all write - fiction advice_ december 2012

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SUNDA Y , 2 3 DE CEMBE R 2 0 1 2

GivingYourWritingEmotionalImpact

Elicitingemotionalresponsesfromyourreadersisntaseasyasitsounds,becausetherightemotivereactionfromthemiswhatmakesnovelsandstoriessoappealing.

Buttogetthatkindofresponse,thewritingneedstobeemotional,itneedstobearousingormovingetcwithoutbeingschmaltzytothepointwhereyourreadermightgagonthesyrupy,soapstylesweetnessofitall.Conversely,youdontwantthewritingtolackthatimportantemotionalpuncheither.Littleornoemotioninthenarrativewillproducearatherboring,flatread.

Emotionwithinthestorycreatesasenseofimmediacywiththereader,auniqueclosenessthatmakesthereaderempathise,understandandcareaboutthecharacters.

Howtocreateemotion

Firstly,youneedacharacterthatthereaderwillidentifywith,onethatisfullyrealisedandrounded,onethatthereaderwillrecogniseandcareaboutfromtheoutset.Ifyouhaveareaderthatdoesthat,thenitwillbemucheasiertoelicitemotionalresponsesfromthem.

Andafullyroundedcharacterismucheasiertoworkwithbecausethecharacterandthereaderwillsharethoseemotionalresponsesandsentiments.

A LL WR IT E F I C T IONADVICE

IsBackstoryNecessary?CreatingLastingImagesTrustYourMemoriesReadingYourMSSOutLoudSortingFactfromFiction

WE LCOME T O A L L WR IT E

Soyou'veembarkedonyourfictionwritingjourney.

It'soneofthehardestthingstodocreateawhole,believableworldforotherpeopletoenjoy,especiallyifyou'renewtowriting.It'salsooneoftheloneliestjobs,especiallywhenthereisnohelporadviceorsupport...sorightheretherewillbehandyarticles,examplesandsimplestepbystepguidestohelpmakethecreativeprocessthatmucheasier.

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Secondly,thequalityofwritingreallydoescount.Ifthewritingisntstrongenough,thenthenarrativewontbestrongenougheitheranditwillthereforelackthatemotionalpunch.Foremotion,thewritermustalwaysusetherightexpositioninotherwordsshow,donttell.Thisissoimportant.Showingstrengthensastory.Tellingweakensit.

Ifawriterresortstotellinghisorherwaythroughascene,thentherewillbezeroimmediacy,zeroconnectionwiththesceneandthereforezeroemotion.

Thirdly,ifyouwanttocreatevariedemotionalimpacts,yourcharactersneedtofaceadversityanddanger,theyneedtofaceseeminglyimpossibleobstacles,ortheyshouldgothroughphysicalandemotionaltrauma,becausewhatevertheygothrough,thereaderalsogoesthroughitwiththem.

Theactofovercomingthoseobstacles,andfacingthosetraumasandtheadversity,createsdifferentemotionsthrills,sadness,excitement,sympathy,dislikeetc.Andthesituationswithinthestorymakeforpowerfulemotionalmoments,thekindthatthereaderremembersthekindthatsatisfiesthereadersneedforanemotionalconnectiontothestory.Loveandjoy,death,painandloss,deceptionanddishonesty,thrillsandfeartheyallthriveonemotion.

Thebestwaytoillustratethisconceptistothinkofsoapoperastheyalwayshaveemotivestorylines,andwebecomeinvolvedwithourfavouritecharacterstrialsandtribulations,andthatsbecausewecareaboutwhathappenstothem,wehaveaconnection,thereisimmediacy.

Aswritersweshouldalwaysexploitthosemoments,forexample,whatifyourmaincharacterdiscoversasecretletterthathintsatbetrayal?Orthemaincharacterswife/husband/son/daughteretc.iskilledinanaccident,orthemaincharacterisinsuchadiresituationheorshehastomakeaterribledecisionthatwillaffectthemfortherestoftheirlives?

Alltheseareverysimpleexamples,butwrittenwell,theywilldrawoutamultitudeofemotionstobuildaroundthenarrative.Andofcourse,therecouldbemanyofthese

measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.

