People have always enjoyed reading and listing to stories. There is something about people caught up in events which captures our imagination. Once caught, we want to know what happens next. If the story does not attract our attention and does not arouse our curiosity to know what happens next, the the story is a failure. There are many opportunities for telling stories and many pupils take their chances and tell them very well. However, care must be taken no to turn every essay topic into a story. So it is obvious that you must keep your story simple. It is best to think of its as just one incident.
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Points
1. A story need not be full of violent action and dramatic events to be effective
Some writer think that unless there is a murder or an escape from the police or violent action is their story, their story is boring and lacks interest. This is not necessarily so. The best stories are about ordinary every day events that affect and change our lives.
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2. A story must have a good plot.
By and large, the basic plan of a story is as follows:
- Atmosphere is created, the character are selected and situations are set.
- There is an action.
- The actions produces a reaction.
- The effect of the action on the main characters.
Before you begin to write, make sure that you have a good plot. The minor episodes must be subservient to the central episode. About sixty per cent of the time allotted should be spent on the central plot; the rest of the time on the subsidiary episodes, introductory material and conclusion. Drastically cut out long descriptions, lengthy introductions and unnecessary conversations.
3. Remember the points made about Characters and descriptions
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The characters and setting of our stories must be convincing. The descriptive detail or effective expression to depict character can bring them alive for your readers. The only way to convince readers that you know the people (you are writing about) and have been to the places (you describe) is to give concrete details.
4. Keep your story simple
Remember that you are writing a short story and not a novel. If you chose a very complicated plot involving series of events, you will not able to to justice to the story within a short time. Therefore, choose one simple incident which can be developed properly with plenty of details.
5. Your story must have point
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It does not mean that you preach while writing; but you must have something definite to convey in your story. It must be obvious to the reader why you have taken the trouble to write the story. The point you make need not always be explicitly stated. The implications and the relevance of your story may appear “between the lines” or left to the imagination of the reader. After reading the story, the reader must be left with such comments as:
“How strange are the ways of human nature…..”
That’s just how I felt…..”
“How sad…..”
6. Make it interesting
By building up tension, giving details and making your characters speak. Nobody likes to read a monotonous story.
7. Tone of you narration must be suitable to the nature of the story
Decide which tone is good for each part of your story. With which character do you want the reader to sympathize?. Whether first person narrative, dialogue, soliloquy or cynical approach would be more appropriate ? It is imperative to decide on questions like these before you start to maintain a consistent way of narration in the story. The basic approach to write a story is the same in all situations.