We asked our very own Jake for some of his top tips for writing an original story, here they are to help you on your way. Please let us know what you think:
Think of an idea. Yep, there’s no way around this I’m afraid - you need an idea to get going. You need ‘stuff’ to write about. The best way to generate an idea? Simple. Read. Read, read, read. And then read some more. It’s no secret that all writers are influenced by other writers. The germ of your idea is likely to be born within the words of someone else.
The other most valuable resource for story ideas is YOU. Yes, you and your life experiences may well give you the inspiration you need to get writing. Writing from experience is so often the most productive path to take
Choose a character and a setting. A good character is remembered long after the story is forgotten. Who (or what?) will be your main character? A fearful fox? A brave ballerina? An unhappy hedgehog? A reclusive recycling truck? Memorable characters are essential to a successful story.
Think about where (and when) you want your story to be set… On the plains of the Serengeti? On Jupiter’s moon, Europa? Under the floorboards of your next door neighbour’s kitchen? In the long forgotten past or unimaginably distant future? A sense of place is vital to engaging your readers
The beginning. Hook your reader from the very start. Set your scene and introduce your character(s) with some key details or vivid description. “Harriet the Hedgehog had never been so unhappy. She was so deep in thought, she didn’t even notice the heavy footsteps on the floorboards above her”
The middle. The main meat of your story is likely to contain some kind of conflict and a turning point. Very few stories run completely smoothly throughout. Conflict may be caused by a new character, an unexpected event or a mistake. A turning point may be a new discovery, a new superpower or a realisation that we, the readers, have been screaming at the main character since page 2.
The end. How does your story get resolved? This can be one of the trickiest parts of writing a story; thinking of a satisfying and believable ending. It is useful to have a good think about your ending long before you get there, otherwise you can be in danger of backing yourself into a corner with no way out. Maybe even literally if you are an unhappy hedgehog living under some floorboards.
It can be useful to think of what happens to your characters after your story ends. Even if you don’t explicitly say what happens in your writing.
Lessons learnt? There may be lessons learnt along the way in your story. Perhaps there is even, whisper it, a moral… but you don’t need to Spell. It. Out. Give your readers credit, they will pick up on the themes of the story through the actions and behaviour of your characters. Show don’t tell. Actually, I’ll repeat that because it is really very important; show don’t tell.
Just get going. The hardest part of writing a story can often be getting started. So perhaps the most important piece of advice is just get it written. Put pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard - and write, write, write. You can always go back and make it better later on.