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WISE WORDS . . .

Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.

A BOUT ME

AJHUMPAGE

UNITEDKINGDOM

I'vebeenwritingforover25yearsandstartedoutinthe

publishingindustry.I'vepublishedarticles,studyguides,poems,flashfiction,shortstoriesandanovel.IalsoworkfulltimesoI'mALWAYSworking.

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scenesetupswithinthenoveltokeepthereadersemotionsonaknifeedge.

Andofcourse,nostoryhasemotionwithoutthatstapleofallstoriesconflict,especiallywhenyouhavecharactersyouloveandcharactersyouhate(thedynamicofprotagonistandantagonist).Conflictcreatesanendlesslistofemotions.

Thestorythemesmightalsocreateemotion,whateverthegenre.Somethemesinparticularareveryemotivewar,loveorbetrayal,forinstance.

Andnowritercanwritewithoutlookinginward.Themostpainfulofmemories,thejoyousones,thescaryones,thethrillingonesourownbankofrecollectionscanprovidethecatalystofemotiontoourwriting,andsometimesitmakesiteasiertowrite,becausewehaveexperiencedthem.Andbecausewehaveexperiencedthem,wecanalsosharethem.

Writingisaboutexploringhumannature.Weresocial,emotionalcreatures,andthingsmakeusirritated,orangry,thingsmakesuscry,somethingshurtus,somemakesuslaugh,somefilluswithhappiness,somethingsscareus.Everydayweexperiencethem.

Thefictionalworldisnodifferent.Creatingemotionwithinthenarrative:

Excellentcharacterisationisessentialcreateimmediacyandaconnectiontothereader.Show,donttell.Emotivethemesmakeforemotionalwriting.Conflict&overcomingobstaclesprovidesemotion.Qualityofwritingcounts.Lookinwardforownexperiences.

Thankstoeverybodyforstoppingbythroughouttheyeartoreadsomeofthearticlesandhopefullybecomebetterwriters.MerryChristmasandHappyNewYeartoeveryone.AllWritewillreturnintheNewYear.POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSUNDAY, DECEMBER23, 2012

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TwistintheTaleStories

Continuingthethemeofconstructingshortstories,oneofthemostpopularstylesofshortstorytellingisthetwistinthetale,especiallywithinspeculativefictionandhorrorgenres.

Notallstorieshavetohaveasurpriseorstingattheendmoststoriesdontneedit,butthethingaboutthetwististhatifdonecorrectly,itmakesforagreatstoryhencetheyenjoyedbyreaders.Italsorepresentsawritersabilityconstructthestoryinquiteacleverway.

Thepremiseofthetwistinthetalestoryisverysimplethewriterdeliberatelymisleadsthereaderduringthenarrative,leadingthereadertobelievetheymightexpectacertainending,onlythentobewrongfootedatthelastpossiblemomenttoashockingorsurprisingconclusion,onetheyneversawcoming.

Itsoundseasy,butthesetypesofstoriesareanythingbut.Andthatsbecausethetwistthatmomentyoupulltherugfrombeneaththereaderhappensonlyonceanditmusthappenatexactlytherightmomenttohavethegreatesteffect.

ItsAllAboutDeceit

Itstheonetimethewritersetsouttotrickthereader.Andtheonesthatworkthebestaretheonesthatfoolthereaderthroughoutthestory.Atnopointshouldthereaderdiscoverthepretenceordeceit,despitethesubtleclues.Thisiswhereacleverwriterexcels.

Intruth,thewriteriscreatinganillusionwithinthe

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narrativetofoolthereader.

WheretoStart?

Foronce,withthistypeofstory,startattheend.Inotherwords,havesomesortofendinginmind,evenifitisroughlysketchedout,andthenworkbackwardstofillintherestofthestory.

Becausethesestoriesneedtobemeticulouslyconstructed,Iwouldadvisesomeplanningatleast,sothatyouhaveanideaofyourbeginningandyourmiddlesection,too,andnotjustthatallimportantending.

Itsoundscrazytoworkbackwards,butthatshowtwistsneedtobeconstructed.

