Introduction
A short story is just that – short! For our purposes in this unit, the limit will be 750 to 1000 words only. If you doubt this is possible, have a look at this short story by Alice Walker (the author of the best-selling novel ‘The Colour Purple’).
Or this, told in just 8 minutes, by the Velvet Underground.
The Gift (story: Lou Reed; narration: John Cale)
Or this, an even more extreme example, by Ernest Hemingway.
We can already see a few important skills on display in Alice Walker’s story. What is important is your ability to use language effectively and with coherence. Aim to keep your story brief but to structure it well and show off your technical ability.
Our aim in this unit is to learn about how a short story is made, and how it works. We will then use this knowledge to write our own stories You will be able to use ideas found in other stories: plotlines, characters, events, locations. You can even take a whole story and write your own version of it, displaying the skills and techniques you have notice in the original. This is not copying; it’s a pastiche! You will also write a rationale explaining what influenced you in putting your story together. During this unit we will read and analyse several short stories demonstrating differing styles and methods of presenting the conflict for the protagonist to overcome.
We will start with a very commercial short story, ‘The Most Dangerous Game’, by Richard Connell. We will then work towards the use of magical realism and symbolism in the story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. You will find all these stories below.
The Short Stories…
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
Yuki Onna (Snow Lady) by Lafcadio Hearn
The Destructors by Graham Greene
A Woman Seldom Found by William Sansom
Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield
The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara
Pounds, Ounces, Meat by Zhu Wen
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Examination Day by Harry Slesar
The Nose by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Analysing the stories
We will learn a little about how to analyse these stories, so that you have the language you need to discuss them as you plan your own story.
This document contains the main points you need to focus on as you read each story.
Use this document below to help you with difficult terms and useful questions to ask yourself as you read the stories above.
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Writing your story
Whilst we read these in class and you work on the elements which make up a short story, you must begin to draft some ideas on your own piece of creative writing (see task below).
Here are a few ideas about how to begin, compiled by Ms.Larson.
And here are a few more ideas that you can refer to as you write.
Task: Pastiche
A reminder: a pastiche is an imitation of the original, in which you attempt to imitate elements of one of the stories that you have read. This is a pastiche of the Hemingway story above:
Below are some guidelines that may give you some ideas about how a pastiche works in this case.
Pastiche Assignment Instructions
Instructions
The original story may be one of the above, or one that you have found elsewhere (including the websites below). If you have found your original story elsewhere it must be an electronic copy that you can send to me so that I can compare it with your pastiche version. You need to make it quite clear which story you are using for your pastiche. You will take clearly identifiable elements of this story to use in your own. These elements include some, not all, of the following: genre, setting, mood, plot, characterisation, written style.
The word limit is no less than 700 words, no more than 1000. This is a tough limit; you will have to edit your own carefully, and even ruthlessly, to make sure that you are within this limit, but that is part of a writer’s job!
Watch Veracross for first draft and final draft dates.
There will be a peer editing day, in which you will make a copy of your draft available for anyone else in the group to read and comment on. At the end of this period all drafts will be handed to me via email; they will be returned to you as soon as possible so that you can complete your final draft.
Below are the guidelines for the peer editing.
Pastiche Peer Review Guidelines
When the final draft of your story is finished and handed in, you will also submit a short paragraph in which you will outline the following:
- What story you have chosen to imitate, and why.
- What elements of the story you have taken, and where they appear in your own story.
- What genre of story this is.
This will be assessed using the criteria below. Look carefully at these before you begin.
This will be one of the tasks to be sent to the IBO for moderation.
The Short Story Collection
Here, finally, is the collection of your work, published together as an anthology, in no particular order, proof-read and occasionally slightly edited. Relax and enjoy the work of your group!
G10 Short Story Collection 2012
Remember, the best of your stories will be published on the Purple Duck website. Click on the duck to find out more! 
Further Reading
If you liked some of these short stories, and like the idea of a story that only lasts a few pages, then go to this website. You will definitely find something you like. http://www.classicshorts.com/index.shtml
And if you like the idea of stories for free, go to this website. There are enough to keep you out of the library for years! http://bibliomania.com/
Finally, please comment below on what you thought of this unit. Try to answer at least some of the following questions:
- Did you enjoy the stories you read? Which did you particularly enjoy, and why?
- Did you find analysing the stories easy? Did the documents here on the Wiki help at all?
- How did you feel about writing your own story?
- How did it go? What do you think about your product?
Thanks for your comments!