Genesis of a Short Story
Ever sit down in the middle of a TV show, watch for ten minutes, and then are forced to get up to go do something? Sometimes you walk away and forget what you just saw by the time you get upstairs. Other times, you think about that snippet you caught and wonder both what happened before you sat down and what happens next.
To me, that second example is a perfect illustration of what a good short story should be: a tasty morsel that leaves you wanting more.
Novels are feature-length films; a short story is that ten-minute snippet.
In many ways, writing a short story easier than a novel. On the other hand, if an author is not careful, writing a short story can be a terrible, sneaky trap. You think you have a great idea and you start typing away. 15,000 words later, you realize your short story is not so short anymore. I am guilty of this myself.
In a short story, a massive, sweeping plot is not necessary. In fact, there better not be one. More often than not, you are writing a single scene or two, maybe three. Your characters do not need to go on a personal journey, solve the centuries-old mystery, or save the world from certain destruction. Provide readers with a quick peek into their lives, not a study on the human condition.
Here is the rub with short stories: those same liberating qualities are what make writing a short story challenging. You have limited space. Your characters need to ‘pop’ quickly to draw the reader in. Often, you need to start your story in the middle of a scene that you might have spent more time setting up were it a part of a novel.
Novels have more leeway to explore story, characters, and setting. You can meander a bit. Short stories need to be written with strict intention from the beginning.
When I write novels, my approach to outlining is as follows. I come up with the major plot points and hold true to them (well…most of the time). I outline the first ten chapters, including the setting and events. Then, I start writing.
More often than not, the bulk changes to the story or a character’s actual personality vs. what I planned become apparent in those first few chapters. Most of what I refer to ‘churn’ happens then: writing, rewriting, cutting, writing again. It is like starting a car on a winter day: it takes a while for the engine to warm up and start purring.
I write until chapter 7 or 8 and then outline a few more chapters, constantly keeping a pad of three or four chapters ahead of where am in the story to ensure that I know where things are going. I have a tendency to wander at times as I write, letting the story take me where it wants to go. Most of the time, I go with it and the final book is better because of it. However, too much of this is a bad thing.
For short stories, I try to be more diligent. I write the outline, stressing the key points and characters and paying particular attention to the beginning and end. If I do not do this, I wander like when I write a novel. Even with an intentional focus on ‘sticking to script,’ things pop up that I did not expect and I still include them.
Yes, I am totally contradicting my own advice. This is 100% a “do as I say, not as I do” moment. Go ahead, smack me.
Deception is the most recent bundle of the Terrene Chronicles and came out over the Thanksgiving weekend. Before I wrote the third story in the bundle, titled Father, I decided to use the story to illustrate a “before and after” experience: share the original outline I used before I wrote the story. I will point out why I do certain things and how the story still took on a life of its own. Think of this as the “director’s commentary” feature on a DVD.
This is the genesis of one of my short stories.
Fair warning: this blog post will be spoiler-rich. If you would like to enjoy the story as it is meant to be enjoyed, buy all of Deception here or go read just this story first. Then come back later and finish this.
Step 1 for me is to have a clear idea of how the story opens. Even more than in a novel, getting the mood correct in a short story at the beginning is important. This is what I started with:
Good news: this held through the writing and editing. I enjoy writing the mood/environment of a scene; what you see, hear, feel, smell, etc. I want the reader to feel like he or she is standing there. In this instance, I wanted you to shiver and go get a blanket.
Next, it is very important for me to have all of the primary characters identified up front. Knowing key physical characteristics, biographical details, etc. makes writing them easier for me. The main characters in my novels develop in a somewhat organic fashion. I do not have that luxury in a short story.
Here is my characters section:
The good news with this section is that four of the five characters stayed as I envisioned them. The fifth, Baron Treswell, morphed a bit as his character took an unexpected twist that I really enjoyed. Here is a little morsel for Progeny readers: I included Baron Treswell in the short story for very good reason. Wait for book two to find out.
