Writing Better Part 13

USING WRITER’S BLOCK

Often, writer’s block is the mind’s way of telling you you’re doing something wrong with the story. Figuring out what is only the first step toward correcting it.

(The article - and my notes - goes on to suggest that a change of scenery (writing at the library rather than at home, for example) or learning a new skill will bring the change in perspective that will allow you to work through your block. I have also heard it suggested that re-writing - from memory - the last scene or chapter you wrote, or writing down everything you know about the character in the scene (ROMANCING YOUR CHARACTERS), will free you of writer’s block. That may or may not work for you. It doesn’t work for me.

I like to think of starting a story as being like putting your characters on a ¼ mile drag strip… there’s only one way out, and that’s to finish the story. In my personal experience, writer’s block is most often caused by the writer trying to get the story to leave the strip before it reaches the finish line. Anyone who has seen a drag race knows what happens to a car that tries to leave the course anywhere but through the end - it hits the wall, and usually explodes. My advice? Stop trying to make your characters go where you want and let them finish the race.)

 

POINT OF VIEW

CHOOSING A POINT OF VIEW

Six quick tips:

01) Use first person when the language is unique;

02) Use first person when the point of view character ruminates at length;

03) Use either 1st or close 3rd person when you want to maximize reader identification with the P.O.V. character;

04) Use either close or distant 3rd person when you describe both a character’s external action and internal thoughts;

05) Use distant 3rd person when the author’s opinions intersperse with the character’s;

06) Use distant 3rd person when you want to minimize reader identification with your P.O.V. character.

OMNISCIENT P.O.V.

Though the story goes into many characters’ minds, it should maintain consistent tone, it should be clear whose story is being told, and the prose must be as bold as the omniscience of the P.O.V..

CONFESSIONS OF A KNOW IT ALL

Omniscient P.O.V.:

01) Omniscient P.O.V. is when the author’s voice gives opinions and comments that do not come from any character;

02) Flexibility and richness are two assets of omniscient P.O.V.:

a) You can dip into anyone’s mind;

b) Contrast opinions and happenings; and

c) Introduce information the characters may not realize themselves.

3) If you use omniscient P.O.V., use it throughout. It should contribute to an overall tone or attitude toward your subject matter;

4) Don’t be too directive - leave the interpretation of the action to the reader.

ALTERNATING POINT OF VIEW

When changing between close and distant first person narration, make the transitions gradual, and use the effect sparingly. After all, in real life people rarely notice a feeling of transcendent joy until it’s past, and such moments occur only rarely. (And this effect is best used to describe such moments.)

Writing Better Part 12

PROPS IN FICTION

You don’t directly tell the audience what’s going on. Instead you direct their attention to some item from which they can infer an emotional state. Props can be very useful for this. Anger can be shown by one character smashing another’s favorite possession, for example, or by a character driving recklessly.

Also, almost anything can be handled fumblingly to show nervousness, provided the item used is natural to the scene. A woman, preparing for a date, can nervously fumble her hairbrush when the doorbell rings. Objects can also be dropped, misplaced, or even chewed on (pens, pencils, fingernails…). The reason for the character’s nervousness can then be explained without the explanation seeming intrusive. This reason can then be used to show other emotions. The woman in the previous example might be in love, for example, or she might be afraid.

Props can also show other emotions, depending on how they are handled by the character. And they can show a character’s character… he might be tense, tender, sensitive, crude, thrifty, secretive, et cetera.

Another use of props is to build suspense. Lengthy descriptions of objects signal that the object is significant. Frequent references to it make readers wonder when, how, and/or by whom it will be used. Four quick tips:

01) Avoid clichés - cigarettes to show nervousness, for instance;

02) Use misdirection to direct the reader’s attention to one particular detail which illustrates the character’s emotions;

03) Know your protagonist - then you can usually find a prop to illustrate his most distinctive quality;

04) Props should be directly related to the story.

