A Reiteration of Something I Once Read a Very Long Time Ago!

A spark ignites the kindle, creating an ember. From here, a flame needs tending. As an author, I pledge to remain ever vigilant, and keep a lookout for the best of ways and means, to keep my fire aglow.

One day, my creative writing teacher, a beautiful spirit, introduced to our class, the one-page story format. I had never heard of Flash Fiction. Thinking back, I don’t remember if it even existed as a literary writing tool.

Someone I never met wrote the story I am about to tell you. Embellishments aside, I am trying to pay homage to the original author. I am drawing inspiration from an old memory. I feel terrible because I cannot remember the title or his name. All I remember is a little about his technique, and the genesis of his tale. He impacted my life. He provided the spark that contributed to my wanting to become an author. For lack of an original title, I’m just going to call this piece

The Crescendo.

Alone, he sat, consumed by and within his high-backed green velveteen chair. His side table hosted a glass of his favorite single malt scotch whiskey, Glenmorangie; served neat, along with a separate glass of ice.

He opens the dog-eared coffee-stained page of his work. Somewhere near the start of the Third Act, for the hundredth time; he wordsmiths the Dramatic Action…

They covered their faces and hands, but to no avail; as they continued to garner scratches from the leafless barbed branches and their ensnaring twigs. His one hand holding a pistol, with one remaining bullet; while his other hand was wrestling with hers. Were they predators or prey? Who knows? He kept looking forward; she kept looking back. It would be dark soon. One could feel the temperature dropping as the snowfall continued to mount.

They needed to find shelter. Other than the crisp and crackling noise, courtesy of the snapping branches, coupled with the thumping of their feet, silence ruled. One last moment to catch their breath, one last hill to climb; one more push to find shelter.

They came upon a hunter’s cabin, atop a hill, facing the clearing below. They had hope. Maybe now they could escape this nightmare.

Making their way forward towards the cabin, he lifts the door latch and pushes it open. As if guided forward with the help of a silent but wispy gust of cold air, they enter the cabin.

Ten paces in, she claims her space by holding her lover back. Locked in each other’s gaze, she gives the order; evidenced by the directive — a slight nod and slow release of his hand. He moves closer, taking an additional ten steps, then gives pause.

Upon her orders, he shoots the old man in the head. Just moments earlier, the man had been sitting in his high-backed green velveteen chair, writing the last line of  “The Crescendo”…

The purpose of the story was to introduce to our class various techniques or twists to employ when writing about how our characters roll through a story. The aforementioned example of beginning near the end and ending near the beginning was but one of the many techniques that we learned about.

There are many varied literary vehicles or tools from which to choose and employ. Using Flash Fiction as a modality of style, through setting, is one I find most intriguing.

One approach is to start with character first and let the story emanate outward from them. I could make a loose comparison of what’s now become mired within our literary vernacular, presented as a question for authors, Are you a Plotter, Panster, or some other hybrid creature?

The great Russian author Ivan Turgenev would start with characters first and story second. So, through the demonstration of a character’s actions, there would be greater congruency. His characters behave as they should behave as opposed to how he, as an author, wants them to behave.

I find both literary techniques especially useful when melded together. Begin with a character, then wrap them within a work of Flash Fiction; it can be as a back story. Even to something unrelated to some other tale of yours. The idea is to add greater overall depth to your literary work by starting with your character. And whatever actions he or she might take are based on how they should behave as opposed to how you would expect them to.