This document provides guidance and examples for developing short story ideas and elements. It discusses the importance of character, as well as establishing key story components like somebody with a goal facing a problem that gets resolved. Examples are given for combining random items to spark stories. Questions are also presented to flesh out story settings by considering details like location, time, climate, population, and senses. Finally, a list of potential story prompts is included.

1. La Rioja,
September- October 2014
Mgter. Edith Luna Villanueva

2. Writing is not a one -shot
activity but a process

3. A
Character is
one of the
elements we
should pay
attention to
in order to
have a good
short story.

4. C

8. This is the story of One day, she because
Her mother asked Why…
She said “I’m afraid under
“No worries” her mum replied………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….……………..

9. Somebody wanted something,
but there was a problem
so it must be resolved.

10.  1. Somebody - Who is the main character?
(Character)
 2. Wanted - What does the character want?
(Goal/Motivation)
 3. But - What stops the character from getting what
he/she wants? (Problem/Complication)
 4. So - How is the problem resolved? (Resolution)”

12. Choose a letter and complete this short short- story
This is the story of a ……………… who/that wanted
to……………. in a ……………… First, he/she/it …………….., then,
he/she/it …………….. But he/she/it couldn’t ……………… So,
one day, he/she/it …………….., and he/she/it ……………..!
…

13. This is the story of a PRINCE who wanted to PAINT THE WALLS in a
PRINCESS’S PIZZA RESTAURANT. First, he
PHOTOGRAPHED THE WALLS TO PAINT, then, he
PICTURED THE DESIGN FOR THE WALLS. But he couldn’t
PAINT ANYTHING because he was PENNYLESS AND COULDN’T
BUY PAINT OR BRUSHES. So, one day, he PRINTED SOME
PICTURES OF PUZZLES OF PIZZAS, and PASTED THEM
ON THE WALLS!
The princess loved the PICTURES, invited him some PIZZA and after talking
like PARROTSfor hours they became business PARTNERS, and lived happily
ever after.

15. Combine three items, real ones or not, in any way you want.
Each can represent a part or all of them can set off a story.
 A stolen ring, fear of spiders, and a sinister stranger.
 A taxi, an old enemy, and Valentine's Day.
 Identical twins, a party invitation, and a locked closet.
 A broken wristwatch, peppermints, and a hug that goes too far.
 Aerobics, a secret diary, and something unpleasant under the
bed.
 An ex-boyfriend, a pair of binoculars, and a good-luck charm.
 An annoying boss, a bikini, and a fake illness.
 The first day of school, a love note, and a recipe with a significant
mistake.
 A horoscope, makeup, and a missing tooth.
 A campfire, a scream, and a small lie that gets bigger and bigger.

16. Second meeting

18. Answer questions like:
 Where
 When (time of the year, seasons, holidays,
anniversaries, significant dates)
 What time (time of the day)
 How long: elapsed time (The minutes, hours, days,
weeks, and months a story encompasses)

19.  Climate (weather, temperature, lighting)
 Geography and topography of a place (ocean
currents, prevailing winds and air masses, latitude,
altitude, mountains, land masses, and large bodies
of water. E.g. tropical climates can create more
carefree lifestyles)
 Population (dense as in Hong Kong, vs. lonely
places)
 Historical times

20. Skilful writers show the readers what the place is like
Sight What can you see in the place? What does it look like?
Sound What can you hear there? What does it sound like?
Smell Does the place smell? What does it smell like?
Taste Does the place leave a taste in your mouth?
Touch How does the place make you feel?

22. Ghost story An old house/ rainy night
Detective story A hotel /
Adventure story An old ship/ stormy ocean /pirates’
times
Science fiction story A spaceship/
Fantasy story An enchanted island…

23. The Frog Prince
Setting :
The woods or palace gardens/
daytime/ gentle breeze/ scent of
flowers/ birds singing/ humid grass/
shallow water/ murky water / little
fish/
water plants/ some stones/
not -for -drinking water

24. STAGECRAFT
Scenic design
Scenery Customes
Lighting Sound design
Make up
Props Music Wigs
Construction Recording
VFX Sound effects
Painting
Custome design

31. R

32. T

33. HTTP://WWW.MAKEBELIEFSCOMIX.COM/STORY
-IDEAS/

34. T

37.  is running late
 gets an unusual assignment.
 finds something he or she had lost.
 has to choose between two things that s/he loves.
 finally gets to take an exciting vacation
 during a thunderstorm, suddenly remembers
something
 has an accident
 gets an interesting offer from a friend.

38.  had an argument with…
 meets someone with the same name.
 decides to take a new class or join a new club. All
goes well until the teacher or club leader says…
 gets a visit from an old friend—but the friend has
changed and doesn’t seem to be the same person.
 has to give a speech. On the way up to the
podium…
 moves to a new town.
 receives a surprise package in the mail.

39.  meets his or her favorite celebrity.
 finds a wallet with a large wad of bills stuffed inside
lying on the street.
 wins a big prize from a local radio contest.
 wakes up from an especially realistic dream. In the
dream, he or she was…

40.  Memorable, disastrous, disappointing, strange,
embarrassing, frightening, dangerous, funny or
near death experiences
 First or last day in your life
 A moment of failure or success
 An encounter that changed your life
 aAtime that you took a stand on an important issue
 An experience that altered your view of someone

41.  an occasion when you experienced rejection
 your first visit to the country (or to a large city)
 the breakup of a friendship
 a significant misunderstanding
 an experience that showed how appearances can
be deceiving
 an account of a difficult decision that you had to
make
 an event that marked a turning point in your life
 an act of heroism or cowardice

42.  a vacation trip from your childhood
 two different versions of the same event
 a day when everything went right (or wrong)
 the experience of being lost
 surviving a natural disaster
 an experience that taught you a lesson
 an important discovery
 an eyewitness account of an important event
 an experience that helped you grow up