“We all have a book in us,” says author Kathryn Joyce. Writing is a fascinating process if you are passionate about it. If you are not yet ready to attempt a novel, start with a short story.
You have to come up with an idea, a catchy title and an opening to match it. Your first line must grab attention. Consider the start of ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’: ‘Cedric himself knew nothing whatever about it.’ Who, we wonder, is Cedric, and what is ‘it’? Of course, in a first-person account (like ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ or ‘Black Beauty’), you might like to introduce yourself.
There is no one way to start the story. Recounting someone’s wrongdoing. You could say, ‘One day Sunil stole ...’ However, ‘Sunil’s misdeed was discovered’ will work just as well.
Either way, you have to write not only what Sunil did but also what preceded and followed the offence. In short, you need a plot. The plot is the series of interlinked happenings.
“Sunil recalls that his mother leaves her possessions lying around. He takes money from her handbag. Sunil’s mother discovers the loss, tells her husband about it, and they pounce on the domestic worker”; let’s call her Anita. Use names freely as too many pronouns may confuse your readers. Anita protests her innocence. Does anyone believe her? Only if you say so.
“Money doesn’t grow on trees,” wails Sunil’s mother. Fictional figures should sound convincing. A tearful Anita will probably plead, “I didn’t take your money; please believe me.” Contrasting characters are effective: upset wife, calm husband, and nervous Sunil.
If you intend for Sunil to be someone who steals for gain, establish his greed. An alternative: Sunil’s parents keep their son short of pocket money.
Conflict makes for good drama: father versus mother, or mother versus domestic worker. Instead of crowding your canvas, flesh out a few characters with enough depth. Avoid numerous events and change in setting. While employing the flashback technique, move smoothly from present to past and back again.
Do not conclude with a tame, ‘Sunil confessed, and they lived happily ever after.’ Your story could end on a positive note but add the proverbial twist to the tale. ‘Sunil replaces the money.’ Why did he take it? To show his parents that carelessness contributes to crime? Perhaps or perhaps not. As a creator, you decide!
(The author is an English teacher and freelance writer.)
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