creative writing class part 3
Class three has come and gone, only one week left...
Again the information came thick and fast, with the teacher constantly saying "does everyone understand this?" We're all nodding and yes-ing, well, I was, then again, "does that make sense?", more nodding and yes-ing....a couple of questions from others as I tried to scribble down everything I'd just heard.
By the time I got home, my brain was pure mashed potato, not a single coherent thought.
So here's what I think I learned:
Many writers, especially new writers, use what is known as "life preservers."
Which means they write pieces that are too standard, too bland, mediocre; pieces that could double as school reports; pretty much the same stuff that every one else out there is writing. Tried and true concepts that are used again and again.
If you are entering a piece in a competition, these pieces will put the judges to sleep.
You need something different, something creative, something that will "hook" the judges right from the beginning.
Start with an old standard type story if you have to, then edit and change, get creative, add a twist or two.
Make it different.
This was emphasised by a story she had us read from a new writer who had been short-listed seven times, then won a competition in Writing Magazine (British**) with a story in the "holiday" category.
It really is a very good story and after reading it, I kind of felt like a five year old who would probably write "on my holiday I played with my cat."
** www.writingmagazine.co.uk
She explained that your story needs a character with a distinct personality, (a 3D character, not flat) a strong plot, which is able to drive your character(s) through the conflict to a satisfactory resolution.
You need to be able to stay on track. One method is to not overthink at first, just write the whole thing, then go back and edit. Make sure everything matches with characters, details, timelines etc.
Write down every idea you ever have and file it somewhere. One day you may need one or two of these to pull together something in your current writing which isn't working as you'd hoped.
Details are important, if there is something a reader needs to know, some detail, then put it in where it belongs, not as an aside somewhere in chapter five.
With timelines again, if you are writing about a 45 year old character, go to your library and access the newspaper archives to find out what might have happened in the town/country/world at a time when this character might have been 5 or 10 years old. What kind of issues were around that might shape him into the character you are now writing about?
"Hooking" your reader is important.
A hook is something, that makes your reader want to keep reading. Something that makes the reader say/think to themselves, what's going on here, what will happen next? and turn the page, not close the book.
A hook in your very first chapter or even in your very first paragraph is good. You've grabbed your reader.
But don't stop there. You need to keep the reader interested. Another hook in paragraph two, maybe another in paragraph three, but then you need to write something which explains the first "hook", so the reader isn't left wondering..."but what about...?" Hooks are the questions in the readers mind and they need to be answered. But not immediately. That's too easy for the reader, who might then get bored.
Too many hooks without clarification might have your reader tossing aside the book because all you are doing is teasing them along. But still you need to be careful about inserting another "hook" before answering a previous one. You need to keep your reader hooked.
You want your book to be the one they "just can't put down."
* (me, personally)I remember reading something, somewhere, years ago, where the writer set a scene and for the rest of that first chapter gave nothing but detail, detail, detail, to the point where I was saying out loud, "for god's sake, get on with the story already!" It didn't happen, I read the entire short book waiting for something to happen, but closed it after the last page feeling very dissatisfied. That book went into the recycle bin. *
A writer also needs to be aware of stereotypes and avoid them if possible. Men aren't always burly outdoor types, women aren't always sweeping floors and baking cookies. If you find your characters doing this in every story you write, you may want to think about switching things around a bit.
Or a lot.
If, however, you are writing a piece, (story, book, poem) set in a particular era where that is the norm, then go ahead, but still "hook" your reader, perhaps with a character that doesn't fit the mold, someone who rebels, struggles against the way society says that character should behave.
(All this is good to learn and now I know pretty much where my own problem lies. All stories need a strong plot and some kind of conflict, (problem, struggle, issue) that the character must work through and resolve. I'm currently unable to create conflict. I'm not a highly emotional person and there hasn't been any conflict that I'm aware of in my life that I can draw upon.)
We learned that passive characters create a lack of conflict just as much as lack of conflict in your story will create passive, flat, characters. Your character(s) need to be challenged (conflict/struggle) to keep the story moving along.
(I'm a passive character, a drifter, not a fighter)
Another tip from our teacher was to buy a baby names book or two. One English and one other, maybe German or Irish, Russian, maybe, so if you are writing a story set in another country or based on immigrants, you can use appropriate names for your characters.
Again, this is where newspaper archives come in handy. Background detail on what might have shaped your character during his childhood or youth in a different country will help you write the character as he/she is now in this or some other country.
Much more information was given, which I tried to take in, but like I said earlier, I got home with a head filled with mashed potato.
