The Short Story
Definition: A short story is a brief narration of a series of carefully arranged and related incidents in such a way that conflict and struggle are involved and resolved.
Structure: (How its put together)
A short story usually has a brief introduction followed by a series of events that leads to a climax and a conclusion. The climax of many short stories comes at the very end of the story.
Characteristics: (what makes it different from other types of writing)
one main character
one main incident
one plot
few minor characters
place and time are limited
Elements: (ingredients)
Setting
plot
characters
theme
Character Personality Creator by writingresources, literature
Literature
Character Personality Creator
Character Personality:
The Basics:
Age:
Gender:
Father:
Mother:
Heritage (what race is he/she?):
Occupation (If they have one):
Height:
Average Weight/Body build (size basically):
Eye color:
Hair color:
Skin color:
Other (special information):
The Generic Myspace Stuff (sorry):
Favorite Color:
Favorite Food:
Favorite animal (if any):
Any particular fetishes:
Sexual Orientation (gay, straight, bisexual, etc.):
Current partner (boy/girlfriend, spouse, mate, etc.):
-How s/he met them:
-Reasons for being with them:
-Old partners (if any) and reasons for leaving them:
Current friends (best friends ma
The Sonnet
A sonnet is a fourteen-line lyric poem, with a rhyme scheme that is more or less fixed. Normally sonnets are written in iambic pentameter verse, and the thought pattern follows the structure very closely.
The Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet
In the 14th century, Petrarch, an Italian poet, made sonnet form famous by writing a series of love sonnets. The Italian sonnet consists of an octave or octet (eight lines) which describes the subject or introduces a problem, and a sestet (six lines) which comments on or resolves it. The octave consists of 2 quatrains, each rhyming abba. The sestet consists of two tercets, which rhyme in vario
Tips For Reading a Poem by writingresources, literature
Literature
Tips For Reading a Poem
The following method is a good help when first learning to read poetry:
1.study the title; it may give you a clue to the meaning of the poem
2.Read the introduction (or comments section), if there is one; it may give crucial background information, or hints as to the meaning
3.Read the poem straight through without stopping. Get the point of view and the general idea.
4.Read any discussions at the end of the poem.
5.Re-read the poem intensively for complete meaning:
a) Look up unfamiliar words, and words that seem to be used in an out-of-the-ordinary way
b) Watch for, and interpret, any figurative language
c) Use your im
Characterization in Prose by writingresources, literature
Literature
Characterization in Prose
Characterization and character interaction are, even moreso than plot, one of the most important elements that goes into the making of a story. When it comes to a choice between caring about characters or caring about plot, most readers will lean for the former. Knowing your characters as three-dimensional people in the course of your writing will assist you in valuable ways and allow you to build them as you go along.
How do you get to know your character? I've always likened it to becoming friends with someone you don't know very well in the beginning of your relationship with them. Spend time with them in your writing and in your thought
What IS a Sue Anyway? by writingresources, literature
Literature
What IS a Sue Anyway?
"We all begin somewhere."
Cliche as the phrase might be, it holds in it a grain of truth. Every artist at some point in their lives needs to pick up a paintbrush or pencil; so too must every writer one day sit down at a computer or typewriter and place the ideas they want to convey down.
Nothing in its beginning is what the artist/writer intended it to be, not in every way. For artists, that line might be crooked or the proportions might be off. Backgrounds might be lacking. Is that a tree, or..Wait, let me squint and twist the paper this way...a cat? With time and practice, however, they'll start to improve.
For the writer, that scene mig
Finding Your Voice by writingresources, literature
Literature
Finding Your Voice
How do you find your voice? Be yourself. Be open. Listen. Play. Experiment. Soon your voice will be leading you. Try some of these exercises:
1. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Then write without stopping until the time is up. Write as fast as you can. Write freely, putting down whatever comes to mind. What you write can be nonsense. It can be repetitive. It doesn't have to be important. The important thing is to keep writing. Don't worry about grammar or spelling. Don't stop to organize or understand what you have written, just write. Try the exercise for longer periods of time.
