all write - fiction advice_ july 2012
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2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:July2012
http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.in/2012_07_01_archive.html 1/9
SA T URDA Y , 2 1 JU LY 2 0 1 2
KeepingContinuityContinuityerrorsmightseemoneoftheleastimportantaspectsofawriterslistofthingstowatchoutfor,buttheyareeasytomakeandsometimesdifficulttospotandyetremainanimportantpartofthewritingmethod.
Writinganovelisntaninstantprocess.Ittakesmonths(yearseven),andduringthattimeitisfeasibleandsometimesunavoidablethatwriterswillinadvertentlycreatecontinuityerrors,simplybecauseitshardtorememberwhathappenedonpage12whenyoureatpage200ofthestoryandyourebeaveringawaytogetitcompleted.
Justasinmovies,themistakescansometimesbeglaringorsometimesquitesubtle,buttheyareerrorsnonetheless.
CommonErrors:
TimeTimeofyear,timeofkeyscenesetc.PlaceSetting,placenamesetc.CharacterisationClothes,personalobjects,birthdays,names,traitsetc.PlottingPlotflawsandgapinginconsistencies.Objects
Timecontinuityerrorshappenbecausewritersforgettimeframes.Awritermighthaveastorysetduringthesummerandthusinchapter4heorshementionsthatitisJune,butthenafewchapterslater,andwithoutrealising,themonthhaschangedtoJuly.Likewise,theymightforgetthatitssummerandwritesomethingmoreakintoawintery
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.
FE BRUA R Y FE MME SFA T A LE S
Thisnewdeliciouslydarkanthologyisoutnow,witharangeofstunningfemalewriterstoscareanddelightinequal
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A L L WR I T E F I C T I ON ADV I C EA D V I C E O N C R E A T I V E WR I T I NG
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2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:July2012
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scene.
Therearealsotimeswhenthetimemightactuallybementionedbecauseitisrelevantinakeyscene,sothewritermentionsthatitis10pminchapter7,butwhenreferringtoitagainfurtherintothenovel,thattimesuddenlychangesto9pm.
Whiletinydetailsliketimemightseemunimportant,youcanbetthereaderwillpickuponthem.Overall,itshowslackofattention.
Thesameruleappliesforsettingitseasytomixupplacenames,particularlyiftheybeginwiththesameletter.ItseasytoforgetthatacharactermightbeboardingaplaneinLondon,butthenthenameoftheairportsuddenlychangestoLutonhalfwaythroughthestory.
Characterisationisapricklyareaforcontinuitymistakes.Donthaveacharacterstartoffwithblueeyesatthebeginningofthestory,andthenbychapter20hehasbrowneyes.Doesacharacterwearglassesatthestartofthestoryandthenhalfwaythroughheisinexplicablyiscuredofhisshortsightednessbecausethewriterforgotthatthecharacterworeglasses?
Whatifyoudescribeacharactersclothesinonescene,thenseveralsceneslaterthecharacteriswearingsomethingelsecompletelydifferent?Again,thisisaneasyslipuptomake.Youmightnotspotit,butthereaderwill.
Also,makesurethatcharacternamesdontmorphintosomethingelse,orarespelleddifferentlyinchapters.Theirtraits,personality,theirstyleandidiomsetc.shouldremainconstantthroughout.
Plotcontinuityisparamounterrorsherecausemassiveplotflawsandgapingholes.Forinstance,ifyouhaveacharacterthatisscaredofheightsandyouvehighlightedthisaspartoftheircharacterisationearlyinthenovel,thenduringtheexcitingclimaxdonthavethecharacterheroicallyclimbingupthesideofabuildingwithoutawhiffoffear,unlessofcourseyoumakeitpartoftheplot.Inotherwords,thecharacterisforcedtoconfrontthatfearinordertosaveanothercharacterfromdanger.
Payparticularattentiontothisareasothatyoudontcreatetomakeeverythingfit.Makesureyourplotiswatertightandnotfullofthosegapingholes.
