Developing an arresting plot for a short story can be simple or complex depending upon the story you want to write. If you want to create a lively and complex storyline that houses sub plots with a lot of characters whom chase each other across continents, then writing a novel would be a better choice.
Having multiple plots for your short story demands more time, characterization and pages for it to be a coherent story. One of best ways to develop an eye catching plot for a short story is to create a short story based on faction. Faction's definition means a group or splinter group but that is not what I mean. You take the words fiction and fact and put them together and you get faction. What do I mean?
You take a fact, any fact or true story and fictionalize it. You could take a true story from your childhood and embellish it to make it a short fiction piece. When you merge the fact and fiction, you can base the story on truth but add an arresting plot or storyline to it. For example, I used to deliver furniture for over a decade when I was younger. I could take one of my more memorable customer experiences, add some spice or thrill to it and create a good plot.
However, to make an appealing plot for a short story it usually entails a character that develops a problem or has a problem from the inception of the story. Build upon it, have an anti-climax and then have a conclusion which is the climax to the story.
How can you make an interesting plot out of that? Glad you asked. While I encountered my share of strange people, there was one particular instance that I still retain with vivid clarity. Suffice to say it dealt with the intentional picking up of a prostitute for the driver (and no, not for me). It ended up comically. For argument sakes say that I wanted to write a short story based on it. To develop an arresting plot, I would need the characters involved (me, the driver and the lady in question), the situation (delivering furniture) and the outcome. (That will be saved until my short story is complete). If I really wanted to, I would not have to embellish the story line to help make an eye-catching plot. However, I could and would exaggerate some of the aspects of the story. I could make the driver a sex manic, oh wait, he was, and I could make the prostitute more colorful than she really was. In addition, I could make me the kind of person that would engage in that type of endeavor (definitely not me). I could make the police involved, the bosses at the furniture store where I worked, jail and a host of other fictional elements to spruce up the plot.
Another way to make an arresting plot is to brainstorm. Take a piece of paper and write down any idea. Using "a tree branch" slice the idea into fragments. For example, say you were at an antique store and were looking at some old pictures of people from another era. On the branch, write "pictures of people from another era." Then create lines, or limbs that extend down. In that way you can add more to the story. Under "Pictures of people from another era" you could write, "Create the impression that you saw that picture somewhere else." There are a plethora of alluring plots that can be made using your imagination.