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SA T URDA Y , 2 6 MA Y 2 0 1 2
QuantityoverQuality?Areyouoneofthosewriterswhocanproduceacopiousamountofstories,ratherlikeanunstoppableconveyorbelt?Orareyouthetypeofwriterwhoseoutputisalittlelessfreneticandrathermoresedate?
Weallfallintodifferenttypesofwriters,becausewearealldifferent.Someofusworkatapacewherewemightonlyproduceastoryeveryfewmonthsorso,orperhapsanewnovelevery1218months.OtherwritersseemtobeabletouploadanovelontoAmazonKindleeverycoupleofmonths,orbeabletochurnoutashortstoryeveryotherweek.
Butaswriters,onequestiontoaskyourselfisthisareyouaqualityoverquantitykindofwriter?Oristhequantitymoreimportant?
Canyouhaveboth?
Youmightwellbeabletoproduceahighturnoverofwork,butisittothehigheststandard?Writerscanpushoutasmanystoriesastheywantinthespaceofamonth,butaretheyreallygoodenoughforconventionalpublication?Byconventional,IdontmeanAmazonKindle(whereeditorialhighstandardsarefrequentlyignoredbywriterswhoshouldntcallthemselveswriters),butratheragentsandpublishers,thekindofpeoplewhowilllookthroughyourstoryorMSSandripittoshredsbeforetheydecidewhetheritsgoodenoughforpublication.
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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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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Wouldyourworkpasstheirexpectations?
QualityCounts
IfthereisonethingIactivelyteachanywriter,itistoproducethebestqualityworkthatispossible.Neverbeamundanewriter,beamarvellousone.Aspiretobethebestyoupossiblycanbe.Why?Becausequalitycanbethedifferencebetweenanacceptanceandarejection.
Qualityspeaksvolumestoaneditor.Theycanspotwhetherthewriterhastakenthetimeanddetailtoread,proofandedittheirworktoapublishablestandard,orwhetherthewriterhasrushedthroughitinanattempttosimplygettheworkoutthere.
Thereisanundeniablelogicaltomorehaste,lessspeed.Inotherwords,thefasteryoutrytodosomething,themorelikelyyouaretomakesillyerrors.
Somewritersassumetheyhavetopushoutasmuchworkaspossibleinordertobenoticedandtoacertaindegreethatstrue,becauseweallneedexposurebutnottothedetrimentofthequalityofthatwork,whichcommonlyhappens.
Iknowawriterwhoiswritingnovelnumberseven,aswellasseveralshortstories.Butonreadingtheworkproduced,itispatentlyobviousthatthewriterhaspaidscantattentiontotheartofcreativewriting.ThiswriterhasonlyselfpublishedonAmazonKindle,andhasneverbeenconventionallypublished.Shehas,therefore,neverbeenscrupulouslyvettedbyaneditorofapublicationhouse.
Anyonecanwrite,butnoteveryonecanbeacreativewriter.
Butdoesitreallymatter?
Ifyouareseriousaboutwriting,thenyes,itshouldmatter.
IfyourushyourwritinginabidtogetyourworkoutthereorearnasmuchaspossiblefromKindle,severalthingsareguaranteedtohappen:
Thestory/MSSwillcontainsillymistakes.Thestory/MSSwillcontainflawsandcontradictions.
measure.Iamprivilegedtohaveeightshortstories/poemspublishedinthisbook,soifyoulikeyourdamesalittledarkanddangerous,thisisthebookforyou.
NOW A VA I LA BLE ONAMA ZON
FebruaryFemmesFatalesTheBook
WISE WORDS . . .
Writingislikebeingmarriedyouhavetoworkhardatmaintaininghappinessandequilibrium,butinvariablyonealwaysendsupinthedoghouse.
A BOUT ME
AJHUMPAGE
UNITEDKINGDOM
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publishingindustry.I'vepublishedarticles,studyguides,poems,flashfiction,shortstoriesandanovel.IalsoworkfulltimesoI'mALWAYSworking.
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Thestory/MSSmightbedeficientinplot/characterisation/structureetc.Thestory/MSSmightnothavetherightbalanceofcrucialelements.Itwillshowhowillpreparedandunprofessionalyouare.
