Any short story writers on SRK?

[Airthrow]

I've been working on a story for a long time, it's still pretty much in an outline with a lot of dialogue done. It's kind of sci-fi'ish but in a realistic near-future setting. I really need to work on my skills though... does anyone have any resources for the very basics of what makes for good writing?

I'm especially worried about what makes for a good plot. I read a lot, and I also watch a lot of movies... I could tell you a million things about what makes for a good movie, but I just know what books I enjoy, not what makes them particularly great.

Any tips from people who have been published? I've been paid for writing reviews before, but I have never completed an entire fiction story outside of highschool assignments, and I graduated in 2003, so basically I haven't finished a story, just worked on this one.

I think part of the problem is I have so many ideas for this story I could make a novel out of it, but I want it to be a short.

[Septimus Prime]

Check this out: http://barryeisler.com/writers.php

I've found that it's a very good resource.

[Deus]

http://bartleby.com/usage/

[*InVeRs3*]

i'm not a writer, but have you been posting your stories to people on message boards?

If not, you should do so even if you think your story is too corny or melodramatic. I think other people with a different set of eyes will see your story and your writing in a totally different way. They'll suggest changes that might help you out, and even though you don't like what they suggest, just take that into consideration. Give your story to both writers and non-writers. sometimes writers tend to over analyze things and only they will like it, but that might alienate non-writers.

I personally would never give your stories to friends because most of the time they'll bullshit you.

[Will Gotti]

I'm a writer. I have a feature script I've been writing for almost the entirety of film school (graduated a year ago) up till now. I started around the end of my first year at school. I directed and produced so writing was always secondary at the time, but I've been doing extensive researching the entire time and the script is about 65 pages and I'm looking to go for an average of 120 pages.

I've sifted through a bunch of resources for writing as well as learned of some good ones from my Screenwriting professor. I did the whole Creative Writing Magazine Screenwriters Convention at the Staples Center and it helps. I'd suggest attending. I know you're writing a short story, but stories short or long have beginnings, middles and ends which I'm sure you already know. This stuff below should help you out.

1. As far as structure I'd recommend first read the bread and butter Aristotle's Poetics. Make sure to get the NOT to get this version: http://www.amazon.com/Aristotles-Poetics-Screenwriters-Storytelling-Civilization/dp/0786887400/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197638886&sr=8-7
and then
Stuart Voytilla's "Myth and the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films"
http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Movies-Discovering-Structure-Unforgettable/dp/0941188663/ref=pd_bbs_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197641663&sr=8-5

That book in the 1st link, Poetics for Screenwriters is a bunch of hogwash with unnecessary edification from the author like you're reading a book written by Tony Robbins telling you as a writer, "you can do it!!!" while mixing in Aristotle's principles. Very distracting and detracting. Others I've talked to and my screenwriting professor agree. I've read it and was very dissatisfied. The author Michael Tierno seems very amateurish in style. The one that I have is on Amazon but there's no image cover: http://www.amazon.com/Poetics-Aristotle-Preston-H-Epps/dp/B000GRR72Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197640656&sr=1-2
You're gonna want to get the original version of Aristotle's work like the one by Preston Epps for example which is above.

2. For creating your acts and just getting everything going from start to finish, I reference Lew Hunter's Screewriting 434: http://www.amazon.com/Lew-Hunters-Screenwriting-434-Successful/dp/0399529861/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197639583&sr=1-1

3. For character building I reference Karl Iglesias's Writing for Emotional Impact:
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Emotional-Impact-Karl-Iglesias/dp/1595940286/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197639777&sr=1-2
and
Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey": http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Journey-Structure-Storytellers-Screenwriters/dp/0941188132/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197641663&sr=8-2

4. Finally for plot/story there's Robert Mckee's "Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting"
http://www.amazon.com/Story-Substance-Structure-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197641663&sr=8-4

McKee's book is massive, 480 pages and is only in hardcover I believe. It's like an all-in-one book, but I would take what he says with a grain of salt. It's a good book, but the other books I've linked in this post tackle specific focal points in writing and IMO are the best I've read. You won't find many books that explain all there is to know about scriptwriting, McKee pretty much has a lockdown on the market for that. There's a few other's, but whether they're good or not is a good question. I've skimmed some while sitting in book stores and didn't find anything of interest accept a couple of good points.

I suggest just getting McKee's book at the library as they usually have it along with Aristotle's Poetics (I'd buy this one though because it should be in your backpack at all times). All the others I posted in this post, I haven't really seen in libraries but you can always check. I haven't really ran into a book that focuses/helps solely with plot. McKee's book is a good start. There are probably other's out there, but this book is pretty well known.

5. For a fantastic book on giving you a clear view of the relationship between story/script structure and visual structure, Bruce Block's The Visual Story is the best IMO. http://www.bruceblock.com (http://www.bruceblock.com/) He produced "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson, "The Parent Trap", "Something's Gotta Give" with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton and other stuff. It was the 1st book we had to read in film school, all the others above I found on my own during my extensive reading except for Poetics which was also a reading must at school.

By the way, I own all of these books listed in this post except Robert McKee's. I've read them and reference them all the time. I read McKee's but checked it out from the library instead of buying it.