Let’s face it: writing a story is hard – especially your very first one. Perhaps you’re struggling to think of a topic that’s unique and worth writing about. Maybe you already have a topic in mind, but are struggling to decide which direction to take it in; or, as I’m willing to bet is the case with many of you, you’ve completed a draft of your story, but are troubled by the fact that it didn’t turn out as polished as you’d hoped. Don’t fret – all of these dilemmas are normal and necessary steps in the writing process that I, like every other author out there, have been challenged by. I’m going to offer you 4 things that I wish I knew before writing my first short story, “Black Coffee”.
1. No, seriously. Your first draft is going to suck.
I’m sure many of you are familiar with Anne Lamott’s 1994 book on writing, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, in which Lamott emphasizes the importance of “shitty first drafts”. Although this concept is already highly regarded in the writing industry, many young authors fail to recognize its merit. “Shitty first drafts” aren’t just a strategy in coming up with an outline for your story; they are a necessary step in the writing process.
I know that opening your writing program and being confronted by a blank white page can be overwhelming – but just start writing. Writing is a journey, and you don’t need to know exactly where you’re going to end up. Let your uncertainty spark excitement rather than anxiety.
Imagine you were assigned to read a book in which you already knew everything that was going to happen. That wouldn’t be very engrossing, would it? The same principle applies to writing. Get lost in your writing, write stuff that sucks, cringe at it, analyze what can be altered, and edit until you end up with a rough idea of the story you want to tell.
When writing “Black Coffee”, I really didn’t know where to start at all. The idea for the story came to me when reminiscing about my previous experiences with my own grandfather and a diner we used to go to with the rest of my family. My grandfather held a similar perspective to “Grandpop” about black coffee’s superiority and made fun of my dad, who preferred coffee with cream and sugar. While my grandfather’s teasing was far less sinister than “Grandpop’s”, I saw an opportunity to expand on the idea black coffee as a symbol for something larger.
That said, while writing the scenes that involved the “Baker’s Kitchen” came relatively easily because it was something I’ve personally lived through, the rest of the story had me troubled. I wasn’t sure how to progress the narrative of section 1 in a way that felt natural and unforced. I put off continuing the story for a good week and a half because I simply didn’t know what to write, until I finally became frustrated. I remember sitting myself down, and saying “okay – today, I’m going to write a few pages, no matter what”.
Well, that’s exactly the attitude I needed to have. I simply began writing, not backtracking until I had written at least a few cohesive pages, and eventually, section 2 was outlined. Then section 3, and section 4, and suddenly I had a complete first draft within the span of a few days.
The good news is, until you decide to have your work published and peer-reviewed, you’re the only one who gets to read it. Never be afraid of a shitty first draft. Cringe at yourself a little bit, and don’t suppress the creative juices that are itching to flow out of you. They might just lead you to create a great piece of writing that you didn’t even plan for.
2. Draw from your own life – The best stories write themselves
Coming up with a unique concept for a story is difficult in a world where everything’s been done before; however, that’s what makes writing such a unique art form. No two authors share the exact same voice, because no two people share the exact same lives. You don’t need to think of some grand, never-before-thought-of elaborate plot that will become a New York Times best seller solely because of its premise. Keep your focus small. Pick an event from your own life that resonates with you (for any reason) as the basis for your story, and let your intuition guide you from there.
Perhaps you can recall a fond memory from childhood, a noticeable quirk from a person close to you, or a pet peeve that causes you immense frustration. All of these things can serve as the basis for heart-wrenching, emotionally resonant stories, despite their seeming triviality. Draw from your own life, your own memories, and your own emotions, and eventually your story will write itself.
Before I got this website up and running, I was struggling to come up with an idea for my first short story. I needed something strong to lead in with. I needed a concept that was striking, something that would really leave an impression on my newfound audience. My plot had to be intricate, something that no one had ever or could ever come up with before, right?
Wrong. I sat at my computer for a few hours before I made my first mark on the page, racking my brain for good starting points, a cup of black coffee on my desk next to me all the while. I began zoning in and out, staring at the various objects across my bedroom, and eventually started reminiscing on the diner my family and I used to go to and my grandfather’s black coffee partiality. Little did I know that the basis for my next story was right under my nose.
I thought back to what it felt like sitting in that diner – the visual ambiance and the sounds and smells of a busy kitchen flooded my mind, took control of my fingers and flowed onto my page. Recalling the vivid atmosphere and my experiences there led me to establish a solid foundation to build the rest of my story on. There’s nothing inherently spectacular about a cup of black coffee; however, by writing through my lived experiences, I was able to turn it into the foundation of a cohesive, (hopefully) emotionally resonant first short story.
3. Don’t get lost in the details
All authors hope to be the next Shakespeare. I’m sure many of you remember English class in high school – all of that close reading and overanalysis has probably conditioned you to think that attention to detail is the most important attribute of a well crafted story. Don’t get me wrong, attention to detail is definitely a sign of competent storytelling; however, when writing your first short story, and ESPECIALLY your first draft, small details should be far your primary focus.
Crafting a sound narrative that sparks deep analysis and provokes thought like many of the great literary works is what every author aspires for in their writing; however, it’s important not to get too hung up on what the color of your protagonist’s shirt should be, and how it connects to the themes of your story. Focus more on cohesion. Do the events of your plot flow in a way that seems natural and realistic? Do the actions of your characters line up with their motivations? These are all questions that you should consider when drafting your story.
After drafting your story a few times, you ought to have a pretty clear understanding of what your purpose is in writing it. Commitment to your overarching messages and maintaining cohesivity should always be your priority when crafting a narrative. Don’t get lost in the details, doing so will only take away from the core of your story.
4. Be daring. If you’re worried about your story being too abstract, it’s not.
Not being clear to my readers was one of my major anxieties when I first began dipping my toes into the world of writing. I worried that abstraction would lead my audience away from the messages I wanted to convey. After conversing with a few classmates in a college workshopping class, I realized that I wasn’t alone.
Many young authors withhold creativity in their writing for fear of not “getting their point across”. My advice is this: simply, don’t worry about that. Interpretational freedom is what makes art valuable. Don’t be scared to challenge your reader, and don’t be afraid of subtlety.
Your interpretation of a piece of art is never gospel, even if it’s your own work. The best authors write their stories while keeping in mind the fact that their work will be interpreted differently from people with varying perspectives. Strive to create conversation among your audience. If your story is so straightforward that only one interpretation can be drawn from it, it probably isn’t worth reading or writing in the first place.
These are just a few of the tips I wish I knew before starting my first short story, “Black Coffee”. Please let me know in the comments what you found helpful, as well any other tips that I may have missed. Moreover, please consider signing up for my newsletter, and downloading “Black Coffee”, while it’s still completely free. Thank you all!
–John Hendrix
