Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. FOREWORD vii
3. CONTENTS ix
4. PART I. TECHNIQUE
5. 1. PREVIEW 3
6. 2. TALK 33
7. 3. ACTION 50
8. 4. YOUR MOVE 60
9. 5. “I” AS PROTAGONIST 82
10. 6. “I” AS WITNESS 92
11. 7. OBJECTIVE TELLING 101
12. 8. STREAM OF EXPERIENCE 125
13. PART II. CONTENT
14. 9. READER’S NEEDS 149
15. 10. EDITOR’S NEEDS 161
16. 11. PLAUSIBILITY 172
17. 12. SUSPENSE AND SURPRISE 189
18. 13. CHARACTERIZATION 206
19. 14. PLACE AND ATMOSPHERE 219
20. 15. PLOT versus THEME 231
21. 16. INDIRECTION AND RESTRAINT 239
22. 17. BEGINNING 247
23. 18. LIST OF SHORT STORIES 263
24. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 267