How to write stand-out stories

NAIROBI: Many of us are creative, but we are also known for being perpetual copycats, in business, music and even writing. One person writes something and another does a similar thing. I would like to say from the onset that being a copycat will not take your far.

 

We are living in a time when many people would rather do anything to 'make it'. There was a time I received a manuscript from a would-be author who had written a story on the late John Garang.

As I read through, I felt I wanted to confirm some facts about the piece. I therefore went online to ascertain it and as I was searching, I stumbled upon the website this author had hived the story from!

This is known as plagiarism and you can be prosecuted for doing it.

I have met quite a number of budding writers who say their writing is similar to so and so and I keep on reminding them to drop it. Some flaunt the names of professors thinking editors will be swayed into imagining their work is great. I have news for you: this is an exercise in futility. Even though professors may help you develop the story, you must be your own person.

Besides, not all professors are specialists in writing – actually, there are very few if any. At the same time, why do you want to be like another person? Just be you.

We can learn from others in terms of style for better delivery but that does not mean we photocopy their work. Writing is like playing football; the more you play the sharper you become. It is very important for you to read what other people write. This will help develop your thinking, make you realise how others play with words, create suspense, know how to pace your story and develop proper cause and effect, as you write the story. The more you read the sharper you will be.

Another thing that you should consider, apart from reading, is researching. Plan to have your story standing out from the rest. I know an Indian writer who researched so much on tea yet he does not even take tea! How often do you research before writing? Most budding writers just write, some even without an outline. Research helps you gather material for your story. This material will make your narrative credible and give your voice authority of speech. Your readers will not doubt you or think you are groping in the dark. Before writing, develop an outline. This will act as your map as you write and you will know exactly what to put where, and how to move from point A to Z.

Remember failing to plan is planning to fail. Therefore, have a comprehensive plan and do not be a sloth.

Planning includes choosing the setting, theme or themes to address and characters. Explore times and places other writers have not considered. Can you imagine how Kenya will be in 2030? Think outside the box; do the unusual. How about having humour in a desperate situation? Many of us do not consider this but how many times have you seen people laughing at a funeral? Oh yes, they do. So why make it all dull and sombre?

For the themes, think of the untapped areas or bring back the old and make people yearn for the past beauty. Ask yourself, what people are not talking about and as you develop your characters to bring out your theme, push them to explore what seems impossible; let them develop in an unexpected way. For instance, why should a priest always be that nice character? Make your priest character the evil one and a sinner to expose the priest! Aspire to surprise your reader.

You can only surprise your reader by reversing the expectations. Avoid the 'and they lived happily ever after' ending. One of the things that make Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet stand out is the ending. Instead of the lovers, getting married and having children in a little warm house, they die but the warring factions also make peace. Even if you would like the ending to be a happy one, avoid the 'obvious' – what your reader can easily guess.

As a writer, you must remember that you are in control. You should make the reader laugh, sad, cry and happy again. Push the emotions; make your reader and characters hurt, make them think and challenge their intellect for solutions while at them same time delivering that which motivates them to read on. Make the reader laugh at himself; make them have that aha moment; let them wonder and ask, why didn't I think of that?

How about the plot? I usually say your plot should be like a spider's web. If you touch one part, the whole web should vibrate and if you dare remove part of it, the web becomes weak. If you have a part in your story that you can remove and the story remains the same then that part is redundant; it should not be there. A good plot is usually an intricate pattern with no obvious blueprint. The trick is to do the unexpected: where you are supposed to be obvious, be obscure, where you are supposed to go over, go through and go up instead of down and so on.

As you do all this remember, your objective is to entertain in a beautiful way while remaining relevant; your fiction should be beautiful and at the same time useful. Do not be overly hard to understand. Develop a balanced act; remember, literature reflects events in a society. Therefore, as you push your boundaries, push them beyond the expected but remember to be realistic. I always give the example of a writer arguing that Kampala is in Nairobi just because he or she is writing fiction. Surely, this is extremely absurd and you will neither be respected, nor develop desire in anyone to read work with such illogical concoctions.

You should remember that a story that captures a reader's attention always stands out. Set your characters on unexplored paths or explore the usual paths differently. Take your reader somewhere new − they have already seen and read the familiar. Call them out in such a way that they will turn away from what they are doing and look. Make your story so good that your reader won't put it down; he or she should keep turning pages and if they have to attend to a call of nature, they will take your book with them.