Questions before the story
The list · 15 minutes · Published
Read this first
This is the opening section; this the first chapter. Subsequent to the visions of a dream which he had, on some previous occasion, experienced, the writer personally relates, he designedly concealed the true circumstances, and borrowed the attributes of perception and spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone. With this purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae?
Cao Xueqin, Hung Lou Meng, or, the Dream of the Red Chamber (1791). Translated by H. Bencraft Joly, 1892. Project Gutenberg #9603
The prompt
Before telling a story, list the questions a reader is entitled to ask of it, one per line, all in the same form. The passage ends on two of them, “What are, however, the events recorded in this work?” and “Who are the dramatis personae?”: start from that form, then go on with where was, why did, who knew. Keep going until the questions themselves sketch the story you have not told. Do not answer any of them.
Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Short version · 10 minutes
In ten minutes, write twelve questions about a story you have not told, same form each, no answers.
The move
The list. Line up brief items under one formula (memories, names, questions) and let the list run long.
Tags: memory, rhythm and structure.
In a group
A way to run it with a writing group:
The group's text. Each writes alone and reads to the group. Then the group composes a new text from words taken from one another.
Where the page goes next
Scrin is a home where pages grow into books: you keep writing, from an untitled line to a chapter, and Scrin keeps the rest.