A vignette is a short literary scene that captures a moment in time, enhancing the atmosphere around a character, emotion, or place. Typically fewer than 1,000 words, vignettes are descriptive and do not follow a structured narrative like short stories. They aim to provide visual context and insights into characters or settings without progressing the plot.

1. WHAT IS A VIGNETTE?

2. •A VIGNETTE (PRONUNCIATION: VIN-YET) IS A SHORT SCENE IN
LITERATURE THAT IS USED TO DESCRIBE A MOMENT IN TIME. IT
IS DESCRIPTIVE AND CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE AROUND A
CHARACTER, AN INCIDENT, AN EMOTION, OR A PLACE.

3. IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS A SLICE OF
LIFE THAT GIVES THE READER ADDED
INFORMATION THAT IS NOT
INTEGRAL TO THE PLOT OF THE STORY.

4. VIGNETTE MEANS ‘LITTLE VINE’ AND IT IS
NAMED AFTER THE DECORATIVE VINE LEAVES
THAT ADORNED NINETEENTH-CENTURY
BOOKS. LIKE THE VINES THAT ADORN THE
BOOKS, A VIGNETTE IN LITERATURE ADORNS
THE STORY BY ENHANCING A PART OF IT.

5. A VIGNETTE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS
A PAUSE IN THE STORY. AUTHORS
USUALLY USE VIGNETTES WHEN THEY
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A DEFINING,
EMOTIONAL MOMENT IN A
CHARACTER’S LIFE.

6. HOW LONG IS A VIGNETTE?

7. ACCORDING TO MASTERCLASS,
VIGNETTE ARE SHORT SCENES WITHIN
A LARGER STORY. THEY ARE USUALLY
FEWER THAN 1,000 WORDS.

8. IS VIGNETTE A SHORT
STORY?

9. NO !!!

10. • A SHORT STORY IS LITERARY WORK COMPOSED OF 1,000 TO
10, 000 WORDS, HAS A FULL NARRATIVE STRUCTURED WITH
BEGINNING, MIDDLE AND END. IT FEATURES A VIEWPOINT
CHARACTER WHO GOES THROUGH SOME SORT OF CONFLICT

11. SO, WHAT REALLY IS A
VIGNETTE?

12. -SHORT SCENES WITHIN A LARGER STORY THAT
ARE USUALLY UNDER 1,000 WORDS.
-DESIGNED TO GIVE MORE VISUAL CONTEXT TO A
CHARACTER, PLACE OR EVENT.
-NOT BOUND TO A NARRATIVE
STRUCTURE;RATHER FOCUSES ON DESCRIPTION
-TIME DOESN’T PASS IN A VIGNETTE, IT
DESCRIBES MOMENT IN TIME

13. A VIGNETTE CAN EXPRESS:
 A CHARACTER’S MEMORY ABOUT SOMETHING, OR A FLASHBACK TO A
MOMENT OR TIME IN HIS LIFE, WHICH IN TURN HELPS TO SHED LIGHTS
ON HIS OVERALL LIFE
 IT COULD ALSO DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER PHYSICALLY OE
EMOTIONALLY TO HELP DEVELOP THE READER’S IDEA OF HIS
PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOR
 THE SAME DETAILS CAN BE EXPRESSED ABOUT A STORY’S SETTING TO
HELP READERS FEEL MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHARACTER’S
SURROUNDING

15. TIPS IN WRITING A VIGNETTE
DON’T CONFORM
USE VISUAL LANGUAGE
ZOOM IN FOR MICROSCOPIC VIEW
APPEAL TO THE SENSES
GO BIG, THEN EDIT

16. ANY QUESTIONS?

17. BY GROUP
•WRITE A SHORT VIGNETTE (A SHORT IMPRESSION/IDEA)
BASED ON THE PICTURES GIVEN BELOW. WRITE AT LEAST
200 TO 500 WORDS. USE APPROPRIATE WORD IN
WRITING TO CONVEY THOUGHT CLEARLY.

18. GROUP 1

19. GROUP 2

20. GROUP 3

21. GROUP 4