Behind the Short Story: From First to Final Draft

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.

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 Suárez

            Lalo’s Skin

            Suárez 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