TEXT TYPES

Creative Writing: Stories

CLIMB STORY MOUNTAIN

5 Main Stages

1. Opening

2. Build-up

3. Climax

4. Resolution

5. Ending

OPENING

BUILD-UP

CLIMAX

RESOLUTION

ENDING Setting

Main

characters

Events

Clues

Surprise!

Unexpected event

Problem

Sorting

things

out

New

equilibrium Initial

equilibrium

1. OPENING

Set the scene.

Create an atmosphere.

Introduce characters.

Look at the following opening lines in these two famous works of fiction and decide:

1. What kind of narrator there is.

2. What the writer expects us to understand about the setting and the characters.

3. What frame of mind the writer expects to create in the readers.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed

in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.

“_You_ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”

This was invitation enough.

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen

What does this tell us about the “neighbourhood” and the “surrounding families”?

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he

ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul,

will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. AT LENGTH I would

be avenged; this was a point definitively settled -- but the very definitiveness with which

it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with

impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally

unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done

the wrong.

The Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but

when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.

You, who so well know the nature of my soul,

The writer establishes a relationship

between narrator and reader. We are

supposed to know who the narrator is and

therefore understand his/her behaviour.

I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is

unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally

unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him

who has done the wrong.

What do we learn about the

plot of the story?

The narrator makes us

his/her accomplices. He

assumes that we are on

his/her side.

CHALLENGE!

PLAN: Look at the picture and

decide:

1. Who she is

2. Where she is

3. What she’s running away from

Write a paragraph in the first

person answering all the questions.

Then write a paragraph in the third

person doing the same.

2. BUILD-UP

You need to make the reader curious and interested in reading on.

You can do that by giving some information and withholding

other.

Ask yourself what questions the reader is asking him/herself right

now.

Let’s go back to The Cask of Amontillado and think about four

questions that you would like the narrator to answer.

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he

ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul,

will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. AT LENGTH I would

be avenged; this was a point definitively settled -- but the very definitiveness with which

it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with

impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally

unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done

the wrong.

Who is the narrator really?

Who is Fortunato? What did he do to deserve punishment?

How was he punished? We know that the narrator managed

to punish Fortunato without getting

himself in trouble for it.

What was the relationship between

narrator and Fortunato?

ANSWERS?

He had a weak point -- this Fortunato -- although in other regards he was a man to

be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine.

Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is

adopted to suit the time and opportunity to practise imposture upon the British and

Austrian MILLIONAIRES. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his

countrymen , was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this

respect I did not differ from him materially; I was skilful in the Italian vintages

myself, and bought largely whenever I could.

Are any of your questions

answered? Which? How?

We now know that Fortunato was

Italian. That he knew about wines and

that he took pride in that (did he

boast about it?) but that he was happy

to let people think he knew more

about other subjects than he really did

taking advantage of people’s

ignorance. So perhaps he’s a bit

arrogant? He seems to have a high

opinion of himself. Does this give us

a clue as to why he will be punished?

We know that the narrator

knows about wines too, but he’s

not Italian. We know that he

bought wine ‘largely’ so, does

this mean that he’s rich? We

also know that he realises when

Fortunato is being a ‘quack’,

does this mean that he thinks

he’s smart and even smarter

than Fortunato?

Most importantly, the build-up is about creating a

sequence of events which will lead up to the

conclusion of the story. The reader must feel that

they can guess where it is all going but would like

to know the details (how it is going to happen).

Reading this paragraph from The Cask of

Amontillado we know that the narrator will take

advantage of Fortunato’s weaknesses to take

revenge. The narrator’s revenge will have to do

with wine and Fortunato’s knowledge but also with

Fortunato’s arrogance and pride. The question that

every reader must ask themselves now is: WHAT

NEXT?

DOUBTS & OBSTACLES

It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I

encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The

man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the

conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing

his hand.

I said to him -- "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day!

But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts."

"How?" said he, "Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible ? And in the middle of the carnival?"

"I have my doubts," I replied; "and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without

consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain."

"Amontillado!"

Will the narrator manage to lure Fortunato to his trap?

OBSTACLE OVERCOME

As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. If any one has a critical turn, it is he. He will tell

me" --

"Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."

"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own."

"Come let us go."

"Whither?"

"To your vaults."

"My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement

Luchesi" --

"I have no engagement; come."

Edgar Allan Poe delivers, Fortunato’s pride and arrogance prove his

doom. He is lured by the narrator because the narrator knows his

weaknesses well. Even though Poe doesn’t tell us what the narrator

knows, what happens – Fortunato falling for his tricks – makes perfect

sense.

BUILDING UP TENSION 1

One of the ways to build up tension is to set the events in a place which

will make the readers feel tense.

"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us.”(…) "These vaults,"

he said, are extensive."

(…)

"The nitre!" I said: see it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults. We

are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture trickle among the bones.

Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your cough" --

BUILDING UP TENSION 2

Another way to build up tension is to use irony or sarcasm.

"Come," I said, with decision, we will go back; your health is precious. You

are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy as once I was. You are a

man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back; you will be ill and

I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi" --

"Enough," he said; "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall

not die of a cough."

