What is a Story?
A story is an imaginary account of people or situations that are told for entertainment. Everybody loves to read or listen to stories. But Story writing is not a simple task.
Components of Story Writing
Theme
The theme is the main idea around which the story revolves.
- What idea do you wish to convey through your story?
- Good versus evil, revenge, and love conquers all
Often stories have a basic idea. They tend to convey a message to the reader
The setting of Story Writing
The surroundings or the time period where the story unfolds.
- Where is the story set?
- When do the events in the story take place?
Good stories often engage the reader’s senses. They have vivid descriptions that create visual (sight), aural (sound), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste), and tactile (feel) imagery. The setting sometimes plays a big role in the narrative. It provides a background for the story to unfold.
Characterisation of Story Writing
Characterization is the process of portraying characters.
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- Who is the main character?
- What are his/her/its physical/mental attributes?
- What is the problem faced by the character?
- How does the character change or evolve in the end?
Characters are the catalysts in the story; their actions take the narrative forward. Good stories are often built around interesting characters whose circumstances change them.
The plot of Story Writing
The plot comprises the main events of the story.
- Introduction: The characters are introduced. A brief account of the setting is also established in this part.
- Rising action: Rising action refers to the events that lead up to the crisis.
- Crisis: Characters go through some kind of predicament. Crisis becomes the main catalyst for the evolution of the story and the character.
- Climax: Climax refers to the stage where the crisis escalates to its highest point. It is the most crucial part of the story.
- Falling action: Falling action refers to the events that follow the climax. The intensity of the events lessens in this stage.
- Resolution: It is also known as Denouement. It is where the conflict and the crisis in the story are finally resolved. Loose ends of the story are tied and the story is brought to a close.
Steps for Story Writing
(Sample taken: The Resignation by Fatehchand)
Step 1: Fix a theme that you want to write about. What would be the moral of your story?
The theme or moral of the story would be ‘Dignity can be taken away only if it is surrendered.’
Step 2: Establish the setting
1. The story is set in India. 2. The story unfolds in pre-independence India.
Step 3: Create character sketches
1. Fatehchand, is a man of great dignity but does not have the courage to defend himself. 2. Eventually he has the courage to stand up to his offender. 3. The Saheb is Fatehchand‘s boss. He is very abusive. 4. Ultimately, he is taught a lesson by Fatehchand. He vows not to harm another soul.
Step 4: Outline the plot of the story
| Introduction | Lala Fatehchand is a workaholic. He is a good-natured man but has faced only setbacks in life. He is in poor health and his heart is devoid of courage. Despite Fatehchand‘s dedication towards his work, his boss is always abusive towards him. |
| Rising Action | One day, he is called by his boss, Saheb immediately as an urgent matter has come up. Fatehchand rushes to work at once despite his wife‘s objections. He walks as fast as he could. |
| Crisis | But Saheb is annoyed as he expected him to get to work faster. He humiliates Fatehchand and shakes him by his ears. Later that day, after deep contemplation, Fatehchand decides to avenge his humiliation. He enters Saheb‘s house and threatens him with a stick. Saheb starts to tremble in fear and tries to reason with Fatehchand. |
| Climax | Fatehchand strikes Saheb with a blow to the head when he tried to snatch the stick away from his hand. He makes Saheb promise that he would never hurt a self-respecting human being again. He resigns from his job and reprimands Saheb for being a wicked man. |
| Resolution | Fatehchand leaves with his head held high. He feels the pleasure of having tasted his very first victory. |
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