| Short
Story Guidelines * The story must be three pages long (not two pages and a half or three pages plus two lines. Three pages exactly.) * Font: Times New Roman, 12 pts. * One setting for the whole story. * The objective time of the story: one day. * Introduce the main character in the first paragraph. * Use one recurrent object (at least three times) that symbolizes the main character's state of mind. * Show don't tell. * No introspection (meaning I don't want to know what the character thinks or how he/she feels inside. I want action.) * No dreams. * No adverbs. * Avoid unnecessary adjectives to describe mental states. Ex: The violent man killed the feeble dog. * Escalating conflict at all times until you reach a resolution. * Break story down in paragraphs. Each paragraph should work as a unit of sentences. This means that each sentence must bleed into the next. * Use dialogue sporadically, and only to move plot forward by providing new information. * Avoid lengthy dialogue. No speeches. * Do not use clichés (Example: Roses are red, violets are blue. Her eyes, shining like stars.) Look for original images. * Avoid moralizing. In other words, don't preach to the reader on how to live life. * You plant clues to point the reader in some direction, but you don't tell the reader what the story is about. * Avoid unnecessary wordiness. Watch for extra words that could be easily deleted. * Make sure you revise your story before turning it in. |