Edgar Allen Poe

Often called the Father of the Short Story and figurehead of the Romanticism movement, Edgar Allen Poe is known for his macabre poems and short stories that capture the imagination of generations. His tales blazed the trails of science fiction and the detective mystery genre while also being a premier literary critique of his day. It is this discerning eye and expectation of writing that fueled Poe’s own writings and led him to create essays on how to craft the perfect poem or short story. Both “The Philosophy of Composition” and “The Importance of the Single Effect in a Prose Tale” are full of wonderful advice for the growing reader and worth a read; here’s just a snippet of the good information Poe has written for the aspiring writer.

1. Have a working outline for your story before you begin to write

“Nothing is more clear than that every plot, worth the name, must be elaborated to its denouement [end] before anything be attempted with the pen.”

2. Keep a tone in mind and stick to it for cohesion and flow

“I prefer commencing with the consideration of an effect. Keeping originality always in view.”

3. Don’t be afraid to keep your story brief or to cut it into more manageable parts flow

“-it is clear that the brevity must be in direct ratio of the intensity of the intended effect—this, with one proviso—that a certain degree of duration is absolutely requisite for the production of any effect at all.”

Edgar Allan Poe’s works are characterized by his profound use of imagery which brings his gothic settings to life- Think of how he describes the banquet hall in Masque of the Red Death or the seaside in Annabel Lee. Create your own setting for a short and spooky story.