Pubspeaks

Short Story Writing

By Danielle Ring, WIW Member

 “Ignore what people think they know you are writing about, and prepare to have enemies,” when writing semi autobiographical fiction said Doreen Baingana, author of Tropical Fish: Stories out of Entebbe, at WIW's May 10 Pubspeak.

"Don't you dare write about us," demanded her own family, so Baingana changed details about her characters, disguising the real people upon which her stories are based.  

Characters

Baingana suggested that factual information and character attributes be changed to add interest. “One of the pitfalls in writing about yourself is in trying to make yourself a saint or a hero. A character with no flaws is an unbelievable character. Characters should be well rounded, with both flaws and good graces.”

The description of a character should add value to the story. When developing a character, ask yourself questions such as:

Whom would this person vote for?

What does this person eat for lunch?

What does he/she care about most?

What are his/her secrets?

What are the character’s mannerisms?

The bottom line: Characterization drives the story and actions propel the story forward.

Plot

Baingana described how to use the basic elements of plot. Exposition lays the groundwork and describes the character’s universe. The rising action begins to introduce the conflicts. The climax is the highest point of the story where something changes everything else, whether it is action or dialogue. This is the point where nothing can ever be the same again. The falling action shows how the characters have changed; this is usually where something changes within the reader as well. The denouement is the ending; sometimes it is tied up neatly and other times there are still questions left unanswered.

Often our daily lives do not make interesting fiction. “Your imagination is what helps switch what actually happened into a good story,” said Baingana. “You have to exaggerate a little; fiction is a place where you are allowed to do so.”

Style

She uses two exercises to try different styles. In the first, she chooses an author that has a very distinct style (i.e., Hemingway). She chooses a page of text and removes all nouns, adjectives and verbs, but keeps the articles. She then inserts her own words into the empty slots. With the second exercise, she makes a three-column list of adverbs, adjectives and nouns. She then pairs the words together into unique combinations and writes a paragraph using the new phrases.

When Baingana has an idea for a story and she can't get it down on paper, she simply starts writing in a stream of consciousness style. This helps shut down the “editor” in her head. For 30 minutes every morning, she writes everything entering her mind, even though the characters may talk back to her or the details are fuzzy. “You have to open your sub consciousness and realize that what we think we know is not always the same as what we know.” Baingana recommended long hand for stream of consciousness writing because the words flow directly from your mind to the page. For her, computers are more of an editing tool.

Parting Advice

Baingana said that most manuscripts should be about 5,000-7,000 words. She recommended reviewing different literary journals. Each one has its own style and one might publish a story when another wouldn't. She also advised, “When submitting stories, don’t start at the top. I sent my first story to the New Yorker and it was rejected. And, don't be discouraged by rejections.”

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