怎樣用英語寫好短篇故事

The first question many students may ask when setting out to write a short story is how long is a short story supposed to be? Short stories have a fairly broad range of lengths, between 1,000 and 7,500 words.

在準備一個短篇故事的時候，許多學生問的第一個問題是：“短篇故事篇幅有多長？”短篇故事的篇幅範圍比較廣泛，字數在1000到7500字之間。

If you are writing for a class or publication, your teacher or editor may give you specific page requirements. If you double space, 1000 words in 12-point font covers between three and four pages.

如果你是爲教學或出版社寫文章，你的老師或編輯會告訴你具體的頁數要求。如果你使用的是兩倍行距，12號字，就要寫三到四頁，大概1000字左右。

However, it is important not to limit yourself to any page limits or goals in the initial drafts. You should write until you get the basic outline of your story intact and then you can always go back and adjust the story to fit any set length requirements you have.

但是，在準備初稿的時候，有一點很重要，就是不要讓自己侷限於篇幅限制或要求。你應該先完成完整的故事基本大綱，然後再將故事按照篇幅要求進行調整。

The toughest part of writing short fiction is condensing all the same elements necessary for a full length novel into a smaller space. You still need to define plot, character development, tension, climax and the falling action.

創作短篇小說最困難的就是爲了縮短篇幅，將所有相同的要素放在一起進行考慮。你仍然需要對故事情節、角色進展、衝突、高潮和低潮。

Short Story Point of View

短篇故事的立場

One of the first things you want to think about is what point of view would work best for your story. If your story centers on one character's personal journey, first person will allow you to show the main character's thoughts and feelings without having to spend too much time demonstrating them through action.

你要思考的第一件事就是什麼樣的立場最適合來講述你的故事。如果你的故事主要講述的是一個人物的個人經歷，你可以使用第一人稱來表現主要人物的內心想法和感情，也就不需要在動作表現上花費太多時間。

Third person, the most common, can allow you to tell the story as an outsider. A third person omniscient point of view gives the writer access to the knowledge of all the characters' thoughts and motives, time, events, and experiences.

第三人稱的使用是最普遍的，它可以使你從一個旁觀者的角度來講述故事。第三人稱具有全知視角，能夠幫助作者表現所有人物的想法、動機、時間、事件和經歷。

Third person limited has full knowledge of only one character and any events tied to him.

第三人稱的侷限是隻能對一個人物及其相關事件進行全面闡述。

Short Story Setting

短篇故事設定

The opening paragraphs of a short story should quickly depict the setting of the story. The reader should know when and where the story is taking place. Is it present day? The future? What time of year is it?

短篇故事一開篇就應該迅速描述出故事的設定。讀者應該知道故事發生的時間和地點。是發生在現在、還是未來？時間是哪一年？

The social setting is also important to determine. Are the characters all wealthy? Are they all women?

社會環境的選取也十分重要。所有的人物都是富人嗎？都是女子嗎？

When describing the setting, think of the opening of a movie. The opening scenes often span across a city or countryside then focus in on a point involving the first scenes of action.

在描述你的設定時，想象電影的開始場景。電影的開場一般都是設定在一個城市或鄉村，然後集中在第一幕的場景。

You could also this same descriptive tactic. For example, if your story begins with a person standing in a large crowd, describe the area, then the crowd, maybe the weather, the atmosphere (excited, scary, tense) and then bring the focus into the individual.

你也可以使用相同的策略。例如，如果你的故事開篇就是描寫一個人站在人羣中，你可以先描述場景，然後是人羣，或者天氣、氣氛（熱烈、恐怖、緊張），接着將視覺集中在個人身上。

Short Story Conflict

短篇故事中的衝突

Once you develop the setting you must introduce the conflict or the rising action. The conflict is the problem or challenge that the main character faces. The issue itself is important, but the tension created is what creates reader involvement.

一旦你展開設定，就必須介紹衝突或上升的情節。衝突就是主要人物面對的問題或挑戰。問題本身是重要的，但是營造出的緊張氣氛卻能夠使讀者身臨其境。

The tension in a story is one of the most important aspects; it's what keeps the reader interested and wanting to know what will happen next.

故事中的緊張氣氛是最重要的方面之一；它使得讀者產生興趣，並想知道接下來會發生什麼。

To simply write, "Joe had to decide whether to go on his business trip or stay home for his wife's birthday," lets the reader know there is a choice with consequences but does not elicit much reader reaction.

如果只是寫：“喬不得不決定是去出差還是留在家裏給妻子過生日”，這只是讓讀者知道有兩種選擇，卻無法引起讀者的共鳴。

To create tension you could describe the internal struggle Joe is having, maybe he'll lose his job if he doesn't go, but his wife is really looking forward to spending time with him on this particular birthday. Write the tension that Joe is experiencing in his head.

爲了營造緊張氣氛，你可以描繪喬內心的掙扎，比如如果他不去出差就可能丟掉飯碗，但他的妻子卻是非常盼望能與他共度這個特別的日子。你可以將喬腦中的緊張情緒描寫出來。

Short Story Climax

短篇故事的高潮

Next should come the climax of the story. This will be the turning point where a decision is made or change occurs. The reader should know the outcome of the conflict and understand all the events leading up to the climax.

接下來的就是故事的高潮。它就是做出決定或發生轉變的轉折點。讀者應該知道衝突的結果，並理解把情節推向高潮的事件。

Be sure to time your climax so that it doesn't happen too late or too soon. If done too soon, the reader will either not recognize it as the climax or expect another twist. If done too late the reader might get bored before it happens.

你要確定好高潮發生的時間，使得其不會太遲或太快。如果完成得太快，讀者會意識不到這是高潮，或者開始期待另一個轉折。如果太晚出現，讀者在之前就會感到厭倦。

The last part of your story should resolve any questions left after the climactic events take place. This could be an opportunity to see where the characters end up sometime after the turning point or how they deal with the changes that have occurred in and/or around themselves.

你的故事的最後一部分應該解決高潮事件之後的所有問題。這是一個觀察角色在轉折之後怎樣收尾的機會，或者怎樣解決自己身上或周圍發生的變化。

Once you get your story drafted into a semi-final form, try letting a peer read it and give you some feedback. You will most likely find that you became so involved in your story that you omitted some details.

一旦你的故事變成了半成品，可以讓同齡人讀讀看，給你一些反饋。你很可能會發現自己因爲受到故事限制而忽略了一些細節。

Don't be afraid to take a little creative criticism. It will only make your work stronger.

不要害怕一些創造性的批評，它只會讓你的作品更加完善。

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