A short story is a story that has a fully developed theme but is shorter and not as elaborate as a novel. It is brief yet concise. A short story focuses on a self-contained incident that evokes one single mood. However, a short story does not have a exact set length. There is no official number of words for a story to be considered a short one or a novel.

1. The Basic Elements of a
Short Story
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2. What is a short story?
 Story that has a fully-
developed theme
 Short yet concise
 No exact lengh; no
official number of words
to be a “short story”
 Has five basic elements
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3. What are the five basic elements?
 Character
 Setting
 Plot
 Conflict
 Theme
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4. Character
 Can either be a
person, an
animal or
anything that
takes part in the
story
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5. Setting
 Where and when
a story happens.
 Can be told by
describing
buildings,
scenery, season,
weather, etc.
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6. Plot
Series of events
where
character’s
actions relate to
the conflict
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7. Conflict
 Struggle between
two people ,
things or
characters in a
story.
 Main character is
often one-sided.
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8. Theme
Central idea of
the story
What the story
aims to teach or
what the author
believes in
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9. Examples
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10. Remember…
 A story will not be a story
without these elements.
 These elements should
always be present.
 It will not be a story
without these five
elements.
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