Best Book On Writing Short Stories

By: Ruchika Gupta

story writing in English

Story Writing | Story Writing Format, Topics, Story Writing for Class 9 to 12

Story Writing – Story writing is a part of the English writing skills section of Class 9 and 10 English papers. It is a topic that involves creative writing. Here, we will discuss the Story Writing Formatand the steps for how to write Story Writing for Class 6 and 12.

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What is story writing?

Story Writing – A story writing is a work of "fiction or imagination" that is usually written in "easily understandable grammatical structure" with a "natural flow of speech". Story writing is meant to be read at a single sitting and therefore it should be as direct and brief as possible.

Typically story writing has five key elements – Character (fewer is better), Setting (brief but poetic and vivid), Plot (as simple and interesting as possible), Conflict (intense but one), and Theme (relating to the majority of readers).

A character is someone or something that takes part in actions depicted in the short story. It could be a living person, a dead person, a ghost, an imaginary character, a robot, a dog, a toy… an unlimited list.

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The golden rule for selecting characters in story writing is "Fewer is better".story writing would more effectively convey its meaning if it has very few characters – one protagonist, one other main character, and no supporting or side characters would be ideal.

The animating character with perfect adjectives and examples is a must however, typically while writing short stories, do not fall overdo the characterization.

Time frame and place constitute the setting of story writing. The setting is often decorated with descriptions of scenes such as supermarket, bedroom, crowded metro train, or drizzling evening… again unlimited list. These descriptions are very important to make the reader immerse in the plot.

Unit of time frame may vary from hours to days to weeks to years. The golden rule in selecting time frame for story writing is "keep it shorter" and "have it single". Story writing that has setting of few hours may typically be clearer and more effective than with setting of few months or years.

vividly describe surroundings. must be absolutely clear and very importantly be appealing to five senses of your readers. Be poetic, use suitable adjectives, script dialogues, or even deploy side characters… do whatever you need to ensure that the reader lives your story while reading.

The plot is the flesh and muscles of story writing. It comprises events and characters' actions. The more creatively you describe and logically connect the events and actions, the stronger the plot would be, and the stronger the plot you create, the better interest would it generate among readers. A plot has a start, body, and end that are linked sequentially by events and character actions.

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You must so choose a start that your reader gets hooked to the story. create confusion or question in readers' minds by the first line of your story. Your reader must try to get an answer to the best of her ability and experience but she should finally end up digging into subsequent lines of your stories to quench her temporarily aroused inquisitiveness.

The central idea or main belief presented by a story writing is called theme. It is a skeleton or frame of your short story that is decorated by plot, setting, conflict, and characters.

The five key elements (or stages) of Story Writing are as follows-

Character
Setting
Plot
Conflict
Theme

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10 important tips to write stories are as follows –

• Tip #1: Fewer Characters
• Tip #2: Develop Characters for Theme
• Tip #3: Single and Short Time Frame
• Tip #4: Vivid Surroundings
• Tip #5: Catchy First Line
• Tip #6: Choose Suitable Point of View
• Tip #7: One Conflict Only
• Tip #8: Intense but Real Conflict
• Tip #9: Theme in Focus
• Tip #10: Break Rules if Needed

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As story writing involves creative writing skills, please follow the below-mentioned points to write a good story –

The narrative should be in Ist or IInd or IIIrd person.
The setting of the story should be made.
Time, location, context, and atmosphere should be described to create imagery.
Meaningful dialogues to be used. Dialogues should have expressions.
Characterization – identify 2 – 3 main characters and a few side characters in the story.
The plot of the story should be interesting but short because the word limit should not be exceeded. It can include the following –

What happens
Story line
Action
Flashback
Climax
Conflict
Resolving a conflict
Create conflict and tension
The opposition between characters and their internal or external conditions
Balance b/w opposing forces of the conflict
Mystery
Empowerment
Surprise
Empathy
Crisis or climax
Turning point of the story
Resolution or solution to the conflict
Open type- reader's view
Resolved – clear cut outcome
Parallel to beginning- same as the starting of the story
Monologue / dialogue of the characters
Closing image

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Story Writing Samples for Class 90

Marking Scheme for short story writing-

Title & Moral – 1 Mark

Content – 4 Marks

Expression – 5 Marks (Coherence, relevance of ideas) (2½ marks) (Accuracy, appropriate words and correct spellings (2½ marks)

