For a woman to have a baby she must go through three stages: conception, prenatal and delivery. That is, first, she becomes pregnant, then she undergoes the gestation period, and finally gives birth. Similarly, creative writing happens on three levels. And failure to adhere to this natural process at times results in a poorly crafted story. In some cases, the story is even abandoned halfway. Budding writers are more prone to this miscarriage. Hence, they need to have this fact at the back of their mind as they set out in their writing career.
To write a short story, for instance, the writer must first conceive the story idea. This comes in various ways. It could come through a conversation with someone or something you read in a book or newspaper. It could be inspired by your personal or someone’s story. It could even come through a dream or a thought. The point at which you get the idea is the conception stage. The act of mentally turning the idea into a story is part of the conception – it is like the sperm swimming towards the egg. You may at this point abandon the idea, which is usually the case with most people. You may go ahead with it, in which case the egg is fertilized.
Plotting out the story before writing it is not mandatory, it depends on what works for you. For me, I don’t plot my stories. In fact, most times I start a story without knowing how it would end until I’ve written the last word
The next stage is the incubation or gestation period, the phase in which you allow the idea to grow and take form, just as the fertilized egg gradually takes shape and becomes a foetus. This stage must not be rushed. Nurture the idea by turning it over and over in your mind. If, for example, the idea is about corruption in Nigeria, say how someone became a minister by buying the position, you should think about the way to build the story in an interesting way, visualizing the right characters, setting, conflict, and plot. You are not writing the story this time. Just keep on thinking about it, nourishing it in your head. It is advisable to take a walk in a park or anywhere inspiring. It stimulates your creative faculty. But if you can’t afford the luxury because you are too busy or there are no such places around, you could do your creative thinking anywhere; in the kitchen while cooking, in a vehicle while travelling, etc. This stage might last for a day, a week, or even a month, depending on the individual writer and the nature of the story. Though the period is not the time to start writing the story, you may need to carry a small jotter with you to take down aspects of your concept you think might escape before you settle down to write.
Next is the delivery stage. This is the time to sit down and type or put your story down on paper. You may begin by plotting the story linearly, progressing from one phase to the next. Having outlined the flow of the story, you can now begin to write, following the chart. For a short story, the usual style (though not compulsory) is to start telling the story from the middle or close to the end. In the case of the corrupt minister, for instance, you may start the story when he has already been appointed. Show him in his office, at a function, or at home doing one thing or the other or thinking about how to wriggle himself out of a situation resulting from his corrupt actions. Then, through flashbacks or stream of consciousness, you relate how he bought the office. After that, you move forward, building the story – intermittently flashing back where necessary. Remember to create suspense and crisis to hold and maintain the reader’s interest. As to how the story should end, that is left to the writer’s imagination. There are no hard and fast rules about this. It could end with the minister going to jail or going on with his corrupt practices. You could even leave the story hanging, allowing the reader to partake in the creative process by filling in the ‘missing end’. However, whatever kind of ending you choose must be plausible.
Note that plotting out the story before writing it is not mandatory, it depends on what works for you. For me, I don’t plot my stories. In fact, most times I start a story without knowing how it would end until I’ve written the last word.
Finally, it is important to also note that every writer has his way of conceiving, nurturing, and delivering his story. There are no rigid rules when it comes to creativity. However, for starters or young writers, adherence to the requirements of these three stages will go a long way in assuring effective delivery.
Good luck!
* Sumaila Umaisha is the Abuja-based author of the recently published novel Glasshouse
