a vicious tyrant? Respond with a short story or narrative essay.
Short Story Mask
Write a short story that features a character wearing a physical mask.
Crossword Puzzle
Construct a crossword puzzle using names, places, issues, and ideas found in a short story or novel you have read.
Suffering Makes You Stronger
Write a short story to test the claim that suffering makes you stronger.
Wordle: Decisions
Search the net for a few quotes about decisions. Recall these focus questions to help you in your search.
Collect a handful of phrases that give you pause to think. Avoid anonymous quotes, note the author. (Keep the unharmed list safe in your notes somewhere.)
Go to wordle.net and and blast one, or some, or a whole pile into your own “wordle”. Try several attempts till you have something rich in thought, an inspiration to a deep thinker like yourself.
When you have a “wordle” you like, take a screen capture of it (Mac: command+shift+4 or Windows: Print Screen key) and upload the “png” to your blog and ….
Write a creative narrative (a short short story of about 500 words) that develops an idea about decisions inspired from your “wordle“.
Warning: the ideas you spawn from generators like these should be used with caution, seriously.
Story Idea Generator (tv tropes)
Wordle: The Human Condition
Search the net for a few quotes about the human condition. Recall these focus questions to help you in your search.
Collect a handful of phrases that give you pause to think. Avoid anonymous quotes, note the author. (Keep the unharmed list safe in your notes somewhere.)
Go to wordle.net and and blast one, or some, or a whole pile into your own “wordle”. Try several attempts till you have something rich in thought, an inspiration to a deep thinker like yourself.
When you have a “wordle” you like, take a screen capture of it (Mac: command+shift+4 or Windows: Print Screen key) and upload the “png” to your blog and ….
Write a creative narrative (a short short story of about 500-1000 words) that develops an idea about the human condition inspired from your “wordle“.
Warning: These example short short stories from the net are certainly not inspired by this activity, but they are playful in form and have a certain lexical density.
Warning: the ideas you spawn from generators like these should be used with caution, seriously.
Story Idea Generator (tv tropes)