Forexample,inashortstoryIwrotefortheanthologyObsession(StaticMovement,2011)calledWatched,thecentralcharacterisshownasanobsessivewholivesinanapartmentoppositeaprovocative,flirtywoman.Themaincharacterhasbeenwatchingherforsometime,andthestoryistoldthroughfirstpersonPOVforimmediacy.

Thecluesinthenarrativeleadthereadertobelievethewomanisaprostitute,andsheinvitesthemanintoherapartmentforagoodtime,knowinghesbeensurreptitiouslywatchingherfromacrossthestreet.Sheisshownplayinguptohimandleadinghimonafterall,itsjustajobtoher,itpaysthebills,eventhoughheisnotquitehertype.Andhesshownenjoyingherflirtations,andwantingtogetintimatewithher,justlikeanyredbloodedmalewould.

Sheundressesandrunsabathforthemtosharesomefun,andtellshervisitortoleavethemoneypaymentforherservicesonatable.

Buttherisingtensioninthestoryiswhatthemysteriouswatcherwantswiththiswoman,andwhathesubsequentlydoestoherinthebath,anditsnotuntilthefinalmomentofthestory,whenthe

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maincharacterlooksinthemirror,thatthetwistisfinallyrevealedtheattackerisntaman.

Itsawoman.

Thestoryisaboutsexandobsession,anditfoolsthereaderintobelievingthemaincharacterisamanwithoutactuallyrevealingthis,oreventhecharactersnamethereforeitmisleadsthereadertoenvisageanendinganddupesthemattheendbecausetheydontexpectthecold,obsessivekillertobeawoman.

Areallifeeventinspiredthestory.Itsconstructionstartedwiththemaincharacterfemaleratherthanmaleexpressingbehavioursmoreassociatedwithmales,soIknewthefinalrevealwouldprovideaneffectivesting.FromthatIhadanideahowthestorywouldend.AndbecauseIdseensomethingthathadsparkedthestorytobeginwith,Ialsohadabeginning.

SoIthenhadtoworkbackwardsfromtheendingtoinfillthedetailsandconstructthewholestoryinotherwordsIhadtoconstructthemiddlesection,whichcontainedtheactionandtensionandthecluesetc.

LeadaMerryDance

Youhaveabeginning,youhavethetwistending,andyouvegotyourmiddlesectionsketchedout.Thismiddlesectioniswhere,proverbially,youleadyourreaderonamerrydance.Thismeansyouhavetoguidethemintotheillusioninordertofoolthemattheend.

Todothisyouhavetoplantsubtlecluesandhintswithinthenarrative,andnotmakethemsoobviousthatthereaderwillguesstheoutcome.

Forinstance,withWatched,themanycluesweredelicateandindirect:

Sheloosenedthebeltonherbathrobe,gazedat

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mytallshadow.YourenotwhatIexpected.

Thatswhattheyallsay.Ishookmyheadslow,deliberate,intuitive.No,IguessImnot.

Itdoesntgiveanythingaway,buttheclueisthere.Theguestisntwhatthewomanexpected,becausetheguestisawoman,notaman.

Thisishowhintsandcluesshouldbe.

TheFinalReveal

Thisisthemomentthewriteryanksawaythefictionalrugfromthereader.Ithastoberightattheendofthestoryinordertoaffectthegreatestimpact.Revealtooearlyandtheeffectofsurpriseorshockislost.

Ifyoumakethefinalreveal,andthengoonforanotherhalfapageofnarrative,againtheeffectiscompletelylost.Thefinalrevealshouldsignaltheendofthestory.

Summary:

Workbackwardsfromtheending.Plantsubtlecluesandhintsdelicateandindirect.Therevealmusthappenattherightmomentformaximumeffect.Happensonlyonce

Nextweek:Givingyourwritingemotionalimpact.

POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, DECEMBER15, 20123COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST


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StructureTheending

Endingsarejustasimportantastheopeningsofstories.Thatsbecausetheendingofastoryperformsmorethanonefunction.

Agoodendingiswhenthecruxofthestoryreachesitspinnaclethatfinalmomentbeforetheclimax.Everythinginthestoryleadsuptothismoment.