Objectscausewritersallsortsofcontinuitygaffes.Gotapatternedruginchapter3,butthepatternsvanishbychapter8?Whatifacharacter
measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.
NOW A VA I LA BLE ONAMA ZON
FebruaryFemmesFatalesTheBook
WISE WORDS . . .
Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.
A BOUT ME
AJHUMPAGE
UNITEDKINGDOM
I'vebeenwritingforover25yearsandstartedoutinthe
publishingindustry.I'vepublishedarticles,studyguides,poems,flashfiction,shortstoriesandanovel.IalsoworkfulltimesoI'mALWAYSworking.
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isdrivinga4x4inchapter10,butbychapter11itsbecomeasalooncar?IfacharacterisusingaBlackberryatthebeginningofthestoryandthenitchanges(withoutexplanation)toaniphone,thatisacommonerror.
Didacharacterplaceanobjectonthetableinthediningroominchapter12ofyourcrimenovel,butachapterlatertheobjectvanishesorturnsupelsewhereinthescene?
Colourscanalsochange,somakesurethebluecaryoudescribeearlyinascenestaysblue.Ifacharacterpickssomethinguptouse,likeagun,thenmakesurethatthecharacterstillhasit.Itseasyforthatobjecttosimplyvanishwhileyourebusywritingthefollowingscenes.
Toavoidcommoncontinuityfaultslikethese,duringthewritingprocess,makealistofthenamesyouveused/willuse,makeanoteofkeydatesandtimesinthestorysoyoudontgetinamuddle.Keeptrackofkeyeventsorplacesincaseyouhavetoreferbacktothemlaterinthenovel.
Doingthismakesiteasierwhileediting.Andofcourseyouhavetobethorough,sowhenreviewingyourwork,keepyourlistsandnotesinmindsothatyoucanchecktomakesurethattimes,places,names,objects,charactersandplotflawsremainconstantthroughout.
Theideawithcontinuityistokeeptheinformationconsistentfromonechaptertothenext,sothereisasmooth,seamlesstransitionoftime,characters,plot,settingandobjects.
Nextweek:Keepingviewpointsbalanced.
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY21, 2012NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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SA T URDA Y , 1 4 JU LY 2 0 1 2
PolishingYourProsePart2Withtheusualfaultsofclichs,grammar,POVandsentencestructureetcallcorrectedthroughjudiciouseditingtheprosepolishingprocessshouldthentakeonadeepernarrativecleansetotidythethingsthatarenotsoobvioustowriters,thethingsthatwedontalwayslookoutfor.
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Thismeanslookingalittledeepertoseewhatelsecanbeimprovedpriortosendingyourprideandjoytoagentsandpublishers.
Ambiguity,forinstance,issomethingwriterstendtomiss.Ambiguityoccursduetopoorsentencestructures,ofteninadvertentlygivingsentencesdoublemeaningsandthusconfusingthereader(andonoccasion,makingthemchuckle).Whatyouintendedforthereaderisntalwayswhatisunderstoodbythem,somakesureeverysentencereadscorrectlyanddoesntgiveadoublemeaning.
Tensesstillremaintheonethingthatconfusessomanywriters,andespeciallysowhenworkinginfirstpersonpointofviewbecauseitseasytolosefocusandslipfrompresenttopasttense.Itsimperativethatyoupayattentiontotenses,otherwisethenarrativebecomesweakened.Forexample:
Ilivebytheshadows,Ihideinthem,makethemmyown.IveneverhadafearofthedarktheymademewhoIam.
Spottedthetensechange?IveneverhadandmademewhoIamshouldbeIdonthaveandtheymakemewhoIamrespectively.Thatshoweasyitistoslipupwithtenses.Thereadermaynotspotthis,butaneditorwill.
Hangingparticiplestobeginsentencesdontimpresseditors,either.Theycauseambiguityandweakensentences,buttheyarealsoasignofpoorwriting.
