Short Story – Conferencing Guide

Purpose: The purpose of the short story should be to entertain. The author might want to make you laugh, scare you, or teach you a lesson.

1. Ask the student: What do you want the reader to do/feel?

Audience: Before beginning, ask the student author who this piece of writing is intended for or to who would it appeal.

1. Ask the student author to describe the intended audience.

2. Does the writing match or suit the intended audience?

Organization/Idea Development/Detail:

A. Exposition: This is the part of the story (usually the beginning) that explains the background and setting of the story. The characters are often introduced in the exposition.

1. Can you determine the point of view?

a. Who is telling the story? (first person/third person)

b. Is the point of view sustained throughout the story? (If it is told in first person, does that person ever know the thoughts of another?)

B. Narrative Hook: Turning point in the story that begins the conflict.

1. Does this beginning immediately make you want to read more?

2. Setting:

a. Is the setting clear, vivid, and relevant to the story?

b. Can the reader easily determine when and where the action is taking place?

c. Can you visualize the setting?

d. Are sensory details included as part of the description of the setting?

1. What do you see?

2. What do you hear?

3. What do you smell/taste?

4. What do you touch?

e. Are there smooth transitions between settings/events?

1. Are there time transitions to help the story move along (after awhile, the next morning, etc)?

3. Characters and character development

a. Are the characters fully developed?

1. Do the characters have a first name? Last name?

2. Is there a physical description of the character(s)?

a. Hair color.

b. Eye color

c. Body build

b. Has the writer revealed characteristics of the main and supporting characters through a variety of ways?

1. Through Dialogue?

2. Through descriptions?

3. Through actions?

4. Through thought shots (letting us in on what the character is thinking)?

5. Does their response to others/events match the description of the personality? Does the response indicate personality traits?

C. Rising Action: This is the central part of a story during which various problems/situations may occur. The main character should be faced with a struggle to overcome. There should be a series of events related to the conflict; obstacles for the main character to work through or overcome. There should be one major conflict in a short story.

1. Is there a realistic conflict/problem (particular to the genre, i.e. realistic fiction, science fiction, historical fiction, etc) that is the FOCUS of the story?

a. Does the writing stay focused on the story?

b. Are the details important and relevant? Do they make a difference in the story.

2. What type of conflict is present?

a. Man vs. man (example = bad guy vs. good guy)

b. Man vs. self (example = found LOTS of money – turn it in or not?)

c. Man vs. society (Rebellion against established rules)

d. Man vs. nature (Struggle to survive in the wilderness)

e. Man vs. fate (God) (Why did this happen to me?)

f. None

*HINT: There is no story if there is no conflict.

D. Climax: This is the highest point (turning point) in the action of the story.

1. Does the climax provoke a reaction from the reader?

a. Are you excited?

b. Are you sad?

c. Are you relieved?

d. Are you angry?

e. Are you surprised?

f. Are you happy?

g. None

E. Resolution: This is the satisfying end of the story. All problems or conflicts should be resolved.

1. Is the conflict/problem solved in a realistic, yet creative manner?

2. Are you left “hanging”?

Other things to look for to aide in detail:

1. Title:

A. Does the title of the story catch your attention?

B. Would it catch the attention of the intended audience?

C. Does it hint at the topic for the story?

2. Dialogue:

A. Do the characters speak?

B. Can you tell when one character stops speaking and another begins?

C. Is the dialogue purposeful?

1. Does it reveal information about the problem?

2. Does it reveal information about the setting?

3. Does it reveal information about the characters?

Sentences:

1. Is there a variety of sentence lengths and structure?

A. Simple (noun – verb)

B. Compound (contains conjunctions – and, or, but, therefore)

C. Complex (semicolon (;) connects two sentences).

D. Compound-complex (combination of B and C).

Language:

1. Was a thesaurus used to vary word choices? (example: all dialogue does not say he said/she said)

2. Does the student use figurative language to make the writing interesting, clear, and creative?

a. Simile – comparison of two things using like or as (Her hair was like silk).

b. Metaphor – comparison of two things without using like or as (Alladin was a diamond in the rough).

c. Personification – Giving human characteristics to non-human things such as an idea, object, or animal (The stars danced with the moon).

d. Onomatopoeia – A word whose sound makes you think of its meaning. (buzz, zing, zap, swish, etc)

e. Hyperbole – An exaggeration.

3. Does the student use sensory language? (language that appeals to one or more of the five senses).

4. Is there a variety of ending punctuation to add to the story (!, ?, .)?

Correctness:

1. Is the spelling correct?

a. Watch for misplaced words or words that do not fit. Students will automatically think the computer suggestion is correct and it may not be the correct word in meaning or spelling.

2. Is punctuation correct?

a. Many mistakes in punctuation is made with dialogue.

1. New speaker = new paragraph.

2. Quotation marks to indicate speech.

3. Ending punctuation marks inside quotation marks.

3. Is capitalization correct?

4. Is verb tense correct?

Does the writer use the same verb tense throughout the entire piece?

Whitaker

Evaluating Writing: Applying Criteria for Good Writing

To determine the effectiveness of a sample of writing, we make decisions about how well the work overall meets all the criteria for good writing~ The Kentucky Scoring Guide is one good description of important criteria for good writing. The following list elaborates on these criteria.