SEND THEM HOME HAPPY

Writing a book which readers can’t put down hinges on three key elements:

01) Cause - What is your character trying to do, and why? Ideally, this gets set up very early in the story; also ideally, the answer is a combination of character and setting;

02) Climax - throughout the story, motivations of individual characters are being explained. In the climax, these separate motivations clash;

03) Change - What changes have occurred in each major character? What has been gained or lost?;

In other words:

01) Make motivations clear up front and connect them to the nature of the character and the story’s setting;

02) Put the setting and the characters’ motivations in clear conflict;

03) Use motivations to set off a chain of events that thrust the story forward and keep readers involved;

04) Make the climax worthy of the events that caused it. Get every character involved, and don’t rush it;

05) Demonstrate that characters have undergone some significant change. Failing to do this trivializes the climax’s importance.

TIME TRAPS TO AVOID

Modern readers will not accept certain things which 19th century writers took for granted:

01) Coincidence - if a coincidental relationship is important to your plot, introduce it early on, and use it as plot set-up, not plot resolution;

02) Sappy endings - an overly sappy ending seems unreal, because life isn’t like that;

03) Characterizing names - a name which characterizes an individual sounds contrived. Instead, use a normal name and make a character’s actions characterize him. (PERSONAL NOTE: I would say a nickname would be an acceptable exception, especially if it furthers the plot, and most especially in a short story.)

Is this series helpful. Yes/No Please leave your comments.

Writing Better Part 11

EMOTIONAL SYMBOLISM

The aim of any novel is to evoke in the reader an emotional response to the story. Symbols automatically evoke emotion. If you can work a symbol into your story, part of the work of portraying the humanity of your characters will be done for you.

FINDING THE POINT

Parables, fables, and fairy tales remain popular because they embody archetypes. Nine examples:

01) Ugly duckling/frog prince - in which a person of any age experiences a transformation for the better. (If the change is natural or inevitable, it’s the former tale; if it requires assistance it’s the latter.)

02) Beauty and the beast - looks at the hidden aspects of two apparently opposing forces, or the hidden traits of two apparently conflicting characters;

03) David and Goliath - deals with underdogs;

04) The prodigal son - in which one who has strayed finds his/her way back "home";

05) The Good Samaritan - stories of do-gooders, rewarded or not (such as the mouse who removes the thorn from a lion’s paw);

06) The tortoise and the hare - where small steps gradually lead to big accomplishments;

07) The little engine that could - stories featuring characters who overcome definite and recognizable obstacles, with the focus on conquering self-doubt rather than overwhelming odds;

08) The persistence of Job - where endurance is the focus, if there is no hope of triumph (or even progress);

09) City mouse and country mouse - extolling the virtues of one lifestyle over another.

KEEPING IT REAL

Make your stories seem real by imposing a real-to-life pattern on your character’s actions, but not so tight a pattern that the story feels mechanical.

01) A story which is too chaotic will leave readers bewildered; it must impose order on life’s chaos, yet allow for unpredictability, so that the reader can be surprised;

02) Scenes and opinions unconnected to the plot help suggest life’s randomness;

03) To keep the story real-to-life, include unexpected turns;

04) Hint at the larger world the characters occupy - add details that are independent of their actions, the settings, or the time;

05) Give your characters mixed - and even contradictory - emotions, just like real people often have.

POETIC TECHNIQUES TO STRENGTHEN PROSE

"Poetry reminds us that literature is a journey. The journey has a name (title), a purpose (topic), a vehicle (theme), and a destination (ending)." The importance of writing lies not in the delivery of a manuscript to an editor, but of an epiphany to the readers. After all, an editor may choose to publish a story but, if the readers aren’t moved by it, it won’t sell very well. In poetry, the use of repetition is one technique used to draw a reader into the story being told:

01) Use repetition to draw attention to a compilation of images and information;

02) Remember that repetition can create a tension where the reader feels both lulled and aroused by text, and can be used to incite a desire for action;

03) Repetition is not limited to one set of repeated words or phrases. In fact, multiple sets of repetition can facilitate progression.

For an example of the power of repetition to arouse passion in a reader, read the Declaration of Independence.