Flingingasidehercoat,sheturnedtohimmightsoundperfectlyfine,buttoanagentorpublishinghouseeditor,ittellsthemthewriterhasntpaidattentiontoclarityofthesentence.Youcantreallyhaveacharacterdotwothingsatonce(eventhoughitsperfectlyfineintherealworld)becausethisisfiction,andeveryactionshouldbecleartothereader.Inotherwords,sheflungasidehercoatandthenturnedtofacehim.Avoidstartingsentenceswithhangingparticiplesifyouwanttomaketherightimpression.
Clarityandsimplicitycountyoudonthavetomakeyourwritingoverlycomplicated,sothatitishardtofollow,andasshownintheexampleabove,dontfallintothetrapoflettingyourwritingbecomeambiguousandthusweakenedasaresult.Writingshouldbeclearandconcise.Clarityandsimplicityspeakforthemselves.
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Keepyourcharacterisationconsistentthroughoutthestorycharactersevolvewiththestory,aswillyourreader,sodontletthemstepoutofcharacterbydoingsomethingludicrousinordertofalselyevokedramaticeffectoreventsinordertoforcethestory,otherwiseyourrisklosingnarrativeintegrityandthereaderwontbetooimpressedeither.
Alsomakesureyourcharactersarenotclichd.Inotherwords,dontmakethemcardboardcutoutsorcaricatures.Theyshouldbeindividualandflawedasrealpeople,andinstantlylikeable.
Overall,yourproseshouldhavemovement,sotospeak.Itneedstoundulate,raceaway,slowdown,itneedsriseandparry,itneedstobegentle,itneedstobeexciting.Itshouldneverstaystillotherwiseitwouldborethereader.Inotherwords,yourproseshouldhavetherightbalanceofpace.Ifitdoesnteitheritreadstoofastortooslowcorrectit.
PolishingProseChecklist
Ensure:
Youveeliminatedambiguity.Youhavethecorrecttensesthroughout.Youvecutouthangingparticiples.Yourprosehasclarityandsimplicity.Youhaveconsistentcharacterisationthroughout.Pacingshouldbebalancednottoofastandnottoslow.
Perfectproseisunattainable,butbetterproseisachievable.Bypayingattentiontowhatmatters,awriterimproveshisorherchancesofbecomingpublishedandstayingpublished.
Nextweek:Gettingcontinuityright
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY14, 2012NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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KeepingContinuity
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SA T URDA Y , 7 JU LY 2 0 1 2
PolishingYourProsePart1Everywritershouldunderstandtheimportanceofaddingfinishingtouchespriortoasubmissiontoanagentoreditor.Whileabsoluteperfectionisunattainable,writersshouldtidyandpolishtheirMSS/shortstorytothebestitcanbe,andthisisforseveralreasons.
Oneistopresenttoyourwouldbeagentorpublisheraprofessionalwriter,someonewhoknowswhattheyredoing.Youraimistomakeanimpressiontherightimpression.Anotherreasonisshowthereaderaflawless,enjoyablepieceofwriting.
Payingattentiontoyourproseanintegralpartoftheeditingprocessisvitalbecausethisiswhereyourvoice,yourstyle,yourtechniqueandyournarrativeisscrutinisedbyyouragent,publisherorreadersandtheverystructureofyourprosedetermineswhetheritreadssmoothly,makessense,isenjoyable,orwhetheritisjarring,clunkyordoesntreadrightatall.
Thedownfallofsomewritersisthattheydontpayenoughattentiontoeditingandrewriting,andtheresultcanbeprettyawful.
Thereareumpteenwaysyoucantidyandpolishyourprose,butherewelllookattheusualthingsthattendtoescapeawritersattentionthemoreimportantoneslikeclichs,repetition,waffle,unbalancedsentences,show/donttell(exposition)balanceofdescription,narrativeanddialogue,overuseofadjectivesandadverbsandkeepingyourPOVconsistent.
