TECH: A Well-Packed Story (Moldy Oldie!)

[mbarker]

 Original Posting Aug. 16, 2018

Writer's Digest, July 1991, has an article by Jeanne Muchnick on pages 20-23. Jeanne is talking about short stories. She points out that Edgar Allan Poe said, "short story should be brief enough to be read at a single seating, but long enough to produce the desired effect on the reader." Then she suggests that one way to get the right length is to think about writing a short story like packing a suitcase.

You don't want to jam everything into a story. That is a recipe for "confusing, overstuffed fiction: too many characters, extra plot lines, unneeded conflicts." You also don't want to make it too sparse or spare, leaving out colorful important details.

Short fiction, like longer stories, uses characterization, setting, action, and exposition, but you need to pack it carefully. So, what are the common mistakes and how do you correct them?

Character Flaws. First of all, don't bother trying to tell your readers everything about your characters. There's no time. All you want are pieces that are crucial to the premise of the story. She gives two examples, first of a beginning that focuses way too long and hard on telling us about a character, and then on another one that drops us into the story problem rapidly.

Setting. Again, don't plan on too many settings. The traps here are describing each scene in detail, so you don't have room for anything else, or making the settings so sketchy that they don't seem authentic. Most of the time, you want a single setting, maybe two or three. Another problem often grows out of trying to make each word count, so you try to "create powerful, well worded descriptive sentences…" And end up overdoing it. Stick to simple descriptions.

Narrative. In this case, we mean the flow of the writing, how everything fits together. Long descriptions disrupt flow. Drop in bits of description. Beware whenever one element starts to dominate. Keep it tight, don't get carried away with description, narrative, or even action.

"Learning to tighten your narratives is a matter of practice. Back to the suitcase analogy: once everything you need for the trip is laid out, look at it with a critical eye. First pack pack the absolute essentials, then see how much room is left, and get ready to leave some things behind."

The sidebar suggests asking yourself these nine questions to help pack your story…

1. Does the story seem realistic? Are there enough details to let the reader visualize the action, characters, and setting?
2. Is the drama introduced early?
3. Does the story rely too much on dialogue?
4. Have I used too many flowery adjectives?
5. Is there a subplot? If so, could it be edited out?
6. Are the transitions clear?
7. How many settings does the story have? Scene shifts?
8. Are there so many characters that even I have trouble keeping them straight?
9. What elements – characters, objects, actions, dialogue – could be removed without changing the story?

There you go. Pack that suitcase, and take your reader on a trip.

TECH: Story Bits 02

[mbarker]

 Original Posting Aug. 28, 2018

(whoops? It looks as if I wrote this, but forgot to send it? Okay, let's kick it out there...)

Sorry about the delay. Lots of other things going on, and I lost track. So, this is me reading Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee rather slowly. Let's see, principles not rules, forms not formulas, and archetypes not stereotypes. So what happens next?

Story is about thoroughness, not shortcuts.

Remember, he's talking about his book, Story, and about screenwriting or screenplays. He starts out this little commentary by pointing out that a screenplay may take as much time to write as a novel. Screenplay pages often have a lot of white on them, which may mislead people into thinking it's faster writing. However, Robert says that it takes the same "density of world, character, and story." Yes, film writers spend a lot of time cutting their text down to the fewest possible words, but they're trying to express a lot in those few words. "Economy is key, brevity takes time, and excellence means perseverance."

Story is about the realities, not the mysteries of writing.

Oddly enough, there are no secrets about writing. Aristotle wrote The Poetics 23 centuries ago, and every library has the secrets on public display. It may even look easy! But, trying scene by scene to make a story work, it's hard. For one thing, everything is out front for a screenplay. There's no authorial voice, no soliloquy.

Which is interesting, especially for those of us who may be writing other genres. Do we really want to "hide behind our words," as Robert puts it. Or do we want to try to be as upfront as the screen writer?

Story is about mastering the art, not second-guessing the marketplace.

Knockoffs and retread stories are unfortunately common. But, the real winners are top quality, new stories.

Story is about respect, not disdain, for the audience.

Ouch. Robert suggests that bad writing usually stems from either an idea that you feel compelled to prove or an emotion that you're driven to express. On the other hand, good writing is driven by a desire to touch the audience. Simple, right?

Look at the audience. Admit that they have an incredible capacity for response. Robert says not only are they amazingly sensitive, but their collective IQ jumps 25 points! They're smart, they're focused, and they're waiting for you. You need to understand the reactions and anticipations. You need to satisfy their desires.

I think I'm going to stop there again. Thoroughness, reality, mastering the art, and respecting the audience. Well, he's certainly setting a high bar for what this book is all about.

WOW: How (and why!) to write a short story?

[mbarker]

 Original Posting Aug. 29, 2018

Over here

https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/how-to-write-a-short-story-and-why-you-really-should-learn-to-a-10-part-series/

Sarah Hoyt is going to walk through writing short stories. But where do short stories fit into the new world of indie publishing? Well...

1. In an anthology, your short story can introduce you to other writers' fans!
2. Filling in the gaps and keeping the raving readers at bay while you work on your longer pieces.
3. Use short stories as permanent free bait on Amazon!
4. Trying things out -- characters, writing styles, genres -- and building a collection for later!

So what's a short story? 2,000 to 10,000 words. But... more than that, it's "a satisfying unit of action, character development, and emotional resolution (ideally all three, practically at least one of those.)"

And that's it for this time. Next, she'll be talking about types of short stories. Watch for it!