PONDER THE PLAIN POSITIVES

Focus your writing by keeping it simple:

01) Get to the point - skip the meaningless introductory sentences, unless they’re part of your character’s voice;

02) Shorten complex sentences - while variable sentence length adds interest, most sentences should be 20 words or less;

03) Use active voice - in other words, write sentences from a specific P.O.V. rather than from a generic viewpoint;

04) Avoid empty subjects - "it is" and "there are" make weak lead-ins;

05) Drop waffle words - adverbs of degree (somewhat, very, rather, etc.) are hedges which weaken writing. Any adverb which doesn’t change the sentence’s meaning should be deleted;

06) Replace multi-word verbs - replace "leave out" and "run off" with "omit" and "elope", for instance. (PERSONAL NOTE: Unless it is in dialog and that is the way your character speaks.)

Writing Better Part 10

BUILD A SOLID NOVEL FOUNDATION

L.O.C.K. in a great novel every time:

01) L is for lead - your lead character must be interesting, and he must have an emotional bond with readers. There are four ways to accomplish the latter:

a) Identification - the reader must be able to identify with the character;

b) Sympathy - readers want to be able to sympathize with characters. Anytime a character which readers can identify faces hardship, danger, or struggle - whether physical or emotional - this generates sympathy;

c) Likability - readers are most drawn to characters who do likable things;

d) Inner conflict - readers are especially drawn to characters who do likable things despite inner conflict or turmoil.

02) O is for objective - interest in a character zooms if he has a purpose in life. An objective can take two forms:

a) To get something (or someplace);

b) To get away from something (or someplace, or someone).

03) C is for confrontation - or conflict. Opposition from other characters and/or outside forces adds drama to any story, drama adds interest, and gaining interest is the primary purpose of any story;

04) K is for knockout - make the resolution (climax and conclusion) of your story conclusive. Meet all the goals, accomplish the tasks, tie up all the loose ends.

Follow the knockout with either an "ah" or and "uh oh":

01) An "ah" leaves the reader satisfied. All the story’s emotional complications (sub-plots) have been resolved;

02) An "uh oh" leaves the reader with a sense of foreboding… it leaves the story open for a sequel.

CONQUERING THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE

The first and third acts should be of roughly equal length, with the second act roughly twice as long. (In a screenplay, each page will equal roughly one minute);

01) Act one - the first 15 pages are where you set up your story. Tell the audience the basic facts (main characters, setting/time period, genre, theme, catalyst, central question). End act one with the first turning point, which should accomplish several things:

a) Turn the story in a new direction;

b) Set up what act 2 is going to be;

c) Raise the stakes (if possible);

d) Re-ask the central question with possibly a different outcome.

02) Act two - builds to the second turning point, while developing relationships, plot thickening, thematic ideas, and subplots, and the second turning point should accomplish (if possible) the following:

a) Turn the story direction again;

b) Raise the stakes again;

c) Start a "ticking clock";

d) Re-ask the central question.

03) Act three - should head directly for the climax and end with a brief conclusion in which loose ends (subplots) are wrapped up.

CROSS-GENDER WRITING

Tips on writing from the P.O.V. of the opposite sex:

01) Do not be judgmental - it will come across in your writing and make your character seem unbelievable, insufferable, or just plain wrong;

02) Observe and research - and if you know someone who embodies the personality of the character you want to write, get to know that person well;

03) Empathize - to write convincingly from the P.O.V. of the opposite sex, there are three key elements to determine:

a) What makes your character likable?;

b) What is her cause for suffering?’

c) What does she want? - we all want to be happy, but what each of us imagines will make us happy varies.

Just make sure to keep your characters human.

Writing Better Part 9

MISCELLANEOUS

A VARIETY OF VOICES

Distinguishing the speech patterns of various characters:

01) In addition to character profiles, develop a speech profile for each major character, considering:

a) Where, and how, s/he was raised;

b) Education level;

c) Interests;

d) Vocation;

e) Hobbies;

f) Marital situation;

g) Family/ethnic background;

h) Sensory preference - like being right- or left-handed, each of us is either visual, auditory, or kinesthetic (feeling). Visually oriented characters might use visually oriented words predominantly ("shaggy dog"), while auditorially oriented characters might prefer sound oriented words ("barking dog") and kinesthetics may use sensual terms ("smelly dog");

02) Cadence - alter inflection and/or sentence length to reflect each character’s background and sensory preference;

a) Phrases - a character who riddles his speech or internal narrative with prepositional or parenthetic phrases will sound completely different to the reader than a character who uses few or none;

b) Adverbs - These create a different cadence from adjectives modifying nouns or pronouns. Examples:

Adjective) Fine wine after an excellent program put Chelsea in a warm and generous mood.

