Writing Workshop: Forms of Short Stories

Forms of Fiction -- Short Stories (In Progress)

Flash Fiction (Microfiction) -- 1,000 words or less.

Anecdote -- like a parable, a brief realistic narrative that makes a point.

Parable -- a brief realistic narrative that makes a point.

Fable -- succinct tales with an explicit moral like Aesop Fables.

Fairy Tales -- 

Tale -- short form of storytelling to portray a moral or lesson, may highlight a cultural or religious perspective. Narration, summary and coincidence may play major roles in story. Similar to oral tradition.

(from: http://theeditorsblog.net/2015/03/13/writing-novels-vs-telling-tales/)

Vignette -- short, impressionistic scenes that focus on one moment or give particular insight into a character, idea, or setting. 

A vignette describes a short composition that can nevertheless display a high degree of compositional skill. Vignettes appear both as stand-alone pieces, similar to flash fiction, and as components of longer stories or plays. Brevity is the key to an effective vignette, though many writers find it valuable to establish a wider context for their works.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_2060077_write-vignette.html

Essay --

eShort -- 12-150 pages usually part of a series, perspective may be of a known story but from other characters pov

Short Story -- 1,000 - 20,000, 1,000 - 7,5000

see Alice Munro stories

• Usually in narrative prose, part of oral storytelling. Small cast of characters, to evoke a single effect or mood. Use of plot, resonance....
• exposition - setting, situation, main characters
• complication - event that introduces conflict
• rising action -
• crisis -- point where conflict is at the highest
• resolution -- conflict is resolved
• focus -- often on one incident
• single plot
• single setting
• short period of time

Short Fiction -- 3,000 - 15,000 words

Novellas/Novelettes -- longer short stories