Story writing

Whenever we write a story we must keep the following things in mind:

Clearly defined theme:

Whenever we start writing a story we must decide the theme in advance as it is the most important characteristic of story writing.  The theme that we decide must be clear and well defined.  We should not have multiple themes.  We should follow the policy of one theme – one story.  The selected theme must be targeted.

Well developed plot:

The structure of the story must be precise.  Moreover it must be simple.  The flow of the story must be orderly.  For this we require a well developed plot.  So, prime importance must be given to the plot of the story.  At any stage the plot of the story must not confuse the readers.  At most care must be taken to handle the flow of the story.

Portray vivid word pictures:

Words that we use in the construction of a story are very important.  Appropriate words must be chosen to describe. Always it is better to use simple words so that the reader doesn’t go in search of a dictionary while reading the story.  The words that we use must visualize the situation of the story.

Minimum characters for maximum understanding:

It must be taken care not to use too many characters unnecessarily.  Using of too many characters results in confusion thereby making the reader to quit reading.  Each and every character that are used must have its own importance. Each and every characters description must be stated in the appropriate manner which is not too long.  There should be no characters in the story that does not have any significance.

Dramatic appeal:

Though we write a story the content must give a dramatic appeal of significant amount.  The story must be easily dramatized in the minds of the readers.  This makes the reader to remember the story for a long time.

Target listeners:

The story that we write should be targeted towards the listener or reader.  There is no use in constructing a story which is not related in any way to the readers or listeners.  Therefore targeting the listeners is an important point that should be considered while writing a story.

Story telling:

Story telling is a art.  The way which we present the story matters a lot than the content of the story.  The way in which we deliver the story is very important.  Story telling is not just like reading a paragraph.  It is a beautiful art.  Story telling involves one’s ability to narrate using body language, creating visual pictures, giving appropriate gestures and the most importantly sustaining the attention of the listeners.

To turn into a effective story teller the following basic skills must be possessed or developed.

Involvement:

Involvement is necessary in whatever task we do.  But for story telling it is needed at a high rate.  Without involvement the art of story telling cannot be attained.  Tons of involvement is necessary for story telling.  Involvement cannot be developed externally.  The amount of involvement depends on the interest shown on the subject.  Whatever it may be a lot of immense involvement is necessary for story telling.  In short story telling is not at all possible without involvement.

Enthusiasm:

Enthusiasm does not refer to artificial or noisy environment.  The enthusiasm must be shown from our inner self.  This should make the listeners enthusiastic.  Enthusiasm is very essential to keep the crowd listening to the story till the end.  Enthusiasm can be boosted by having humorous content.  But this should not affect the theme of the story.

Animation:

The voice with which we deliver the story is very important.  Modulations must be provided appropriately.  There must not be unnecessary modulations.  The voice must be pretty clear and understandable even in noisy environment.  Remember that you should not shout as this causes irritation to the listeners and make them even to leave the place.  Facial expression is very vital in story telling.  The facial expression must match the content which we deliver.  Unnecessary facial expressions lead to failure.   Gestures must be properly handled to increase the effectiveness of story telling.  A bit of animation must be provided in voice modulation, facial expression and gestures but it should not be artificial.

Though story telling may look easy it is not like that.  You cannot deliver a story effectively in front of a large crowd for the first time.  Therefore, practice must be taken in advance.  This will enable the story teller to correct his mistakes and enhance the facial expression, voice and gestures for the betterment.

Whatever characters you may miss while telling a story, you must always remember to be natural and simple.