Adverb) After the program, wine flowed lavishly, turning Chelsea’s mood warmly generous.

c) Word choice - Multi-syllabic words create a slightly more lyrical cadence than mono-syllabic words;

d) Articles - dropping articles (the, a, an) or incomplete sentences will also affect rhythm. Incomplete sentences can sound casual and informal, and are best reserved to showing friendship, since casual acquaintances and strangers are more apt to speak in a more expansive, verbose manner.

AVOID COMMON GRAMMAR PITFALLS

22 Tips:

01) Lose the flab:

a) Cut useless modifiers - such as really, truly, very, genuinely - and pointless phrases such as "it goes without saying" et cetera;

b) Cut redundancies - "armed gunman", "personal friend", et cetera;

c) Cut unnecessary extras that tell you things you know from context - "the shirt was blue in color" et cetera;

d) Find each use of the word "of" and ensure it is earning its keep - "he is the kind of man who is never afraid", et cetera;

e) Edit sentences which begin with "It is", "There are", et cetera. "There are three people dancing on the street" could be "Three people are dancing on the street" for example;

f) The terms "which is", "who are", and "who is" are frequently unneeded;

g) Don’t overuse adverbs - "He ran excitedly down the hill" should be "He bounded down the hill, breathless and smiling.";

02) Be precise:

a) Avoid vague modifiers - such as "a lot", "perhaps", "kind of", "somewhat", "kind of", et cetera;

b) Avoid jargon - it’s confusing, and subject to misinterpretation. (PERSONAL NOTE: Of course, if you want to add some confusion and opportunities for misinterpretation, jargon might be perfect.);

c) Use specific verbs rather than general - instead of "went" try "ran, moseyed, hopped, strolled, skipped, drove, tiptoed", et cetera;

d) Watch for doubled-up nouns, such as "action directive", "crisis situation", or "entertainment experience", et cetera;

e) Match up singulars and plurals - "Oasis is an excellent band, but their latest album stinks." Is Oasis an it, or a they? Pick one, and stick with it;

f) Watch out for dangling modifiers - "Coming down the hillside, the little white church was clearly visible", means the church was coming down the hillside; better to say, "As we came down the hillside, the little white church was clearly visible.";

g) Place adverbs as close as possible to the words they modify - "George only likes one flavor of ice cream" means George doesn’t like anything except one flavor of ice cream; better to say, "George likes only one flavor of ice cream", which means he doesn’t like other flavors of ice cream without implying that’s all he eats.

03) Stay active:

a) Where possible, transform passive into active verbs:

Passive) The decision was made by the city council.

Active) The city council made the decision.

b) Where possible, "amplify" verbs - use "scrutinize" for "examine", "transmogrify" for "change", et cetera;

c) Purge vague adjectives - amazing, interesting, compelling, wonderful, appealing…. Replace them with words that paint pictures, and let the reader decide if something you’ve described is "amazing";

d) Expand your vocabulary.

04) Maintain a logical structure and flow:

a) Make sure your sentences are "parallel" - equally balanced, as in, "He was tall and dark and had nice eyes" is better than "He was tall, dark, and had nice eyes.";

b) Have a beginning and end in mind before starting to write;

c) Every story should reach its conclusion in a logical series of steps;

d) Read your story aloud to a (preferably well-read) audience, to make sure all is in order.

Writing Better Part 8

WEAVING DESCRIPTION INTO THE NARRATIVE

Most people don’t take in all the details of a person or location at a glance. They generally see one or two important details first, and only gradually become aware of the rest. In fiction, describing a whole room or individual all at once slows the pace. Better to scatter important details throughout a scene and allow the reader to fill in the rest.

