How To-14: "How to Think of Topics for a Short Story"

How to Think of Topics for a Short Story

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You don't need to be someone whose life is filled with drama to think of ideas for a short story.

Steps

1. Think of something that puzzled you in the past-- it could be something as simple as the way your roommate looked at you when you first met. Writers write to explain things, so think of something you'd like to explain. You will want to dramatize your explanation, instead of just saying it.
   
2. Search your mind for vivid memories. Along the same lines-- think of something you remember vividly. This is often something that was puzzling, but it also could be an epiphany, a shock, a disappointment, or a victory. Write a story in which the character works towards or experiences a similar moment.
   
3. Look at short stories you like and list what the topics of those stories were. Have you ever started to read a story, hoping it would be about a particular topic, but found it was about something else? These are topics that you are interested in.
   
4. Listen to the stories around you. People tell you stories all the time. Pay attention to what people are saying to you and you will start to hear them.
   
5. Remember to write what you know!
   
6. Follow this plot structure (just a suggestion):
   
• Initial Situation: the beginning, the first incentive that makes the story move.
  
• Conflict or Problem: goal that the main character of the story has to achieve
  
• Complication: obstacles that the main character has to overcome
  
• Climax: highest point in the story
  
• Suspense: point of tension (may come before climax)
  
• Resolution: what happens to the character after overcoming (of failing to overcome) the desired result and reaching (or not reaching) those goals
  
• Conclusion: the end result
  
7. Look in the newspaper. Find a personals add, a news story, and an obituary. Use these three seemingly unrelated events to craft a short story.

Tips

• Cross out your ideas or edit them. Write down everything you think of and think about whether it's a good or bad idea, then think about whether or not they will work in the story

Warnings

• You don't always have to start with the topic, and in some cases this may be the wrong approach to writing a story. You can start with an image, a description, or a setting. You can start by creating a character and then as you describe the character you will find that you think of things for him or her to do. Sometimes you discover the topic as you write.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
  
• Pen
  
• Positive attitude
  
• Time

Related wikiHows

• How to Brainstorm Children's Picture Book Ideas
  
• How to Wake up the Writer in You
  
• How to Find a Theme for Your Short Story
  
• How to Write an Inspiring Paper
  
• How to Write a Short Story

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