Short story checklist:
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Is the opening sentence (and opening paragraph) of your short story strong,
enticing, and confident?
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Does it emphasise the dystopian characteristics established in the novel?
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Does it set the mood and tone of your entire short story?
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Does it link to the novel and have you included information from the novel?
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Do you create an image of the setting by appealing to the reader’s five senses?
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Does your description advance your reader’s understanding of character and plot?
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Is the relationship between dialogue and narration 50/50? (Show rather than tell?)
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Do you build tension in the rising action through two or three events?
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Are the characters unique and memorable—but believable at the same time? Are
their motivations clear and are they well-rounded? Do your characters’ personalities
complement each other in a way that makes the central conflict more pronounced?
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Is the dialogue believable and effective, striking the right balance between efficiency
and realism? Does the dialogue show that the characters are challenged? Is the
tension illustrated in a way that is not always “flat and obvious?”
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Are secondary characters as well-developed as main characters, even if their entire
backstory doesn’t come across on the page? Have you taken care that your
secondary characters aren’t more interesting than your main characters?
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Is your ending surprising yet fitting? Does the tension level of your ending
deliberately rise above the tension level of the rest of your story?
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Does the resolution reveal that the character has made a choice (has changed in
some way or has had the opportunity to change but instead remained the same)?
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Is your time frame limited to one or two days maximum?
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Is your writer’s style similar to Suzanne Collins’ style?
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Have you read your work aloud at least once?
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Have you had someone edit your short story?