Behind the Short Story
From First to Final Draft
Published on 28. March 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
464 pages
978-0-321-11724-3 (ISBN)
Description
Behind the Short Story provides the "inside scoop" on how a successful story emerges from first to final draft by compiling critical analysis techniques, writing exercises, representative stories, and useful insights into the writing process from award-winning, student-oriented teachers who are also successful short story writers. Covering the process of writing and elements of fiction at the same time, unique craft commentaries explore the decisions writers make on issues of structure, character, setting, etc. and offer practical suggestions for pre-writing, drafting, and revising.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 161 mm
Width: 231 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
583 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-321-11724-3 (9780321117243)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Preface to the Instructor
Introduction to the Student
I. ON PREWRITING
Getting Started: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Creating Raw Material
Peter Meinke
Unheard Music
Meinke on Journaling
Steve Almond
The Soul Molecule
Almond on Generating Story Ideas
Section Two: Discovering Stories Through Personal Experience
Janice Eidus
Vito Loves Geraldine
Eidus on Transferring Personal Experience Into Fiction
Section Three: Discovering Stories Through Observation and Research
Elizabeth Graver
The Mourning Door
Graver on Where Stories Come From
Julianna Baggott
Dr. Ishida Explains his Case
Baggott on the Role of Research in Fiction
II. ON WRITING
Writing the First Scene: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Story Structure and the Fundamentals of Plot
John McNally
The New Year
McNally on Story Beginnings
Aaron Gwyn
Of Falling
Gwyn on Story Middles
Jarret Keene
Son of Mogar
Keene on Story Endings
Alice Mattison
In Case We're Separated
Mattison on Story Structure
Section Two: Developing Characters
Turning Ideas into Characters: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Lorrie Moore
Debarking
Moore on Breathing Life into Characters
Amy Bloom
By-and-By
Bloom on Creating Dynamic Characters
Tom Franklin
Nap Time
Franklin on Story Tension
Section Three: Choosing a Point of View
Michael Knight
Gerald's Monkey
Knight on First Person Point of View
Adam Johnson
The Death Dealing Cassini Satellite
Johnson on Second Person Point of View
Judith Claire Mitchell
A Man of Few Words
Mitchell on Third Person Limited Point of View
Lee K. Abbott
One of Star Wars, One of Doom
Abbott on Third Person Omniscient Point of View
Josh Russell
Yellow Jack
Russell on Third Person Objective Point of View
Section Four: Scene Construction
Reginald McKnight
Palm Wine
McKnight on Creating Detail and Setting
George Singleton
Show-and-Tell
Singleton on Fictional Time
Keith Morris
The Children of Dead State Troopers
Morris on Dialogue
Section Five: The Short-Short Story
Tom Hazuka
Field Trip
Homeward Bound
Mixture
Utilitarianism
Vaporware
Hazuka on Writing the Short-Short Story
III. ON REVISING
Identifying Common Fiction Problems: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Revision Techniques
Melissa Pritchard
Salve Regina
Pritchard on Drafting and Large-Scale Revision
Stephen Graham Jones
Adultery, A Failing Sestina
Jones on Revising Scenes and Line-editing
Section Two: The Story and Its Audience
T. Coraghessan Boyle
Greasy Lake
Boyle on Managing Tone and Controlling Reader Sympathy
George Saunders
Jon
Saunders on Humor and Audience Concerns
Section Three: Theme, Meaning, and Vision
Mary Gaitskill
A Bestial Noise
Gaitskill on Building a Story's Theme and Meaning
Virgil Suarez
Lalo's Skin
Suarez on Staking Out Your Own Territory
Appendix A-Biographies
Appendix B-Further Readings
Appendix C-Sample Writer Groupings/Alternate Table of Contents
Appendix D-A Brief Glossary
Credits
General Index
Index of Authors, Titles, and First Lines
Introduction to the Student
I. ON PREWRITING
Getting Started: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Creating Raw Material
Peter Meinke
Unheard Music
Meinke on Journaling
Steve Almond
The Soul Molecule
Almond on Generating Story Ideas
Section Two: Discovering Stories Through Personal Experience
Janice Eidus
Vito Loves Geraldine
Eidus on Transferring Personal Experience Into Fiction
Section Three: Discovering Stories Through Observation and Research
Elizabeth Graver
The Mourning Door
Graver on Where Stories Come From
Julianna Baggott
Dr. Ishida Explains his Case
Baggott on the Role of Research in Fiction
II. ON WRITING
Writing the First Scene: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Story Structure and the Fundamentals of Plot
John McNally
The New Year
McNally on Story Beginnings
Aaron Gwyn
Of Falling
Gwyn on Story Middles
Jarret Keene
Son of Mogar
Keene on Story Endings
Alice Mattison
In Case We're Separated
Mattison on Story Structure
Section Two: Developing Characters
Turning Ideas into Characters: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Lorrie Moore
Debarking
Moore on Breathing Life into Characters
Amy Bloom
By-and-By
Bloom on Creating Dynamic Characters
Tom Franklin
Nap Time
Franklin on Story Tension
Section Three: Choosing a Point of View
Michael Knight
Gerald's Monkey
Knight on First Person Point of View
Adam Johnson
The Death Dealing Cassini Satellite
Johnson on Second Person Point of View
Judith Claire Mitchell
A Man of Few Words
Mitchell on Third Person Limited Point of View
Lee K. Abbott
One of Star Wars, One of Doom
Abbott on Third Person Omniscient Point of View
Josh Russell
Yellow Jack
Russell on Third Person Objective Point of View
Section Four: Scene Construction
Reginald McKnight
Palm Wine
McKnight on Creating Detail and Setting
George Singleton
Show-and-Tell
Singleton on Fictional Time
Keith Morris
The Children of Dead State Troopers
Morris on Dialogue
Section Five: The Short-Short Story
Tom Hazuka
Field Trip
Homeward Bound
Mixture
Utilitarianism
Vaporware
Hazuka on Writing the Short-Short Story
III. ON REVISING
Identifying Common Fiction Problems: Essay and Writing Suggestions
Section One: Revision Techniques
Melissa Pritchard
Salve Regina
Pritchard on Drafting and Large-Scale Revision
Stephen Graham Jones
Adultery, A Failing Sestina
Jones on Revising Scenes and Line-editing
Section Two: The Story and Its Audience
T. Coraghessan Boyle
Greasy Lake
Boyle on Managing Tone and Controlling Reader Sympathy
George Saunders
Jon
Saunders on Humor and Audience Concerns
Section Three: Theme, Meaning, and Vision
Mary Gaitskill
A Bestial Noise
Gaitskill on Building a Story's Theme and Meaning
Virgil Suarez
Lalo's Skin
Suarez on Staking Out Your Own Territory
Appendix A-Biographies
Appendix B-Further Readings
Appendix C-Sample Writer Groupings/Alternate Table of Contents
Appendix D-A Brief Glossary
Credits
General Index
Index of Authors, Titles, and First Lines