Ifyoureallywantagentsandeditorstonoticeyourwork,youshouldobservethefollowing:
Takethetimetowritedontrushyourwriting.Takethetimetothoroughlyreadthroughandedityourworkinordertoclearthosemistakes,plotflawsandcontradictionsetc.Takethetimetobalanceyourstory/MSS.Putintheeffortagentsandeditorswillnoticethis.
Donteverdoubtthatwritingiseasy,becauseitsnot.Writingishardwork.
Rememberthatquantityoverqualitytendstoproduceonesubstantialdifference:substance,orlackof.Asawriter,Icouldproduceastoryeveryday,butIknowthequalityandthesubstancewouldsufferthroughsuchahighoutput.ThatsbecauseIcouldntpossiblytakethetimetocheck,edit,redraft,balanceitandbehappywithit.
Thestarkrealityofbeingawriterishardtocrackagentsandpublishersisextremelydifficult.Thestandardsarehigh,thecompetitionisfierceandthelikelihoodofpublicationisminimal.Itsliketryingtorunthroughtreacle.
AmazonKindleisprovingquitealureforwouldbeauthorshowever,withtheprospectofsuchwideblanketcoverage,somanywritersaresacrificingqualityoverquantity.
Ofcourse,iftherearegeniuswriterswhocanproducequalitystorieseveryotherweek,ornovelseverycoupleofmonths,allwithoutbreakingasweat,sheddingafrustratingtearortearingtheirhairout,thenIdliketomeetthem.Butinalmost25yearsofwriting,Ivenotmetoneyet.
Nextweek:Tricksofthetradehandywritinghints
NowavailableonAmazonKindleUKandUS
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SA T URDA Y , 1 9 MA Y 2 0 1 2
FindingBalance
ManyofthequestionsaskedaboutfictionwritingsuchashowdoIknowhowmanychapterstohave,howmuchdescriptionshouldIwrite,isthereenoughdialogueorenoughconflict?canallbeansweredwithjustoneword:balance.
Storywritingisallaboutbalanceandfindingstabilitywithinthewriting.Itswhatkeepseverythingincheck,sothatwritersdontgooverboardwithoneelementoveranother,thusleadingtoanimbalance.
Whyhavebalance?
Balanceallowsthewritertokeepcontrolofmanywritingelementslikethosementionedabove.Therearenosetruleswherefictionisconcerned,butitispurelyaguideforwriterstohelpthemwritebetter.
Whetheritsdialogue,description,theamountofscenesorchapters,theamountoftensionandconflictthatisbalancedagainstthereliefandemotion,whetherthereisenoughbackgroundbalancedwithforeground,orwhetheryouhaveactionandinactionwithinthestory,thereshouldbesomedefinitivebalanceofalltheseelementstomakeupawellstructured,enjoyableandcohesivestory.
Ivetouchedonthisinpreviousarticles,butbalanceofdialogue,narrativeanddescriptionisquiteimportant,especiallyforthosenewtowriting.Toomuchofeitheroftheseelementsthreatenstheoveralleffectofthestory,andunlessthewriterisveryexperienced,theresulttoomuchofoneandnotenoughoftheotherwilllookbadlywrittenandunprofessional.Moreimportantly,yourreaderwontenjoythestoryeither.
Balanceshouldalsoexistforscenesandchaptershavingtherightamountofchapterstotellthestory,
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balancedagainsttherightamountofkeyscenes.Thisisagoodwayofkeepingincheckawriterspenchantforwaffling,i.e.writingscenesthatareunnecessaryandirrelevanttothestory(andposeadangerofboringthereader).
Knowwhatstoryyouaretelling,andhowlongitislikelytobe,thenyoucanplanyourchapters(nothavingtoomanyortoofew),alongwiththeamountofmajor,importantscenesthatyouwilleventuallywrite.
Balancealsokeepsincheckanyinadvertentpaddingthatsometimescreepsintothenarrative.Whenwritersfindthemselvesinasituationwhereastoryfallsshortoftheirintendedtargetlength,theytendtopadthenarrativewithinconsequentialscenes,whichmeansthatthebalancedratioofdialogue,narrativeanddescriptionisignoredandthestorybecomescompletelydisproportionate.
Aimtohaveagoodbalanceofallthree.
