How to Tell a Tale, or, A Story-Writing [Developing] Session

Hello Friends... 

Sure, we all are doing well... Be careful, we must stay fit and shouldn't fall ill so that our studies get affected. We shall eat and drink healthy, exercise regularly, and won't avoid our domestic and social responsibilities. And whatever time we get for ourselves at the end of the day, we must study hard for most of the time, so that we learn to think... and learn. We simply cannot afford to stop thinking, for we are learners, and we are the chosen ones who got the scope to learn... 

Let's learn to think first... 

Everyone Has to Tell/Write Stories

Not in the Examination Hall, Obviously

Do you feel upset when you are asked to develop certain given content to a fully organised story in your class, or worse,- in your examination hall? Do you feel their attempt to turn every student an 'author' very much futile/meaningless? 

I, Myself, Never an 'Author'

'It can not be essential to learn or develop 'story-writing' skill... I'm not going to be an author anyway...'- This was what I myself used to think during my childhood days. Well, I never ended up as an 'author', but certainly, I don't think that way anymore. Would you like to listen, why? 

Telling a Tale Is a Real-life Skill

We need not write an engaging story every now and then in our real life, if we do not choose to belong to certain very specific professions. But we need to tell a tale almost every day in reality. When you are late, and you need to explain to your teacher the reason, you are telling a 'story'. 

We Must Sound Convincing

I am not being a moral police and trying to find out if your 'story' is a 'fiction'/imaginary one or not, rather I am trying to point out that you need to be highly organised to convince your teacher in that brief span of time with your 'story', no matter how much true, or false. Yes, that is why you sometimes are not believed even when you say the truth while some others are believed, even if they lie. Actually, they have their stories organised enough to convince, whereas you have loopholes even in your truth. You need to be highly organised to convince your listeners, and you can always begin developing the skill with this simple story-writing session. 

Reading And Appreciating a Story

Don't You Enjoy Reading a Story?

And there is another good reason to try this particular session, though this is not as much frequently needed as the first one. We can always avoid being a story-writer, but no literate person can avoid reading. And who does not love reading a good story to share with friends? It is here where basic story-writing skill helps you to grow as a reader. 

What do readers do? 

Readers Also Write Their Own Stories

Readers write their own stories parallel to the stories they read. Yes, readers are all authors by themselves. Hence, you appreciate some stories, because they come close to your own stories, and you don't choose to read some again, because you don't feel to author a similar story on your own. Think deep, and tell me whether you agree, or not. 

Hands on

If you agree, then let us try to build a story together from some given points: 

a village farmer- troubled with his quarrelsome sons- tried a plan- asked his sons to break a single stick each- they broke the sticks easily- the farmer tied the broken sticks to a bundle- asked his sons to break the bundle of sticks together- none of them succeeded- realised their fault 

Don't get angry with me for troubling you with the age-old cliche [?] story. To start with a known story has got some merits of its own that will get revealed in the process. 

Let's Think in an Organised Way

Now that you have already gone through the given points, your thought process has already begun. We just need to start organising them before they get messed up too much. And we can do that quite simply. Just answer these questions to yourselves: 

1. How many characters are required for developing the story? 

2. Where is the main event taking place? 

3. What is the time of the main event? 

We Must Sound Authentic

And as you answer, just remember that you must sound convincing to your listeners or readers, so try to be authentic as much as you can-

The Characters

1. As pointed out, there must be a farmer. We are told that he was troubled with his quarrelsome sons. So, we have to think of at least two sons, for being grammatically correct, right? Shall we add more, or shall we consider two to be sufficient? 

Think on Your Own, Better Avoid Remembering the Old Story

Why do you think that the farmer asked his sons to break a bundle of sticks? And why did the quarrelsome sons realised their fault when they failed to break the bundle? If you still remember the story in details, you already know the answer. If you don't [you will be surprised to know that I wish you don't], then think hard to solve the puzzles, rather than trying to remember the forgotten story. 

Decoding the Metaphor

Have you decoded the 'metaphor' of 'the bundle of sticks'? Yes, it refers to the brothers in union, where as each stick refers to them individually. 

Did I remind you of the story in the process? 

"Oh... yes..."... "the moral of the story was 'Unity is strength'...", "... and there were four sons"... 

Stop immediately! Don't get messed up again. We were trying to decide the number of the farmer's sons convincingly. Let's do that... 

Let's Think Hard Again

How many numbers do we require to form a bundle? Do you think 'two' will convince? Yes, as you now remember, there were four sons in the old, classic story. If not mentioned in the given points, then you have to decide on your own, in a convincing manner. 

Including Extra Characters

Do we require any other character in the story? It depends on how you are planning to tell your story. You may add rationally, or may choose not to. But if you add, decide upon the character's role on your own and make the role an inherent part of your story. You always enjoy this liberty.

The Place

The Main Event

2. It's time for the second question. Where is the main event taking place? Before we find the location, don't we need to decide about the main event? 

Is the farmer's coming up with a potential plan to teach his sons a lesson the main event? 

Or, is his sons realising their mistake the main event? 

Or, is the farmer's plan being successful the main event? 

Or, do you have something else in your mind as the main event? 

Let's Organise Our Thoughts

Have I messed up your minds? 

