Short stories for students need to be engaging and educational, even when they are of a historical nature. Many of the issues mentioned in the classic short stories deal with issues that still challenge teens today, such as fashion, money and popularity. A good choice of short story to study can motivate teen students both to read and to write their own short stories. As textbooks go, 'Inside Out' is deservedly popular for its wisdom in teaching writing. Students can learn so much just by reading excellent writing.



For example, a short story such as "The Necklace" by Guy DeMaupassant examines issues of fashion, peer pressure, poverty, wealth, shame and debt. Teen students may be able to take inspiration for their story idea from their own past experiences of social anxiety, designer label competition or weight and looks concerns. They can use these springboards to delve into the exciting possibilities of creative short story writing. Empty sheets of paper often appear off-putting however, so it helps if students can roughly plan structure,setting, plot and characters before they start to write.

Imaginative short story writing should challenge students to explore the possibilities of creative writing through analyzing good examples. It should also help English students to write entertaining pieces.


Good classic short stories will help students to write entertaining content from their own imagination. They need time ,however, to research, read and derive inspiration from the classics, exploring and experimenting with rough plans as they progress. Eventually a favorit e rough plan will emerge which become shaped into a short story that will entertain readers and keep them guessing. Then, students can flesh out their characters, adding dimension. Settings can be desbribed more fully and the plot can be thickened to add a few good hooks or puzzles.