Conflictandemotionthesesounddifficulttobalance,butintruth,itsnotthathard.Foreverymomentofconflict,tensionandatmosphere,thereshouldalsobesomelightrelief,somehappier,morerelaxedmoments.Dontlettheentirestorybecomefullwithtension.Thathastobelightermoments,sobalanceconflictandtensesceneswithlighterscenes.
Backgroundandforegroundshouldhaveequilibrium,too.Butwhatexactlydoesthatmean?
Thestuffthathappensintheforegroundthekeyscenes,likeactionscenes,emotionalscenesetc,shouldalwayslendthemselvestothebackground.Inotherwords,dontforgettoinvolvethereaderwithinyoursceneswhereveryoucanimpartdetailsofthesetting,thebackdrop,theenvironmentetc.Howeversmallthesedetailsmightseem,theyhelpthereadervisualisethewholething,theydrawinthereader.
Itssurprisinghowmanywritersforgetthiscompletelyandsimplylaunchintokey/actionsceneswithoutlettingthereaderin.Forinstance,pictureConstablesportrait,TheHayWain,butimagineitwithouttheriver,thelushgreeneryandtrees,thecosycottageorthedogontheriverside.Thereisjustthehaywainandhorsesandnothingelse.
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Thereisntmuchtostimulateorlookatisthere?
Infiction,youshouldnthaveforegroundwithoutabackgroundhaveafairbalanceofbothsothatthereadercanjumpintothescene.
Whataboutactionversusinaction?Storiesshouldntsteamalongatbreakneckspeedforthedurationwithoutallowingthereadertobreatheandreflectaboutthestory,somakesureyouslowthingsdownalittle.Findabalancebetweenfastpacedscenesandsofter,slowerscenes.
Varyitsothatthereaderdoesntfeelrushedbythenarrative,or,conversely,doesntfallsleepthroughboredombroughtonbynothingmuchhappeningwithinthestory.Thatwayyouengageandexcitethereader,butneverborethem.
Findingbalancecanhelpyoucontroltheratioofdialogue,descriptionandnarrative.Youcancontroltheamountofconflict/tension/actionsceneswithsofter,slower,emotionalscenes.Youcancreateabalancedpacesometimesfast,sometimesslow.Youcangivethereaderbackgroundaswellasforegrounddetail.
Bykeepinganeyeonalltheseelements,youcanseeifoneaspectappearstobestrongerormoreapparentthantheother,andthenyoucancorrectit.
Wedontalwaysthinkaboutit,butstoriesworkbetterwiththerightsenseofbalance.Thatsbecausetheyarefinetunedandstructuredwell,butmoreimportantly,itmeanstheyareappealingtoeditorsandpublishersalike,andyoustandmorechanceofbecomingpublished(andstayingpublished).
Nextweek:Qualityorquantity?
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, MAY19, 20121COMMENT: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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Chapter&NovelLengthsJusthowlongshouldachapterbe?
Whatsthebestlength?Anddoesanovelhavetofitintoasetamountofwords?Thesearejusttwoo...
FlashbacksWhatisaflashback?Flashbackis
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SubplotsImoftenaskedbynewwriters
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SA T URDA Y , 1 2 MA Y 2 0 1 2
Chapter&NovelLengths
Justhowlongshouldachapterbe?Whatsthebestlength?Anddoesanovelhavetofitintoasetamountofwords?
Thesearejusttwoofthemostcommonquestionsaskedbywriters.TheyassumetheyhavetoworktoastricttemplateofXamountofwordsandXamountofchapters,usuallybecausemostnovelshavearound30or40chaptersandaround80,000words.
NovelLengths
Firstly,letsdispelafewmythsnovellengthsaredictatedbythestoryitself,notthewriterortheeditororaspecificwrittenformula.Secondly,writersdonthavetofittheirwordcountintogenericsetamounts.Again,thestorywilldictatehowlongthenovelwillbe.
Itsalsoworthknowingthedifferenttypesofnovelsthatworkwellwithdifferentwordcounts.Uncomplicatedstoriescontainingminimalcharacterstendtobeshortusuallyaround20,000to60,000words.Thesearecallednovellas.
Longer,morecomplexstories,whichcontainahandfulofmaincharactersandperipheralcharacters,tendtorunatabout60,000to95,000words.Thiswouldconstitutetheaveragelengthnovel.
Thesagaplentyofcharactersandacomplex,epicstorytoldovermanygenerationsthinkRootsorWarandPeaceusuallyrunatover100,000words.