THE FLASHBACK

FLASHBACKS

The flashback lacks immediacy, but offsetting this inherent disadvantage are the several advantages a good flashback can bring to a story:

01) It can make plausible a character’s motives, by showing what events in his past compel him to act the way he is now;

02) It can fill in events that show how the story reached the exciting state it’s in now;

03) And it can present crucial information that happened so long ago - years or even decades - that there is simply no other way to include it.

To do "time travel" right:

01) Your flashback should follow a strong scene. This means a flashback is never the first scene, because readers must care about a character’s present before they can be expected to care about his past;

02) Orient the reader at the start of the flashback in time and space - a reader who is expending energy trying to figure out where and when she is now is not able to engage with your story;

03) Use verb tense conventions to guide readers into and out of flashbacks. (See VERB TENSES IN FLASHBACKS BELOW.)

(A frame story is one long flashback - the story of something which happens in the past "framed" by the narrator’s recollections of events.)

FRAME STORIES

A frame story begins after all the action is over. A half-frame story omits either the beginning frame or the ending one.

Two reasons not to frame:

01) The story loses tension;

02) Frame stories force the story to start twice.

Two reasons to frame:

01) Added depth and texture;

02) Used properly, frame stories can build tension. By choosing carefully which pieces of the ending to reveal in the beginning frame, you can whet your readers’ appetites.

Four crucial guidelines:

01) Frames work best in stories where character is at least as important as plot;

02) Don’t reveal the whole plot in the frame;

03) Never reveal the climax in your beginning frame;

04) Keep any ending frame short.

VERB TENSES IN FLASHBACKS

When it comes to dealing with verb tenses in flashbacks or with a character’s thoughts, smoothness counts;

01) The flashback - most fiction is told in past tense. To transition from story to flashback, use past-perfect ("had" followed by a verb) two or three times to start and end the flashback, but write the bulk of it in simple past tense. For a story written in present tense, write the flashback in simple past;

02) Thoughts - in first person, representing a character’s thoughts is no problem because the whole story is his or her perceptions of the action. (And don’t use "I thought" at all.) For third person, how you present the character’s thoughts will depend on the overall tone and mood of the story, and your own personal writing style preferences.

WEAVING PAST INTO PRESENT

Using the present scene’s mood and circumstances to segue into flashbacks will connect present with past and build a seamless story. Flashbacks not only convey bare facts of your characters’ pasts, they let your readers experience the emotional moments that shape who your characters are

Writing Better Part 7

WRITING ALL THE SENSES

As with all description, the use of senses other than sight should be woven into the story, should evoke a character’s personality, and/or should further the plot.

SHOW VERSUS TELL

Both showing and telling are forms of description. For this reason, there’s an overlap of interpretation between the two. It helps to think of showing vs. telling not as a dichotomy, but as a continuum. Some sentences and paragraphs both show a scene and relate facts, and thus are near the middle of the continuum. Where telling is distinct from showing is at the ends of the continuum. At one end, pure telling - exposition; at the other, dramatization. Here are seven quick tips:

01) Your writing doesn’t have to be strictly either/or. Description is a matter of degrees;

02) Don’t lead with exposition - you’ll have no dramatic hook;

03) Rely on exposition, or the lack of it, to control pace;

04) Exposition (telling) is the best way to convey background information and can set the stage for a vivid "showing" scene. It is also the only practical way to convey abstract or unfamiliar info;

05) Dramatizing the climax will lend it excitement. (PERSONAL NOTE: By the time your story reaches the climax, the stage should be set and the background in place, and all the abstract and unfamiliar information should already have been explained. This will leave you free to dramatize the climax, leaving exposition for the close.);

06) The best stories combine showing and telling;

07) If you story doesn’t achieve the intended affect, break your story down into sections and label where each lies on the show/tell continuum, then adjust accordingly.

