Beginning a Short Story

Effective beginnings reveal three essential elements to ground your reader.

The Protagonist Who the story is about.

The Setting Where the story takes place.

The Conflict Challenges the protagonist faces.

[Image of narrative arc diagram]

Character

Your readers will experience your story through the eyes of your protagonist, so it’s important to introduce them early. Janet Burroway suggests four modes of introduction: Action, Speech, Thought, and Appearance.

Case Critique: What's wrong with this example? "On the day of gymnastic tryouts, Judy wore a beige skirt and a green sweater to school. Her hair was straight and blonde, and her eyes were blue as the ocean. A gold necklace dangled around her neck. Her size seven shoes were black and slightly scuffed. She stood five feet, six inches tall..."

Overdescribing: We probably didn’t need a lengthy description of Judy’s entire wardrobe.
First Impressions: In the beginning, we only need to give readers an impression of who the character is.
Unique Details: One or two unique details will usually do the trick! Remember: less is often more.
Lead with Action: We learn the most about people by the way they act.

Setting

Where does your story take place? A school? A space station? An ancient battlefield? Sharing this information early helps ground your readers in a physical location to prevent confusion and frustration. Do your best to tell us where we are in the first paragraph.

Conflict

The best stories put the protagonist in conflict with a person, place, or thing. This might be a problem to solve, a goal to achieve, or an opponent to overcome. It helps to start the story as close to the inciting incident as possible.

Case Study: The Three Little Pigs

"Once upon a time there was an old Sow with three little Pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune."

Character: The three little pigs
Conflict: She had not enough to keep them
Setting: Out to seek their fortune

Bonus Tip: Remember that none of these rules are hard and fast. The important thing is to just write and enjoy yourself. If you enjoyed these tips, check out Janet Burroway’s Writing Fiction.