Writing a Short Story

Think about your favorite book. It does not just start and stop — it has a shape. Every story, long or short, has three parts that work together to make it complete.

Part 1 — The Beginning

• Introduce your character — who is the story about?
• Set the scene — where and when does it happen?
• Example: One sunny day, a little rabbit sat by the river.

Part 2 — The Middle

• Tell the problem or the main event that happens.
• This is the exciting part — something changes or goes wrong!
• Example: Suddenly, a big fish splashed water all over her.

Part 3 — The End

• Tell how the problem is solved or how the story finishes.
• The character should feel something at the end.
• Example: The rabbit shook herself dry and laughed with joy.

Four story ingredients

• Character — who the story is about.
• Setting — where and when it happens.
• Problem — what goes wrong or what the character wants.
• Solution — how it ends.