Overview
It may seem odd to you that we're "defining the short story" so close to the end of the semester. Why?
This is because for me creative writing is first about instinct. It's about what we know from growing up being told stories, from as early as picture books, to the novels we read in high school. A story is a story. A short story, though, is a bit different.
Defining what a short story is is not a clear cut concept. This chapter, pages 152-203 of your textbook, lay out some plot ideas that will feel familiar. For this week's assignment, choose one of the short pieces of fiction you've written this semester, and talk about what would happen if you moved some of the plot points.
What if you started the story telling us a character died, and then after that showed them alive on their last day on earth?
What if you told the story, and then offered a flashback to a missing plot point?
Story isn't always linear. Let's discuss it.
As always, write your initial post by Thursday April 16th, and replies by Sunday at midnight.