2. Open your senses to your surroundings. Go to the mall and liste
7 Steps for Essay Writing by writingresources, literature
Literature
7 Steps for Essay Writing
Step 1: Brainstorming
Begin by gathering thoughts on your topic. Don't rule out any ideas no matter how extreme or crazy they may seem. Gather facts and quotes that seem to apply to your topic. Stretch your mind to move beyond the obvious.
Step 2: Clarifying
a) Narrow your topic and write a tentative thesis.
b) Decide if you have enough ammunition to support your thesis. If not go back to step 1 or change your thesis.
c) Group your ideas into subtopics. Toss out anything irrelevant.
Step 3: Outline
Decide on your method of development. Indicate the order of ideas and main point of each paragraph.
Step 4: Hand Written First Draft
To p
Sometimes, all one needs is a line or topic to start us off to keep our minds and fingers sharp.
It would sure be interesting to see what different minds came up with, in their own style and choice, from the same starting line. So if you create something from it, leave a link to your submission here so i may see it, if you want to of course.
Spark number 1-> A hand in the darkness... What does it do? Why is it there?
Spark number 2 -> The snowman is melting... What happens next?
Spark number 3 -> It came without warning... What did, and what happened after it did?
Spark number 4 -> A voice in the wind... What does it say? what do you do?
As we all know writers block can be a horrible thing! We need ways to jog our minds, our creativity. This is where journal writing comes in.
1. Write about anything that interests you.
2. Write ideas as they come to you.
3. Don`t worry about spelling, grammar, organization, etc...
4. Write 3-4 times a week, for about 15 minutes, as much as you can.
You can write about your reaction to a book, the news, a piece of art, another person, a situation or life in general. There are no rules as to what you can or can`t write about or how long it needs to be. Any limitations are set by yourself and need to be over come to open you mind.
A journa
Sometimes, all one needs is a line or topic to start us off to keep our minds and fingers sharp.
It would sure be interesting to see what different minds came up with, in their own style and choice, from the same starting line. So if you create something from it, leave a link to your submission here so i may see it, if you want to of course.
Spark number 1-> A hand in the darkness... What does it do? Why is it there?
Spark number 2 -> The snowman is melting... What happens next?
Spark number 3 -> It came without warning... What did, and what happened after it did?
Spark number 4 -> A voice in the wind... What does it say? what do you do?
7 Steps for Essay Writing by writingresources, literature
Literature
7 Steps for Essay Writing
Step 1: Brainstorming
Begin by gathering thoughts on your topic. Don't rule out any ideas no matter how extreme or crazy they may seem. Gather facts and quotes that seem to apply to your topic. Stretch your mind to move beyond the obvious.
Step 2: Clarifying
a) Narrow your topic and write a tentative thesis.
b) Decide if you have enough ammunition to support your thesis. If not go back to step 1 or change your thesis.
c) Group your ideas into subtopics. Toss out anything irrelevant.
Step 3: Outline
Decide on your method of development. Indicate the order of ideas and main point of each paragraph.
Step 4: Hand Written First Draft
To p
Finding Your Voice by writingresources, literature
Literature
Finding Your Voice
How do you find your voice? Be yourself. Be open. Listen. Play. Experiment. Soon your voice will be leading you. Try some of these exercises:
1. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Then write without stopping until the time is up. Write as fast as you can. Write freely, putting down whatever comes to mind. What you write can be nonsense. It can be repetitive. It doesn't have to be important. The important thing is to keep writing. Don't worry about grammar or spelling. Don't stop to organize or understand what you have written, just write. Try the exercise for longer periods of time.
2. Open your senses to your surroundings. Go to the mall and liste
What IS a Sue Anyway? by writingresources, literature
Literature
What IS a Sue Anyway?
"We all begin somewhere."