PURPOSE:

The purpose is:

___ limited, focused

___ clear

___ maintained

___ insightful

___ reader-aware

___ justified, useful

___ authentic, realistic

___ owned

READER AWARENESS:

The writer provides

___ a reader-slanted purpose

___ an interesting angle, main idea

___ insightful ideas, thinking

___ support relevant to reader

___ interesting, useful support

___ sufficient development

___ explanations for readers

___ logical, careful organization

___ helpful organizational signals

___ precise, appropriate word choice

___ varied, complete, grammatical,

___ smooth flowing sentences

___ work edited for correctness

IDEA DEVELOPMENT/SUPPORT:

The writer provides

___an angle, controlling idea, specific meaningful purpose

___ insightful ideas, depth of thinking about the subject/experience, logical reasoning

___specific, relevant, insightful, thorough support for purposes and reader

___ a logical development of thought to accomplish the purpose

___ insightful explanations for purposes/readers

___ effective, selective use of learning, experience,

inquiry, observation, etc. for purposes

___ effective use of idea development strategies

ORGANIZATION:

The writer provides

___a logical, interesting overall structure or pattern of development

___ a coherent, unified flow of thought for purposes; logical arrangement

___ logical, effective paragraphing

___ logical, effective transitions, organizational signals for purposes and readers

___ effective use of format

___ effective use of characteristics of form

___ effective, thoughtful, purposeful opening, closure

LANGUAGE/SENTENCES:

The writer provides:

___ word choice appropriate to purpose

and reader

___ precise, interesting, grammatical word choice

___ varied, grammatical, complete,

effectively constructed sentences

___ logical, effective use of stylistic techniques

___ an effective, appropriate tone/voice

CORRECTNESS:

The writer demonstrates control of

___ spelling

___ capitalization

___ punctuation

___ grammar/usage

___ methods of referring to sources

Read your story and see if there are places where you can do one or more of the following:

1. Change the story to show more your ideas about the events, to lead the reader to see something important about people and about living. The story can be entertaining and imaginative, but it also should reveal your thoughts.

3. Do more to personalize the characters: description, dialogue, reference to feelings and thoughts, sensory details, colors, names, numbers-details.

4. Add relevant details about the characters and the setting that show my knowledge of the people, time1 place, and culture you are writing about.

5. Do more to set up and build the conflict in the story and to show how it is resolved. Add details and explanations about the conflict. Arrange for the conflict and its resolution to reveal ideas about people and living that are important and relevant to readers.

6. Add sentences that convey the thoughts of the characters or the narrator. Give more of the "inside" story.

7. Don't rush the story. Fill in details and explanations to help the reader follow the story and get involved in it. Elaborate to build the scenes and engage the reader. Notice places where readers might need more explanation and provide it.

8. Check the paragraphs so that they logically show parts of the story. Add or build up paragraphs to fill in more; divide paragraphs that are too long; rearrange paragraphs to make a better flow of thought.

10. Use story telling techniques, like comparisons, contrasts, "memory flashes," questions, character mannerisms, repetition of important details, dialogue, description of characters and setting, narrator reflections, direct references to the reader, etc.

12. Think hard about the ending of the story. Is it too abrupt; is it too long? Change the ending so that it gives a thoughtful and interesting closure to the story.

13. Use strong verbs and specific, concrete nouns-interesting, precise word choice.

14. Change sentences to have variety and to ensure that they make sense and flow smoothly.

The following list offers some examples of ways writers often support and develop their ideas in short stories. If students were given such a list at the outset of the writing cycle, they might find more ways they could work-maybe the writing would have greater depth and stronger idea development. A handout might be given for students to include in a writers notebook or the list might be posted in the room as a chart.

Also, during the writing process, say in a revision session, students could use the list with their own writing and in responding to a classmates work. A mini-lesson could be offered to model how the list can be used. For example, a transparency of a sample of writing could be displayed, and the class could be encouraged to apply the different options. Other teachers will find different ways.

1. Add descriptive detail about people, places, objects. Show sharp observation.

2. Provide the reader more background information or explanation. Fill in more for the reader.

5. Repeat a significant detail about people, places, actions, for example, a mannerism ("He coughed. "Twisting a strand of her hair, she ....")

6. Pi-ovide "inside talk" and "outside talk" ("Should I go ahea& I don't really know."),

9. Give the reader "space signals" or "time signals" ("Placing his hand on the window...

10. Raise questions and follow through ("Why was she doing this? I didn't know. Perhaps ....").

11. Reflect as the narrator of the story or have a character reflect. Add "think-about-it sentences" ("Thinking about it all now, I see ...." "She might have acted otherwise, but that was not her style." "Sure, it was because she was tired, but, I mean, she should have....").

12. Include imaginings, guesses, speculations ("I guess she could have ...." "Imagine ....").

13. Use contraries, contrasts ("Not that I really wanted to go with her, but ....")

14. Refer to memories ("She remembered .~." "As I saw this, I remembered ....").

15. Play with words or sayings or use fragments of songs or references to movies or books ("Out of mind' took on a new meaning ...." "You might remember that line from ....").

16. Add "think-about-it sentences" to interpret, analyze, explain the significance, reflect. ("He was caught up in the lies now." "Why would she say that? Need for power? Anger?")

Short Story Conferencing Guide adapted from Donna Burch, Lisa Colyer, and Tammy Stephens