Short Story

So what am I looking for in a story? Needs to follow this order: Action Background Development Climax Ending Here is the summary of what I'm looking for: An early contract with the reader that establishes the essentials of the story. A truncated arc (you begin the story as close as possible to the climax and end the story immediately afterward, if not in the midst of the climax, to avoid dull buildups and summary closures). A balancing act of summary and scene (unfolding action in “real time,”with interspersed dialogue), with the scales tilting much more to scene. An intriguing, dynamic main character with an obsession that drives the story full-steam ahead from the opening to the climax(this is typically someone we can root for). A conflict that is created by his or her choices, not be happenstance (not that happenstance can’t be an element in a story, but the driving force of the modern story is a character’s psychology, an obsession, an unquenched passion, a quest, a regret he or she just can’t forget or forgive). Therefore, a conflict that develops character; consider the conflict much like the poetic question: it shouldn’t be resolved with easy, cliché, or prosaic answers. That means also that the conflict should be treated in a realistic fashion (outlandish incidents are perfectly fine, as long as you relate them in a believable way that’s true to the voice and tone and characterization of the story). An identifiable setting. Concrete imagery that gives the story [login to view URL], of course, along the way, plenty of irony to provide the surprising layers of character, the surprising turns of plot(which follows the formula ABDCE ), and the needed laughs and oohs and ahhs we expect from meaningful entertainment. Can be written about anything, there is no set topic however it should be a relatable story, nothing super abstract or random.