Your Story Must Have A Setup, Buildup & A Payoff

That’s all a short story is: a setup, a buildup and a payoff.  Or a beginning, a middle and an end.  Either way it’s the same thing.  And if you’re writing short stories, flash fiction, micro fiction, sudden fiction, mini fiction or the very short story all these forms of fiction have got to have this form of the setup, the buildup and the payoff.

This is not something a bunch of academics came up with a couple of hundred years ago.  This form is found in all short fiction since nearly the birth of modern writing which started some 5,000 years ago in the Middle East.

Keep the setup of your story as short as possible.  The meat of the story is in the buildup.  Then hit the reader with a short, sweet payoff.

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For examples of this form of the short story, go to the sidebar on the right under “Great Flash Fiction Stories To Read” and you will find short fiction about love, sex, marriage, life, college girls, men and women, sex videos and nude photos.  Do a random scan and read what you like.

You Need A Place To Write

Two problems that most writers face are when to write and where to write.  One depends on time and the other depends on place.  Of the two, probably place is the more important one.  And having a place to write is very important.

If the place is convenient, has all the tools you need, keeps the rest of the world at bay for awhile and provides solitude then the time to write can be managed, for your special place to write will constantly call to you…

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For numerous articles on writing and the writing life go to the sidebar on the right and scroll down to “More Flash Articles”.  Do a random scan and read what you like.

Writing About Every Day Life

Look around you.  What did you do today?  Did you talk to anyone?  Did you get accomplished some of the things you wanted to today?  If not, why not?

Your day today could contain the idea for your next short story. 

It was Raymond Carver’s work that introduced many modern readers and writers to the idea that the life of working class Americans could be made into great fiction.

So, look around you, if you’re a writer and whether you’re working class, middle class or rich there is a great short story waiting for you to write it just from what you did today and the people that you talked to.

Blogging And 21 Flash Fiction Stories

It’s a lovely day for blogging in Pittsburgh.  There is a vintage car show going on in the Oakland neighborhood near the University of Pittsburgh and the young people are sun bathing in the grass on campus.

I like being a blogger and I’m proud of my blog, the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette.  Now that I’ve taken early Social Security, it keeps me busy.   

There are 21 very short stories about love, sex, war, marriage, writing, blogging, karaoke, nude photography, sex videos, college girls and life in general in the sidebar on the right under “Great Flash Fiction To Read”.  Just do a random scan and read what you like.  And keep blogging.

Round Characters VS Dynamic Characters

There are basically three types of characters: flat, round and dynamic.  The difference between a flat character and a round character is that a round character has internal conflict or tension.  A round character also wants something.  A dynamic character is capable of change.

A flat character has no desire for anything and is incapable of change.  A round character becomes dynamic because he or she can and does change.  So, when you write your flash fiction and short stories keep these qualities in mind.

The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is full of articles about the writing life and the craft of writing.  If you are a writer just go to the sidebar on the right under “More Flash Articles”.  Do a random scan and read what you like.

Ex-NFL QB Steve McNair & Woman Found Dead

Media reports are coming out that former National Football League quarterback Steve McNair and a 20-year-old-woman were found shot to death in his downtown home in Tennessee.

McNair was found dead on the sofa.  He had several gun shot wounds.

A woman, Sahel Kazemi, was on the floor near the sofa.  She had suffered one gun shot wound to the head.  A pistol was found nearby…

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For short fiction about love, sex, men, women, jealousy, marriage, war, karaoke, friendship, relationships, girls kissing girls, girls loving girls, girls gone wild, lesbian lust, writing and life in general go to the sidebar on the right under “Great Flash Fiction Stories To Read”.  Make a random scan and see what you like.

Fox News Trys To Understand Palin Move

This morning on Fox News, Sarah Palin was still big news.  Was her resignation planned?  Did the scrutiny of the media push her out of the office of Governor of Alaska?  Did she decide she needed more time to finish her tell-all memoir?  How much is the book deal worth?  Has she ruined her chances with the Republican Party?  Has she split the Republican Party?  The panel on Fox TV News raised a lot of questions but like the rest of us, the media will have to wait to get the answers.

On this day after Independence Day, if you are a writer there are plenty of articles about writing flash fiction and short stories in the sidebar on the right under “More Flash Articles”.

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