Play Versus Short Story: What is the Difference?

What are the differences between a play and a short story?

PLAY

• dates back to Plato and Aristotle
• consists of acts and scenes
• drama comes from the Greek word "dran" which means to do or to act
• tells the story of one or more events
• consists of a few characters
• set on a stage
• tells story through dialogue
• use of literary devices
• theme should be evident as play unfolds
• setting self-evident
• top 100 stage plays (http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13581.Goodreads_Top_100_Stage_Plays_of_All_Time)

https://prezi.com/iupdawcjsone/renaissance-presentation/

SHORT STORY

• dates back to early 19th Century
• consists of a sequence of events (plot)
• has a clear beginning, middle and ending
• few characters
• read at one sitting
• tells story through narration and some dialogue
• strong character development
• frequent use of literary devices
• theme woven into the plot
• setting described through narration
• top 100 short stories (http://americanliterature.com/100-great-short-stories)

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OQq_R0FSkAM/hqdefault.jpg

The Shakespearean Sonnet: A Thing of Beauty

The Shakespearean Sonnet is one of the oldest traditions in English poetry.  Composed of 14 lines this sonnet follows the following rhyming scheme:  ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG.  It is written in iambic pentameter:  each line is composed of five feet; each foot is composed of an unstressed followed by a stressed syllable (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iambic_pentameter).

It is divided into three quatrains and one couplet.  The first quatrain introduces the main theme or metaphor.  The second quatrain extends the theme or metaphor.  The third quatrain gives the poem an unexpected twist, called peripeteia.  The couplet summarizes the poem; it gives the poem a concluding image (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-a-sonnet.html).

One of Shakespeare's most popular sonnets is Sonnet 18:

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate.

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date.

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature's changing course, untrimmed.

But they eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,

Nor shall death brag thou wanderest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest.

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

http://www.polyvore.com/shall_compare_thee_to_summers/contest.show?id=177037

Here is a Shakespearean sonnet I wrote in 2006 about a bridge that Rob and I used to visit in St. Mary's, Ontario, called As I Stand on the Old Train Bridge:

O'er the river Thames the red sun disappears

As I stand on the old train bridge looking down.

I can almost hear the trains of yesteryear

Winding their weary way through the old stone town.

The river carves a path through the fertile ground.

Next to the running water lies a lush plain.

The grass is so green and the trees do abound

Where Jersey cows once grazed beneath passing trains.

Two ducks take a long drink after the soft rain.

As they hide behind a swaying poplar tree.

In the distance grows a field of golden grain

As far away as the naked eye can see.

As I stand on the old train bridge, silence speaks:

And a hush falls over the meandering creak.

http://www.townofstmarys.com/discover/attractions/attractions.aspx?id=4332

Scenes: The Building Blocks of Your Story

"Scenes are what allow writers to abide by the timeless saying 'show, don't tell,"  (Justine Schofield)  

Scenes give us the opportunity to "create, exploit and flesh out" our characters.  "Scenes are just as important as the characters that inhabit them," according to blogger Justine Schofield (http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/scenes-building-blocks-of-your-story/).  Each scene is composed of dialogue, action, interior speculation or monologue and narration.  Scenes should advance the plot forward.  If not, cut them out.  You only need just enough blocks to build the scene, no more, no less.

What constitutes a scene?  Justine Schofield says that three things call for a scene change when a new character is introduced, a current character exits or the setting changes.

Author of The Plot Whisperer Workbook, Martha Alderson (http://janefriedman.com/2012/08/29/7-elements-scene) recommends that you generate a scene list.  What does the main character want?  What steps will she take to get it?  What is stopping her at every turn?  Is the protagonist moving the scene forward?  Title each scene, or chapter if its a book, to keep track of them.

Ms. Alderson maintains that scenes have different layers, each which has a function.  The first layer establishes the setting of the story.  Justine Schofield mentions an exercise:  write down ten items in a room.  See how you can use those items to advance the scene.  For example, the main character might be so worried, he eats a whole loaf of bread.  He might push his desk chair out from under him because he is so frustrated.  He might, in a rage, throw a cup of coffee at his sibling.

