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SA T URDA Y , 1 8 A UGUST 2 0 1 2
Create&Captivate
Thewholepurposeofanypieceofwritingistograbyourreadersattentionandmaintainthatattentionallthroughthestory.Itsoundseasy,butitsnotalwayseasytoaccomplish,andthatsbecausethewriterhastosomehowmakethereaderwanttokeepreading.
Maintaininginterestforareaderisafluid,continualprocess.Inordertocaptivate,awritermustcontinuallycreatetoavoidthestoryandthecharactersfrombecomingstale,boringandlacklustre.
Firstandforemost,makesurethestorystartsatitsmostnecessarypointinordertograbtheirattentionfromtheverystart.Onceyouhavedonethat,thenyoucanbuildarounditandmaintainthatmomentumandattention.Thereareseveralwaystocreate,andtherefore,captivate:
CreateconflictCreateobstaclesCreatetensionCreateemotionCreateaction
Thegoldenruleofanyfictionwritingistocreateconflictwithandaroundyourcharacters.Thinkofconflictasthecogsthatdriveyourentirestory.Withoutconflict,thereisntmuchofastoryandifthereisntmuchofastorythen
A LL WR IT E F I C T IONADVICE
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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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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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itdoesntreallymoveforward.
Reallifeisfullofconflict.Yourcharactersexperiencesshouldbenodifferent.
Theothergoldenruleoffictionwritingistoalwayshaveobstaclesinyourcharacterspath.Theseobstaclesactastensionbufferstheneedtoovercomeanobstacleheightensthetensionandatmosphereandkeepsyourreadergrippedastowhatmighthappen,orhowthecharactermightachievethis.
Again,reallifeisfullofconstant,ordinaryobstacles,forinstance:
1.Youneedtobuyahouse,butdonthavemuchmoney...
2.Youwonaholidayabroad,butyourescaredofflying...
3.Yourwifeisabouttogivebirth,butyourestuckintheworsttrafficjam...
Ordinaryobstaclesrequireextraordinarywaysofgettingoverthem.Andthatswhatkeepsareadergripped.
Placeplentyofbarriersinyourcharacterswaymaketheirliveshard,itwillbeworthit,becausebydoingso,youcreatetensionjustbyhavingyourcharacterstryingtoovercomethoseobstaclesinordertoreachtheirgoal.
Createtensionwheneverpossible.Similartoconflict,thisisanecessaryingredientoffictionwriting.Therecouldbetensionbetweencharacters,oritcouldbeaninnertensionwithinyourmaincharacter.Thereshouldalwaysbetensioninoneformoranotherwithinthestorybecausetheyareprevalentinreallife,andthereforeyourfictionalworldshouldbenodifferent.
Createemotionwithyourcharactersandtheirsituation.Ifyoudont,thenhowwillyourreaderempathisewiththem?Howwilltheywarmtothemorcareaboutthem?And,conversely,howwilltheyhateanddislikeyourvillainouscharacterswithpassion?
Emotionsallowthereadertoidentifyandconnectwithyourcharactersifawritercanemotionallyreachoutandtouchthereaderinsomeway,thentheyhavedonetheirjob.
measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.
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WISE WORDS . . .
Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.
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AJHUMPAGE
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publishingindustry.I'vepublishedarticles,studyguides,poems,flashfiction,shortstoriesandanovel.IalsoworkfulltimesoI'mALWAYSworking.
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Createactionthisalwaysgripsthereader.Whateverthescene,balancednarrativeshouldalwayshaveasplashofactiontokeepthereadersjuicesflowing.Thisworksespeciallywelliftheactionplacesthecharactersinmortaldangeritmakesitallthemoregripping.
Creatingandcaptivatingareaderisnotaneasytaskitsafinebalanceofmaintainingandsustainingatmosphereandtension,thevariousconflicts,barriers,heightenedemotionsandscintillatingaction,alltodrivethestoryforwardtoitsconclusionandcaptivateyourreader.
Nextweek:CreatingeffectivecharactergoalsPOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, AUGUST18, 2012NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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SA T URDA Y , 1 1 A UGUST 2 0 1 2
DealingwithSingleCharacterScenesTherearemanythingsthatmakeawriterstumbleduringwriting,whetherthatsplotdevelopment,characterisation,viewpointsetc,butacommonstumblingblockishowtodealwithsinglecharacterscenes.
Mostscenesinastorywillinvolvetwoormorecharacters,whichdoesntpresentaproblembecausetherewillalwaysbeaction,dialogueanddescriptionforthesecharacterstofillyourpages.Butwhatifyouhaveascene,anentirechapter,oranentirestorywithjustonecharacterandnodialogue?
Howdoyouwritesuchsceneswithoutbeingboringorrepetitive?Howcanyouwritethemandstillstimulateyourreader?
Itsoundsdaunting,butwithpractiseitcomeseasily,andisntasmuchasastumblingblockasperceived.Inorderforsinglecharacterscenestobeeffectiveandinteresting,youmusthaveafullydevelopedcharacterthatyouknowextremelywell.Ifyoudont,thepremiseofsinglecharacterscenesbecomesproblematic,becauseyouwontbeabletowritewiththemsothoroughlyand
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effectively.
