Saturday, February 11, 2023

Plot Setting for Short Story-Telling: A Short Summary

 


When it comes to creative writing, as is the entire flesh and bone of this blog and its brother blog https://dreamweaverdiaries.blogspot.com/, one of the key ingredients is Plot and Setting Summary of Original Creative Short Story. Here's an example below. 

Plot Summary

This is a story of love.  It is meant to enchant, delight and inspire.  Scene one of my story takes place in a fictional village set in early century.  The characters are taken from strangers to life companions through an interesting tale of love.  The main character longs to one day, meet the jewel of his Nile but loses hope and allows his heart to grow cold and bitter, until that unexpected day when the jewel appears.  It is not with ease that they finally lock hearts.  It takes some time and distance to make a final breakthrough.  But once the union is created, it is unbreakable.  The plot of the story is, a man begins to reminisce on his life as he sits down to write a letter to his wife.  He thinks back on when he first came to understand and want for love.  Then he remembers how his passion stayed with him over the years but never came true for him.  It did for others, but not for him.  In an effort to continue to fulfill his place in life, he continued to live single without searching for love any further.  Until one day, she finds him.  They make every effort to see each other and spend time together.  Then, finally after much travel and time, they find themselves able to live together and be wed.  Their lives are simple but fulfilling and they are both pleased to find their soul mate.  He wraps up his story by continuing to light the small flame of their undying love, a daily letter of good word and spirit. 



Setting Summary

 

Now the setting of the story is similar to early century England.  Cobblestone streets lined with Victorian style lampposts are accented by wooden and brick storefronts, Victorian styled three level homes, a town square, and a town church.  Some of the scenes take place in the main characters childhood, so the setting ages a bit but only enough to reflect a flashback.  The overall atmosphere is still the same.

There are horse and carriage, pony express, and town square villagers about.  Picture Norman Rockwell meets Thomas Kincaid.  The illustrations of small, village town living, filled with the eye opening smell of fresh baked breads in the morning, sweet pastries and pies in the afternoon, and the mouthwatering taste of warm, creamy soup on the cold, cold night.  The seasons change from winter to fall, but the overall emotions expressed through the characters bring a feeling of springtime exuberance with summer heat to warm the soul.  In the setting you will find mostly wood furniture, used, chafed and chipped in places from years of good use.  There will also be a feeling from the scratchy wool clothing worn by the characters in most of the scenes.  Thick, warm sweaters and boots, accented by winter gloves, hat and scarf, all bring out the reality of each scene.  Since there are no automobiles in this time, horse and carriage will have to be depended on for the idea of transportation.  Which is important to the story because of the plot.  The fact that there is distance between the towns and they have to travel by horse and carriage and communicate through messenger, adds to why the passion and waiting grew so strong between the two main characters.  These are the ingredients of the creative short story of love.  It will enchant, delight and inspire. 

DeMaster Thomas

Sally Hellman

April 2, 2003

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