Need Ideas for a Short Story for School. Help?

I can't remember exact length, but 3-4 pages or something if I remember correctly. Anyone got any good ideas for a short story? I'm fine for a longer narrative but I'm clueless about a shorter one.

Try This. You might even get bonus points for having a cracked-out story.

Neh, that stuff is too complex, and that isn't how I think of a story. I'm thinking full realism here, and I'm pretty sure thats what my teacher wants.

edited 21st Mar '11 5:44:35 PM by Erock

Keep it simple. Maybe just a conversation between two people as they walk through the city or the park.

Exactly what I was thinking. Maybe something happened and they talk about it after? I just need something to happen. I can go from there.

edited 21st Mar '11 6:19:12 PM by Erock

Write what you know. If it's just for school, I wouldn't recommend spending time and effort researching into some elaborate topic for the sake of an interesting narrative. Just jot down the ideas that naturally pop up in your mind, and go from there. And don't be afraid of writing down something that sounds silly at first, because everyone has concepts that aren't half-bad in hindsight.

That too. A lot of stuff is Better Than It Sounds.

Jot notes? That's.. not what I do. It's somethign very simple, I was never thinking of doing research. I just need an interesting event, and maybe the dynamic at which the characters know each other. But that is a good idea of letting go of inhibition.

edited 21st Mar '11 6:33:44 PM by Erock

Agh, it's been forever since I've written a short story. We unfortunately only do research papers in English this year... Except for the occasional written assignment that's usually about analyzing the meaning of something we read in class.

Let's see... Well, your teacher seems to want a story that's realistic fiction and you already have the general idea of the characters talking to each other about something. What you're stuck on is what they're talking about and how they encounter each other.

As for what they're talking about, perhaps a recent event in one or both of their lives? As for the event, I'd base it on something currently happening in your life or a memorable event from your past. Write What You Know. Then, use said event to help determine where and how the encounter is initiated. For example, if the event is more serious, such as the death of a family member, maybe one character is visiting the other to try to comfort them. Or, say, there's some exciting event about to take place, and the two are discussing it at the local café. Then depending on how long the conversation is and how long the story has to be, you can follow up with focusing on what happens afterwards, whatever that may be.

Does that help?