Story writing
Dahlia Bartley, Contributor

I must first apologise for not giving you the answers last week to the figures of speech used in some sentences you had got for homework. Here they are:

1. Euphemism 2. Simile 3. Alliteration 4. Personification 5. Onomatopoeia 6. Hyperbole

In today's lesson, we will focus on story writing. Students writing the English A exam must bear in mind that section three - the section in which short story and descriptive writing are tested - is marked out of 35. Let me quickly assure you that it is possible to gain full marks here.

But why are some students afraid of this section? After all, it is in our nature, as human beings, to tell stories. We, in Jamaica, have such a vibrant oral tradition. We also tell others about an interesting movie we have seen; we also tell of an embarrassing or humorous situation that probably happened to us or someone else. So, if we tell stories, why are we afraid to write them? There are certain elements which you must try to build into your stories and I shall briefly review these.

PLOT: This might be seen as a series of events mapping out incidents from beginning to end. It must be very simple. Of great importance to the plot is conflict. If this does not exist, your story will be boring. Now, there are three types of conflict.

Conflict within yourself

Imagine that a new boy has moved into a neighbourhood. To make friends and prove himself, he might have to perform a dishonest deed. The conflict then arises as he must make a choice to remain alone or to commit an act to attract attention.

Conflict between/among characters

Think of two students in a school. Both want to be on the football/netball/basketball/quiz/debating team (when there is place for only one). So how do they stake their claim and how is this resolved?

Conflict in circumstances

The type of conflict, a fire, hurricane or any other big incident that will impact greatly on the lives of characters who were previously at loggerheads.

Conflicts, even those, in short stories, must be resolved and pay attention to how you move through the different stages of the plot - the introductory section, the development and the resolution.

THEME: This is the central idea on which the story is based.

SETTING: The time and place for the action or events in the story, for example, a story set in the 1950s would not have a character driving a Lexus or using a cellular phone. In your setting, too, atmosphere is important and must match the setting.

CHARACTERS: Keep the number small, as each character you introduce has to be given a role. Characters must also be presented convincingly. You could, perhaps, pattern them off people you know.

LANGUAGE: Put adjectives, adverbs and figures of speech to work. Choice of words is vital and you must use language in a lively and creative manner.

DIALOGUE: This must be used creatively to reveal character traits and advance the plot. I must remind you, too, that you might use dialect or Jamaican Creole in section three of the exam paper, but do not overdo it.

POINT OF VIEW: You have two choices:

The first person, which is the character, I. You will be using such pronouns as indicated here:

Singular - I, me, my

Plural - we, us, our.

The third person. Use the appropriate pronouns, as well:

Singular - he, she, it

Plural - they.

But be careful! You must choose the point of view which best fits the demands of the question and, throughout your story, you must stick to it.

TWIST: A good story writer may choose to give a surprise element or an unexpected ending to his story, for example, 'the unexpected visitor' might very well be the cat you forgot to put outside before going to bed, when all along the reader is led to believe that a human being was in the house.

HUMOUR: This can be a vital element to make your story come alive.

Now, I want you to spend some time absorbing all we have discussed, so I will end here today.

We will continue with this topic, next week.

Lotoya Campbell of The Queen's School winning the class 1 girls' 400m hurdles at the Herb McKenley Calabar Track meet at the National Stadium east field. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Dahlia Bartley teaches at Glenmuir High School.