XPRESSIONS@theCOURTYARD HELD ON 11 JUNE, 1999

A talk on fiction writing was organised by the National Library Board as part of its Expressions@Courtyard series on evening of 11 June 1999. I was there to learn from Singaporean writer, Mr. Sanjay Pereira.

An extract of what I've gleaned from the talk is as follows:

Definition

Fiction is fact charged with purpose. All good writing must have an agenda.

Approach

Draw out what is important to you, condense it, and apply the mechanics of writing.

In this regard, some basic questions will be helpful:

1.  Why do you want to write?

2.  What would you write about? What is important to you?

    (Note the things said by others which will collaborate

     with what you want to say.)

3.  How do I go about writing it?

*** THE END ***

After-thoughts:

I write with a purpose in mind. Through the form of a short story, for instance, I very much hope to empathise with my characters who are grappling with the issues on hand and draw forth the concerns of the reader as well.

Typically, a story encompasses the following elements:

- something of importance has happened;

- something has been resolved;

- there is a change; the main character is not the same at the end of the story as at the start of it.