Ifyouarewritingastandardlengthnovel,aimfor80,000to95,000words.Itdoesnthavetobeexact,butitstheretoguidewriters.Ifyousetyourselfatargetof85,000words,youllknowthatifyoufallshortofthataveragefigure,yourstoryiseitherlackinginsubstance,oritdoesnthaveenoughfueltobeafulllengthnovel(withoutsomeseriousediting),andwouldthereforebeanovellainstead.Ifyougowayoverthatfigureandyoufindyourselfeasilydriftingover100,000words,thenyouneedtodosomeseriouseditingtoreignthestorybackin,otherwiseyouriskitturningintoasaga.
Anotherreasontousethesefiguresasaguideisthatif
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yousubmityourMSStoanagentorpublisherstatingwhatkindofstoryitis,i.e.athrillerbasednovelwhichisawhopping150,000wordslong,youmightgetarejectionbeforeanyonehasevenreadthefirstlineofthefirstchapterbecausethatkindoflengthforthatkindofstoryjustisntaviableoptionforthem.Conversely,ifyoustatethatyouhaveanepictaleofloveandrevenge,setinthelastcentury,whichfollowsseveralgenerationsofthesamefamily,theeditorwouldbalkatapaltry75,000words.
Inotherwords,thinkaboutthegenreyouarewriting,thinkaboutthestoryitself,andknowwhatkindofbookyourewriting.Canitbetoldinthatreasonableamountofwords?
Chapterlengths
Writerssoonlearnthattherearenoparticularsetruleswhenitcomestowritingandchapterlengthsfallintothisarea.
Newwriterstendtoassumethatachaptermustbeacertainsetlengthinordertomaintaintheaveragenovellengthofaround80,00095,000words,butintruth,chapterscanbeaslongorasshortasyouneedthemtobe.Thereisnoformula.Youdonthavetopickanumberlike80,000andthendivideitby30chapterstogiveyou2500wordsachapter(average).
IfyouhaveeverreadFaulknersAsILayDyingormanyStephenKingnovels,thenyoullrealisethatachaptercanbeasentencelong.Orjustoneword.Oritcanbe5000words.Again,likenovellength,chapterlengthisdictatedbywhatishappeninginthestory,notbythelawofaveragesandappliedmathematics.Manybookshave40,50orsometimes60chapters,allvaryinginlength.Anditsthevarietyoflengththatcounts.Theydonthavetocoformtoanypreconceivedideas.Everywriterisdifferent,soeverychaptertheywritewillbedifferentinlength.
Theonlythingyouneedtoapplywherechapterlengthsandnovellengthsareconcerned,iscommonsense.
Ifyouthinkachapterisfartooshortforwhateverreason,examineittoseewhy.Itmaybeyousimplyhaventincludedenoughdescription.Ifyourchapterseemstogo
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onandon...againlookatittoseeifitisoverlylongyouriskboringyourreaderorlosingtheirattentionifitdoesntsensiblymovetothenextchapter.
Iftherewassuchathingasanaveragechapter,itwouldprobablybearound2500words.Oryoucouldsay10xA4sheets,becausethisalsoactsasavisualpromptforsomepeople.
Therearenohardandfastrules.Itsalldowntothekindofstoryyouarewriting,howyoutellit,andofcourse,atouchofcommonsense.
Nextweek:Findingbalance.
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, MAY12, 2012122COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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WhyTitlesMatter
Thereareseveralfactorsthatmakeuschooseanovelfromtheendlessbooksavailabletous.Onefactoristhecoveritsjobistoinitiallyenticethereaderseye.Thenthereistheblurbthecoupleoflinesonthefrontcoverorthebackthathookyou.Thenofcourse,thereisthetitle.
Butatitleisntjusttheretotellyouraudiencewhatyourstoryiscalled.Titleshaveanumberofuseswhichawritershouldalwaystakeadvantageof,andtitlesmattertheyareanintegralfactorwhengettingyourworknoticedbyagentsandeditors.
Bookandstorytitlesactasalure.GreattitlesalwaysgrabourattentionthinkToKillaMockingbird.OrAClockworkOrange.Theytemptustowanttoknowwhatthestoryisaboutthereisasenseofintrigueandfascinationthatenticesus.