Next week is the final class, where I will again take many notes and try to figure out how one creates plots and struggle with no personal base to draw upon. You might say, "copy other writers with what they've done, but in your own words." And maybe I could start there, but I think there's a danger in that, where I might end up writing something that has already been written thousands of times.
It's a little discouraging, but I'm not giving up just yet.
Again the information came thick and fast, with the teacher constantly saying "does everyone understand this?" We're all nodding and yes-ing, well, I was, then again, "does that make sense?", more nodding and yes-ing....a couple of questions from others as I tried to scribble down everything I'd just heard.
By the time I got home, my brain was pure mashed potato, not a single coherent thought.
So here's what I think I learned:
Many writers, especially new writers, use what is known as "life preservers."
Which means they write pieces that are too standard, too bland, mediocre; pieces that could double as school reports; pretty much the same stuff that every one else out there is writing. Tried and true concepts that are used again and again.
If you are entering a piece in a competition, these pieces will put the judges to sleep.
You need something different, something creative, something that will "hook" the judges right from the beginning.
Start with an old standard type story if you have to, then edit and change, get creative, add a twist or two.
Make it different.
This was emphasised by a story she had us read from a new writer who had been short-listed seven times, then won a competition in Writing Magazine (British**) with a story in the "holiday" category.
It really is a very good story and after reading it, I kind of felt like a five year old who would probably write "on my holiday I played with my cat."
** www.writingmagazine.co.uk
She explained that your story needs a character with a distinct personality, (a 3D character, not flat) a strong plot, which is able to drive your character(s) through the conflict to a satisfactory resolution.
You need to be able to stay on track. One method is to not overthink at first, just write the whole thing, then go back and edit. Make sure everything matches with characters, details, timelines etc.
Write down every idea you ever have and file it somewhere. One day you may need one or two of these to pull together something in your current writing which isn't working as you'd hoped.
Details are important, if there is something a reader needs to know, some detail, then put it in where it belongs, not as an aside somewhere in chapter five.
With timelines again, if you are writing about a 45 year old character, go to your library and access the newspaper archives to find out what might have happened in the town/country/world at a time when this character might have been 5 or 10 years old. What kind of issues were around that might shape him into the character you are now writing about?
"Hooking" your reader is important.
A hook is something, that makes your reader want to keep reading. Something that makes the reader say/think to themselves, what's going on here, what will happen next? and turn the page, not close the book.
A hook in your very first chapter or even in your very first paragraph is good. You've grabbed your reader.
But don't stop there. You need to keep the reader interested. Another hook in paragraph two, maybe another in paragraph three, but then you need to write something which explains the first "hook", so the reader isn't left wondering..."but what about...?" Hooks are the questions in the readers mind and they need to be answered. But not immediately. That's too easy for the reader, who might then get bored.
Too many hooks without clarification might have your reader tossing aside the book because all you are doing is teasing them along. But still you need to be careful about inserting another "hook" before answering a previous one. You need to keep your reader hooked.
You want your book to be the one they "just can't put down."
* (me, personally)I remember reading something, somewhere, years ago, where the writer set a scene and for the rest of that first chapter gave nothing but detail, detail, detail, to the point where I was saying out loud, "for god's sake, get on with the story already!" It didn't happen, I read the entire short book waiting for something to happen, but closed it after the last page feeling very dissatisfied. That book went into the recycle bin. *
A writer also needs to be aware of stereotypes and avoid them if possible. Men aren't always burly outdoor types, women aren't always sweeping floors and baking cookies. If you find your characters doing this in every story you write, you may want to think about switching things around a bit.
Or a lot.
If, however, you are writing a piece, (story, book, poem) set in a particular era where that is the norm, then go ahead, but still "hook" your reader, perhaps with a character that doesn't fit the mold, someone who rebels, struggles against the way society says that character should behave.
(All this is good to learn and now I know pretty much where my own problem lies. All stories need a strong plot and some kind of conflict, (problem, struggle, issue) that the character must work through and resolve. I'm currently unable to create conflict. I'm not a highly emotional person and there hasn't been any conflict that I'm aware of in my life that I can draw upon.)
We learned that passive characters create a lack of conflict just as much as lack of conflict in your story will create passive, flat, characters. Your character(s) need to be challenged (conflict/struggle) to keep the story moving along.
(I'm a passive character, a drifter, not a fighter)
Another tip from our teacher was to buy a baby names book or two. One English and one other, maybe German or Irish, Russian, maybe, so if you are writing a story set in another country or based on immigrants, you can use appropriate names for your characters.