This held true, although a short exchange between Everett and the Captain slipped in before this happened. Again, Progeny readers, you might recognize Grandy: he was Everett’s Steward in Progeny.
As I write this post, it has become apparent to me that I did a decent job of sticking to outline this time around. Again, this chunk of my outline all made it into the story. Notice the details to the wolfhounds I included. I wanted the dogs to be as real as possible; it makes what happens to them a little later that much more effective.
Figures. Right after I say, “Hey, I did a good job with sticking to the outline,” things go awry.
This is where the tale took an unexpected turn. Baron Treswell is still somewhat meek in the final story, but an interesting detail about the man emerged as I wrote. I used the opportunity to better illustrate the ‘goodness’ of Gill Redlord and the conflict between father and son. The conversations between Duke Gill, Everett, and Baron Treswell were longer and more involved than I had planned. Still, I like the way things turned out.
The story veered a little here, but not too bad. Mostly, I just rearranged things.
I had the strange howl come first, trying to add a bit of suspense and offering a chance to get things turned in the direction the story needed to go. The ‘chase scene’ also provided a chance to delve into some of Everett’s thoughts.
Most of this held through the writing. All but the way the captain perished. Instead of having it happen ‘off-screen,’ I had the captain’s fate displayed for all to see while still holding back a bit of mystery of what killed him (and the dogs).
You might notice that in some cases, I actually write snippets of dialogue. I do this when the scene is crystal clear in my head while outlining. In the story, Raela actually says both of these lines.
This pretty much is exactly what happened. There is a lot of back and forth between Raela and Everett about why they spare the baron, but the result is the same. Everett is now the duke and has yet another lackey. The three-story tale about his twisted, deceitful rise to the Sovereign’s Chair is complete.
Because I built a framework before I started writing, the story followed its intended path with only a minimal number of detours. Which, for me, this is a good thing.
Someday, perhaps I will share some of my original notes for Progeny (or the sequel). The notes vs. the finished tale are an interesting study in the evolution of a story. Currently, I am outlining book three in the series and cannot help but wonder what changes and surprises are in store for me once I start writing.
To me, that second example is a perfect illustration of what a good short story should be: a tasty morsel that leaves you wanting more.
Novels are feature-length films; a short story is that ten-minute snippet.
In many ways, writing a short story easier than a novel. On the other hand, if an author is not careful, writing a short story can be a terrible, sneaky trap. You think you have a great idea and you start typing away. 15,000 words later, you realize your short story is not so short anymore. I am guilty of this myself.
In a short story, a massive, sweeping plot is not necessary. In fact, there better not be one. More often than not, you are writing a single scene or two, maybe three. Your characters do not need to go on a personal journey, solve the centuries-old mystery, or save the world from certain destruction. Provide readers with a quick peek into their lives, not a study on the human condition.
Here is the rub with short stories: those same liberating qualities are what make writing a short story challenging. You have limited space. Your characters need to ‘pop’ quickly to draw the reader in. Often, you need to start your story in the middle of a scene that you might have spent more time setting up were it a part of a novel.
Novels have more leeway to explore story, characters, and setting. You can meander a bit. Short stories need to be written with strict intention from the beginning.
When I write novels, my approach to outlining is as follows. I come up with the major plot points and hold true to them (well…most of the time). I outline the first ten chapters, including the setting and events. Then, I start writing.
More often than not, the bulk changes to the story or a character’s actual personality vs. what I planned become apparent in those first few chapters. Most of what I refer to ‘churn’ happens then: writing, rewriting, cutting, writing again. It is like starting a car on a winter day: it takes a while for the engine to warm up and start purring.
I write until chapter 7 or 8 and then outline a few more chapters, constantly keeping a pad of three or four chapters ahead of where am in the story to ensure that I know where things are going. I have a tendency to wander at times as I write, letting the story take me where it wants to go. Most of the time, I go with it and the final book is better because of it. However, too much of this is a bad thing.