"True -- true," I replied; (…).

CHALLENGE!

PLAN:

What questions do you think the reader

will be asking him/herself? Answer them!

Add three paragraphs to the story.

Choose the narrator.

Add details but do not answer all the

questions.

Include events that may have happened

before and/or after the opening. You need to create interest.

Expand the story adding more

details without giving too many

clues.

3. CLIMAX

The build-up will have suggested a logical chain of events leading up

from the opening.

Something might go wrong in the plans or something unexpected

might happen to make it look as if the chain of events which the reader

had foreseen, will be disrupted.

It could be an unexpected appearance, or an obstacle on the way.

Whatever it is, it will need a solution for the story to come to a

conclusion.

SURPRISE!

In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his

progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered . A moment

more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron

staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of

these depended a short chain. from the other a padlock. Throwing the

links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He

was too much astounded to resist . Withdrawing the key I stepped back

from the recess.

The unexpected event is not necessarily so for the narrator,

but it will be for the reader. We finally get to know the

narrator’s plan. He was going to kill Fortunato all along (as

we kind of suspected because of the atmosphere and the

choice of place – the vaults where there are hundreds of

bones, it’s dark, etc). The way in which he does it is

unexpected though. This is the moment of realisation for

the reader and for Fortunato. Morally, it feels very wrong,

and especially so because the narrator has made us his/her

accomplice.

BUILDING UP TENSION 3

Use short sentences: they speed up the pace of narration.

Begin your sentences with –ing clauses to add more action.

Use time frames which show how fast events happened.

From one of these depended a short chain, from the

other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it

was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He was

too much astounded to resist . Withdrawing the key I

stepped back from the recess.

BUILDING UP TENSION 4

Yet another way to build up tension is through dialogue because

events progress quickly without interruption from description.

"Ha! ha! ha! -- he! he! -- a very good joke indeed -- an excellent jest. We will have

many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo -- he! he! he! -- over our wine -- he! he!

he!"

"The Amontillado!" I said.

"He! he! he! -- he! he! he! -- yes, the Amontillado . But is it not getting late? Will

not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest? Let us

be gone."

"Yes," I said "let us be gone."

CHALLENGE!

PLAN: Think of a problem, an obstacle

or a surprise. It must be unexpected either

for the main character(s) or for the

readers.

Write three or more paragraphs more

detailing the unexpected situation. Try to

use dialogue, irony and/or description to

create tension.

It’s important that the readers

don’t feel this unexpected event

is too farfetched.

4. RESOLUTION

After the climax, there is less tension, the worst or the best - the

funniest, or the most tragic, or the most romantic – has happened, an

we are left wondering: What next?

The resolution needs to offer satisfactory and plausible ways out: the

main character succeeds, or fails definitively.

It’s clear that after the climax, there’s no going back, something has

changed forever and the only way is forward, so the resolution needs

to offer a new chain of events leading to the ending.

UNFORTUNATE FORTUNATO

A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the

throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a

brief moment I hesitated -- I trembled. Unsheathing my rapier, I began to

grope with it about the recess; but the thought of an instant reassured me.

I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs , and felt

satisfied. I reapproached the wall. I replied to the yells of him who

clamoured. I reechoed -- I aided -- I surpassed them in volume and in

strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still.

How did the narrator deal with Fortunato?

Why isn’t there a way back?

What feelings does the narrator experience?

The narrator has

changed in our

eyes. From

wronged victim,

he’s become a

cruel murderer.

We could’ve felt

sympathy for the

narrator and even

understand his panic

but the resolution

offers us a person

who delights in

tormenting a man

who he has already

punished, and who he

will leave to die a slow

and terrible death.

CHALLENGE!

PLAN:

Jot down the chain of

events leading to the ending.

Is the ending a happy or a

sad one?

Has your main character

succeeded or failed?

How has he/she changed?

It’s important that you decide what

kind of ending you will have before

you write, changing ideas halfway

through the writing means that there

will be inconsistencies in the

narrative.

ENDING "Fortunato!"

No answer. I called again --

"Fortunato!"

No answer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within.

There came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. My heart grew sick -- on

account of the dampness of the catacombs. I hastened to make an end of my

labour. I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up. Against the new

masonry I reerected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal

has disturbed them.

In pace requiescat!

The ending needs to be the natural result

of the chain of events in the resolution.

Even surprising endings are possible

because of the previous chain of events.

It’s usually a sign of bad writing/planning

to come up with an ending which doesn’t

match the rest of the story. Be careful not

to disappoint at the very end! The final

sentences usually have a lasting impression,

so choose your ideas and words well.

The narrator has

succeeded, he’s

accomplished what he set

out to do (take revenge

without paying for it).

He’s become a different

person though, he’s paid a

very high price…or has

he? In any case, the

readers are shocked, and

Poe manages to alienate

us from the narrator and

his deeds despite the

confessional tone of the

story.

CHALLENGE!

Write a suitable ending for your story.

PLAN:

What is the new

equilibrium?

Will you have answered all

of your reader’s questions?

Or will you have an open

/unexpected ending?