HOW TO FIND A MIllION STORY IDEAS IN A MATCHBOX

To tell a story is one of man’s greatest gifts as well as his responsibility to generations to come. Storytelling isn’t simply a fine structure of words or some entertainment. It is through storytelling we preserve culture, give expression to being, set narratives, let other people into our life, set the significance of a notion, rewrite the unfairness of life, and more importantly, create realities and an extension for others to engage into that reality. 

Simply put, storytelling is creating a voice for ideas or people that needs expression. Howbeit it is the responsibility of a storyteller, be it fictional or non, to give full-blown expression to the characters they write about. 

Why am I starting here? 

Over time I have seen people look for some revolutionary idea to write, a plot that would come from the third heaven for their work to be recognized, some dream or something spectacular to occur within their line of vision before they commence a project. 

The question is; why is it so hard to start small-right where you are? Isn’t telling a story simply about a life? The intrigues they face, the causalities life makes them be, the insecurities they face, etc. 

What is so wrong with starting there? 

What’s so wrong with writing about yourself, the busy streets of Port Harcourt, the lady next door in your compound whose husband left her with three children, your friend whose heart had been broken by a miscreant, your universities days, the unconventional character in your street that people seem to cringe at, the father that has lost his wife to death and has three hyperactive boys?

If you’re part of the 89% of people that think of the stories above and say  ‘oh! What’s so special about that?’, then you should consider a different way of thinking. 

What you fail to see is; that stories are extraordinary not primarily because of their plot but because of the way it is been told. 

Take the example of a piece of music;  in the hands of a poorly trained chorister,  it is nuisance but when handled by one who is familiar with the techniques and tenet of music the result is a standing ovation.

It isn’t your idea most times, it is the way it is been told. It might be the use of language, your narrative technique, or your style. 

For most of us, the story ideas written above are reminders of websites like Coolval or upcoming (and mediocre) Facebook writers that entertained us with thrills of romanticism and less suspense during the period of 2014-2016. Sure we look back and barf at the thought that we once enjoyed such mediocrity, yet put those ideas in the hand of a writer who has given himself to discipline, studying, and improving on the technique of writing, and you see a story that will intrigue the people of New York, England or Asian. 

Name one of your favorite African writer and their work, and I will show you more than five characters in their work that lives next to you. Why did it turn heads in the international market? It gave a full expression of those people you termed ordinary. They took the busy street of Port Harcourt and zoomed in on your next-door neighbor who is a sucker for Spanish songs but got heartbroken when the Korean prince, Gun Jum Poe, announced his engagement. They wrote about them and presented them to you in gold wrappings. They took on the responsibility of giving full expression to these characters because in as much as someone in Australia might want to know about the war and economic meltdown in Lagos, they still want to see a representation of what an average Nigerian citizen's everyday life looks like, and also want to identity part of their selves in your character.

Secondly, if you’re part of the 89% of people that think of the stories above and say ‘oh! What’s so special about that?’, what you fail to see is that ‘ordinary’ people are what create the narratives of the stories seen in limeight. Think of it this way, the discussions you witness even within your family, the stories your friend told you, are a small construct of a bigger narrative. 

Let’s make use of our example. When I think of the busy street of Port Harcourt (a perfect illustration of how a writer plays this out is this poem). I think of capitalism,  decentralization of wealth in the nation of Nigeria, failed dreams of young people in their home state, hope that is crushed but renewed each day with sunset. When I think of my university days, I think of the government's failure to serve, a future that is delicate and uncertain, a nation that disregards knowledge, etc. Within my family setting, I see the narrative of political apathy of the citizens of Nigeria, the construct feminism speaks against, body image, etc. These narratives you find even within your social media platform.  

The problem, dear writer, is you fail to see, or more aptly you fail to listen. You fail to see what life looks like for a father who is left with three boys, the emotional trauma that accompanies a single father at fifty-three, and the narrative that works against him such as how ‘love’ is seen as childishness for older men in African construct (you can see a similar scenery here). I You failed to listen to the stories calling to you, hidden in ‘ordinary’ people or even within yourself, from strangers on the street to the stories you hear about. 

So dear writer, how do you find a million story ideas in a matchbox? How about you choose to see or listen to the stories hidden in familiar silence? How about you own up to the responsibility of representing voices that are silent? How about you let go of your fear and practice honesty? If you do this, you will find a million stories at every turn.

If you are looking for more tips on writing, this could help.