Things You'll Need:
- Dictionaries
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Step 1
Read the "blurbs" on the inside front cover or back cover to gather information about the author and his or her favorite subjects.
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Step 2
Look at the date of publication - it can often help you to set the scene or exclude a particular historical background.
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Step 3
Skim the table of contents if you are reading a complete collection of the author's works. Sometimes you can tell if short stories are meant to be read together just by looking at titles.
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Step 4
Examine the title of the story; you can often consider it a condensation of the essential point.
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Step 5
Read dialogue carefully. In many short stories, though not all, revelation of character comes mostly through conversation, since there is little time for action.
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Step 6
Expect a dramatic, surprising or even odd twist at the end of the story - you will have been set up for it quite carefully.
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Step 7
Re-examine the title and read the story again to identify the clues to the ending that you may have missed the first time through.
Comments
fredgrim said
on 7/14/2009 1. Knowing an authors interests doesnt help or hinder one in reading a story.
2. The date of publication rarely has anything to do with the story's scene.
3. Short stories come in series?
4. "Read dialogue carefully" Because many people skip the talking. What about people who skip nouns, verbs and words which have the letter E?
5. "Expect a surprising end" Geez...thanks for ruining it.
6. So thats why its called "How to read a short story." Now I get it....Better go back and check for clues.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 You can't write anything if you're stressed out and thinking about it too hard. If that happens, you should take a walk, read a book, or just hang out with a friend for a while. The ideas for information will more likely come to you when you're relaxed.