You can't write a story without characters, so before you put pen to paper think about your characters. For each character, think about their physical makeup including their age, physical build, facial features and attire. Consider each character's general disposition on life; is the character optimistic, bitter, timid, shy or mellow? Think about the backstory or history of each character; what life events have occurred before the story unfolds? Develop the relationship between each of the characters as well. It is vital to understand how the characters relate to one another and what connections already exist between each person.
After you have determined your characters, develop the setting for your short story. Consider the following questions when developing your setting. Where does the short story take place? This includes the physical location, season, time period and specific location, such as a hospital. What does the location of the story look like? This includes the weather, the layout and the decor. What is the significance of the chosen location? This includes the character's relationship to the space as well as the historical or political significance of the location. Finally, consider whether you will use multiple locations or a single location. If multiple locations are chosen, consider what mode of transportation will be used by the characters to move between locations.
With the characters and the setting established, you can now plan the plot of your story. The main character will need to be the focus of your plot and should be integral in the conflict of your story. Determine the primary point of tension for your main character. This includes questions such as who will be the antagonist to your main character, what does the main character want or need, and how does the tension affect the main character? You should also consider how the tension facing the main character will affect each of the other characters as well as the chosen location. Most importantly, consider what the main character will experience and learn as a result of the conflict.
The last step in the prewriting process is to create a sequence chart for your short story. This chart allows you to plan the complete progression of your short story's plot in a sequenced layout. Draw nine boxes on a blank piece of paper -- three rows of three boxes each. Each box will contain an important event in the story's plot. The box in the upper left-hand corner is the first box and the box located in the bottom right-hand corner is the last box. Place the opening event of your short story in the first box and the concluding event of your story in the last box. The tension event or climax of your story should occur in the middle of your story, so place this event in the fifth box. Setting up the beginning, middle and end of your story first will help you create a fluid story with a natural rise and fall. Fill the empty boxes with the events that will move the characters from the beginning to the end of the story.