1. Condensing an entire story into a short outline
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Condensing an entire story into a short outline

2. Fill in the obvious:
I- Title: “The Dinner Party” II- Author: Mona Gardner III- TOW: short story

3. Setting and Background
Think about when and where the story takes place. Is the setting around a certain time period or could it take place anytime?
Does it have to take place during a certain type of weather? A certain time of day? A certain amount of hours?

4. Social Setting who else is involved or around
Social Setting who else is involved or around? What is important about the time or location the cannot be overlooked and is necessary to the story? What about customs of the time or place?

5. Who are the “Stars” of the story?
Main Characters
Who are the “Stars” of the story?
Antagonists
Protagonists
(the “good guys”)
the “bad” guys or villains

6. The Plot Exposition: the set up
This includes the background information we need. The exposition ends at the inciting incident or initial incident.

7. Initial Incident
This gets the action going for this story. Something happens to start the action.

8. Conflict (and rising action)
This is the problem of the story. If there is no conflict, there is no story!

9. Climax
This is the turning point of the story. (This is where Mrs. Bianco would insert the last set of commercials if she were making this story into a TV episode.)

10. Resolution
How does it all turn out?? How is the problem resolved?

11. Organize it into an outline and voila!
And there you have it!!
Organize it into an outline and voila!
I- Title:
II- Author:
III- TOW:
IV-Setting:
A- Physical:
1- Time:
2- Place:
B- Social:
V- Main characters: