The Main Event
(A 3-Paragraph Story)
After writing a detailed descriptions of a character, object, or setting,
you might find it difficult to make a transition back to the plot.
Don't just keep adding "and then's" and "next".
Use transition words like the ones below to let your reader know that there is a story shift,
a twist in the plot, or a surprising discovery.
A moment later...
Before I knew it...
In the blink of an eye...
All of a sudden...
Just as I realized...
The next thing I knew...
Just then...
After that...
Suddenly...
Click here for more transition words.
Read the story below. Each time the words and then appear,
replace them with a better word or phrase.
A Plan for a 3-Paragaph Story
PARAGRAPH I.
A successful short story opens with an interesting beginning.
Spend a bit of time describing the setting, introducing the characters, and setting up the purpose for the action.
PARAGRAPH II.
All of this should build up to a single, meaningful main event.
The main event is what the story is all about.
It consists of the adventure, problem, or experience that changes the main character in some way.
The main event should be longer than the beginning, the description of the setting, the solution, or the ending. Don't rush through the main event by summarizing it in one of two very general sentences.
PARAGRAPH III.
This is your concluding paragraph. Bring your story to an end. Solve the problem here.
Example of a bad main event: The ghost chased me, but I got away.
How to improve it:
A play-by-play account of the action (the chase in slow motion)
A detailed description of the important setting, character, or object like the ghost
An exclamation a character might make
The main character's thoughts and feelings about the event (how you felt during the chase)
Can you improve this main event?
A lion chased me through the jungle.
Suggestions:
What did the lion look like?
What might you have exclaimed as you were being chased?
How did you feel while you were being chased?
What did the jungle look like? Describe the sounds, smells, and sights around you.
Try your skills here.
The ghost was right behind me. I could feel the filmy mist that surrounded him settling on my shoulders. I shivered and concentrated on running as fast as I could. Glancing behind me, I saw the tall, wispy phantom grinning maliciously and floating toward me like a fog. I took a deep breath and shouted, "Get away from me, you ghoul!" The ghost cackled and I felt a clammy moisture seep into my shirt. My knees felt weak and my heart pounded, but somehow I kept running instinctively toward the light at the top of the stairs. That was when the ghoul began to slow down, and I realized that he would never step into the light. He faded back into the darkness of the basement, and I knew I was safe.