Moreimportantly,theendingofastoryisformedfromthenaturalprogressionofthenarrative.Youshouldneverforceanending,otherwiseyouruntheriskofdemolishingthefabricofthestoryandthusruiningitforthereader,butalsobecausetheywillseethatitiscontrivedandforced.

Aswithnovels,shortstoriesdonthavetohaveahappyending.Dependingonthetypeofstoryyouarewriting,youcanhaveadramaticending,asadending,ahappyending,oryoucanhavethetwistinthetailtypeofending(theseneedcarefulconsiderationandconstructioninordertoworkmoreonthatnextweek).

Butwhateverthegenre,theendingneedstobenaturalandsatisfactory.Butwhatexactlydoesthatmean?

Inessence,theendingshouldleavethereadersatiated,thatonthewhole,theyagreewiththefinaloutcomeyouveconstructed,thattheyhaveasenseofohthatwasgreat,orIdidntseethatcomingorthatwassomovingetc.

Inordertoachieveanaturalandsatisfactoryconclusion,firstlythelatterhalfofthestoryshouldtotieupanylooseendspriortoitsfinale(e.g.dontleavethereaderguessingwhathappenedtoJohnDoe,lastseendanglingfromacliffinthemiddleofthestory,butthencompletelyforgottenattheend).Thisdoeshappenwithstoryconstruction,wherewritersbecomesoengrossedinwritingitthattheysometimesforgetwhatsomecharactersweredoing,soitsimportantthattheseglitchesaresorted.

Inadditiontothat,anyquestionsraisedbythestoryneed



tobeanswered,sodontleavethemunanswered,otherwisethereaderwillbecomeannoyedandfrustrated.

Somethingelsetoconsideristhis:whyisyourcharacterdoingwhatheorsheisdoing?remembermotivationandhowhavetheyovercomethebarriersintheirway?Howhavetheygottothishighpointinthestory?Whatisthelikelyconclusion?

Theendingevolvesthroughthemaincharacterachievinghisorhergoal.Theyhaveovercomeallobstaclestogettotheclimax(whetheritsagood,bad,sadoranindifferentending).

TheClimax

Thisissometimesmisunderstoodbywriters,whoassumetheymusthavelotsofactionandexcitementtofinishthestory,butactually,ashortstoryisntlikeanoveloranactionmovie.Itdoesnthavetobeaboutexplosionsandmayhemandnonstopaction.Ashortstoryendingcanbesubtleorgentleitcanbethoughtprovokingoritmightevenshockingandabrupt.

Inotherwords,itshowthewriterconstructstheendingthatgivesitthegreatestimpact.

Andofcourse,itshouldneverdragon.Theendingshouldbeswiftformaximumeffect.

Inessence,theconclusionofyourshortstoryneedstoachieveseveralthings:

1.Itneedstoprovideasatisfactoryending.2.Itneedstoanswerquestionsposedinthenarrative.3.Theprotagonist/antagonistachieveshis/hergoal.4.Itisanaturalprogressionofthestoryandisntforced.5.Itisswiftandeffective.

Andjusttomakesurecertainelementsarenotforgotten,asimplechecklisthelpswithconstruction.

Shortstorychecklist:

Haveyouplannedthestory?Whosestoryisit?Whatisitabout?Whatisittryingtosay?Whatisthetheme?



Whatkindofactionisthere?Isthereavariedpace?Doyouhaveatleastoneofthethreeunities?Isthereconflict?Whatisthecharactersmotivationforhisorher

actionsandsubsequentactions?Istheendingsatisfactory?Doesitflownaturally?Istheendingswiftandeffective?

Themostimportantthing,however,istotakethetimetothinkandplanthestory,toaskquestions,toknowthestoryyouwanttotell.Itsbettertoknowwhereyouwanttoplacekeyscenes,toknowwhatwillhappentothemaincharacterandtoknowthekindofconclusionthestoryneedsbeforeyoustartwriting.

Nextweek:HowtowritetwistinthetalestoriesPOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSUNDAY, DECEMBER09, 2012NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST


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Withyouropeningandyourhookinplace,yourcharactersintroduced,andthetoneandcruxofthestoryset,itstimetolookatthemiddlesectionoftheshortstorystructure.Thissectioniswherethebulkofthestorytakesplace,whereconflictarisesandpacingplaysavitalrole,andwherekeysceneshappen.