TIPS ON NARRATION

Usually, the narrator of a first-person story must be reliable. Yet fascinating effects can be achieved with an unreliable narrator. There are three types of unreliable narrator:

01) Accurate-but-mistaken - accurately relates the facts, but misinterprets them;

02) Inaccurate, yet not a lie - since the narrator is the readers only link to the story, the narrator cannot lie to the reader. However, he can (and does) lie to himself;

03) Insane - reports the facts as the sees them, but his perception of reality is so skewed he gets the facts wrong.

Each narrator should be approached differently:

01) a) Discourage reader identification with your unreliable narrator;

b) Let the character express a strong, consistent attitude toward the story events;

c) Let the narrator relate events which the reader will interpret directly opposite to the narrator’s attitude.

02) a) Have your narrator lying to himself because the truth is too hard to face;

b) Show us exactly what he tells himself;

c) Demonstrate without doubt that the real motivations and events are different from his lies about them.

03) a) Let readers know immediately, by the voice, that your narrator is nuts;

b) Tell a story in which we can follow the basic plot anyway;

c) Have some point to make about madness, identity, reality, or perception.

These techniques can also be used to show readers a side of a character of which the character is unaware.

Writing Better Part 6

INTERIOR MONOLOG

Long stretches of interior monolog can slow the plot if used incorrectly. However, in cases where dialog or exposition does not adequately convey the background meaning of the conversation, getting into your character’s head is the only recourse. It is especially important in situations where the individual character’s reactions to the conversation won’t necessarily be representative of humanity as a whole.

FICTIONAL DIALOG

Pay attention to four areas of speech:

01) Content - substance = style. What a character says is the most important aspect of dialog… dialog written out of necessity, determined by plot or circumstances, is primary content. Secondary content is carried along with the primary content, to convey character, but is not necessary to the story. (Example, mentioning an individual who never appears simply to point up an aspect of a major character’s personality or attitudes.);

02) Diction - word choice matters. A character’s choice of words reveals a lot about him - upbringing, personality, ethnicity, age gender, etc. English words generally derive from Latin or Anglo-Saxon roots; Latin terms generally sound more educated, and distancing - "I detest the odor of manure" - than their Anglo-Saxon counterparts - "I hate the smell of shit";

03) Grammar - grammatically correct dialog indicates a formal education. It can also indicate snootiness - a holier-than-thou attitude (think "Charles Emerson Winchester the Third" of "M.A.S.H.".) Or it can indicate accomplishment - a migrant farmer’s son who takes pride in his speech for having learned it on his own, for instance;

04) Length - length of dialog can show character as much as content. Terse, short speeches can suggest either strength of character (the "strong, silent type") or an antisocial personality, depending on context. Long, rambling speeches can suggest either indecisiveness (the new homeowner who can’t decide where to put her furniture), narcissism (the spoiled rich girl, in love with the sound of her own voice), or lack of focus, among other things. Again, context will explain which.

EXPOSITION/DESCRIPTION

INFORMATION SLEIGHT OF HAND

How to disguise exposition:

01) SHOW, DON’T TELL!;

02) Never have two characters say things to each other that they both already know just so the reader can get the facts, unless you…;

03) Yell! Cry! Laugh! - Cover exposition with emotion. The more bald the exposition, the greater the emotion must be to cover it;

04) Action can also cover exposition, with dull exposition requiring exciting action;

05) Make exposition outrageous and have the other characters laugh it off… they’re laughter covers the expository nature of the speech;

06) Spring a surprise;

07) Defuse a bomb - create a tense situation, which a character can diffuse with exposition disguised as small talk;

08) Invest the information with deeper meaning;

09) Make your characters anxious;

10) Make your characters late - if they are late, for whatever, they can rush… rushing builds energy, which can be used to cover exposition.

Writing Better Part 5

KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CHARACTERS:

There’s an easy way to keep in touch with your character’s thoughts without using the phrase, "He thought" - just before writing down the thought, have your character perform some kind of physical movement, preferably something to do with the head.

Examples:

01) He nodded, nonplussed. He had heard it all before anyway.;

02) He blinked. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

The KIT (Keep In Touch) Method can also be used to segue into flashbacks, physical descriptions of characters, and to get into the minds of non-viewpoint characters without leaving the mind of your main viewpoint character.

