ENG-3020

Shoup, B., & Denman, M. (2009). Novel ideas: Contemporary authors share the creative process. https://search-proquest-com.proxy1.nu.edu/legacydocview/EBC/3039135?accountid=28180
These two chapters from Novel Ideas offer useful information on where to build up the impact of your story (through recognizing its elements) and how to do that hardest of all writing tasks—FINISH THE STORY!

Writers on Writing, Series 1(1). (2000, January 1). The writers: In the beginning [Video/DVD]. https://proxy1.nu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy1.nu.edu/docview/1822669707?accountid=28180
Read The Writers: In the Beginning.

Writers on Writing, Series 1 (4). (2000, January 1). The writers: Crafting the story [Video/DVD]. https://proxy1.nu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy1.nu.edu/docview/1822669282?accountid=28180
Take a reading break with these two companion videos that speak to various writers’ experiences and processes for how to tackle a story. Keep in mind as you go the following question: can this method help you to craft a story, or improve one you’ve drafted?

Sublett, S. W. (2014). Screenwriting for neurotics: A beginner's guide to writing a feature-length screenplay from start to finish. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nu/reader.action?docID=1766293&ppg=73
If there is a single form of creative writing that holds the idea of the plot as the essential driving force of a story, it’s screenwriting. And there’s a reason for that—you’ve watched a movie or television show and thought to yourself, “Jeez, this is slow!” A strong plot that moves along at the right tempo can remedy that problem, and this reading can help us understand how to craft a hard-driving plot. Keep in mind that, while you’ll be writing a traditional prose short story, the ideas presented in this book on screenwriting can carry over with great effect!

DeMarinis, R. (2016). The art & craft of the short story. Retrieved from
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/nu/reader.action?docID=4840069&ppg=65
Read pages 65-76. In this selection, you’ll read about how some authors view the plot as less important to a successful story than the characters and other elements. Whether this is the best way to view the plot in your stories will depend on the story and the characters. Think of the reading on the plot from Screenwriting for Neurotics and consider which you think has more merit for you.

Kennedy, K. (2019, February). In D. G. Jerz & J. Dalbesio, J. (Eds.), Short story tips: 10 hacks to improve your creative writing. https://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/
This is a nice resource that can help you out of a tough spot as you craft or revise a story. The tips provided can be viewed as a checklist of sorts, and you can scan down them as you write a story. Do you need to create more tension, here? Or maybe you’re stuck at what should happen on page 3? Use this guide to help overcome your trouble spots!