Story Writing Hints
By
Gerald D. O’Nan
Author of the
Adventures of Andy Ant Books
(Note: I will try to give you hints and ideas about writing stories using the 8 books in The Adventures of Andy Ant as examples. Having a set of the Andy Ant books available will help you understand the context better, but it isn’t necessary if you have a good imagination.)
The Story Behind the Story – The Band Music Mystery
Growing up, one of my “heart’s desires” was to play a trumpet and be in the band. In those days, the Junior High band teacher would come to the elementary schools and give lessons to those kids who already had instruments. For the kids who didn’t play an instrument, he would give an aptitude test to see what instrument might best suit them.
I didn’t have an instrument but I knew I wanted one and I knew I wanted to be in Concert Band. The beginners started out in the Cadet Band Even though the Cadet Band got to march in the local parades, only the kids in the Concert Band had real uniforms. The Cadet Band kids wore black pants and white dress shirts.
I took the test to find out what kind of instrument would fit my skill set. My dad had to come over to school and to meet with the band teacher about my instrument choice. Dad knew that a trumpet was what I wanted most and to my surprise, the band teacher said I had aced the test and could choose any instrument I wanted.
I think my dad was more excited than I was. We hopped in the car and drove to the local music store. Dad had known the owner for a long time and told me to remain in the car while he talked to his friend. It seemed like it took forever, but Dad emerged from the store carrying a small suitcase. Inside that suitcase was a brand-new shiny brass trumpet!
I have to confess that I was always heavy on the “want” but a bit lacking in the “preparation.” I practiced hard for the first several months then my effort started to dwindle. I would faithfully take my instrument home and faithfully bring it back to school, but many nights and weekends, the trumpet never saw the outside of the case – until one day, Mr. Beck, our band teacher, announced that tryouts for Concert Band would be held the next week.
“Excitement” does not begin to describe how I felt that day. I wanted Mr. Beck to select me for Concert Band, and that meant I had to really perform very well starting NOW. It was at that moment I realized I had faithfully brought my trumpet back to school that day but the music was at home. I remembered that one of the other trumpet players was gone that afternoon and I decided to “borrow” his music… and I forgot to return it. I learned a huge lesson on “borrowing” things and another lesson on consistency of effort.
When I started writing the story I selected the lesson on “borrowing” things from people without their permission. I also wanted to write this story to honor one of my favorite teachers, Mr. Beck. Your stories can take you down this same path, to honor someone and to provide a life lesson to the reader.
While the consistency of effort lesson was an equally valuable lesson, the results were harder to write about. You see, there were kids who had been consistently practicing to be in Concert Band and they were selected for that year… I would have to wait another year. I distinctly remember how my heart sank when I walked into the band room with my friend Rick. Rick got to be measured for his new uniform for Concert Band and I did not. I think there is another Adventures of Andy Ant book that needs to be written.
Copyright © 2023 by Gerald D. O’Nan All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system without the expressed written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
