Frustrated Writer Since 11 (How to write a story?)

When I reached home after attending a mass last Sunday, I was surprised to see my brother cleaning up his room. It’s really a big deal for us to see him cleaning his room after ages. Maybe he gets fed up with all the cobwebs and dirt—I really wonder why some men are like that though? Lol.

Anyway, since he cleans up he gets out some unnecessary things inside his room and this is the funniest and the weirdest for me since we always found things inside his room that were already considered lost for a long time. We found out that our mother’s long-lost hairbrush was in there. Some old books, notebooks, pens, broken rulers, and broken colors were also found there. Almost all of the things that we’re looking before were there and finally found, even the other pair of my earrings were also there.

We asked him why are those in his room and he just gave us a shrug telling us that he has no idea. It was all full of dust and can’t be used anymore. One of the notebooks that were found in his room is my notebook during elementary days. I know since the cover of the notebook is the face of a famous celebrity before and my name was written behind the cover in a messy and ugly print handwriting style.

Jan Kayle E. Eroisa

Grade -5- Jacinto

Filipino

That is exactly what is written at the back of the cover page of my notebook. Just try to imagine the messy handwriting of a Grade 5 student and an 11 years old kid. I didn't really have a nice penmanship when I was a kid, however, it changed through time and maybe through maturity, but I am not also saying that I have now a nice penmanship.

Upon looking at the notebook, I can’t help but laugh and some memories visit me. I also realized what kind of a student I was when I was at that grade level. It is a Filipino notebook but looks like it turns out to be an art notebook. Every blank page has doodles and drawings, and there is even a page where I was very surprised to see. Well, it is actually composed of 2 pages of a story. It’s not finished and I don’t remember anymore the story but I am very curious about the ending of it.

I didn’t know and couldn’t even remember myself writing that but based on the handwriting it was really written when I was still in grade 5. My penmanship from then and now changed a lot so I can really tell. Plus, some of the pen’s ink was already spattered and messy maybe because it’s been so long since I wrote this one.

All this time, I thought I became addicted to reading and writing when our teacher in 7th grade instructed us to make a book report over a certain book that we choose. That time, I’m not really into reading so I don’t have books and novels in our house, fortunately, my older girl cousin is a fan of ‘Precious Hearts Romance’ stories and she got a good amount of books in their house. I asked her if I could borrow one for our book report, and since I don’t have any ideas about the books she had so I just let her choose anything for me.

She gave me a thick book with a blue cover. I remember thanking her and promised to return it the next day but deep inside I was very problematic and wanted to ask her if she could give me a less-thicker book. I don’t even know if I could finish reading it for just a day though since it's very thick.

‘The Substitute Bride’ is the title of the book. The first-ever romance book that I have read so far. Or that’s what I just remember. And I really did think my addiction started there. I find the story very interesting and it really fuels my imagination so after reading the book I then borrow another one. I also didn’t imagine that I could read the whole thick book in just a day or less than a day and still feel the need to read another one. It is also the time when I wrote my first plot scenarios of some stories that I imagine and created in my mind. It is the time when I dreamed of being a novelist one day.

But I never thought that it isn’t the first after all. Because I just found out the proof that I already wrote my first ever story that I couldn’t even remember now. There’s a lot of misspelled words and I don’t remember the story at all but I was very happy when I actually read it. I’m planning to finish the story and publish it on Wattpad since I already published the first (which I thought was the very first) story that I wrote when I was 13. The story was written in Filipino so I’ll just translate it into English so everyone can understand.

“Happy wedding to the both of you, older brother”.

Thank you Marie. Can't you wait till we came back from Hong Kong, so you’ll have a company?

Oh no older brother (kuya) just enjoy yourselves there, don't worry about my vacation at Club Paradise... but don't forget my souvenir okay.

Of course, but are you sure you're okay there? When someone does something bad to you just call me.

Yes, don’t worry.

All right, but before that, today’s my wedding day so we're going to celebrate first.

The next morning Marie woke up early to prepare herself for her vacation at Club Paradise. After bidding goodbyes, Marie rode the plane.

“Club Paradise, I'm going just wait" she shouted in her mind.

After several hours of travel, Marie finally reached the island that she longed since she was a child. Since it was just two in the afternoon, she decided to walk first and watch the sunset.

After taking a shower and getting dressed, she went out of her room to go to the eating area just below the cottage that she rented. As she walked down the stairs, she called her brother to inform him that she safely reached the island.

She mindlessly looks at the stairs. She met a man who was just coming out from the eating area and their eyes met. She was very impressed by his handsomeness. But she was also immediately disappointed because he was with a beautiful woman who looks like his girlfriend.

It’s not translated perfectly but I tried to translate it word for word. If you’re a Filipino and you tried to use online translation then you know that some words sound funny when being translated so I just translate it manually and word for word.

So, that is what exactly—or at least—written in my Grade 5 Filipino notebook. Even how hard I tried to remember the story but I just really remember nothing. I couldn’t remember when I wrote this or what triggered me to write this, or why did I write this.

Sure I wanted to finish this story now, but I was really curious about what the 11 years old me thinks of the ending of the story. Is it a happy ending or a tragic one? Because sometimes I am very unpredictable and even myself gets surprised over my decision. I was wondering about what I was thinking that time. Because when I created a scenario or a story over my head, I would decide or go directly to the possible ending of it.

I’m not a pro writer nor an experienced novelist but I think I can give some advice to those whose also an aspiring writer like me in making their story.

1. Choose your ending.

First and foremost is to choose what will happen at the end of your story. Is it a happy, sad, or a tragic ending? You decide. It’s your story and you will act as a deity over your character’s lives. For me, choosing the ending first must always come first. Because this will serve as your basis or guide on how your story will end.

2. Choose your genre.

Second is choosing your genre. After deciding on the ending of your story, it is also important to clear your story’s genre. Is it a horror or mystery story with a happy ending? Or a romantic comedy with a tragic ending? You choose. Because again, it is your story and in the story that you created you are the God or the Creator.

3. Choose your plot twist.

The last one is choosing a unique plot twist. Well for me, I think this is the hardest one since you need to think of an interesting plot twist that would make your reader yearn for every chapter of your story. You can also use your own life experiences for this to make it more unique.

So, I think these three (3) are the only things you need to remember when you are writing your own story—for me at least—because I always write this way and use this order. But well, I think everyone can write their own stories in their desirable and comfortable ways.