How I Write a Short Story, Part IV

To review:  

I have these elements...a time frame (St. Patrick's Day), interesting factoids (people actually DO make their own luck to some extent), a conflict (Clancy hates St. Patrick's Day), and a mystery (why? because it's the day her husband left her). 

I need some activities (Kiki's crafts--I'll have to come up with these), and a resolution (I'll think of something).

I also have a cute sidebar problem. Anya loves animals and when she hears that Laurel owns a rabbit's foot, she goes nuts! (Or course, it's a fake rabbit's foot, but Anya doesn't know that.) 

What else do I need? Well, I need a snappy opening line. Something that sets the stage for my story. It should foreshadow problems, entice my readers, and get the ball rolling.

Now, back to the resolution. I'll need a BIG ending. Remember, I've been thinking a lot about Clancy, and I have a surprise in store for her. To me, a BIG ending would mean a change of luck for Clancy. 

Okay, I've got all my ducks in a row! Again, here's my list for preplanning a short story:

* time frame -- often concurrent with a holiday
* interesting factoids -- research
* a conflict or problem to be solved
* a mystery or a secret
* a sidebar perhaps, or a link back to an earlier Kiki story or book
* activities 
* a resolution

And of course, I already have my cast of characters because it's a Kiki Lowenstein short story. Tune in tomorrow, and I'll get the story started.