The second layer of the scene allows the dramatic action to unfold.  This scene should be filled with conflict, tension and suspense.  The conflict doesn't have to be overt, but it should be there.  Setbacks and failure experienced by the protagonist lead to suspense.  Will or will he not succeed?  A change in emotional development in the main character is the third layer of the scene.  The main character should have a emotional reaction to the dramatic action in each scene.  A fourth layer should ensure that the details in the scene support the dominant theme of the story.

So what are you waiting for?  Get out your building blocks and start building.

http://hilladvisory.com/the-building-blocks-of-an-investigation/

Theme: The Heart of the Story

"Theme is the prescription for living that the writer wants to give the audience or reader." 

(Michael Hauge)

Theme is the central idea of your story.  C. S. Lankin calls it "the heart of the story" (http://www.cslakin.com/).  The theme is connected to the protagonist's internal journey.  It allows the reader to relate to the characters and their struggles.  "Theme is the prescription for living that the writer wants to give the audience or reader," says Michael Hauge (http://www.storymastery.com/).

Picture books should have one theme while chapter books or novels can have more than one theme. The main character in The Polar Express questions the existence of Santa Claus; he takes a journey to the North Pole and finds out that if he can hear the bell, he truly believes.  He need only have faith is the theme of the story.  The protagonist in the novel Catcher in the Rye doesn't want to grow up; preservation of innocence is the theme.  Harry Potter feels unwanted wherever he goes; he wants to find a place to call home.  Joan McCord offers other examples of theme:

• old ways are best
• determination wins the day
• the more you give, the more you get
• faith will see you through
• father knows best
• crime doesn't pay
• as the twig is bent, so grows the tree
• man is the master of his fate
• honesty is the best policy

"Plot, character, setting, point of view and symbolism support and create theme," says Joan McCord (http://authorlink.com/skill-building/what-is-theme-and-why-is-it-important/). As you draft your story outline, as you string your sentences together, as you complete your chapters, keep theme uppermost in your mind.  Remember that the theme is usually inferred, rather than stated directly. Ms. McCord points out that your title, chapter titles, beginning, and particularly, your ending should all lead back to your dominant theme.  Write one sentence to sum up your theme.  Keep it in mind as you write the book.  It will also come in handy when you pitch your story to potential publishers.  

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/THEME-The-Message-freebie-1776549

Ten Tips to Writing a Chapter Book That Sells

Chapter books are geared to children ages 7 to 9.  Chapter books run generally 4,000 to 10,000 words in total.  They bridge the gap between picture books and middle grade novels.  Here are some steps to follow when writing a chapter book.

1.  Decide what will happen.

Map out your plot, setting and characters.  Write an outline on the computer or put your ideas on index cards and post them on a bulletin board where they can be easily seen.

liviaquinn.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/othrsbtod8b.png

2.  Organize a list of chapters

Know ahead of time which events will happen when.  Chapters headings should give some indication of what will happen in the chapter.  Keep them short.  Blogger Kathleen Temean recommends each chapter should be 400 to 1,000 words in length.

http://www.theinconvenientchild.com/ContentsLow.jpg

3.  Do character sketches

Who are your characters?  What do they do?  What changes will your main character undergo?  Make sure he or she is three-dimensional.  Kathleen Temean says that your protagonist can be mischievous, can make mistakes, but shouldn't be amoral.  Avoid anthropomorphic characters (animals with human characteristics).

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Character-Sketch

4.  Picture the setting

While plot and characters are often the focus of an author, setting is often neglected.  However, setting "provides the backdrop against which your dramas ultimately play out," (http://www.writersdigest.com/tip-of-the-day/discover-the-basic-elements-of-setting-in-a-story).  If the setting is a real place, heavily research it.  If it is a fictional place, it can always loosely be based on a real place.  Setting can give your story mood, meaning and theme.  Keep it in mind as you string your story together.

http://www.betterstorytelling.net/images/article_images/setting_265x265.jpg

5.  Plan out the Plot

According to Jennifer Jensen, a chapter book plot should be "dramatic, but not nightmarish".  The plot can be fast paced, but not too complex.  Keep it clear and simple.

http://femketuition.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/general-story-plan.png

