One of our everyday problems is showing what is in our minds to other people. Sometimes, we have a lot of ideas that we cannot share easily. It is not because our concept is not good, but we may not know how to share it with others. Meanwhile, to create a story like a short story, fable, or novel, the author needs to form meaningful sentences that make the readers understand the situation and plot very well so they grasp the story’s main ideas.
If you want to try writing some stories, there are some tips that we can do to share our ideas easily; check them out:
- Describe things you see inside your head.
Some ideas seem so vivid that it is hard to tell somebody else. The easiest way to show what is happening inside our minds is to describe the visible things in our heads. For example, before you tell the readers the plot, you need to build the situation so the readers can imagine the character’s time, place, and position.
Here is an example:
In the middle of the day, when people were still busy with their business, Anita sat alone on a bench under a tree. That was one of the oldest trees in her school, a private Senior High School located in a small city in Central Java. Although it did not have high buildings, the school’s area was big enough to explore.
- Write down detailed explanations to make your sentences more interesting.
It is good to read a compact paragraph with long, understandable sentences. Using unique words in your story is a good thing, but make sure the readers understand the meaning of those words. That is why giving detailed explanations is essential to build the reader’s interest and smoothen the plot.
Here is an example:
Xiao Li found a big tumbler on the ground. It was just next to her feet, so she almost stepped on it. Its color was just about to disappear, like green and blue in between, where a part of the cap was cracked and showed a small hole. Xiao Li lifted it carefully and was surprised because of the heat. It was hot and heavy. She thought the water in it would have spilled out because of the hole in the cap.
- Please refrain from using first-word repetition in your sentences so they will not feel bored to read.
Repetition is not always bad, but it can create boredom if it appears too often. In particular, a writer needs repetition to highlight a situation, but readers will normally feel bored and lose their interest if they read the same thing three or more times in a row.
Here is an example of the repetition of words in the paragraph:
Bayu wanted to visit his classmate. His classmate is sick and spent days in the hospital. He decided to go to the hospital with Mira. On his way to the hospital, Bayu also wanted to buy some fruits. He would give the fruits to his sick classmate.
Please compare the paragraph above with this one:
Bayu wanted to visit a hospitalized classmate. Mira would accompany him. On their way to the hospital, Bayu bought some fruits to bring.
- Highlight the main idea by providing more explanations or emphasizing particular words.
One of the writer’s challenges is to deliver the main idea to the readers. Sometimes it is easy, but sometimes it is hard too. Finding the main sentences is not the reader’s job, but as a reader, the story’s plot can be understandable if we can get the main idea of the paragraph we are reading. That is why, as a writer, it is essential to emphasize the main idea.
Giving more explanation can be helpful, like this example:
Being the first daughter was always challenging for me. I did not have someone to copy or talk to. I wanted to discuss things with my mother at certain times, but unfortunately, she seemed too busy with her life. As a woman, I felt I was not as strong as a man, so when I shared my problems with somebody else, I blamed my condition as the first daughter.
- Choose a title that makes people question but is still relatable to the story and the reader’s life.
The first thing people mention about a story is the title, which is why a writer must choose the best title for their writing. The title should summarize the plot and catch the reader’s attention.
To recount a person’s life story, rather than using the individual’s name., it is better to use the name of the most crucial thing in that person’s life or an event that links the whole storyline.
For example, I use ELEMEN as the title of my first novel because it contains people’s life stories related to nature’s elements (soil, air, water, fire, and ether). Elemen sounds unique, and after reading the whole story, readers will automatically understand why the title is Elemen.
Those are some tips for putting your ideas into words so your readers can understand the meaning very well. So, keep on writing and spread goodness to others.