and oh, so wise award-winning author and teacher Richard Peck.
When it comes to crafting story, he taught me,
“In the beginning is the end, in the end is the beginning.”
It
matters little what my character seeks –
a
problem’s solution,
a
need’s fulfillment,
the
realization of a dream,
the
granting of a wish.
Somewhere within the story’s requisite inevitable yet surprising
satisfactory resolution lies
its start.
Mr. Peck’s sage advice has become a mantra of sorts, one I gladly
repeat to myself as well as my writers and students when we find
ourselves facing unreachable endings to our stories.
His
words provide the perfect Rx.
Revisiting a story’s beginning allows us to reconnect with our
characters to finally see their narrative arcs, to remind ourselves
what our story is about, to remember our story’s promise to the
Reader.
The beginning and end need to be of a piece so the story works as
an harmonious
whole.
Even better, though, especially for picture book writers, revisiting
a story’s beginning words – those we chose when we launched our
story, often reveals hidden nuggets that await discovery and
repurposing.
A
word ripe for word play or repetition.
A
phrase worthy of a refrain.
A
reader-grabbing sentiment, revealing the story’s heart.
with his faith in his family’s love and resourcefulness to over-
come all obstacles confirmed, Lowell confidently casts all doubt
aside and declares: “Here comes my party!
In my Fancy That (Holiday House), Pippin Biddle honors his
“Though far, I am near, cheering you on!” promise to his sisters to
save them from the Poor House, prompting the sisters to in time
exclaim, “Though far, you were near, cheering us on!”
Schuster) – a story within a story – begins and ends with, “Here it
is, from start to finish, how such a nice boychik saved the Chicken
Soup Queen.”
Of course, and fortunately, Richard Peck taught me far more than
the craft of writing. He modeled for writers, published or not,
dedication to craft and dogged pursuit of one’s dreams.
Yes, our stories’ ends must hold their original beginnings and vice-
versa.
But his multitude of singular characters showed me what all of our
story characters come to learn if they are different for the Journey:
like all ends, THE END inevitably births new and surprising
satisfactory Once upon a times!
Thanks to Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone for hosting today’s Poetry
Friday.
Here’s
to Happy-Ever-After endings – my favorite kind!
Esther
Hershenhorn
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