I've been wading recently through a quagmire of books on writing. Really I should give it up. I see it as extracting the best from the conventional wisdom; but then the problem with the conventional wisdom is it's… well… it's conventional… and… and it's not always wisdom. I should have known this all along. Having picked up a few useful tips along the way, I must admit the ratio of gold to dirt is painfully low; all but making you want to give up on the prospecting lifestyle. These are some of the books that have recently dulled my addled brain.
It's an odd thing: but books on writing stories and novels contain very little about the subject of plotting; those books aimed at screen writing contain more useful guidelines. This is odd because a novel, potentially at least, can do so much more than a film script. This does not pose too much of a problem as much that's written about script writing is easily translatable into novel writing. Linda J Cowgill's The Art of Plotting is a reasonable little book. However it's only superficially about plotting; the large scale sweep of plot twists and turns somehow gets forgotten. Instead we get scene sequences. Now if we accept the idea that scene sequences is not plotting but one level below plotting and above individual scenes then it's an interesting concept.
Scene sequences (I shall use my own terms rather than follow those of Cowgill) are plot events that follow a particular pattern; a plan-action-result sequence. Here the plan scene is where the characters decide what they intend to do, action scene(s) is where they attempt to carry out the plan, and the result scene is where you show your characters response to what actually happened. Cowgill's point in developing these sequences is to show the characters emotional response to events; to highlight detail that could have been missed; it's a tool to guide the writer in aiding the readers emotional engagement with the story.
Showing posts with label Writing About Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing About Writing. Show all posts
Monday, 9 January 2012
Monday, 12 December 2011
I Want To Go
My little flash fiction story Control-Alt-Delete has appeared today on 365tomorrows. This site publishes a daily piece of flash fiction in the science and speculative fiction genre. It's something of a mix with miscellaneous types of science and speculative fiction. Also the quality varies from many intriguing pieces all the way to the occasional why-the-hell-did-they-bother.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
And
“And,” she said.
“And what?” he said.
“And I was just thinking.”
“And about?”
“And nothing.”
“And do tell.”
“And what about starting a sentence with 'and'.”
“And you should never do that.” And a bad tempered scowl crossed his face. “And it's disgraceful. And the best writers never do it; and never and ever.”
And she took one step backwards. “And I though it was not so much frowned upon these days.”
“And the old ways are best.”
“And what about when you have a really, really long sentence, that sprawls about all over the place; and just meanders this way and that; and going nowhere; and seems to go on for ever; and ever and ever; and would just be so confusing for the reader?”
“And you should always rewrite it.” And now the scowl seemed to affect his entire body.
And she muttered, almost under her breath: “And why not just throw in a full stop and an 'and'.”
And he shouted: “And that would be lazy, lazy, lazy.”
And she shouted back: “And what about other words: like 'but', or 'however', or, what's what word, 'also', yes, 'also' that's it? And can you start a sentence with them.”
“And that would also be lazy.” And he shook his head in exasperation.
“And are you sure?”
“And you've gotten it wrong. And so wrong.”
“And I should not do it?”
“And I never do it.”
“And I'll try.”
“And.”
“And.”
“And.” And he walked off in a huff.
And she muttered after him: “And, and, and.”
“And what?” he said.
“And I was just thinking.”
“And about?”
“And nothing.”
“And do tell.”
“And what about starting a sentence with 'and'.”
“And you should never do that.” And a bad tempered scowl crossed his face. “And it's disgraceful. And the best writers never do it; and never and ever.”
And she took one step backwards. “And I though it was not so much frowned upon these days.”
“And the old ways are best.”
“And what about when you have a really, really long sentence, that sprawls about all over the place; and just meanders this way and that; and going nowhere; and seems to go on for ever; and ever and ever; and would just be so confusing for the reader?”
“And you should always rewrite it.” And now the scowl seemed to affect his entire body.
And she muttered, almost under her breath: “And why not just throw in a full stop and an 'and'.”
And he shouted: “And that would be lazy, lazy, lazy.”
And she shouted back: “And what about other words: like 'but', or 'however', or, what's what word, 'also', yes, 'also' that's it? And can you start a sentence with them.”
“And that would also be lazy.” And he shook his head in exasperation.
“And are you sure?”
“And you've gotten it wrong. And so wrong.”
“And I should not do it?”
“And I never do it.”
“And I'll try.”
“And.”
“And.”
“And.” And he walked off in a huff.
And she muttered after him: “And, and, and.”
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Book Review – Some Books on Writing
I've been reading a few books on the craft of writing recently. And if I've learnt one thing it is that mostly you're be better off spending the equivalent time reading and thinking about classic novels. Now don't get me wrong; most of these books contain reasonable advice. What they say is mostly true; and despite the claims on the cover to some unique insight they all contain pretty much the same advice; just each book gives it a minor twist in its presentation. However most this reading is a yawn; how come writing about writing is so boring? And mostly it somehow misses the point.
There seems to be a pattern to the kind of author who writes these books. (With only a few notable exceptions like Stephen King.) Obviously each author started out with a love of writing and wanting to earn their living from their craft. Each has achieved a modicum of success, enough to produce a CV that looks impressive, until you realise you've never heard of anything they've written. In order to expand their income they've taken to editing or acting as a writing consultant or taken on teaching. And then they spent most of their time running workshops on writing or trapped in some more or less formal classroom. From then on most of their time has been spent in such ancillary writing tasks. What has ground to a halt is their first love: any kind of original creative writing.
There seems to be a pattern to the kind of author who writes these books. (With only a few notable exceptions like Stephen King.) Obviously each author started out with a love of writing and wanting to earn their living from their craft. Each has achieved a modicum of success, enough to produce a CV that looks impressive, until you realise you've never heard of anything they've written. In order to expand their income they've taken to editing or acting as a writing consultant or taken on teaching. And then they spent most of their time running workshops on writing or trapped in some more or less formal classroom. From then on most of their time has been spent in such ancillary writing tasks. What has ground to a halt is their first love: any kind of original creative writing.
Monday, 25 July 2011
I Want To Go
The hominid life forms at 365tomorrows must be super brave and have hardened arteries of lead as this is the second story of mine they have dared published – such is their reckless abandon. The other piece was A Quiet Drive.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Avoidance
Gulp, shock, horror, I'm the winner of the December 2010 Whidbey Student Choice Contest.
This is for my flash fiction story Avoidance. Read it here in New for January.
That a good start to my 2011 writing career. And a whole $50 as prize money, Somewhat less, though, when converted into UK pounds.
This is for my flash fiction story Avoidance. Read it here in New for January.
That a good start to my 2011 writing career. And a whole $50 as prize money, Somewhat less, though, when converted into UK pounds.
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