O LEVEL

SECTION C
(STORY WRITING)
LECTURE 01

Story Writing (Narrative Composition)

To present a story in an interesting manner, students are expected to work on some

literary devices. Some of these literary devices help them brainstorm a topic and come
up with great ideas; others make their presentation better, which grabs the attention of
the readers. These are some examples of story topic:

1) Write a story about a person who helped an enemy or somebody he or she

disliked.
2) Write a story entitled, “Success”.

Making up a plot
Plot is a careful arrangement of a series of events that make up a story. Plot is known
as the foundation of a novel or story, around which the characters and settings are built.
It is meant to organize information and events in a logical manner.

1) In the above topic (1. Write a story about a person who helped an enemy or
somebody he or she disliked), we will have to make up a plot.

Think about somebody in trouble. Perhaps he is too ambitious or jealous.

Perhaps he has had a quarrel with a friend. Perhaps his house is on fire or flooded. Then
the rest of the story is how the person gets out of trouble.
If you have to make up a story, start by putting somebody in a difficult position.
Then explain how he or she got out of it.

Developing plot
In a typical plot structure the action begins with EXPOSITION (presentation of
important background information), involves a CONFLICT (external-one person
against another or internal- within a character), rises through a COMPLICATION
(building of tension between opposing forces) towards a CLIMAX (turning point) and
falls to a final DENOUNCEMENT or RESOLUTION of the conflict.

Abu Reza
Senior English Language Teacher
Prodigy (Dhanmondi)
Academia (Lalmatia)
There are five main elements in a plot.

1. Exposition or Introduction
This is the beginning of the story, where characters and setting are established. The
conflict or main problem is introduced as well.

2. Rising Action
Rising action which occurs when a series of events build up to the conflict. The main
characters are established by the time the rising action of a plot occurs, and at the same
time, events begin to get complicated. It is during this part of a story that excitement,
tension, or crisis is encountered.

3. Climax
In the climax, or the main point of the plot, there is a turning point of the story. This is
meant to be the
moment of
highest interest
and emotion,
leaving the
reader
wondering
what is going to
happen next.

4. Falling
Action
Falling action,
or the winding
up of the story,
occurs when
events and
complications
begin to
resolve. The
result of the actions of the main characters are put forward.

5. Resolution
Resolution, or the conclusion, is the end of a story, which may occur with either a happy
or a tragic ending.

Setting
Setting is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It’s a literary element
of literature used in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and usually introduced
during the exposition (beginning) of the story, along with the characters. The setting
may also include the environment of the story, which can be made up of the physical
location, climate, weather, or social and cultural surroundings.

Abu Reza
Senior English Language Teacher
Prodigy (Dhanmondi)
Academia (Lalmatia)
A powerful description of a setting, like a lonely cottage on a mountain, is requisite to
create an image in readers’ mind. It helps us develop characters’ mood and justify
different actions.

Read these examples below to see how settings are written.

Sample One
As the sun set in the evening sky, Malcolm slowly turned and walked toward his home.
All was silent and still. Through the window, he could see his elder brother James
watching a football game on the TV. James was home from his first year of college in
the city. It was lonely at times, but Malcolm felt it was rather nice to not be in James’
shadow during his senior year of high school.

Sample Two
Toulos Restaurant adjacent to Capitol Hill, boasts a politically incorrect menu of baby
veal and horse carpaccio, making it an ironic hotspot for the quintessential
Washingtonian power breakfast. This morning Toulos was busy---a cacophony of
clanking silverware espresso machines, and cellphone conversations.
The maitre d' was sneaking a sip of his morning Bloody Mary when the woman
entered. He turned with a practiced smile. (Deception Point)

Characterization
Characterization is a literary tool by which an author creates the appearance and
personality of imaginary persons and reveals their character. They try to make men
different from women; old women act and speak differently from girls.

Characterization- the ability to bring the people of his or her imagination to life for the
readers- is judged one of the most important attributes of a writer. Successful
characterization is also crucial to the development of a narrative, since the event that
moves the story forward are often strongly influenced by the nature of the persons
involved.

Basically there are three methods of characterization:

1) Direct description of physical appearance and character traits and attributes.
This description may occur either in an introduction or in statements distributed
throughout the work.
2) Presentation of the character in action, without interpretive comments by the
author. Especially the author shows the reader what sort of person the character
is through what the character says and does and what is said by other characters.
3) Representation of the character’s inner self. Especially, the author describes the
thoughts and emotions triggered in the character by external events.

Abu Reza
Senior English Language Teacher
Prodigy (Dhanmondi)
Academia (Lalmatia)
Sample One
The senator's eyes were his gift-a gift Rachel suspected would probably carry him to
the White House. On cue, his eyes would well with tears, and then, an instant later, they
would clear, opening a window to an impassioned soul, extending a bond of trust to all.
It's all about trust, her father always said. (Deception Point)

Sample Two
I was giving up. I would have given up – if a voice hadn’t made itself heard in my heart.
The voice said, “I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will
beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn
miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work
necessary.” (Life of Pi)

Short descriptions
There is no space for a long description in a short story. Writers of short stories always
give a short, yet powerful description of people and places. They have always keep your
eyes open and observe people and buildings carefully. Here is an example of brief
description in a short story.

The mugger was a small man, rather like a human rat. The finger of his right
hand were stained with nicotine. He was about 25 years old and wore shabby
clothes. The long knife glinted in his hand but it trembled, so I knew the man
was nervous.

The muggers' car was a 2000 Honda accord, number TZ 1968. It was light
blue, in good condition, and with plastic doll swinging in the back window. I
suspected that it had been stolen.

Dialogue
A story is more interesting if there is dialogue. Authors pay their fullest attention to the
characters and make them talk naturally. A new paragraph is required each time when
a different person speaks.

Sample One
We were just getting ready to go to bed when there was a knock on the door,
and then another. The knocking continued, urgently and loudly. I guessed that
somebody was in trouble.
I opened the door and saw a neighbor, Mrs. Lee.
'What's...?' I started to ask.
She did not wait. 'Can you help me, please? It's my husband. I think
he's had a heart attack. He's on the floor. I don't know what to do.'
I called my wife. 'Mary! Can you come, please? It's urgent.' My wife
was a nurse, so I knew she would be able to help, much as she disliked Mr. Lee.

Abu Reza
Senior English Language Teacher
Prodigy (Dhanmondi)
Academia (Lalmatia)
Sample Two
"Let me guess," Rachel replied, attempting to refortify her position. "Some prominent
divorce looking for a young wife?"
"Don't kid yourself, honey. You're not that young anymore."
Rachel felt the familiar shrinking sensation that so often accompanied meetings
with her father.
"I want to throw you a life raft," he said.
"I wasn't aware I was drowning."
"You're are not. The President is. You should jump ship before it's too late."

Background
Backstory is used when the author feels it is important for the reader to know
something that has happened prior to the actual events described in the narrative. For
example, in the story of Cinderella, we learn that Cinderella's father has lost his wife
and married another woman who has two other daughters. This is important for us to
understand why Cinderella is treated so differently from the other daughters. We don't
actually experience this event in the story. Instead, the narrator gives us this 'backstory'
just before the actual first event that we do experience.

Flashback is used when the narrator or the main character takes the story back in
time, and the events go back and forth between the past and the present. Two
examples of this include the narratives from The Notebook and Forrest Gump. The
narrators often jumped back and forth between several events that occurred in the past
to the present.

Abu Reza
Senior English Language Teacher
Prodigy (Dhanmondi)
Academia (Lalmatia)