Suggested value points: (The beginning of the story is given in the question)

Story Writing Examples

1. Write a short story in 200 – 250 words, with the help of the cues given below. Give a suitable title to the story.
Going to Mumbai by train to attend the marriage of a friend ….. got stuck in a traffic jam ….. reached the railway station late ….. boarded a wrong train ….. realised after two hours ….. now you … … …
(Compartment 2019 English Communicative Set-1)

A series of Unfortunate Events
I sat down with relief as I ticked off the last task in the checklist. I wanted everything to be perfect as it was my best friend's marriage in Mumbai. The alarm rang next morning, I woke up in excitement and booked a cab to the railway station. Everything was going perfectly until I got stuck in a traffic jam. I reached the railway station late but on the sight of the train still waiting on the platform, I hurried and somehow managed to get into the train. I breathed a sigh of relief and got comfortable. It was only when the Ticket Collector came, I realised that I had been in the wrong train for two hours. I panicked and deboarded the train at the next station. I tried booking a ticket for the next train to Mumbai but there was no availability. On coming back from the ticket counter, I realised that my luggage was missing. Even after hours of finding and reporting it, there was no trace of it. I got tired and lost hope, tried booking a cab with the minimal amount I was left with in my pocket. The cab couldn't reach on time as it was raining heavily. Disheartened, I finally walked my way to the nearest hotel, contacted my parents and recited them the series of unfortunate events that happened during the day. Alas, I couldn't even make it to my best friend's wedding.

2. Write a short story in 200 – 250 words, with the help of the cues given below. Give a suitable title to the story.
Satish was standing on the balcony watching the last rays of the Sun. Loud and angry voices in the street below distracted his attention. He ran down the stairs to see what had happened … … …
(Compartment 2019 English Communicative Set-2)

The Last Day
Satish was standing on the balcony watching the last rays of the Sun. Loud and angry voices in the street below distracted his attention. He ran down the stairs to see what had happened. His neighbours were again fighting over some parking issues. It was a common scene among the residents of that area. No sooner did he reach there when suddenly the land between the neighbours' buildings started tearing apart. Everyone got frightened. Satish ran back to his house to find his daughter and wife. They were both ready with their emergency baggage. The family got out of the house and started running as fast as they could, passing the falling trees and buildings. Water was penetrating out of the departing land and everyone was panicking and running in any direction to save their lives when suddenly, Satish's daughter fell down. A tree fell over her feet. Satish was trying to help his crying daughter when they both saw a building falling over them. Satish hugged his daughter and shouted at the peak of his voice which finally woke him up. With sighs of heavy breathing and excessive sweating, Satish went to his daughter's room only to find that everything was fine. He kissed her forehead, went back to his room and wondered; "Phew! This one really took the life out of me".

3. Write a short story in 200 – 250 words, with the help of the cues given below. Give a suitable title to the story.
It was Mohini's first day at the new school. She was feeling very nervous. She stood in a corner and watched the students who were laughing and talking excitedly. When she saw four senior students advancing towards her, she … … …
(Compartment 2019 English Communicative Set-3)

Things are Not Always What They Seem
It was Mohini's first day at the new school. She was feeling very nervous. She stood in a corner and watched the students who were laughing and talking excitedly. When she saw four senior students advancing towards her, she got terrified and started going towards her classroom hurriedly. The four students caught up with her speed and cornered her. Drops of sweat rolled down her face as she muttered in a trembling voice, "Leave me alone". They started coming nearer as they sensed her fear. Two tall boys and two girls of medium height looked at her and gave her spine-chilling terror. Before Mohini could shout, one of the girls covered her mouth and they all started laughing. Mohini was left astonished. To make things clear, one of the boys told her that they had been assigned to guide her through the school and assist her to make her feel comfortable. They were coming nearer to introduce themselves and thought of playing a small prank when Mohini started running away from them. Mohini breathed a sigh of relief and conveyed that she thought she was about to get bullied.