For short stories, I try to be more diligent. I write the outline, stressing the key points and characters and paying particular attention to the beginning and end. If I do not do this, I wander like when I write a novel. Even with an intentional focus on ‘sticking to script,’ things pop up that I did not expect and I still include them.
Yes, I am totally contradicting my own advice. This is 100% a “do as I say, not as I do” moment. Go ahead, smack me.
Deception is the most recent bundle of the Terrene Chronicles and came out over the Thanksgiving weekend. Before I wrote the third story in the bundle, titled Father, I decided to use the story to illustrate a “before and after” experience: share the original outline I used before I wrote the story. I will point out why I do certain things and how the story still took on a life of its own. Think of this as the “director’s commentary” feature on a DVD.
This is the genesis of one of my short stories.
Fair warning: this blog post will be spoiler-rich. If you would like to enjoy the story as it is meant to be enjoyed, buy all of Deception here or go read just this story first. Then come back later and finish this.
Step 1 for me is to have a clear idea of how the story opens. Even more than in a novel, getting the mood correct in a short story at the beginning is important. This is what I started with:
1. Opens with an early morning along the western shores of Lake Hawthorne
a. Near a small village: Corlevange
b. Cold, frosty, middle of Winter
c. Pre-dawn, Everett waking up in dark tent on day of hunt
Good news: this held through the writing and editing. I enjoy writing the mood/environment of a scene; what you see, hear, feel, smell, etc. I want the reader to feel like he or she is standing there. In this instance, I wanted you to shiver and go get a blanket.
Next, it is very important for me to have all of the primary characters identified up front. Knowing key physical characteristics, biographical details, etc. makes writing them easier for me. The main characters in my novels develop in a somewhat organic fashion. I do not have that luxury in a short story.
Here is my characters section:
2. Characters
a. Everett
i. Now 25 years old
ii. young man, fit and athletic, with close-cropped brown hair
iii. strong face. a wide, square chin, a well-proportioned nose, and dark brown eyes
b. Gill Redlord
i. 55 years old
ii. Quite fit still, looks a lot like Everett
iii. Same strong chin, but he has green eyes.
c. Baron Jared Treswell (the baron of the region)
i. 34 years old
ii. skinny man with immaculately combed black hair
iii. Only been baron for 3 years, his father had passed of a wasting illness
d. Huntmaster Darick Argus
i. Originally from the Foothills to the north
ii. Lured to the Deartfield Barony by Baron Treswell’s father
iii. Has red hair, an odd accent, is in his late forties, long sideburns
iv. Strangely enough, he has one blue eye, one green
e. Captain Remy Lydmon
i. Completely loyal to the duke
ii. Early forties
iii. Brown hair, moustache, blue eyes
iv. Upright and honorable, does not like nor trust Everett
f. Twenty Red Sentinels trail them, but don’t go on hunt
The good news with this section is that four of the five characters stayed as I envisioned them. The fifth, Baron Treswell, morphed a bit as his character took an unexpected twist that I really enjoyed. Here is a little morsel for Progeny readers: I included Baron Treswell in the short story for very good reason. Wait for book two to find out.
3. They wake up early, smoky, frost on the ground
a. Grandy the Steward wishes them well
i. skinny, older man with wispy white hair and wearing the red tunic of the Great Lakes
b. Tells Duke to not waste too much time, there are details he must see to
c. Gill smiles and says, “I need a bit of fun in my life, Grandy.”
This held true, although a short exchange between Everett and the Captain slipped in before this happened. Again, Progeny readers, you might recognize Grandy: he was Everett’s Steward in Progeny.
4. They get their horses ready head east
a. Each of them have a bow and arrow and a long lance.
b. Huntmaster says there are a pack of wolves rumored to roam the hills there
i. Sheep have been disappearing
c. The huntmaster has two hunting hounds with them
i. Two alants, commonly called wolfhounds
1. large, short coated dogs of varying type
2. long, broad, flat head of the alant
3. The alant resembles a man with a long broad head and a square jaw
As I write this post, it has become apparent to me that I did a decent job of sticking to outline this time around. Again, this chunk of my outline all made it into the story. Notice the details to the wolfhounds I included. I wanted the dogs to be as real as possible; it makes what happens to them a little later that much more effective.