Then it's time to get organized again:

Actually, you can choose as per your choice. Let me elaborate with the first option. Think of the old school fathers who trusted in the miraculous power of the sticks they used to hold to teach their sons lessons. [Your father still an old school? If you dislike him for being an old school in such a way, then you are certainly right, and you have every right not to end up like him when you be a father...] If we consider counselling a better way to teach lessons, then we can develop the story considering the first option to be the main event, or the third one, or even considering both of them together as the main events, if you please... Would you like to try? For your father? Remember, you consider counselling a better option... Why not start with your father? I give you the moral of the story: 'Counselling works', or, 'Counselling rocks'. 

It's Better to Be Subtle

By the way, I am sure you would like your father to read your story without the moral. It makes the story too evident. Let's go a bit subtle, or metaphorical, right?

Think It Your Way, It's Your Story...

Did I change the way you knew the story? Well, I just wanted to author my own story as I was going through the age-old story once again with you... I am sure, you will now not miss why I have chosen to begin with a known story,- just to show how we can have our thoughts different from each other though we are building up on the same given points, and have the same old story ringing in our minds.

Have you made your own choice about the main event of the story? Now to answer, where? 

Finally, the Place of the Main Event

Anywhere may be a possible place for a farmer-father to counsel his delinquent sons- from their kitchen to their fields. Make your own choice again.

Time

3. And when? Anytime again is a possible time for a farmer-father to counsel his delinquent sons- from the moment they wake up till they retire to bed. It is for you to choose, and remember the choice you have made until you finish the story.

Plausibility

What do we need to decide further before we start developing the story? What can we do for sounding authentic? We may reflect some sort of intimate knowledge about the characters [kind of defining them with names and other identities like personal traits] to show that we are the people quite close to them to tell their stories. Remember, your class teacher asking you, and not others, information about your best friend when [s]he is being absent for a long period without any prior information? It is so just because you are the best one to tell the story of your best friend, for you know your friend more closely than others.

Write Your Story First

Are you ready for writing the story? Then give it a go... Return to tell [submit in the comment-box] when you have finished your story, and you should read my story only after you have finished your own, or you choose to get your thinking being overshadowed with mine which I never intend.

How Mom Changed My Daddy, And Us 

My dad used to beat us to pulp whenever we committed any nuisance. 'Spare the rod, spoil the child'- he used to say to my mom who did not believe his way. I must admit now that we, four brothers, were extremely quarrelsome and delinquent in every possible manner in our childhood days.

I have introduced all my characters with their primary identities like beliefs, nature etc. I have 'posed' to be extremely authentic and therefore, convincing. Do you think others can be more authentic than the storyteller to tell you the story of his/her family? I have chosen the children to be four brothers, just like the old story. I could have very well made them three, five, or six realistically, without injuring the essence of the story. For me, two is a number much less to be referred to as a 'bundle'.

Please do make a note that here, I have drawn a line differentiating myself and the narrator of the story. If I had not done so, you could have read the story as an 'autobiographical' story.

But dad was losing his ground everyday, as we were growing more and more horrible each day, in spite of his breaking the sticks from our fuel-wood in the kitchen, on our backs to make us a bit civil. He was a strong man, being a farmer. Mom suggested him to treat us differently, finding him upset with us, and himself. She told him how to make us realise our mistakes, instead of injuring us and himself.

I have introduced the 'mom''s role on my own, for I have chosen to add the character to my story, and have integrated her character into the story. I have not forgotten to use the point that the 'dad' was a farmer, and have attempted to integrate this fact with the story as well in my own way. Otherwise, 'dad' being a farmer would have been an irrelevant information for my story, a poor show of unorganised thinking.

So, one fine morning, when dad was in good humour, he tried to act my mom's way as we were fighting among us, as usual. He chose a long stick from the kitchen, and summoned us. We went to him apprehending another round of beating with which we were quite used to. But he surprised us as he told us to break the stick into pieces with our hands, instead of breaking it to pieces on our back. However, we all broke the stick to pieces easily. He gathered the broken pieces and tied them to a bundle, and told us to break the bundle again. We could not break the bundle, even all four together. Dad took this opportunity to explain that unity is strength and for the first time in our lives, we realised our mistake.

Have I used all the points given to develop my story? Note, how I have defined the main event[s], the place of occurrence[s], and the time of occurrence[s]. What is/are the main event[s] in my story, by the way? Did you find the twist interesting? 

Now for a conclusion of my own choice... You are free to stop here, or end anywhere else, as you please.

Dad tried to change his way of treating us thereafter. We cooperated a lot, save a few occasions. Mom was happy to find us going all together. 

Are you looking for the moral of the story? I do not like being that explicit. Readers must have their liberty to read at least. Hence, now-a-day, they do not ask you to write morals at the end of the story in the examinations. If they ask, however, write whatever you feel to, just don't write too long.

Let's Conclude for Now

Tell me if you find this way of organising the story helpful. You need to remember that whenever your are going to build your own story, you have to organise your characters, and their ways of interacting with each other in a defined space and time. A definite space and time in your mind help you to visualise the whole interaction, and thus, to give every needed details. This very interaction builds up the 'action' of the story. You may choose a point within which you introduce your characters, then you go on complicating the 'action' till you reach the 'climax' of your story. Then you should conclude as you have chosen to. Do not leave any loose end. Please do note that I have tried to give my readers a detailed account of everything relevant for my story,- even you know where from 'dad' used to get his sticks, and how hard he used to hit. 

Whatever I have said are basically the primary steps to get your thoughts organised. The moment you learn to get them organised, you need not follow any such rule, rather you proceed on your instinct as a skilled story-teller. And you can always find your own way to organise a tale to tell other than mine. But you have to start, anyway. Why don't you start now, if you have not started yet...