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- Every story needs a beginning, middle, and end — but it also needs plot points to guide the reader from one act to the next.
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Knowing the six plot points—or points of a story—for your story can help you build tension and figure out what's working or not in your plot. However, how these plot points are applied depends on the genre you are writing.
Write a short story by sparking an idea, outlining your plot, creating characters, setting the scene, and building conflict. Use dialogue for character depth, choose a consistent POV, and end with a satisfying resolution. Keep your prose clear, concise, and engaging. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know — with examples!
The plot and structure of a short story (otherwise known as a story arc) is the logical order in which events happen in the story. It’s important to set the scene, introduce the inciting incident and obstacles, then show the resolution.
Do you need to outline a short story plot before writing it? Learn tips on how to plot a short story that works for every type of writer.
- Brainstorm. You don’t need to have multiple short story ideas ready to go at a moment’s notice. All you need is one solid concept. When an idea comes to you, sit down and flesh it out.
- Write out the central conflict. The foundations of your main conflict or theme often form a short story’s rising action. To create tension and movement, you must know exactly what your character wants and what would prevent them from getting it.
- Create a brief outline. Sketch out the flow of events your short story will contain, including interactions between characters and key moments. Jot down identifying characteristics and traits—but when it comes to drafting, pick your moments of backstory carefully: In order to make the cut, a piece of information must contribute to the story’s central events in some way.
- Pick a point of view. Many short stories work well in first-person because of their vignette-style brevity, but there’s no hard and fast rule saying yours must: If your story needs to be told in second-person or third-person, that works, too.
Plot points are what give your story momentum, moving the story forward and taking your reader with it. A plot point is defined as ‘a particularly significant part of a plot of a work of fiction.’. Even if your novel is quiet or literary, don’t ignore the importance of your structure.
Exposition. Inciting Incident. Rising Action or Progressive Complications. Dilemma. Climax. Denouement. These elements are the major events in a story, and they're essential in all creative writing, whether you're writing a novel, screenplay, memoir, short story, or other form.
