Making my Story come to Life

To write a true story in your own version is a challenge that is hard to beat. I will be trying a variety of different writing techniques which we have been talking about in our last few classes of Telling True Stories.

Firstly, I will write as truthfully as I can in the view of my chosen  protagonist. This will be Eddie himself. As a compelling opening needs to draw in the reader,  my writing will include flashbacks, and also be centred around the sinking of the ship as Eddie prepares himself for the difficult and deadly journey ahead. I will be ending the piece as he paddles off, and turns back to look at his crew-mates as he takes off his life vest. I will be writing my opening in media res, as this will help to make my story come to life.

I will have some quotes in my creative piece that were truly spoken, but I may have to use my imagination on some subjects, such as what the captain actually said word for word when Eddie asked him to let him go and save their crew. There has to be action in every scene, to drive the scene forward. I will also have to use the common tool for writing: show, don't tell. This will possibly be the simplest part of the piece, as there is so much information to go by. I have to imagine what I don't know, and accept what I do know as facts that have to be included. I will write as truthfully as I can without becoming monotonous.

The most important part of making an engaging piece of writing is to keep it simple, which will make it therefore much deeper in meaning. I hope by taking the most memorable parts of Eddie's life, throwing them together in a comprehensive style, will shed some light on what kind of person Eddie was, both as a man and a doomed hero. There will be much to write about. And there is still much to research.