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Important elements of a short story

A short story is a short work of fiction. Fiction is prose writing about imagined events and characters. Some short stories can be quite long. If a short story is a long one, say fifty to one hundred pages, we call it a novella.

When readers read a short story, they must be able to

 identify the characters in the story;

 determine the place where the story takes/took place;

 relate the events or plot of the story;

 determine the time when the events take/took place.

What makes a good short story? Combining the five key elements that go into every great short story: character, setting, conflict, plot and theme.

A character is a person, or sometimes even an animal, who takes part in the action of a short story or other literary work. A short story usually has only one main character. Because of it being so short, there is not much room for character development. At a critical moment, a character revelation or development can take place, thereby revealing the inner life of the character.

Characters can be introduced to the reader in more than one way, namely

a)	by describing the characters directly;
b)	through the characters’ behaviour, in other words their actions;
c)	through what the characters say and think, in other words their dialogue and line of thought;
d)	through name-giving: the character’s name can also describe the character;
e)	what others say about the character.

The setting of a short story is the time and place in which it happens. Authors often use descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, seasons or weather to provide a strong sense of setting.

A plot is a series of events and character actions that relate to the central conflict.

The conflict is a struggle between two people or things in a short story. The main character is usually on one side of the central conflict. The main character may struggle against another important character, against the forces of nature, against society, or even against something inside himself or herself (feelings, emotions, illness).

The theme is the central idea or belief in a short story. The short story usually has only one motive or main idea. Ask yourself: What is this story really about?

In present-day short stories, the main character often also narrates the story in the first person.