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Details. Details. Details.
The first rule of good story-teling is: "Show Don't Tell."
Telling makes it easy for the writer to sidestep emotion and dramatic tension. Telling takes the story out of scene. Writing in scene is different from describing a scene. Writing
in scene combines character and action and includes dialogue and your
characters inner thought.
Make sure you take the time to list and show the scenes that make your story so unique. For example, if you're writing about a family heirloom such as an African stool that was
hand-carved by your great-great-grandfather on a South Carolina rice
plantation, make sure your readers know everything there is to know
about that stool. What year was it created and for what occasion? Who
sat in the stool? What kind of wood was used to make it? How did it
pass from generation to generation? After drilling down to the specific
details, try to capture the particular emotion that is the engine of
all good stories. Was the stool created as a wedding gift during slavery? If it was,
well, you know this is a story begging to be told.
Creative Storytelling
If you choose to write a short story, poem, or present a photo essay,
apply the same level of contemplation to your story as with a
non-fiction tale. Be sure to bring all the basic elements of good
storytelling, including character, setting, plot, point-of-view,
voice, flashback, etc., to craft a memorable and compelling story. If
you are writing a poem, push for evocative feeling, tone, nuance, intellect, and
color beyond the cliche or ordinary.
Write More
Writers write. That's what they do. Even if you don't consider yourself
a writer, as a teller or stories, you have an obligation to your
audience to learn how to tell a masterful story. The more writing you
do, the better you'll get. Here are a few ways feed your writers mind
and help you document or create memorable African Diaspora
stories:
- Keep a journal
- Interview family members about traditions and culture
- Research your family genealogy
- Travel to cities, islands, and/or countries of family origin
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