Short Story Notes and Outlines
What problem Because Why (was there a problem)...
“Shrinking sea ice may be endangering the polar bear population of Hudson Bay, Canada [what statement], because of changes to the bears’ hunting patterns, reproductive and weaning patterns, and energy consumption [why statement].”
I became a slave to my possesions, because I wanted to own them, and that causes you to have to defend your territory.
I became a slave to knowledge, because I obtained it from G-d, when He revealed it to me.
I became the owner of some new knowledge, because G-d revealed it to me when I searched for it, and prayed for it, and asked G-d for it.
Next (and this is the twist I brought to the theory of enthymemes) the student identifies which of the two variables constitutes Old Information (already known to the intended audience) and which constitutes New Information (info that is likely to be new AND likely to be interesting to that audience). The student then writes up the Old Information first, transitions to the New Information and then writes up the reason(s) why in the same order as in the enthymeme.
If both variables are Old Information, then the subject is not worth writing about – it would bore the reader. If both variables are New Information, then the student organizes the rest of the document by writing about the broader – more general – variable first.
Obviously, there is much more than this to the process, but that’s it in a nutshell. The neat thing is – it works for every type of nonfiction.
... all fiction involves an emotional problem to be solved. ...
always to begin fiction with “I had a problem with X because of Y.”
The “I,” of course, is the narrator. (After students became adept at the system, I changed it to “Z had a problem with X,” with Z being any PARTICULAR character.)
I became the owner of some new knowledge, because G-d revealed it to me when I searched for it, and prayed for it, and asked G-d for it.
Humanity had a problem with ownership because it wanted to have what it did not need.
Take the following prompt, for example – one that the state Department of Education gives to all teachers to assist them in helping their students prepare for state-mandated writing exams: You are on your way home from school and meet a talking dog. Write a story with a beginning, middle, and end.
Most students just jump in. The result is usually a hodgepodge of scenes and ideas, with little characterization.
My students brainstorm a Why Statement and then write an enthymeme. “I had a problem with a talking dog I met on my way home from school because it had Tourette’s Syndrome.”
“I” is Old Information. Readers do not know you, but until the narrator is fleshed out, you are just a single letter. Not much characterization so far! Therefore, you begin writing NOT about meeting the dog but rather about your life with dogs up to that point. You use an example or two to help make the writing vivid.
Humanity's trials with ownership up to the point of having a problem with it. Example of Humanity not owning this or that ... what happened
Next, you write about the New Information variable – meeting the talking dog. You do that in great detail – in contrast to writing about the narrator, the first variable, which has less detail.
Humanity discovered the new information ... now it belongs to them ... forever.
Then you transition to the Why Statement – in this case, taking the dog home (or having it follow you home) and having Mom grossed out by the dog’s filthy language.
Humanity wanted the new information ... and now it had it ... what would individuals do with it?
Next, you supply an ending in which the protagonist solves the problem in an interesting way.
Humanity gives up ownership of the new information, by following the word of G-d.
Finally, you throw away the enthymeme and – viola! – you have a short story. The story now begins with the narrator instead of with the enthymeme.
There are four basic ways to start a story – through action, characterization, setting, or clever use of language – and this starts with characterization. (There is a fifth way, through dialogue, but it is very tricky to do well.)
Action: Humanity loved its place in the universe Characterization: red blooded with love like a fawn following its mother Setting: The earth was calm and flush with the life bestowed upon it Clever use of language: to own or to be owned Dialog: "Where did he go?" ... Sandy knew, but did not want to tell her story.
Humanity had a problem with ownership because it wanted to have what it did not need. Risk: reputation of being inferior to other animals Humanity loved its place in the universe red blooded with love like a fawn following its mother The earth was calm and flush with the life bestowed upon it to own or to be owned "Where did he go?" ... Sandy knew, but did not want to tell her story. Example of Humanity not owning this or that ... what happened
Humanity discovered the new information ... now it belongs to them ... forever.
Humanity wanted new information, and now it had it ... what would individuals do with it? Flesh out the problem Humanity has now with this new ownership
Humanity gives up ownership of the new information, by following the word of G-d.
The animals were proud of themselves, because they started bragging to one another Animals argued about who was better than who, because they were proud of themselves.
The Rabbit felt mighty important that day, on top of the hill in the sun where he lay.
Risk: reputation of being inferior to other animals Motivation: just been on-upped by another animal
the humming bird stayed so busy that he was not able to eat, because he claimed ownership of the bird feeder, and spent all of his time defending it from others.
Risk: having to hunt for food Motivation: threat of other birds taking the feeder
the universe came to nothing, because entropy had never been reversed.
Risk: loss of all life Motivation: entropy
I had a problem with X, because of Y I needed to relieve myself again, and this time I was not sure if i'd make it in time.
Risk: not having any toilet paper when you need it Motivation: regularity
When something is very complicated, write about it like you are writing an email to a friend about it, or an enemy.
I had a problem with