Youneedthisrelationshipwithyourcharacterbecauseascenethatispurelyyourcharacterandhisorherthoughts(nodialogue,remember),needsthatsymbiosisitissomeonewhosethoughtsandactionsareingrainedwithyouandshould,therefore,comeeasily.
Ifyourcharacterisntwelldevelopedandyouhardlyknowthecharacter,thosesinglecharactersceneswontreallywork.
Moststoriesandnovelswillhavesomesinglecharacterscenesatsomepoint.Itmaybetheprotagonistalonesomewherewithonlyhisorherownthoughtsforcompany.Perhapstheyaretrapped,ortheyaresimplymusingonwhathashappened.Maybethecharacterisstuckinatrafficjamoryouheorsheisaboardaplaneandyouwanttofocusthescenesolelyonthecharacterandnothingelse.Perhapsthecharacterisrememberingsomethingamemoryorsignificanteventinthepast.
Theideawiththesescenesisideallytoslowthepaceofstoryandallowboththecharacterandthereadertodigestthestory,andtoimpartnecessaryinformation.
TherearemanywriterswhohavedonethistogreateffectDavidMorrellsFirstBloodorStephenKingsMisery,forexample.
Thereareanumberofdeviceswriterscanuseforinteresting,effectivesinglecharacterscenes:
InteriormonologueActionDescriptionFlashback
Interiormonologueisusefulfromtimetotime.Itallowsthewritertoentertheircharactersmindtorevealinformationtothereaderthatothercharactersinthestorywontbeprivy.Italsoallowsthereadertogetintothecharactersmindtosharetheirthoughts.Youcanshowhowyourcharacterisreallyfeelingaboutsomething,whattheyreallythinkofsomethingorsomeone.Youcanalsoenhancethecharactersinternalconflictusinginteriorthoughts.
Ofcourse,theartofinteriormonologuetothisistokeepit
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fairlyshort,butalsotomakeitinterestingforthereadersotheydontbecomebored,becauseinrealitytheydontwanttobeconfrontedwithgreatchunksofnarrativewithoutahintofdialogueinsight.
Action,ontheotherhand,istheonethingeverycharacterwilldo.Acharacterisalwaysdoingsomething,eveniftheyaresimplysittingstill,becausetheywillrubtheireyes,fiddlewiththeirhair,massagetheirtemples,wipesweatfromtheirbrow,playwithapieceofjewellery...thelistisendless.
Ifthecharacterisaloneandtryingtoescapefromsomewhere,thenthepotentialforactioniselevated,plusitgivesthewriterthechancetoextendsomeconflictwiththecharacterinnerconflictandperhapsexternalconflictsuchasthesurroundsornature.
TheexceptbelowisfromashortstoryTheOldManSlumbers,andisalmostentirelyonecharacterandhasverylittledialogue,soitmakesuseofactiontokeepthereadersinterestandmovethestoryforward:
Hisshallowbreathsechoedaroundthecavern.Helaytherelisteningtohislifebreezinginandoutofhislungs,chestfizzling,constrictedbythecold.
Hepulledoffhisgloves,reachedintohisjacketpocketanddrewoutahalfsquashedchocolatebar.Trembling,discolouredfingertipsstruggledwiththewrapperscrambledbrainsignalsstutteredtofingersfingersstutteredtowrapperhecouldntopenit.Frustrationsimmeredcloseandhecursedloudly,triedagain.Thenagain.Andagain.Finally,hemanagedtosplitthepacketonthesixthattemptandheategreedily,thesatisfyingnoiseofmasticationfillingthehollowchamber,somehowcomfortingtohear.Herestedback,thetasteandtextureofthemulchedchocolatesweetonhislipsthevelvetysensationfeltlikethepostcoitaldescentfromeuphoria.
StephenKingisaneffectiveexponentatthis,asarethelikesofTomClancyandRobertLudlam.
Besidesaction,awritercanalwaysrelyondescriptionbetweenactionscenestohelpbolstersinglecharacterscenarios,aslongasthereisnttoomuchdescriptioninlargechunks,butrathersmaller,digestibleamounts,and
DealingwithSingleCharacterScenes
MaintainingViewpointBalance
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thedescriptioniswellwrittensothatitcarriesthestoryforward.
Theotherwaytowritesinglecharactersceneseffectivelyistousetheflashbacktechnique.Thisallowsthecharactertorevisitpasteventsandalsoallowsawritertoexplorethecharactersmotivationsthekindofthingsthatinfluencethecharacterinthepresent.Flashbacksalsoacttoslowthepaceandallowthereader(andcharacter)toreflect.
Andofcourse,thereisnoruletosayyoucantuseallfourdevicesinyoursinglecharacterscene,dependinghowlongthesceneorchapterorstoryis,andhowwellyouwriteit.Manywritersdojustthat,butthemostimportantthingistoknowyourcharacterinsideout.
Writingsinglecharacterscenesarenttheballachethatwriterspresumethemtobe,andcertainlynotsowhenthereareinteriorthoughts,action,descriptionandflashbackstohelp.
Nextweek:CreateandCaptivatePOSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, AUGUST11, 20122COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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SA T URDA Y , 4 A UGUST 2 0 1 2
MaintainingViewpointBalanceOneofthequestionswritersoftenaskishowmuchoftheircharacter'spointofviewshouldbeapparentwithinthenarrative.Afterall,thestoryshouldbefromtheprotagonistsviewpoint,andthemajorityofthescenesshouldconcentrateonyourmaincharacter.
Ofcoursetherewillbescenesorchaptersfromothercharacterviewpoints,andtheseareabsolutelyfine,butoneoftheproblemsthatcanoccuristhatasecondarycharactergraduallyovershadowsthemaincharacter.Thissometimeshappensnaturallythroughthewritingprocessbecausefirstandseconddraftsareusuallythebarebonesofanovelandthewriteris,therefore,findingtheirwaywithit.
Chapter&NovelLengthsJusthowlongshouldachapterbe?
Whatsthebestlength?Anddoesanovelhavetofitintoasetamountofwords?Thesearejusttwoo...
FlashbacksWhatisaflashback?Flashbackis
oneofthoseusefultoolsthatawritercanusetoenhanceastory.Itenrichesand,inasense,nourish...
SubplotsImoftenaskedbynewwriters
howsubplotsshouldevolve.Somewritersfindsubplotsdifficulttogettogripswhileothersareputofftry...
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Theotherproblemisthatviewpointsarenotalwaysclearduringachapter.Isittheleadcharacterschapter,orthesecondarycharacterschapter?Or,assometimeshappens,isitamixofallthecharacters?
Theotherproblemisthatsometimesthisimbalanceisntalwayspickedupbywriters,whichmeansthemanuscriptthenlandsinfrontofaneditorwhoimmediatelypicksuponitwhentheyreaditbecauseitisclearthatthewriterhasntmadeclearwhosestoryitis.
Thestoryalwaysbelongstothemaincharacter.
TheeasiestwaytofindoutifthereisanimbalancebetweencharacterviewpointsistoreadthroughthefinishedMSSandthenapplysomebasicmaths.Readthrougheachchapterandmaleanotewhosechapteritis.
Fromthisinformationyoucanaskthefollowingquestions:
1.Howmanychaptersareledbytheprotagonist?2.Howmanychaptersareledbysecondary
characters?3.Howmanychaptershavenoclearviewpoint?
Taketheresultsofhowmanychaptersbelongtowhichcharactersandconvertthemintopercentages.Itshouldbeobviousfromtheseresultsjusthowthechaptersbalance.
Themaincharactershouldalwayshavethemostdedicatedchapters.Therestofthechaptersshouldbesharedbetweentheremainingcharacters.
A60%/40%balanceisnottoobad,i.e.60%ofthechaptersareledbythemaincharacterand40%ofthechaptersfocusonthesecondarycharacters.
A70%/30%ismuchbetter.Itmeansthewriterhasfocusedmostofthechaptersandscenesonwhatthemaincharacterisdoing.Theremainingchaptersarespreadbetweensecondaryandperipheralcharacters.
Forasimpleexample,anovelhas30chaptersandfourimportantcharactersProtagonist,Antagonist,SecondaryCharacterandPeripheralCharacter.
Thebookhasthefollowingchapterbreakdown:
PA GE VIEWS LA S T MONT H
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14chaptersareabouttheProtagonist
9chaptersareabouttheAntagonist
5chaptersinvolvetheSecondarycharacter
2chaptersinvolvethePeripheralcharacter
Thiskindofbreakdownoffersasimplevisualsoyoucanactuallyseewhichchaptersaredevotedtowhichcharactersandhowmuchofthestoryshiftsfromonecharactertoanother.
Whenconvertedtoapercentage,itisclearthatalmost47%ofthebookisfocusedonthemaincharacter.30%concentratesontheantagonist,whilejustover16%isaboutthesecondarycharacterandjustover6%isabouttheperipheralcharacter.
Thisexample,whilefairlybalanced,wouldbenefitfromsomeimprovementtoincreasethechaptercoveragesothatmorethanhalfisaboutthemaincharacter.Remember,thestorymustalwaysbelongtothecharacterthereforemostofthestoryshouldbeabouthimorher.
Thisbreakdownmethodisasimple,easyandvaluablewaytofigureoutjusthowbalancedyourcharacterviewpointsare.Readanypopularfictionbooksandthevastmajoritywillhaveamaincharacterpercentagethathitsaround65%70%.
Yourmaincharactershouldalwaysbeattheforefrontofthestory,sobyusingthismeasurementyoucanchecktheproportionofcharacterviewpointstoseeifyourmaincharacteristhefocus,orwhetherheorsheiswallowingbeneathothercharacterswhohavetakenovermostofthechapters,orwhetherminorcharactersappeartoofrequentlythanisnecessaryetc.Youcanthencorrectthemandbringbackasenseofbalancepriortosubmittingyourmasterpiecetocompetitions,agentsandeditors.
Nextweek:Dealingwithsinglecharacterscenes.
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, AUGUST04, 2012NOCOMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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