Tobeginwith,startbygettingridofthoseterribleclichs,unlessyouwantyournarrativesoundingasthoughyouwroteitinthedarkages.Thesamegoesforrarelyusedorarchaicwords,whichmighthavebeenpopularatthebeginningofthe19thCentury,butwillseemoutofplaceinthemodernworld(unlessofcourseyouarewritingahistoricalbasedstory,wheresuchlanguagewascommon).
Lookoutforrepetitionwhereverpossible.Thiscancatcheverywriterout,soeditjudiciously.Repetitioncanbecertainwordswithinthesamesentence,repetitionofwholesentencesorpartsentences,andonoccasion,partsofscenes,especiallywhencuttingandpasting
Chapter&NovelLengthsJusthowlongshouldachapterbe?
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oneofthoseusefultoolsthatawritercanusetoenhanceastory.Itenrichesand,inasense,nourish...
SubplotsImoftenaskedbynewwriters
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2/23/2015 AllWriteFictionAdvice:July2012
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duringtheeditingprocess.
Weedoutirrelevantinformationandcutoutunnecessarywafflebecausethisinevitablyslowsthepaceandrendersthewritingclunkyandhardtofollow.Sticktorelevantinformationtomovethestoryforward.
Also,aimforsmooth,evenlypacednarrative,ratherthanbadlyconstructedsentencesandparagraphswhichmaketoithardtoread.Tightensentenceswhereverpossible
GothroughyourstoryandreducetheuseofWasandtherebecausethesearetelltalesignsoftellingratherthanshowing.Ifyouwanttoimpressanagentorpublisher,thencutdownonthem.Toomuchuseofeitherscreamsamateuratprospectiveagentsandpublishers.
EverywritershouldknowthemaximShow/Donttell.Plentyofwritersfallintothistheytellthereaderwhatishappening,butnevershowthem.Theartofwritingistocreateandconstructplacesandpeopleandevents,tomakethereaderbecomepartofthestory,todescribetheminsuchawaythatthereaderfeelsliketheyarethere.Nowriterwillaccomplishthatwithtelling,andyetahighproportionstillcontinuestotellratherthanshow.
Withyourdescriptivescenes,showthereader,donttellthem.Paintapictureandlurethemin.
Asstatedinpreviousposts,trytobalancethenarrative,thedescriptionandthedialogue.Toomuchortoolittleoftheseelementscanmakethestoryunevenandawkwardtoread.Itdoesnthavetobeexact,butgetagoodbalanceofallthreeandyouwillmakeareaderhappy.
Dontforgettocutoveruseofadjectivesandadverbs.Again,toomanyofeitherwillshowagentsandpublishersthatthewriterisamateur.Letyournounsandverbsdoallthework.Theyaremuchstronger.
MakesureyourPOVisconsistentthroughoutdonthaveitchangefromonepointofviewtotheotherduringthemiddleofscenes,anditsessentialthatyoumaintaintheprotagonistsviewpointbynotlettingothercharacterstakeover.Aimforan80%20%ratioofprotagonist:othercharacters(moreonthisinupcomingarticles).
Attheendoftheday,whosestoryisit?The
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protagonistsstory,thereforemakesureitdoesntwaverfromtheirperspectivetoomuch.
PolishingProseChecklist
Ensure:
Youveeliminatedclichs.Youveeliminatedrepetitionwords,phrases,sentencesrepeatedscenesetc.Cutoutwaffle/irrelevantinformation.Thatnarrativeisntoverlyfloweryandsentencesremaintightandconcise.Thattherearefewinstancesofwasandthereaspossible.Thatyoushow/donttell.Youhaveagoodbalanceofnarrative,descriptionanddialogue.Youveremovedadjectivesandadverbs.YouvekeptaconsistentPOV.
Therearealotofthingstolookoutforinfictionwriting,butbykeepinganeyeonthesemainpoints,polishingyourproseshouldbecomesecondnature.
Nextweek:Part2ofPolishingYourProse.POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, JULY07, 20124COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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