To all of you who write stories, I need to ask you a question?

Question

Okay, so I have joined a writing competition. The topic is smoking. I predict that a lot of other students who joined the same competiton and just gonna put down some facts about the disadvantages of smoking. But I don't want to do that.

I'm thinking of writing a symbolic story, using nature. The moral of the story would be that smoking can do harm to non-smokers, so "no smoking, please". I am habing trouble starting. Could you guys kindly give me some ideas? Oh, and what do you think using symbolism?

Answer 1

Pink:
I grew up on a small farm in the 1940's and 50's. Most of the farmers there were tobacco growing farmers. So I worked in the tobacco fields. Picture this if you can. When the tobbaco is growing, along come the big green green tomato worm which we called the tobbaco worm. This worm was the size of your pointer finger and as round as your thumb. He raised havock eating on the tobacco leaves. To get rid of these guys they spay the tobbacco plants with DDT which is now elligal because it is so toxic. I'm not sure what they use now but anything that kills these worms sure can't be very good for the smokers lungs? When I primed, (Picked) the ripe leaves from the plants, at the end of an 8 to 10 hour day my hands were coated with black tobbaco tar from the leaves. This tar stained your your hands and you had to roll and peal it off. You needed a stone embeded cake of soap to clean your hands after this. This tar is what winds up on the smokers lungs. I have never smoked a cigarette! I guess you can see why. An old friend of mine, now passed on, Cancer. smoked cigarettes, three packs a day for most of his young life. He quit and twenty years later while hunting. The labour of walking up a hill he started to cough. He caughed up a hunk of this tar the size of a robins egg. 20 years after he quit smoking!!! Here is a neat saying to tell your smoking friends or put in your essay. "Hey, you don't smoke, the cigarette smokes, you are just the sucker." I hope I have helped you here. Oh! and if you check you will find that even the paper that burns along with the cigarette gives off toxic fumes. In fact any burning thing gives off toxic fumes of some kind.
Wayne Russell The Vagabond Writer

Answer 2

Having served as a judge in writing competitions, I would recommend going with your creative thoughts. The ones that stand out from the crowd capture the attention of the judges. Be careful with your words...cut out any that are not absolutely necessary (don't give then the "and then, and then...") That way every word will be powerful. Maybe write from the perspective of an observer with the punch line of realizing that all of what you have seen didn't have to happen, could have been completely avoided...if only you could turn back time..no smoking this time! Keep writing!

Answer 3

Well i am a smoker how has chosen not to smoke for 2 years and 8 months and counting.

The only story that comes to mind is the forest fire scene from Bambi. How it destroyed their homes, and kept them running for their lives. The were the victims of someone else's carelessness.
I like the idea of using symbolism, an interesting angle of approach. Good Luck and Blessings as you do your writing.

Answer 4

Why even bother using symbolism in this case? You can create a very powerful story that truly grabs your readers by the nape of the neck by simply weaving those facts to which you alluded into the text in a creative manner.
I wish I had more time to go into detail here with several ideas, but hopefully one will suffice to get your mind in gear:
Imagine a guy or girl, (though girls naturally get more sympathy for some strange reason :-). This young lady - let's say her name is Olivia - lives in a pristine environment like the woods or on a farm. A true model of feminine charm and pureness, she goes to town for a period of time to go to college and become a social worker because she likes to help others.
Unfortunately, she contracts lung cancer from breathing second-hand smoke while helping at a shelter for the homeless, and dies. Short and to the point.
The consequence or your story? Every smoker who reads the heartbreaking details of this young life cut short by second hand smoke WHICH YOU WRITE is of course broken hearted, and swears from that moment on that they will NEVER, EVER smoke again! :-)
Now, I know I'm getting a little carried away because it's Sunday night and I'm in a playful mood, but I'm just making a point with this little idea - one of many I could write here. It seems like it should be a novel, but if skillfully handled, it could be a very short story simply by your skillful description of the right setting. Perhaps having her lying in bed rethinking why she is in that state would be the way to write the story. Or perhaps some people are discussing her imminent demise, and how second hand smoke can kill. I could go on and on....
Do you see what I mean? There are tons of different ideas by which you can write on this - or any other topic; you merely need to use your background and interests, then mold the desired outcome (teach that smoking is bad) with whatever device or characterization you need to do the job.
I know my concept seems like sort of a stretch because it's just randomly pulled out of my very fertile imagination, but it's just to fertilize yours! :-) I hope it works!
FWI since the topic came up, I actually knew a non-smoker who had a family history of cancer and had a situation similar to the tragedy that happened to our beloved good girl and future social worker Olivia, who just died during my answer! What I wrote isn't that great a stretch, to be honest, because some people are more susceptible to certain illnesses. I guess, then, that my story of Olivia isn't completely fictional after all, is it? Strange how life works...
Hey! My point is that writing is really not that difficult - one simply needs to mold events with imagination to get the point across. It isn't brain surgery! :-)
Simply think about various ways to get your point across, pick the best, and go for it! Good luck, and please let me know what you decide to write! :-)

Answer 5

Smoking is one of the most ridiculous things people do to themselves, think about it, you're inhaling smoke from leaves wrapped in paper that are on fire.

How about forest fires? Now bear with me but write about a world where people don't smoke cigarettes, but go to forests that are on fire and inhale the smoke. It's ridiculous, just like using cigarettes, and both destroy homes and health. Forest fires destroy houses if not kept under control, cigarettes smoke can cause major health problems thru second hand smoke in the home environment and even cause house fires. I don't know if this is usable at all...

I thought of that in 3 secs so, sorry if it's too "out there"....

Answer 6

How about a reflexive piece looking back. A person has died and is in a casket. Do not state this until you pop it at the end. Have cousins, Aunts ,Mom and Dad friends come up to the casket (They could have smoked cigarettes, Cigar, Pipe or Marijuana) How was their life effected maybe car accident, burns, cough, COPD,
Start:
I never smoked in my life so imagine my shock when I was told I have lung cancer...........

Answer 7

hmmm.... i could suggest having a character who ruined their lungs from smoking and they could be a kind of mentor or something. for your question on the symbolism, it really depends on what it is. Some of it works and some of it doesn't. with a topic like this though... i'm sure you could find some sort of good symbolism.

dang, i'm so much better at fantasy writing! lol. throw in a dragon! they smoke! jk. lol.

Answer 8

Write from the perspective of someone with emphysema, who has never smoked but lived with a smoker, Write about how hard it is to die from a disease you didnt cause. And how to deal with the resentment and love of the person who smoked. Hope that helps ... I'd read it!!