David Meadows
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Registered: 09-2003
Posts: 475
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Eight rules for writing a short story
Kurt Vonnegut listed these eight rules in his book Bagombo Snuff Box.
1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should ****roaches eat the last few pages.
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"A good idea will keep you awake during the morning, but a great idea will keep you awake during the night."
Marilyn vos Savant
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9/21/2009, 10:51 am
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Reythia
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Registered: 11-2005
Posts: 1173
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Re: Eight rules for writing a short story
You know, I am generally anti-Vonnegut, but I actually agree with this list of his. It eats me to the bone to say it, though!
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9/21/2009, 4:06 pm
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QS2
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Registered: 03-2006
Posts: 1206
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Re: Eight rules for writing a short story
Well a lot of the points seem make a fair amount of sense, yes.
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9/21/2009, 9:01 pm
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