>>> Item number 22340 from WRITERS LOG9312B --- (52 records) ----- <<<
Date:         Sun, 12 Dec 1993 18:35:02 JST
Reply-To:     WRITERS <WRITERS@NDSUVM1.BITNET>
Sender:       WRITERS <WRITERS@NDSUVM1.BITNET>
From:         Mike Barker <barker@AEGIS.OR.JP>
Subject:      EXERCISE: Beginning and Ending

This exercise is intended to help you focus on two parts of your fiction
that need to be closely related, but are often well separated in the
actual story.  Try it in order first, then experiment with somewhat
different ways of tackling the beginning and the end of your tale.
Novel writers, poets, and other forms may want to consider how this
approach to a short story "maps" to your preferred mode of expression.

Step 1.  Write a one-sentence question you want the reader to have while
reading your story.  It should be in the form of a question.

Step 2.  Pick a quota (5, 10, 20) and brainstorm at least that many
different answers to the question.  Write down the list using short
phrases.  Then go back over the list and pick the best one.

Step 3.  Write out the one-sentence answer you want the reader to "get"
after reading your story.

Step 4.  Now write the beginning paragraph (at most three paragraphs) of
your story.  Remember that you want to set the scene, introduce at least
one character, display a little of your style and the style of the
story, "hook" the reader into reading, and (most important for this
exercise) pose the question from step 1 for the reader.  You may plan to
provide more details, to define the question more clearly, etc. later in
the story, but the reader should start thinking about the question from
the very beginning.

Step 5.  Now write a one to three paragraph "resolution" aimed at
getting the reader to realize the answer from step 3.  You probably want
to avoid directly telling the reader the answer, so you need to show it,
or imply it, or "kick" the reader into thinking of it because you don't
provide it!  While you may not directly use these paragraphs in your
story, you need to make this resolution as tight and "real" as possible
for now.  The resolution need not be the final words in the story, but
should be as late as possible.

Step 6.  Think about these two and polish as desired.

Step 7.  Now comes the fun!  Ask someone else through private email or
post to read your beginning and ending, then tell you "What question and
answer do these pose?"  See how close they come to the question and
answer you thought you had written about.

Step 8.  (optional) Go back and fill in the story in the middle!

tink