"Look around. Stories. Everything. They're about us. They're in us. We're in them... And we are them. Stories."
—Lisha
A friend told me about how she's beginning to see practically everything around her as potentials for a story.
Y'know, certain passers-by would strike you as the best character types for your story, so you fix a stare on them, assessing not only their exteriors but even x-raying their insides, seemingly shelling their minds and thoughts.
It sure happens. And you feel thrilled by this unconscious exercise. Only if you're a writer.
A big deal of QUEERNESS does come with 'REAL WRITERSHIP.' (Note the quotes.)
Not everyone does it, but it's an interesting way of discovering how deep you are in this writing thing.
Like a journalist, your eyes aren't just for seeing; they're sure surveillance cameras. Nothing escapes those two beepers. THEY TAKE IN EVERYTHING (of course to be filtered later), and record them all.
You know why?
Nothing is new here anymore. But humans sure do new things. Yes, they pull peculiar stunts—things that may have not escaped history but history have failed to record.
Queerness is ubiquitous. And the real writers have their way of capturing them. Hence, these peculiar/uncommon things serve as components of originality and creativity for the smart writers.
Since all new ideas seem to be shades of the past old ones, smart writers can capitalise on the unique actions to create original contents.
Thing is, in this world of storytelling, both originality and creativity do it best. Readers have read virtually all shades of romance, fantasy, thrillers, crime, and whatever.
And they look forward to experiencing something different when they pick up a new book.
In response, writers have a duty to supply these curious minds with unique tastes—original, peculiar, untested.
Again, thing is, while many of these new tastes can be throughly sourced for via our wildest imaginations, we (writers) can resort to observing people and their unique actions and responses to present a new wave of originality that will stun our hungry readers.
For us, HUMANS should be a room filled with TREASURE CHESTS.
😉
Treasure Chest? Yeah, of course.
Our writings revolve around humans and their world—even when writing fables and aliens, we ascribe the humanity (even if a fragment) to them.
Characters have humanoid embodiments. So does the world in our stories.
More reason why we need to pay attention to events around us and see them as potentials for a great original story. I bet your readers will appreciate you!😉
NB: It's great to engage wild imaginations. It's an amazing way of coming out original. But many answers lie within human actions, reactions and interactions.
And those who are smart enough, are able to put those answers to their best use.
Best Regards.
© B. Elisha Oluyemi
PROLIFIC FICTION WRITERS COMMUNITY (PROFWIC) is on the lookout for short crime stories to be published in its PROFWIC Anthology Vol 1 to be published this year.
Theme: Femme Fatale
Stories should be:
- Crime fiction
- Featuring a female antagonist
- Avoid ‘It’s just a dream’ trope stories.
- Of length 3000 to 5000 word count
Do you have what it takes to write such stories?
Spaces are limited.
Stories will be published in a crime fiction anthology by IfèAdigo Publishing Company.
Submit your story today to ifeadigopub@gmail.com
Feel free to send in your enquiries.
Imperfection remains an inherent trait of man, and it reflects in diverse areas of his interest.
Sometimes it's realised through a personal perspective, sometimes through some outsider's assessment.
In many cases, what a certain outsider tag perfect is condemned by another. And one is left questioning the real nature of their results.
You stumble on a story idea and begin to piece things together. You spend hours or days or weeks or months or even years trying to make it appeal as perfect.
Now all of that's done. Completed. Your chin up, shoulder high, you present it to the world hoping to get some thumbs up, but then the reviews begin to stream in.
They aren't what you anticipated, rather they are torrents of bladed, spiky remarks, tearing at your efforts, goring your view of self.
You sink into your chair, bed, whatever. Deep creases jab at your face. "I'm no good after all," you say, looking so pained. "My efforts, my time, my experiences, everything . . . they're all to no good!" Then you sob and beat yourself and . . . maybe consider pleasing your demons or . . . maybe decide to wave it off and press on.
If you decide on the latter, you sure are in for good.
The fact is the world—this damn world—expects too much from you.
But can you give more than you've got?
Oh, Writers!
There are times you come up with awesome contents and the world's like kissing your feet: you see the thumbs-ups almost poking your face; the hailing and applause are got no measure either.
But also there are times—blue, gloomy times—when your content is as redundant as a cliche. As for that, you know what follows.
Now that should never announce your resignation.
Even exceptional leaders rack up bad ratings at some point in time, at some naturally unfavourable season.
World best sportspersons, though universally accoladed, are bound to exhibit flaws at some point.
It doesn't play down their positive significance. It doesn't erode their abilities.
You see, that moment of weakness is just a passing wind. And it shakes the feeble-minded. And it's capable of hurling one against the rocks.
It all depends on your attitude—your immediate response.
SHAKE IT OFF!
If the reviews are stabbing, it doesn't play down your ability.
YOU'RE STRONG!
YOU'RE BRAVE!
YOU'RE A WRITING GOD!
When your best seems ugly, get her some cosmetics. And you're good to go!
COMPLEXION OF ERRORS ||
Delusion —
Eris' memento;
A thousand crazed vipers.
A man's brain —
Pandora's box of bane;
A hub of evil thoughts
Mortal world —
A grimy testing site
Where discord runs amok
Mummified deities;
Stained enduring teachings —
Taproots of distortion
Time sails on,
Wars soaking up seasons,
And the clock keeps on ticking.
_______
—Written by Elisha Oluyemi
(Originally published by UpWrite Mag.)
Farewell, Oh Plague
________
Fell in some unconscious revel
With all my senses quite feeble.
But I was roused up to discover
That some virus paused the world.
T'will fade away in no time—
Just some vainly uttered oracle.
For months passed in a while,
And weeks just drifted by.
I looked and observed through my lens;
The world was shrouded in silence.
And my ears were keenly opened
To eerie cries and theories spread.
Natural cause or terrorism,
Some leaked weapon or whatever tis,
Our world since breeds some raging panic
As death slowly invades our fabric.
I, regardless of these, a gauntlet throw
To you who has stilled and quaked our realm
The' nduring strengths of ours o'er time tested
Will prevail though our last bechanced by woe
Then this time I'll soar than a copter
With all my senses brewed with fervour
I will rise to joyfully divulge
How our bleeding world quenched a scourge
—Written by Elisha Oluyemi
(Originally published by Nnoko Stories.)
Posts
