I would list these as the best American short story (tale) writers:
Edgar Allan Poe
Ernest Hemingway
O. Henry
Washington Irving
John Steinbeck
(Others are on various lists, but these are the best, in my opinion!)
Here are some good websites for how to write short stories:
Short Stories: 10 Tips for Creative Writers — Jerz's Literacy Weblog
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/
How to Write a Short Story: 14 steps - wikiHow
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Short-Story
Short Story Overview -- How to Write a Short Story
http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/shortstorywriting/a/shortstoryrules.htm
Can you also help me find online
material on how to write a "tale"?
I should also refer to Poe's tales and its main features. Can you think of another important American writer of tales? Thank you very much, Writeacher!!
2 answers
Here is a link to one of Steinbeck's stories that I used very successfully for several years with 16-17 year old students who had just finished two years of ESL classes. (I was their first English-only teacher!)
http://www.nbu.bg/webs/amb/american/4/steinbeck/flight.htm
If you decide to have students read this story, be sure you also include print-outs of photos of the Monterey, California, coastline! Students need to be able to form images in their minds of the setting so the actions in the story make sense.
http://www.google.com/search?q=monterey+ca+coastline&hl=en&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS379US379&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=3E7LT72oOcrK2AX6p_3ZCw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0C_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=643
You should also give them a good plot diagram, such as Freytag's on this webpage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_(narrative)
http://www.nbu.bg/webs/amb/american/4/steinbeck/flight.htm
If you decide to have students read this story, be sure you also include print-outs of photos of the Monterey, California, coastline! Students need to be able to form images in their minds of the setting so the actions in the story make sense.
http://www.google.com/search?q=monterey+ca+coastline&hl=en&rlz=1C1GGGE_enUS379US379&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=3E7LT72oOcrK2AX6p_3ZCw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0C_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=643
You should also give them a good plot diagram, such as Freytag's on this webpage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_(narrative)