How to Write a Short Story for Beginners
Learn the basics of writing a short story: setting up the beginning, muddling through the middle, and completing the dreaded ending.
Janelle Fila
Average rating:
4.6
Number of reviews:(907)
Star Educator
What's included
1 live meeting
1 in-class hoursClass Experience
Class is discussion based and includes a lot of interaction and participation. As we read story examples, I ask students to point out examples of what they are learning (what a character wants, what obstacles might come next, what possible solutions there might be at the end of the story). Students are also encouraged to apply these principles to their own writing and share these details with the other students at the end of class.
Learning Goals
Students will discuss the basics of short story writing from beginning, middle, to end. We'll talk about good characters, obstacles and solutions, and discuss how to finish! We will read examples from the picture books CAN I BE YOUR DOG? by Troy Cummings, SPARKLE BOY by Leslea Newman, and GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE DINOSAURS by Mo Willems. Students will get a chance to share how these ideas relate to their own characters as well.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
One of the story examples the students will read/hear is SPARKLE BOY by Leslea Newman. In this story, it is a very easy for readers to see what the main character wants (to wear sparkly things), the obstacles he might face (being bullied, made fun of) and how he might overcome that (ask the bully to stop, stand up for himself). I chose this book because it is a good example of the writing style and structure I am teaching the students about. However, it does address gender rules and roles that may not be appropriate for all children. Please take that into consideration when signing up for this class. Thank you!
Supply List
I will provide examples of writers who achieve the principles we discuss for the students' reference.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined June, 2019
4.6
907reviews
Star Educator
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Spalding University
Writing short stories is hard, so I'm happy to talk about this challenging task! I have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults and my short stories have won placed in writing contests and appeared in Word Hotel. I lead discussion type classes. I hope students have questions and believe they learn best when they contribute to the conversation. Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$15
per classMeets once
60 min
Completed by 936 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 7-10
2-12 learners per class
