20 July 2020

Plot versus Character








That's a happy ending.


  1. Good advice, Steve. With short stories, it also depends on what/where they're set. Most of mine are in small town Laskin SD, so I have recurring characters who I know very well (and hope my readers have come to know). And occasionally the stories really are all about families, characters, and how those interact, because - well, it's small town drama. Never ends.

  2. A clear, concise way to put it. Hope beginners read this. Big differences between writing a novel and short stories.

  3. Good advice, Steve. I too find myself enjoying writing short stories perhaps because I'm not facing a long slog through that muddle in the middle, etc.

  4. Short stories do require a tight focus, a close interaction between character and plot. More is forgiven with novels.

  5. I agree with everyone above. Good advice, Steve!

  6. Eve, you make a great point about setting.

    In novels, setting is often another character. I can only think of a few stories where this is true (London's To Build A Fire, for one) and while I like to work with a setting, I tell my classes to start with a fairly generic setting (office, golf course, kitchen) just to prevent a lot of description.

    When they can combine plot and character, it's time to layer in more setting.

    And thanks to everyone else for the kind words.

  7. Great insight, Steve. When I wrote my novels, the plot came first and the characters followed. Now that I'm doing short stories, sometimes it's characters first, especially since I collect names from people I meet to Tuckerize them (use them in my writing). For example, I met a woman with three kids: Hazel Moon, Zoey Lynn and Alex Ray, and I just HAD to use those names. That turned into a story about three kids in a Florida swamp who are attacked by a Burmese python (a current BIG problem in the Everglades) and rescued by a Skunk Ape (our version of Bigfoot; NOT named Darryl).

    On the other hand, I had the idea of an insurance company that ONLY insures against Acts of God, and the characters and names came later. One page.

    On the other other hand, sometimes it's just an idea, like "Why are dragonflies called that if they can't spit fire?" And that turned into a little two-pager, with an anagram for the main character's name.

    Whichever starting point I use, I have to admit I have a lot of fun writing each and every one. (Editing is another story.)

  8. Based on your blog today, I read Afternoon Delight, my first time reading your work. I gave it a critical review on Amazon suggesting that if Trash and Jimmy don't snare you up as an avid fan, nothing will. I thoroughly enjoyed the story! And, the story reflects your post today. Thanks for the insights.

  9. Eagle, you just made my whole day. Thank you! :-)

    In the interest of blatant self-promotion, Trash and Byrne are the protagonists of two novels, The Whammer Jammers and Hit Somebody, two novels involving women's roller derby.

    The novella "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma" stars my Detroit PI "Woody" Guthrie, and
    another novella, "This Year's Model," features my Hartford PI Zach Barnes. Both PIs have several novels in a series, but these are the only stories I have published online with any of them. There is another story with Trash and Byrne, but it was published recently enough so the rights haven't reverted to me yet. I'll probably publish that next year when the rights come back to me.

    Thank you again for your generous review, too.


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