Writing in General and the Short Story in

Here is a practical guide to writing short stories that explains all the essential techniques of fiction - from character and plot to flashback and foreshadowing - in a way that is both understandable and useful to the beginning writer. Long considered a classic in the field, WRITING IN GENERAL is the product of a lifetime of reflection by one of our best literary minds.

Rust Hills is the longtime fiction editor of Esquire

Introduction

vii

The Short Story, as against the Novel and the Sketch

1

(4)

Character and Action

5

(2)

Fixed Action, as against Moving Action

7

(3)

As the Story Begins and Ends

10

(3)

Loss of the Last Chance to Change

13

(1)

Recognizing the Crucial

14

(3)

Naming the Moment

17

(2)

``Epiphany'' as a Literary Term

19

(5)

The Inevitability of Retrospect

24

(2)

Enhancing the Interaction of Character and Plot

26

(1)

Techniques of Foreshadowing

27

(6)

Foreshadowing and Suspens

33

(4)

Techniques of Suspense

37

(1)

Mystery and Curiosity

37

(1)

Conflict and Uncertainty

38

(2)

Tension and Anticipation

40

(3)

``Agreement'' in Character and Action

43

(2)

Movement of Character

45

(2)

The Character Shift, as against Movement of Character

47

(2)

Slick Fiction, as against Quality Fiction

49

(4)

Moving Characters, as against Fixed Characters

53

(3)

The SEries Regulars, as against the Guest Stars

56

(2)

Types of Character

58

(3)

Types as Exceptions

61

(1)

Type Characters, as against Stock Characters

62

(3)

The Dichotomous Stereotype

65

(2)

Differentiating from Types

67

(3)

Knowing a Character

70

(4)

Motivation

74

(2)

The Stress Situation

76

(4)

The Importance and Unimportance of Plot

80

(2)

Plot in a Short Story, as against Plot in a Novel

82

(4)

Selection in Plot

86

(6)

Scenes

92

(3)

Plot Structure

95

(3)

Beginning

98

(6)

Midding

104

(2)

Ending

106

(2)

Sequence and Causality

108

(1)

The Frame, as against the Flashback

109

(3)

Pattern in Plot

112

(5)

Choice as Technique

117

(3)

Point-of-View Methods

120

(4)

Limitations and Advantages in Point of View

124

(4)

When Point of View is ``Wrong''

128

(2)

The ``Question'' of Point of View

130

(5)

Point of View and ``Involvement''

135

(5)

The ``Moved'' Character and Point of View

140

(5)

The Focusing Power of Point of View

145

(4)

Monologues, and the Pathological First person

149

(5)

Irony and Point of View

154

(4)

Setting

158

(4)

Style

162

(3)

Theme

165

(6)

The Short Story and the New Criticism

171

(7)

The American Short Story ``Today''

178

(13)

Afterword: Writing in General

191

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Writing in General and the Short Story in Particular

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials