Writing your own stories

For many people, the pleasure of literature lies not only in reading but also in writing short stories or novels. If you are one of those people, and you would like to write short stories or novels in English, the BBC World Service series Fishing For Jasmine can give you some of the help you need.

In the following extract, novelist and teacher Leone Ross discusses the short story The Essay (see page 3) and gives some tips to help you start writing.

Before you read the extract Re-read The Essay. Remember that this story was highly commended in an international short-story competition.What makes it so successful? Compare your ideas with Leone’s, below.

The Essay is quite a simple story, with a very traditional format.You can see that the writer uses the beginning of the story to orient us and let us know what the situation is, the middle of the story is the conflict and the end of the story is for resolution – a very traditional shape for a short story.The author has told us that she got her inspiration from her surroundings, and her observation of people and of atmosphere comes out very clearly in her writing.The story is fictional but, nonetheless, she has based her characters and her sense of place on things she knows well. She also creates tension very well.The aunt doesn’t march into the shop and curse at the owner – instead her initial movements are quiet and gentle, confounding our expectations, but readying us for the inevitable storm.The tension is actually with the cricket match as she fingers the clothing.The author unfolds the story calmly and this is a very important lesson for new writers to learn. It’s very important for new writers to avoid overwriting – this happens when the writer cannot merely let the character bleed – they must gush ruby red gobbets onto the floor.Too often, new writers tell the reader too much, or make their descriptions too extreme.This doesn’t leave anything to the reader’s imagination. The Essay, on the other hand, is a good example of simple, clear, effective prose that says what it means and means what it says.

1. There are three clear stages in a traditional short story.What are they?
2. Leone identifies 3 qualities which make The Essay a particularly successful story.What are they?

Answer

• Stage 1 introduces us to the situation.
  Stage 2 introduces some element of conflict.
  Stage 3 resolves the conflict.
• She has based the characters and atmosphere on things she knows well.
  She introduces the tension in the story calmly and effectively.
  She avoids ‘overwriting’.

If you would like to write your own short stories, here are some tips to help you.

Begin with what you know The best writers manage to tell us a lot about characters and places. Before you start writing, take time to think about the setting and people in your story.You might want to base some characters on people or places you know.What aspects of these people or places would readers find interesting?

Plan your plot Try to follow the story shape that Leone describes above.What is the starting point for your story? What is the ‘conflict’? How are you going to resolve it?

Let the readers use their imagination When you are writing, try to avoid the temptation to describe events in too much detail – remember that the reader needs enough information to understand the story, but enough freedom to use his or her imagination. Remember Leone’s advice – keep your prose clear and simple.

Draft and redraft You may find that your planned story changes when you start to write it. Don’t worry – many writers say that their characters take on a life of their own once the story has begun. However, remember to take time to read and write second or third drafts of your story.This will help you to ensure that, while the story is developing, it is still following the advice which Leone gave.

TASK    Write your own short story.

1. Think about an event which happened to you or to a friend, or own which you have read about.Take this as the basis for your story. Divide it into the three stages which Leone described.
2. Next, think about the location and the characters in the story. How are you going to describe them? Remember, you need to avoid overwriting.
3. Write your first draft, then leave it for a few days. Now re-read it and consider where you might need to make changes.
4. After you’ve written a second draft, you might like to get someone else’s opinion.Why not ask a friend or your teacher what they think?
5. When you are satisfied with your story, why not submit it to a short-story writing competition?