


For example, if your character is a teenage girl who really cares about her family, you might expect her to protect her brother from school bullies. What was the lonely old man like as a child? Where did he get that scar on his hand? Even if you don’t include these details in the story, knowing your character deeply will help them ring true.Ĭharacters Make the Plot: Create a character who makes your plot more interesting and complicated. You can also borrow traits from people you know.Ĭrafting a Backstory: Delve into your main character’s past experiences to figure out what makes them tick. Make notes about interesting people you see and think about how you could incorporate them into your story. Spend some time people-watching in a public place, like a mall or busy pedestrian street. If you’re searching for more short stories, check out these recommendations compiled by the Seattle Public Library, the Short Story Guide, and Barnes & Noble.Finding Inspiration: Characters are all around you. “ The Monkey’s Paw” by William Wymark Jacobs.“ What’s the Worst That Could Happen” by Bruce Coville.“ The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula Le Guin.At this point, you probably have an image in your mind as to how you want to start off your story. Transfer your best ideas, plot points, pieces of dialogue or other phrases to the bottom of your document. “ Main Street” by Jacqueline Woodson (link is to collection where story can be found) Step 4: List your ideas at the end of your document and start writing.“ The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell.
ENGLISH SHORT STORIES TO WRITE FREE
“ My First Free Summer” by Julia Alvarez.“ The Smallest Dragonboy” by Anne McCaffrey.“ The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe.Each story has a downloadable transcript and an activities pack to help.
ENGLISH SHORT STORIES TO WRITE SERIES