Cliche as the phrase might be, it holds in it a grain of truth. Every artist at some point in their lives needs to pick up a paintbrush or pencil; so too must every writer one day sit down at a computer or typewriter and place the ideas they want to convey down.
Nothing in its beginning is what the artist/writer intended it to be, not in every way. For artists, that line might be crooked or the proportions might be off. Backgrounds might be lacking. Is that a tree, or..Wait, let me squint and twist the paper this way...a cat? With time and practice, however, they'll start to improve.
For the writer, that scene mig
Characterization in Prose by writingresources, literature
Literature
Characterization in Prose
Characterization and character interaction are, even moreso than plot, one of the most important elements that goes into the making of a story. When it comes to a choice between caring about characters or caring about plot, most readers will lean for the former. Knowing your characters as three-dimensional people in the course of your writing will assist you in valuable ways and allow you to build them as you go along.
How do you get to know your character? I've always likened it to becoming friends with someone you don't know very well in the beginning of your relationship with them. Spend time with them in your writing and in your thought
Tips For Reading a Poem by writingresources, literature
Literature
Tips For Reading a Poem
The following method is a good help when first learning to read poetry:
1.study the title; it may give you a clue to the meaning of the poem
2.Read the introduction (or comments section), if there is one; it may give crucial background information, or hints as to the meaning
3.Read the poem straight through without stopping. Get the point of view and the general idea.
4.Read any discussions at the end of the poem.
5.Re-read the poem intensively for complete meaning:
a) Look up unfamiliar words, and words that seem to be used in an out-of-the-ordinary way
b) Watch for, and interpret, any figurative language
c) Use your im
The Sonnet
A sonnet is a fourteen-line lyric poem, with a rhyme scheme that is more or less fixed. Normally sonnets are written in iambic pentameter verse, and the thought pattern follows the structure very closely.
The Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet
In the 14th century, Petrarch, an Italian poet, made sonnet form famous by writing a series of love sonnets. The Italian sonnet consists of an octave or octet (eight lines) which describes the subject or introduces a problem, and a sestet (six lines) which comments on or resolves it. The octave consists of 2 quatrains, each rhyming abba. The sestet consists of two tercets, which rhyme in vario
Character Personality Creator by writingresources, literature
Literature
Character Personality Creator
Character Personality:
The Basics:
Age:
Gender:
Father:
Mother:
Heritage (what race is he/she?):
Occupation (If they have one):
Height:
Average Weight/Body build (size basically):
Eye color:
Hair color:
Skin color:
Other (special information):
The Generic Myspace Stuff (sorry):
Favorite Color:
Favorite Food:
Favorite animal (if any):
Any particular fetishes:
Sexual Orientation (gay, straight, bisexual, etc.):
Current partner (boy/girlfriend, spouse, mate, etc.):
-How s/he met them:
-Reasons for being with them:
-Old partners (if any) and reasons for leaving them:
Current friends (best friends ma
This is not a club you join but more like a library for writers to find resources.
It is well known that there are not enough resources on DA for writers, so this club is created to become that resource center. If you know a writing resource that is useful or if you can or have made one you believe should be posted for all to see please note the club.
There is no joining and no fuss. It is a quiet writers library.
Writing exercises are also welcome and they enable a writer to learn and grow. An exercise to enhance writing is also a resource so please do not hesitate.
We are looking for some good and very interested help. We need:
Someone
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This is not a club you join but more like a library for writers to find resources.
It is well known that there are not enough resources on DA for writers, so this club is created to become that resource center. If you know a writing resource that is useful or if you can or have made one you believe should be posted for all to see please note the club.
There is no joining and no fuss. It is a quiet writers library.
Writing exercises are also welcome and they enable a writer to learn and grow. An exercise to enhance writing is also a resource so please do not hesitate.
We a
This journal will be used for contest or challenge advertising both on DA and off. Also if you have a service such as editing to advertise or a new group, etc...note the club so we may add it! If you are interested in being in charge of this journal and running contests or challenges and adding writing prompts for watchers please note us.
Clubs:
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Editors for Hire:
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