DESCRIBING CHARACTERS:

As always, weave the description into the narrative. Here are tips on how to do that:

01) Describe distinctive features - generic descriptions tell readers little and sound cliche;

02) When writing in 1^st person, don’t rely on the character looking in the mirror for a self-description;

03) Tie your descriptions into your plot by using them to foreshadow events (PERSONAL NOTE: This is most easily done by measuring the length of your descriptions against the importance to the plot of the item or character being described.);

04) Entwine your character descriptions with self-image;

05) Use description to evoke a sense of the broader culture and your character’s place in it;

06) Incorporate a character’s background or ancestry into your description;

07) Use physical description of one character to deepen characterization of a second person.

DIALOG

DYNAMIC DIALOG

It accomplishes at least one of these five goals:

01) Advances the plot;

02) Characterizes your character;

03) Creates suspense and intensifies the conflict;

04) Reveals motivation;

05) Controls the pace.

Watch out for these dialog don’ts that can drag down your fiction:

01) Describing dialog: Don’t rely on excessive verbs and adverbs to do the work that should be done by your characters and their words;

02) Dialog without tension: Don’t let your characters be obvious in their dialog. Keeping something hidden - while letting the reader know there’s something being hidden - builds tension;

03) Don’t repeat in dialog information already given in narrative. As a general rule, to inform the reader or set a foundation for future story events use narrative; reserve dialog for showing conflict, tension, character, or something developing in a relationship.

04) Don’t load your dialog with a lot of information that wouldn’t be part of a normal conversation. Let the speaker speak out of his own need, not that of his listener (who is, in all cases, ultimately the reader of the story.);

05) Don’t use too many direct references in dialog - in real life, we rarely use one another’s names in a discussion.

Writing Better Part 4

STORY ELEMENTS

CRAFTING SCENES

The most interesting fictional characters are those that get themselves into real jams by doing things. The most interesting scenes are those that show the character discovering how to fix the mess, and allow the reader to participate in the process of discovery. The scene is the essential structural element of stories and novels, and is defined as, "A dramatic unit of action that features a character or characters speaking/acting/interacting, and that is delineated by a shift in time or place, or the entrance or exit of a character." A good scene will do at least one of three things:

01) Enrich character;

After a strong start from first person point of view, pull back and give descriptive details regarding the setting, as well as some background. Naming specifics is more attention getting than being vague. If a character walks into a room full of knick-knacks, don’t write, "She walked into a room full of knick-knacks." Instead, write, "The profusion of pewter and ceramic figurines set on shelves covering every square inch of wall space overwhelmed her."

As you set your scenes with specifics, don’t neglect the senses beyond sight. Smell is the most often overlooked sensory detail, but it speaks most directly to our emotions and recollections.

And don’t let your scenes be static. In describing smells, write, "The breeze carries…," rather than, "It smells like…." Let verbs do some of the work of scene setting for you, using action rather than exposition to paint scenes.

HOW TO DRAMATIZE A SCENE

01) Use lots of dialog;

02) Create dialog which characterizes people and relationships;

03) Interrupt dialog with gestures and small actions;

04) Set the scene for visualization.

The more important the scene to the plot, the more readers will want to witness it directly, and the more it should be dramatized.

DETAILS

Explanations stand still; stories need to move. Give each scene a single focus, and create a context for each emotion.

CREATING CONFLICT

To have a story, you have to have conflict, and really great conflicts begin with powerful antagonists. If you want to beef up the conflict, beef up the opposing force.

Three guidelines:

01) In act one, get your protagonist up a tree;

02) In act two, throw rocks at him;

03) In act three, get him down.

But if you want it to really work, make it a tall tree, get him out there on skinny, cracking branches, and throw bigger and sharper rocks harder and faster.

COMPELLING STORY ELEMENTS

What makes a story compelling depends on the intended audience. When writing for "Penthouse Letters", sex sells; for "Seventeen", think boy bands and preparing for college. Having some ideas on the audience before starting your story will go a long way toward guiding it in the right direction.