StructureTheMiddle

Onthewhole,themainportionofactionhappensinthissection.Andjustasyouwouldconstructnarrative,descriptionanddialogueinanovel,thesameistrueforshortstories,whereabalanceofthesethreeelementsiscrucialtotheshortstorycomposition.

Dontbefooledintothinkingthatjustbecauseitsashortstorythatyouhavetoscrimpondescriptionandreplaceit




withlotsofdialogue,orreplaceanydialoguewithconstantaction.Youdont.Youneedbothinabalanced,equalmeasure.

SetouttheCharactersMotivation

Thissectioniswhereyoushowthereaderthemotivationforthemaincharactersactionsinthestory.Inotherwords,showtheproblemyoucharacterfaces,andhowthecharacterwillovercomethatproblem,despitethemanybarriersinhisorherway.

Themotivationiswhatdrivesthestorytheveryreasonforyourcharactersactions,reactionsandsubsequentactions.Thisisthesectionwherethewritersposesthewhatif?andwhatnext?kindofquestionsforthereader.

Withoutmotivation,thecharacterhasnowheretogoandnothingtodo,andthereforetheresnostory.

Conflict

Itspartofeverystory.Youmusthavesomesortofconflicthappeningbetweenyourcharacters,orthecharactersandtheirenvironsorwiththemselves,becauseconflictisthecatalysttoprovidingthereaderwithtensionandatmosphere.Withoutit,thereisnostory.

ThinkofyourfavouriteTVdramasthereisalwaysconflictofsomedescriptiontomaintaintheviewersinterestandthatsenseofwhatwillhappennext?

Conflictpromotestensioninmanyways,whileaddeddescriptionwithinthenarrativebolsterstheatmosphere.

TheThreeUnities

Ivetouchedontheseinpreviousarticles,butthesearespecificallyimportanttoshortstoriesbecauseyouareworkingwithalimitedamountofwords,sotheseunitiesprovidethereaderwithwhattheyneedtoknowintermsoftime,placeandaction.

UnityofTimeShortstoriestendtotakeplaceoverashortperiodoftime,asopposedtonovelsthatcancoverdays,monthsorevendecades.Thetimeframetells



readerwhenthestoryishappening.

UnityofPlaceThistellsthereaderwherethestoryistakingplace.Unlikenovels,wheretheremaybeamultitudeofplacesettings,ashortstoryusuallyhasjustoneplacewherealltheactiontakesplace.

UnityofActionThistellsthereaderwhosestoryitissothestoryistoldfromoneviewpointthroughout.(Itisofcoursequiteacceptabletohaveseveralviewpointsinashortstory,howevertheyshouldbecarefullyconsideredbeforestartingthestory).

Theresnogoldenrulethatsaysyouhavetohaveallthreeunities,howeverhavingmorethanonehelpsmakethestorystronger,soaimtohaveatleasttwo.

Varythepace

Peaksandtroughsthatsthebestwaytodescribewhatyoushouldbeaimingforinthenarrative.Smallboutsofaction/tensionbalancedwithgentler/softermomentssothatthepaceisbalanced.

Ifnothinghappensinthestory,thepacewillbestatic,anditslikelyyouwillboreyourreader.Ifthenarrativeracesalongatbreakneckspeedwithoutapause,thistoowillputthereaderoff.Therewillbemomentswhenyouwantthereadertoslowdownandreflecteveninshortstoriessoalwayslookforbalancewhenpacingthestory.

AimingfortheCrescendo

Themiddleisalsothesectionwhereyoubuildthemomentumofthestoryasitheadstowardsitsconclusion.Thecharacterovercomesthebarriersyouplaceintheway,andtheclimaxapproaches.Itdoesnthavetobeactionallthewaywhichsomewriterswronglyassumetheyhavetoprovidebutinsteaditcanbeagradualbuildupoftensionoratmospherethatleadstowardsacrescendo.

Nextweek:GettingtogripswithshortstoriesPart3EndingsPOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSUNDAY, DECEMBER02, 2012



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