"Be great in act, as you have been in thought."
William Shakespeare

Writing Short Story

So this is the stage where you write your story. It shouldn't take long, hey, mine is under 150 words...149 to be exact...so try this step, and then, if you want, continue with the longer version: under 750 words. Good Luck!

The plane was heated, scorching inside, and packed. Jaque had a meet, time and place set, with mafia sects. He just had to get there.
The engines roared, firey hot, muffling all other sound. And he was off to Italy. He flipped up his laptop and turned it on, it warmed up quickly. So he he was going to talk to mafia leaders - he could do that.
He searched database after database of hot-off-the-press records, and he found the same thing.

Mafia Leader, - Status: Dead

for every single man. So he was going to talk to dead mafia leaders - he could do that. "They're newcomers with fake identities, they must be," he thought.
He arrived at the building of the meeting room, it was a firewood warehouse and deathly hot inside. "An awkard place," he thought and he entered the room. Nobody. "Don't worry, we're all here," a voice said. And finally, refreshingly, he felt cold.

So let's see if this version follows the "rules" and meets the criteria...you could do this before you write the story, but for me it comes more naturally if I write it and then go in and see what needs too be fixed.

1. Introduces the plot with some background.

He gets as call to meet with some famous mafia leaders.
• This sets up the plot: a man has to meet with some famous, dangerous leaders, setting up drama right from the start is very important to attract the reader's attention.
• It suggests that he has had some affiliation with mafia or organized crime of some kind in the past, thus they already know who he is and their reason (suposedly) for contacting him.

2. Action.

He travels to Italy, begins researching the members he's meeting with.
• This is obviously an action, he's going to Italy and researching the mafia members, he's doing things that move the plot along, if something doesn't move the plot along, especially in a short story, seriously consider cutting it.

3. Another action, but complicates the first action = complicated action.

He finds out the people are dead, assumes they are newcomers who took on the names.
• Well, this one doesn't complicate the first action only, it complicates the first step - the introduction of the plot with background - as well, because the mafia members he's meeting with are dead, then how did they call him and why and who was it really that called him?

4. Consequence, resolution, twist, irony.

Arrives at the meeting room, doesn't see anyone in the chairs, somebody says "we're dead, but don't worry, we're all here."
• This is the resolution and the twist, a resolution because it resolves the story.
• The twist part is that it reveals that the men are really dead and that they're ghosts.

Now you're ready to begin writing your longer short story...