4. Write a story in 150-200 words with the help of the following outline. Give it a suitable title also.
Bunya was a foolish boy, who was an attention seeker. He was a woodcutter and would go deep into the jungle to cut trees. One day he wanted to do an act of mischief. He shouted at the top of his voice, "There's a tiger, tiger, there's a tiger … …."
(CBSE 2019 English Language and Literature Set-1)

The False alarm
Bunya was a foolish boy, who was an attention seeker. He was a woodcutter and would go deep into the jungle to cut trees. One day he wanted to do an act of mischief. He shouted at the top of his voice, "There's a tiger, tiger, there's a tiger … …." even when there was no trace of it. The villagers came running hurriedly thinking that Bunya was in danger. Bunya's mother had tears in her eyes. The villagers came ready with their safety weapons and upon reaching, they saw no tiger but just Bunya laughing on playing them. The villagers were hurt and they started swearing out of disappointment. Bunya had no realisation as to what he had done and he continued laughing stealthily. A week passed by and everyone was ignoring Bunya. One fine day, he and his friend went into the woods. Just like any other day, they started doing their job while chatting with each other. Suddenly, they heard a roar nearby. The tiger was towards his friend's side of the jungle. Bhunya went running to the villagers asking them for help. No one listened to him as they thought it was one of his pranks. He cried for help, but no one trusted him. He ran towards the tea vendor and told him the entire story. The tea vendor gave him the benefit of the doubt and went with him. Till the time they reached there, his friend could be seen nowhere. They called out his name and looked in the woods, but it was too late. Bhunya realised and accepted that it was all his mistake.

Moral of the story is, "Truth doesn't cost you anything but a lie could cost you everything".

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5. Write a story in 150-200 words with the help of the following outline : 10
Tortoise and hare – good friends – tortoise – known for his slow speed – hare has fast speed – makes fun of tortoise – challenges him – referee selected – race starts – hare overconfident – takes a nap – tortoise wins.
(CBSE 2018 English Language and Literature Set-1)

Slow and steady wins the race
Once upon a time there were 2 friends, a tortoise and a hare. The whole jungle was aware about their brotherhood and how they stuck together with each other no matter what. One fine day, when they were discussing about their respective speed, the hare made fun of the tortoise for being slower. Now, it is a well known fact that tortoises generally have a hard shell which makes it difficult for them to walk. But the hare continued to make fun of him. The tortoise got very angry and asked him to prove it. The hare, in turn, challenged the tortoise to run a race with him. Both of them agreed upon the date and time. The news was taken over to the king of the jungle, the lion. He chose a referee and announced the commencement of preparations. The entire jungle was excited as it was the first time that the two brothers were competing with each other. Days before the race, the hare went around talking high about himself whereas on the other hand, the tortoise practiced diligently. The night before the race, the tortoise slept on time, to be energetic the other day, whereas the hare continued to dream about him winning and how obvious it was that he needed no preparations. The wait was over, the tickets were completely sold out and the crowd was cheerful. Both the contestants stood ready on the starting line and the race was supposed to end at a stretch of one kilometre. The whistle blew and both started running at their own pace. The hare covered half the distance while the tortoise could only cover half of what the hare had covered. The overconfident hare thought of taking a nap and thought that by the time the tortoise would come near him, he would wake up and cover the rest of the distance. After some time, the hare was woken up by the sound of hooting and whistling, the tortoise had won.
Therefore, the moral of the story is, "Confidence is good, but overconfidence always sinks the ship".

6. Complete the story in 150-200 words which begins as the following : There was a joint family of six members including grandparents. It was the 75th birthday of the grandmother and the family planned to celebrate … … …
(CBSE 2018 English Language and Literature Set-1)

Surprise!!

There was a joint family of six members, including the grandparents. It was the 75th birthday of the grandmother and the family planned to celebrate it by throwing a surprise party. The family began going out for preparations and since it was supposed to be a surprise, they would leave their grandmother alone at home. As the big day came nearer, the grandmother started feeling isolated and lonely. She believed that since everyone was caught up in their own business, they had forgotten about her birthday. She felt sad but never expressed it to anyone. On the day of her birthday, no one wished her. Everyone started getting ready and told her that they had their own respective plans. The grandfather asked her to accompany him for a walk. It was all a part of their plan. The grandfather took the route to the venue and didn't make it look in a way that could make her suspicious. Upon reaching the venue, the lights suddenly went on and everybody shouted, "Happy Birthday". The grandmother was overwhelmed and tears of love came rolling down her eyes. This was the happiest birthday till then

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