Saint James High School

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Creative Writing
Information Sheet No.6

Topic: Writing Fiction

MELCs:
1. identify the various elements, techniques, and literary devices in fiction
HUMSS_CW/MPIg-i-11
2. write a short scene applying the various elements, techniques, and literary
devices HUMSS_CW/MPIg-i-14
Objectives:
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
1. use the various elements in fiction in crafting your own fictional story;
2. determine techniques and literary devices in fiction literature.

How to Plot a Short Story

A great short story drops the reader into its world swiftly and holds their attention all
the way through. Plotting a short story doesn’t have to involve an exhaustive list of plot
points: It can be as simple as knowing a few key moments you want to work your way
toward, or sketching out a sequence of events you may scramble around later in the
revision process. You will inevitably make changes to your original plan along the way,
and this is a good thing. You’ll always wind up with things you never imagined at the
start, so if you’re a plotter—plot. The rest of the story will fall into place how it likes.
Follow these steps to plot your next story:

1. Brainstorm. You don’t need to have multiple short story ideas ready to go at a
moment’s notice. All you need is one solid concept. When an idea comes to you, sit
down and flesh it out. Use writing prompts to spark an idea. Make note of any
characters, settings, or bits of dialogue that you see. Learn how to brainstorm story
ideas here.

2. Write out the central conflict. The foundations of your main conflict or theme often
form a short story’s rising action. To create tension and movement, you must know
exactly what your character wants and what would prevent them from getting it. Conflicts
can be internal or external, so imagine at what stage the reader will be meeting your
character. Are they already in the throes of defeat? Or do their obstacles provide the
action for the story?

3. Create a brief outline. Sketch out the flow of events your short story will contain,
including interactions between characters and key moments. Jot down identifying
characteristics and traits—but when it comes to drafting, pick your moments of backstory

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carefully: In order to make the cut, a piece of information must contribute to the story’s
central events in some way. Learn how to outline a story with our guide here.

4. Pick a point of view. Many short stories work well in first-person because of their
vignette-style brevity, but there’s no hard and fast rule saying yours must: If your story
needs to be told in second-person or third-person, that works, too. Regardless of which
POV you choose, it’s usually best to center that narrative around one main character to
ensure a consistent read on the situation at hand and a clear understanding of the
stakes for the reader. Find our guide to point of view here.

5. Select the right story structure. Short stories are an excellent place to release your
hold on the rules of structure. You can in a linear fashion or embrace nonlinear narrative.
Your story may feature a full narrative arc, or just one pivotal moment within it. You can
try beginning your story in media res—which means opening the story in the middle of
the action—or leading with the inciting incident. Short stories allow the freedom to
experiment because of their brevity.

The 8 Elements of a Good Scene

If you’re considering the craft of scene-writing in fiction for the first time, you’ll want to
analyze what elevates a good scene over the type of scene that’s superfluous or just
poorly written. When writing fiction, strive to create scenes that have the following
elements:

1. A good scene has a specific storytelling purpose. This could be an inciting

incident, a flashback, a love scene, or a riveting action scene. As you go into writing a
scene, as yourself: What does this scene accomplish?

2. A good scene provides valuable information. Carefully pace out your reveals so
that each scene brings a small piece of new information to light—such as a main
character’s backstory or a rival character’s thoughts and motivations. These subtle
reveals shift the course of the narrative—sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically.

3. A good scene offers a point of view. Typically this will be that of the narrator or of a
carefully chosen POV character. Knowing the purpose of the scene will help you choose
a point of view.

4. A good scene enhances character development. When possible, use each scene
to deepen your readers’ understanding of your protagonist. Put your character into
situations that force them to reveal their true colors. Use obstacles to challenge and test
them. Give your character the capacity to grow and change.

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5. A good scene contributes to worldbuilding. Worldbuilding is especially important
early in your novel, but every scene going forward can layer more detail onto your
setting and reveal new, previously unexplored corners of your fictional world.

6. A good scene shows without telling. When it comes to exposition, follow the “show,
don’t tell” model that values action over explanation.

7. A good scene has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. The beginning of the
scene should ideally establish its setting and relevant characters. The heart of the scene
should contain action (which can simply mean active dialogue) and showcase the
motives of the characters. The end of a scene—particularly a long scene—should start a
transition into whatever comes next in your story.

8. A good scene is like a novel in miniature. To really make a scene pop, you need to
complete a compressed story and character arc, like a miniaturized version of an entire
novel’s arc. If you’ve reached the last paragraph of your scene and you haven’t
completed such an arc, go back and revise. While they may not be able to articulate it,
readers have an inherent sense of when a scene ends in a satisfying manner and when
it does not.