ButwhatiftheywerecalledScoutandJemsAdventure?OrTheDroogs?Wouldtheylureusinthesameway?Probablynot.Theycertainlywouldnthavethesameallure.Ifanything,theywouldseemratherboringbycomparison.
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Wherenovelsareconcerned,youhavespentmonthsoryearsputtingeffortintomakingitthebestyoucan,soalametitlewillnotdoyourstoryanyjustice.Youshouldbemakingastatementwiththetitleyouchoose,sowherepossible,makeyourtitlesinteresting,provocative.TrytoavoidusingThe.i.eTheTeacher,TheStreet,TheCornfieldetc.Itsoneofthosewordsthatjustmakeastorytitlethatlittlebitstaidandboring,andsometimesquitecornyandclichd.Thinkdynamicallywhenitcomestoyourtitlesmakeyourworkstandout.
SomeofthebestnovelsdonthaveTheinthetitle,andthisworkswell,forinstanceMisery,MobyDick,1984,SlaughterhouseFive,andsoon.Ofcourse,thatisnottosaythatsomegreattitlesdohaveTheinthetitle,likeTheGreatGatsby,TheCatcherintheRye,buttheideaistobedifferentwithyourtitles,andtheseclassictitlesuseThetotheiradvantagebynotgivingawaytoomuchofthestorycontent.
Thatbringsustothisveryconsideration:titlesoftengivethestoryawaybeforethereaderhasevenreadthefirstline.Whatswrongwiththat?Nothing,exceptthatGrannysDayOutortellsthereaderwhatthestoryisaboutwithoutreadingasinglelineofthestory.
Theideawithgenrefictionistokeepthereaderguessingallthetime,tokeeptheminterested,keepthemfascinated.Ifyoutelltheminthetitlewhatitsabout,moreoftenthannot,youlosesomeofthatallureandimpact.
Atitlecanhintatthestory,buttheideaisnottogivetoomuchawaysothatitinvitesthereadertostepintoyourfictionalworld,itluresthemenoughtowanttobecomeinvolvedwiththestory.
Titlesalsooftendeliberatelymisleadthereader.Thisisaneffectivetoolemployedbywriters,andisdesignedtoteasethereaderintothinkingtheyknowwhatthestoryisabout,butitturnsouttobesomethingcompletelydifferent.
ThinkGoneWiththeWindorWhereAngelsFeartoTread.
WhenIwroteUnderaVeilofRed(seecoverimagetopright)fortheFebruaryFemmesFatalesshowcase,Iwantedtoconveyseveralthingswiththetitle.Itisastory
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abouttheunderlyingprejudicethatfuelsthepursuitofavictim.IcouldhavecalleditTheChase.OrTheRunaway,orThePursuit.Butnoneofthesetitlesareinteresting,andtheytellthereaderwhatitsabout.
TheVeilofthetitlesuggestsashroud,acoverofsomesort.TheRedisasymbolicgesturethecolourofblood,whichappearsinthestory.UnderaVeilofRedintriguesbutgivesnothingawayintermsofthestoryscontent.
Anothershortstory,AStainontheHeart,publishedintheUS,dealswithintoleranceandinjusticesetduringWorldWar2.Thetitleistwofold.Itshintingatwhatthestorymightbeabout,withoutgivingtoomuchaway,andwithouteventellingthereaderitssetduringthewar,butitsalsoinformingthereaderofnatureofthecontent,andthekeywordshereareStainandHeart.
So,whenitcomestotitles,thinkaboutwhatyourstoryisabout,whatitistryingtosay.Comingupwithgreattitlesisnteasy,sothinkaboutthestory.Whatisitsmessage?Howdoesitrelatetoyourreader?Howcanyouenticethem?
Titlesdomorethanjusttellyourreaderwhatthenameofyourstoryis.
GrabthereadersattentionuseacatchytitleHintatthestoryteasethereaderDontgivetoomuchawayinthetitleifyoucan
keepthemguessingDeliberatelymisleadthereaderwithyourtitleTrytoavoidusingThetoomuchAvoidcornyorclichdtitles
Effective,provocativeandinterestingtitlescanbethedifferencebetweenagents/publishersbeinginterestedinyourstory,ornot.
Nextweek:Chapterandnovellengths.
POSTEDBYAJ HUMPAGEATSATURDAY, MAY05, 20124COMMENTS: L INKSTOTHISPOST
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