6.  Establish a Theme

"An effective piece of writing contains a single, dominant message," says blogger Chip Scanlan.  What is my story really about?  You should be able to narrow your theme down to one sentence.
Keep your theme uppermost in your mind as you write your story.

http://happyfishtarot.com/images/themespread.png

7.  Get inspired

Avid readers make avid writers.  Read 100 chapter books to get ideas.  Jennifer Jensen recommends the following series:

-Junie B. Jones
-Judy Moody
-Ruby Lu
-Mallory
-The Magic Treehouse
-Flower Fairy Friends
-Fish Face

I also recommend the series:

-I Survived (ex. the Chicago Fire, the Nazi Invasion, the Battle of Gettysburg, etc)

http://www.amazon.com/Survived-11-Great-Chicago-Fire/dp/0545658462

8.  Start Writing

According to Kathleen Tremean, a chapter book should include lots of dialogue.  Sentences and paragraphs should be short.  Language should be vivid.  Infuse your story with humour, which should be age-appropriate.  Don't forget to include some illustrations.

motivatedpublishingstudios.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/manuscript-writing-21.png?w=593&h=261&crop=1

9.  Edit, Edit, Edit

Give your book to a few people, ideally children who are your potential audience, to read.  Ask for feedback.  Look for constructive criticism.  Wait a month or two.  Go back to your manuscript and implement some of the suggested changes.

http://www.bookmasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/editorial.jpg

10.  Be Patient!  Don't give up!  Wait for the right opportunity to publish your manuscript.  Good things come to those who wait.

https://beardmonkey.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/hourglass.jpg

For more information, read https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/writing-chapter-books/.

 

Writing Feature Articles: Laying the Groundwork

"Too many students mistake reporting for a journalistic version of a police dragnet.  They pull in everything they can find and then try to figure out what the story is.  Such an approach results in stories riddled with holes and lacking any dominant focus." 

(http://journalistsresource.org/syllabi/syllabus-feature-writing#)

Before you set out to write an article, you have to lay the groundwork.  First, make sure you have the right angle.  Zero in on the story.  Bring the lens in tight.  Don't write about the playground.  Write about the two boys who are jockeying for a spot on the jungle gym.  Don't write about the battle. Write about the soldier who has returned from Afghanistan with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Don't write about the tornado.  Write about the pastor whose church building is as flat as a pancake.  

Second, do your homework.  Read up on what has already been written about the subject.  Find out what areas have not yet been touched upon.  Identify sources for the story.  Who are the authorities who can give you their expert opinion?  Who are the "street level" people who have lived the experience?

Third, establish a strong theme.  According to Larry Brooks in Story Engineering a powerful theme can get your story published (see (http://www.amazon.ca/Story-Engineering-Larry-Brooks/dp/1582979987).  The same is true in the newspaper and magazine world.  Make sure your article's theme is clear and concise.  "Writers who fill stories with exhaustive documentation but fail to establish a clear story line file copy that reads like a government report."  Your aim as a writer is to both inform and entertain your readers. 

William Blundell, in The Art and Craft of Feature Writing (http://www.amazon.ca/The-Art-Craft-Feature-Writing/dp/0452261589), recommends that you write a theme statement before you conduct your research and reporting.  "Entering the reporting process without one is like running through brambles instead of along a clearly marked path."  A theme statement allows you to write with purpose.

Here are some useful questions recommended at journalistsresource.org to help you lay the groundwork for your article:

1.  Is the story's scope too broad?

2.  Do I have time to report and write a story of the scale I'm proposing?

3.  Am I getting down to street level in my reporting?

4.  Can I establish an element of surprise or anticipation at the outset of the story that isn't answered until the end?

5.  Does something happen in the story?  Does something change?  According to Jon Franklin in Writing For Story:  Craft Secrets of Dramatic Non Fiction (http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Story-Dramatic-Nonfiction-Reference/dp/0452272955):  "A story consists of a sequence of actions that occur when a sympathetic character encounters a complicating situation that he confronts and solves."

6.  Does the story's contemporary context or past make it more interesting to tell?

http://www.wikihow.com/Develop-a-Theme-when-Writing