For this application, you will submit a rough draft of a short story. Your short story should:
Develop a plot around a conflict.
Organize the events in time order.
Use specific details to describe characters and setting.
Use dialogue.
Your draft is only graded for completion, not for quality. You may receive 100% on your draft because you completed it, but that does not necessarily mean that it is A work. Review your teacher's feedback closely when you begin to revise your draft in the Revision lesson for this unit.
Remember to write in complete sentences, in your own words. Check your work to make sure that you have followed all of the directions and completed all parts of this application.
Title: The Secret of the Locked Room
There was a locked room in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Brown. Nobody had ever been inside that room for years. After the Brown’s passed away, their estate was sold to a new family who soon became curious about the secret behind the locked room.
One day, the new owner's daughter, Megan, decided to investigate the mysterious room. She looked through the keyhole but it was too dark to see anything. Megan made a bold decision and broke the door open to reveal what was inside.
To her surprise, the room was empty except for an old trunk. Megan tried opening the lock on the trunk but it was too rusty. She finally managed to unlock it and found some old letters, photographs, and a journal inside. She started reading the journal and became engrossed in the story behind the locked room.
As she read the journal, she learned that the Brown's had a daughter who had passed away years ago. The locked room had belonged to her. It turned out that the Brown’s were highly protective of their daughter and kept her away from the public. Her room was kept locked all the time to prevent her from leaving. They wanted to keep her all to themselves.
Megan then read a letter that told of how the daughter had escaped from the room one night and ran away from home. The Brown's searched for her for months, but she was never found. The journal revealed that the Brown’s spent the rest of their lives looking for their lost daughter.
As Megan finished the journal, she sat there in disbelief. She had uncovered a secret that had been hidden for years. She knew then that she will never forget the story of The Secret of the Locked Room.
To submit a rough draft of a short story that meets the given requirements, follow these steps:
Step 1: Choose a conflict
Think about a conflict that could drive your story. It could be a personal conflict, a conflict with nature, or a conflict between characters. The conflict will be the central problem that your characters will face.
Step 2: Develop a plot
Create an outline or a rough plan for your story. Decide on the main events that will happen and how they will lead to the resolution of the conflict. Make sure to have a clear beginning, middle, and end to your story.
Step 3: Organize events in time order
Arrange the events of your story in a logical order. Start with the introduction of the characters and setting, then progress through the rising action, climax, and resolution. Ensure that the events flow smoothly and make sense to the reader.
Step 4: Use specific details to describe characters and setting
Describe your characters in a way that makes them unique and relatable to the reader. Include details about their appearance, personality, and actions. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the setting, including sights, sounds, smells, and textures.
Step 5: Use dialogue
Incorporate dialogue into your story to bring your characters to life and advance the plot. Use quotation marks to indicate when characters are speaking, and include tags to identify who is speaking. Dialogue should be natural and realistic, conveying the characters' emotions, thoughts, and conversations.
Step 6: Review your draft
Before submitting your rough draft, read through it carefully. Make sure you have addressed all the required elements: a plot around a conflict, events organized in time order, specific details about characters and setting, and dialogue. Edit for grammar, punctuation, and clarity.
Step 7: Submit your rough draft
Submit your completed rough draft of the short story according to the instructions given by your teacher. Remember, this draft will be graded for completion, so ensure that you have met all the necessary requirements.
Once you have received feedback from your teacher, use it to revise your story in the next revision lesson, improving its quality and addressing any issues highlighted.