A Novel Idea

Presented By:

Reyes/Tugadi/Bela-ong/Costemiano/Centeno

Fiction

Writing that tells about made-up events and characters. Novels and short stories are examples of fiction.

Its time to get a story!

Plot

Plot is the arrangement of events in a work of fiction.

Plot can be divided as follows:

Exposition: introduces the characters, setting and conflict.

Rising action: builds the conflict and develops the characters.

Climax: highest point of the action. Denouement: resolves the story and ties up all

the loose ends.

Jot down ideas in each of these boxes to arrange the events in your novel.

Characters Setting Conflicts Resolution

Foreshadowing

Is a novelistic technique used to prepare the reader for future events.

Point of View

Position from which the story is told. First person POV: the narrator is one of the

characters in the novel and explains the events through his or her own eyes.

Third person omniscient POV: the narrator is not a character in the novel.

Third person limited POV: narrator tells the story through the eyes of only one character.

Characters

First of all, keep the usual suspects to a minimum. We don’t have to meet the whole family. Use only as many characters as you need to tell the story.

Find a names that convey a sense of each character’s personality.

Dialogue

Dialogue not only draws you immediately into the story, but its one of the best ways to reveal characters. Dialogues helps you show your characters’ Educational level Geographic background Ethnic background Emotional state Motives

Suggestions to get started on your novel!

Make yourself a “writing appointment”. Schedule breaks. Delegate, delegate, delegate. Set priorities. Reward yourself. Avoid isolation.

Activity 1

Let’s take it one step further. Complete the following worksheet to arrange

the framework of your novel.

Working title:_______________________________________

Main Characters:____________________________________

Minor Characters: ___________________________________

Setting: ___________________________________________

Conflicts:__________________________________________ Events

______________________________________________

Resolution:_________________________________________

Short Stories

Presented By:

Reyes/Tugadi/Bela-ong/Costemiano/Centeno

Short Story

Is a prose narrative that has fewer than 30,000 words. On average, a short story tends to run between 2,000 to 7,000 words.

Flash – a micro-mini story, that runs about 750 words.

A Short Story has:

A limited time frame One to two main characters One main event

Conflict

A conflict in a fiction is a struggle or fight. It makes a short story interesting because readers want to discover the outcome. External conflicts: characters struggle against a

force outside themselves. Internal conflicts: characters battle a force within

themselves.

Developing Realistic Characters

Protagonist: main character in a work of fiction.

Antagonist: force or person in conflict with the main character.

Start by writing the character’s name in the middle of the web. Then add details and examples.

CHARACTER

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE TRAIT TRAIT

TRAIT

TRAIT

Setting

The setting of a story is the time and place where the events take place.

The setting will be a major player if the main character is: Challenging the elements Attempting to conquer the environment Escaping from a specific place Staying alive in a dangerous place.

Structure

Traditional short stories follow a very specific structure. They open by introducing the setting, character and conflict. As the story unfolds, the action builds to the point of highest interest, the climax. Next, the events down through the falling action. And last the writer ties up all the loose ends in the denouement.

Titles

5 main types of short story titles:

1. Labels

2. Statements

3. Questions

4. Commands

5. “Combo Platters”

It all comes out in the End

Your readers will hate you if your story’s resolution isn’t logical. Don’t depend on coincidence to resolve the conflict.

Asked and Answered

Answer each of these questions to structure your short story.

Who? Characters What? Conflict When? Time Where? Place Why? Characters’ motivation How? Resolve the conflict

Story Triangle

Follow these directions.

1. Name of main character

2. Two words describing the main character

3. Three words describing the setting

4. Four words describing the main problem.

5. Five words describing first problem.

6. Six words describing second problem.

7. Seven words describing third problem.

8. Eight words describing the solution.