9 Ways to Raise the Stakes in Your Plot

Whatever situation your hero is facing at the start of the middle section should become
worse.If the story itself falters, remember that the stakes have to grow increasingly
higher for your protagonist. Throw obstacles into their path, even if you don’t know how
they’ll surmount them. Sometimes, forcing your characters into a corner can stimulate
your problem-solving skills.

1. Create physical danger.

2. Create secondary characters who bring new tensions to the story.
3. Introduce new problems.
4. Give a character a complicated history or situation.
5. Create obstacles for your hero.
6. Complicate things.
7. Remind the reader of the stakes.
8. Find ways to keep your protagonist moving from one location to another.
9. Add time pressure, like a ticking bomb

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 Self-Check No. 6

WRITING PROMPT!

Using the elements, literary techniques and devices, craft your own fiction story.
Consider the tips given on how to effectively create a story that will hook readers. Refer
to rubric below in making your craft. You are given the freedom to choose what genre of
story to make as long as it follows the elements. Please do not forget to provide a title of
your story.

 You may encode your work using this standard: Short Bond paper, Garamond -
12. See to it that your work will be done creatively. There should be a coverpage
which contains the title of the story and you may provide animated picture that may
relate to the concept of your story.

 If handwritten, still use a short bond paper and you may use art/stationery materials
provided that it’s done creatively.
 4 3 2 1
1 The plot is thoroughly Plot is adequately The plot is minimally The story lacks a d
Organization developed. The story is developed. The story developed. The story plot line. It is missin
: interesting and logically has a clear beginning, does not have a a beginning or an e
organized: there is clear middle and end. The clear beginning, relationship betwee
exposition, rising action story is arranged in middle, and end. The events is often conf
and climax. The story has logical order. sequence of events
a clear resolution or is sometimes
surprise confusing and may
ending. be
hard to follow.
2 The setting is clearly The setting is The setting is identified The setting may be
Elements of described through clearly identified but not clearly hard to identify.
Story: Setting vivid sensory with some sensory described. It has
language. language. minimal sensory
language.
3 Major characters are well Major and minor Characters are minimally Main characters are
Elements of developed through characters are developed. They are development. They
Story: dialogue, actions, and somewhat developed described rather than described rather tha
Characters thoughts. Main characters through dialogue, established through established. They la
change or grow during the actions, and thoughts. dialogue, actions and individuality and do
story. Main characters thoughts. They show little change throughout
change or grow during growth or change during
the story. the story.
4 All dialogue sounds Most dialogue sounds Some dialogue sounds Dialogue may be
Elements of realistic and advances the realistic and realistic and may have nonexistent, or it m
Story: Dialogue plot. It exhibits dialect and advances the plot. It some elements of dialect sound alike. No ele
a distinct voice. may exhibit dialect and voice. It advances dialect and voice ar
and a distinct the present. It does not
voice. plot minimally. advance the plot.
5 The conflict is clearly The conflict is The conflict is The conflict is vagu
Elements of established, developed established, minimally established hard to identify. It m
Story: Conflict and resolved after a developed, and and resolved, but lacks be resolved in a log
gripping resolved after a development.
climax. climax.
6 The rising action builds The rising action builds The rising action builds The suspense in th
Elements of intense suspense, which suspense, and suspense, but rising action is lack
Story: Suspense thoroughly provides adequately provides minimally provides missing.
growing tension, anxiety, growing tension, growing tension,
fear and/or anxiety, anxiety, fear and/or
wonder. fear and/or wonder. wonder.
7 Maintains a consistent The point of view The point of view is The point of view is
Elements of Story: point of view. is clear, but may often inconsistent. inconsistent.
The point of view be inconsistent in
is consistent. some
places.
8 Uses carefully chosen Uses figurative Uses figurative Uses no figurative
Elements of Story: figurative language to language to help the language but not language and no
Figurative help the reader visualize reader visualize and pointed out in glossary glossary page.
Language and are pointed out on these are pointed out page.
the glossary on the
page at the end. glossary page at the
end.
9 There are few or no errors There are some errors There are many errors There are numerou
Written Oral English in grammar, usage, in grammar, usage, in grammar, usage, in grammar, usage,
Language mechanics, or spelling. mechanics, or mechanics, or spelling. mechanics, or spell
Conventions Dialogue is punctuated spelling. Dialogue may These sometimes interferes with the m
Grammar, Usage, and formatted correctly. have minor errors in make the story hard to of the story. Dialogu
Mechanics, Spelling punctuation and understand. Dialogue not be distinguishab
format. is punctuated and narrative, or may la
formatted punctuation such a
inconsistently. quotation marks or
punctuation.
10 4 or more challenging There are some There are There are no vocab
Vocabulary vocabulary words are vocabulary words vocabulary words words identified.
4 Vocabulary words included and identified and identified in used but no
included at 7th in glossary page at glossary page at glossary page at
grade level or end. end. end.
above