Again, this is where newspaper archives come in handy. Background detail on what might have shaped your character during his childhood or youth in a different country will help you write the character as he/she is now in this or some other country.
Much more information was given, which I tried to take in, but like I said earlier, I got home with a head filled with mashed potato.
Next week is the final class, where I will again take many notes and try to figure out how one creates plots and struggle with no personal base to draw upon. You might say, "copy other writers with what they've done, but in your own words." And maybe I could start there, but I think there's a danger in that, where I might end up writing something that has already been written thousands of times.
It's a little discouraging, but I'm not giving up just yet.
It does sound a really comprehensive class. And, as one of your readers, there is more conflict (and resolution) in your stories than you are acknowledging. Conflicts can be big or small - and most of us are (luckily) more familiar with the small things.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound a really comprehensive class. And, as one of your readers, there is more conflict (and resolution) in your stories than you are acknowledging. Conflicts can be big or small - and most of us are (luckily) more familiar with the small things.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the hook but I have started a book and loved the first couple of pages then read a few more and closed the book up and never finished it because I got bored with it or didn't like anyone in it.
ReplyDeleteAs for names I like simple and very different sounding names as I get people confused if the names are simular.
Merle.............
There is always conflict, big and small, minor and earth shaking, in our lives. Conflict between siblings, parent and child, husband and wife, even within our own minds as we struggle to reach a should I or shouldn't I conclusion. We make our life choices and others who have some influence in our lives may not agree with what we have chosen. Every decision we make has an element of conflict in it. Sometimes long after a decision is made we are still conflicted about whether it was the right thing or not. Sit down and think about it for a few minutes. You'll find the conflict.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like those pointers. I hadn't thought on the baby name book suggestion!!
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; are you telling me my Friday stories have small conflicts in them? Because I took a couple of pieces in for her to read, to tell me what might be wrong with them and why. She said there was no conflict or resolution, no emotional tension at all and did I see these going further? one of them, yes, I could take it further if only I could find a way....I'm working on it. but the other was a straight out moment in time that really didn't need to go further. That's the one she declared flat, oddly enough it was one all of you praised and wanted to know more.
ReplyDeleteMerlesworld; I'm currently reading a book on my kindle which started out well, I could ignore the many typos, but then in chapter 3 or 4 the writer made a mistake with the character's name, gave him his brother's name by mistake and now the story seems to be jumping around too much. I'll keep going for another couple of chapters, but if it doesn't sort itself out, I won't finish it.
Delores; I grew up mostly alone, from age seven to eleven. When my siblings came home we didn't interact as family very much and I stayed alone reading a lot. I was shy in school too, keeping to myself. I'm not sure how to work up any conflict out of that, but I'm writing ideas in a notebook, maybe something will pop out at me one day.
Happy Elf Mom; I have a small notebook where I've filled several pages with names that I've liked in novels I've read. I've been drawing on those for my Wednesday's Words on a Friday stories. But I plan on buying a Baby Names book on the weekend, along with an Atlas for ideas about Town names etc.
Elephant's Child; I've just thought of something that happened when I was six, a personal conflict, a very small happening, which affected the three of us.....
ReplyDeleteThe tutor is a professional, but I think she is forgetting or downplaying that writers need readers. If lots of us want more from one of your stories that says to me that it is very far from flat. Flat/boring gets things put aside - not wanting more. And all of us look for different things in our reading - or one book would fill every ones need.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; I don't think she is forgetting, it's probably more that she is teaching from her own POV, (ha ha); possibly even her own style of writing and reading preference. A different teacher may have taught the same things completely differently. The important things are what I take away via notes that will help me with structure and character definition as well as plot development.
ReplyDeleteI find all the above extremely interesting and I liken writing books to composing music. So many themes/tunes have been used over the centuries and therefore it is so difficult to find something new. Good writers will always give us good stories that are a pleasure to read without them being too complicated. With music I find modern composers now try to be different and come up with music that often sounds like a tin bucket tumbling down a set of stairs (classical music that is).
ReplyDeleteI am too old to follow all that your teacher has told you but I am sure you are learning much from what she has said about writing. We enjoy your writings so don't be daunted by her telling you some of your writing is flat.
Mimsie; I'm beginning to apply some of the teaching to my reading, just last night I was reading a story on my kindle and suddenly thought, hmmm, external narrator, which is where someone else is telling the story from an external point of view, there is no single "I" point of view, it is all "he" or "she" or "they".
ReplyDelete