Story writing tips
To tell a story well you need some practice. A good story writer looks ahead as he tells the story and plans it out. To write a good story you must have the whole plot clear in your mind. You must also have the main points arranged in their proper order.
So how does one write a good story? To be a good story writer you must have a fertile imagination. Read extensively and you will find your mind brimming with ideas. Here are a few tips to help you become a better story writer.
Before you start writing, see that you have a clear idea of the plot in your mind. Once you have got the outline ready all that you need to do is to develop the points.
While writing the story, do not omit any point and keep to the order in which the events take place.
Connect the points naturally so that the story will read as a well written piece of composition.
Use your imagination and where possible introduce dialogues. Note that care must be taken to ensure that they sound natural and interesting.
Emphasize the leading points and do not dwell too long on minor details.
The conclusion is the most important part of the story. The whole story must lead up to it naturally and then it should come as a bit of a surprise.
Make sure that your composition is grammatical and idiomatic and in good simple English. Revise your work and if necessary rewrite it until it is as good as you can make it.
How to write a short story
A short story is a work of fiction. It is a product of the author’s imagination. Every short story has a beginning, a middle part and an ending.
Development of a short story requires careful thought and planning. Not every writer employs the same techniques in writing a short story. Some start with the plot and then create the characters. Others start by creating characters and then allow them to interact. From this interaction, the plot takes shape. Here are a few tips for writing a short story. Note that these are not meant for a seasoned writer who has already mastered the art of story-telling. Nonetheless, a beginner with little or no experience in writing a short story should find these tips helpful.
Step 1: determine the plot
The theme is what the story is about. A theme sometimes conveys a moral. If you have read the Aesop’s Fables you should know what I mean. All of those stories have a message. Some stories are written just for the purpose of conveying a message. The message could be any of the following:
The victory of virtue over vice
Sportsman spirit: It is not about winning; it is about how you play the game
The righteous may have to face huge hardships
Honesty is the best policy
You don’t really have to state the message at the end of the story. As the story develops and ends the reader should be able to comprehend the message.
Step 2: outline the plot
Every story requires a plot. Actually, the story develops from the plot. You can indicate the plot in the opening lines and then develop it gradually. As the plot unfolds characters will appear on the scene and start interacting with one another.
Complications and conflicts
These are an integral part of the plot. Complications and conflicts don’t have to be really complicated. Minor complications will do just fine – it depends upon the plot. Think about events that lead to the conflict. What are the problems that the characters encounter? You can develop complications and conflicts out of the interactions of the characters. Sometimes, destiny can play a role in making your characters’ life complicated.
Develop the crisis
What are the results of the conflict? How do they lead to additional, more complicated conflicts? The conflict or complications should lead to what is called the ‘rising action’. The rising action will create more complications and tension and will raise the story up to the crisis. The crisis is the turning point. It leads to the climax. The climax is the highest point of interest.
Bring the story to an end
Once you have reached the climax, you can’t climb any higher. The conflict and crisis needs to be resolved in the climax. Think about the outcome of the events that lead to the climax. Do these events change the characters or the way they interact with others? Do they learn any lessons? Once the conflict and crisis are resolved the story comes to an end. This final outcome is called the denouement.
Rewrite in the proper order
The sentences given below are taken from a story, but they are jumbled. That means they are not arranged in their proper order. Rearrange them in their logical sequence.
1. The young man sold his share of the property and left for another country.
2. The father tried to dissuade his son, but he wouldn’t listen to his father whom he regarded as old and ignorant.
3. Years went by. The younger son began to get restless because he was unhappy with his lot.
4. He led a luxurious life and spent a lot of money on gambling.
5. They were living together happily.
6. Soon all his money was gone and he became a pauper.
7. Once there lived a rich farmer.
8. He went to his father and asked for his share of the property.
9. So the father gave him a third of his property.
10. He had two sons.
Solution
Once there lived a rich farmer. He had two sons. They were living together happily. Years went by. The younger son began to get restless because he was unhappy with his lot. He went to his father and asked for his share of the property. The father tried to dissuade his son, but he wouldn’t listen to his father whom he regarded as old and ignorant. So the father gave him a third of his property. The young man sold his share of the property and left for another country. He led a luxurious life and spent a lot of money on gambling. Soon all his money was gone and he became a pauper.