5. Baron Treswell rides with Everett
a. The man is a timid and meek man.
b. Everett is glad – either he dies or he gets in line
6. Duke Gill tries to engage Everett in chatter, but the relationship is obviously strained
a. Everett could care less if it improves
b. Gill is frustrated
Figures. Right after I say, “Hey, I did a good job with sticking to the outline,” things go awry.
This is where the tale took an unexpected turn. Baron Treswell is still somewhat meek in the final story, but an interesting detail about the man emerged as I wrote. I used the opportunity to better illustrate the ‘goodness’ of Gill Redlord and the conflict between father and son. The conversations between Duke Gill, Everett, and Baron Treswell were longer and more involved than I had planned. Still, I like the way things turned out.
7. The dogs become agitated, the huntmaster says they have the scent
8. They begin to gallop, following the dogs
9. After a time, a strange howl rip through the woods, the sounds of the two dogs cut off
a. The huntsmaster is worried…
b. Huntmaster, Baron Treswell, Gill, Everett, Captain, enter a clearing
The story veered a little here, but not too bad. Mostly, I just rearranged things.
I had the strange howl come first, trying to add a bit of suspense and offering a chance to get things turned in the direction the story needed to go. The ‘chase scene’ also provided a chance to delve into some of Everett’s thoughts.
10. The dogs are dead, their throats ripped open.
a. The wounds are vicious, larger than any wolf could have done
b. Even Everett is worried, he did not expect this
11. The huntsmaster is upset and gets off his horse
12. The Captain urges the Duke to come with him, back to the soldiers
a. Baron Treswell agrees and wants to flee
b. Gill refuses, if there are some sort of monstrous wolf in the area, they need to take care of it before it kills citizens
c. The captain says, “Fine, let me at least ride back and lead the soldiers here”
and leaves
d. After ducking back into the woods, there’s another loud howl,
i. The captain sounds his horn
ii. The distant screams of the captain are heard
13. The huntmaster says, that is no wolf
Most of this held through the writing. All but the way the captain perished. Instead of having it happen ‘off-screen,’ I had the captain’s fate displayed for all to see while still holding back a bit of mystery of what killed him (and the dogs).
14. From the north, Raela steps into the clearing, wearing a fur lined coat
15. She looks over the four and says, “You could not get him here alone?”
a. Everett says he did his best.
b. He asks what killed the hounds,
i. She smiles. “Friends from the far west.”
c. She creates a port and shoves the huntsman through.
16. Gill stares at his son, angry and stunned
You might notice that in some cases, I actually write snippets of dialogue. I do this when the scene is crystal clear in my head while outlining. In the story, Raela actually says both of these lines.
17. Raela lifts the man from his saddle using air, and slams his body into the ground
a. Gill Redlord dies
18. Baron Treswell snivels for his life
a. Everett agrees having a Baron utterly loyal would only be good
b. He offers the man the prime minister position on the First Council in Freehaven if he swears the Duke fell from his horse and the huntsman ran off, ashamed of his role in the Duke’s death…
19. Everett and Treswell leave
a. Raela leaves, saying “Congratulations, Duke Everett.”
This pretty much is exactly what happened. There is a lot of back and forth between Raela and Everett about why they spare the baron, but the result is the same. Everett is now the duke and has yet another lackey. The three-story tale about his twisted, deceitful rise to the Sovereign’s Chair is complete.
Because I built a framework before I started writing, the story followed its intended path with only a minimal number of detours. Which, for me, this is a good thing.
Someday, perhaps I will share some of my original notes for Progeny (or the sequel). The notes vs. the finished tale are an interesting study in the evolution of a story. Currently, I am outlining book three in the series and cannot help but wonder what changes and surprises are in store for me once I start writing.
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Don Bingle
www.donaldjbingle.com