How to Write a Vignette*

1 Understand the purpose of a vignette: A vignette should express a certain moment, mood,

aspect,setting, character, and/or object. Most of all, it should be short, but descriptive.

  • In terms of length, a vignette is typically 800-1000 words.
  • A vignette will usually have 1-2 short scenes, moments, or impressions about a character, an idea, a theme, a setting, or an object.
  • You can use the first second, or third point of view in a vignette, but most vignettes are told using just one point of view.
  • Vignettes can be written in past or present tense, or it may switch between them. Remember that the goal is to show (not tell) the reader what is happening.

2 Read examples of vignettes.There are several great vignette examples, varying from very short

to long. Use these to guide your own writing of a vignette. For example:

  • The publication Vine Leaves Journalpublishes vignettes, both short and long.
  • Charles Dickens:Longer vignettes in “Sketches by Boz” exploring London scenes and people.
  • Sandra Cisneros:Collection of vignettes called “The House on Mango Street”.

3 Analyze the examples.Regardless of its length, a vignette should communicate a certain

emotion or mood to the reader. Look closely at how example vignettes use tone, language, and

mood to evoke emotions in the reader.

  • In Cisneros’ “The House on Mango Street”, there is a vignette called “Boys & Girls”. It is a longer vignette, four paragraphs long, or around 1,000 words. But it sums up the young narrator’s emotion towards the boys and girls in her neighborhood, as well as her relationship with her sister, Nenny.The narrator uses simple, direct language to describe the separate world of boys and girls in her neighborhood, then finishes the vignette with an image that sums up the her feelings:

Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One who will understand my jokes without my having to explain them. Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor.

  • The image of a “balloon tied to an anchor” adds color and texture to the vignette. The narrator’s feeling of being weighed down by her sister is perfectly summed up by the last image. So the reader is left with the feeling of being held down or tethered to someone, just like the narrator.

4Don’t feel restricted to one structure or style in a vignette.A vignette is an open form. This

means you do not need to write within a certain structure or a specific plot. So, you can have a

clear beginning, middle, and end, or you can skip beginnings and endings altogether.

  • A vignette also does not require a main conflict or a resolution of a conflict. This freedom gives some vignettes an unfinished or unresolved tone. But unlike other traditional storytelling forms like the novel or the short story, a vignette does not have to tie up all the loose ends.
  • In a vignette, you are not limited by a certain genre or style. So you can combine elements of a horror and a romance, or you can use poetry and prose in the same vignette.
  • Feel free to use simple and minimal language, or lush, detailed prose.

5Remember the one rule of the vignette:create an atmosphere, not a story. Because there is

limited space in a vignette, its important to show, rather than tell the reader. So avoid inserting

backstory or exposition into a vignette. Focus instead on creating a snapshot in the life of a

character or in a certain setting.

  • Give careful consideration to the length of your vignette. Typically, shorter vignettes are more difficult to write, as you need to create an atmosphere in very few words and evoke a reaction from your reader.

6 Add sensory details.Focus on the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and sound. Could a

certain detail in the vignette be stronger with a description of the sense associated with it?

  • You can also add figurative language to strengthen the vignette, such as similes, metaphors, alliteration, and personification. But use these sparingly and only when you feel like a simile or metaphor will highlight the rest of the vignette.
  • For example, the use of the red balloon attached to an anchor in Cisneros’ “Boys & Girls” is an effective use of figurative language. But it works well because the rest of the vignette uses simple language, so the image at the end of the vignette lingers with the reader.

7 Condense the vignette.A good vignette should be insightful, emotionally impactful, and/or have

a sense of urgency. This means cutting out details like what the character ate for breakfast or the

color of the sky, unless those details are essential to the vignette. Only include scenes and

moments that are insightful, impactful or add urgency, and remove any details that slow down the

pace of the vignette or lesson its effect on the reader.

  • Look over the first two lines of the vignette. Does the vignette begin at the right moment? Is there a sense of urgency (or a great hook) in the first two lines?
  • Make sure your characters collide with each other very early in the vignette. See if you can edit the vignette so you set a scene in the least words possible.
  • Don’t feel pressured to resolve your vignette. It’s okay to leave the reader (logically) wondering what happens next.

*Adapted from: