Writing Modes: the Story-Teller and the Writer

There are two main modes of story-telling: the story-teller and the writer. The story-teller mode mimics oral tradition and predates the writer mode. There is much to be learned from each of these writing modes regardless of the type of writing you do.

There are several story-teller modes (Navajo oral tradition is quite different from, say, the Iliad). Modern story-teller writers include recorders of folk lore and comedic writers. Modern story-tellers have several traits in common. Modern story-telling writings are great resources for people who want to study flash fiction, short story, or longer narrative forms. This is partly because the story-teller writing style tends to be conversational, more concise, and have little description. Story-teller writing also tends to be very brief and yet holds true to story structure.

The writer mode also comes in many flavors. What I mean here is a writer who is trying to be “writerly”. For instance, lots of description, bigger words, and formal or artificial language. I tend to be write formally because that is my natural voice. This is fine for blogs but I work to tone it down for my books.

As a rule of thumb, short works (such as flash fiction and short stories) are typically done in the story-teller mode. This is because there is no room for the descriptions that are expected in longer works. (There are exceptions and I'd love to hear some of yours.)

In novels, there is more room for the writer mode. There, narrative voice runs the gauntlet from story-teller (like Terry Pratchett) with a very informal style to writer (like Terry Goodkind) with a richly descriptive and philosophical style.

I wouldn't say that one length of story is superior to the other, just that different traditions and conventions are in place. And isn't it fun to break those in works of any length?

Flash Fiction: Ending

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Writing flash fiction can help you identify your audience. Because they are quick to write, you can easily test different types of endings and see which type of endings your target audience best responds to. Or work in reverse and write the endings you like in order to narrow down the identity of your target audience. Remember that the better you know your audience, the better you can satisfy their readerly cravings.

• Surprise: With such a short length, there is very little room for anything but surprises. A useful – if sometimes uncomfortable – skill for writers to develop. But the best surprise, the unforeseen logical outcome of all that came before, is in the end.
• Uncertainty: Some questions may never be answered, but enough information should be provided that the reader can create the answer alone. This approach has the added benefit of allowing different readers to come away with different impressions.
• Climax: Flash fiction is unusual in that there is not much room to build up to the climax. There are fewer obstacles and fewer characters. Typically, in flash fiction, only two characters (a group can be depicted as a character, remember) are involved. Sometimes the antagonist is absent or only implied, and is never fully characterized. I doubt a writer could get away with this for the climax of a full-fledged novel but it is one way to save space in flash fiction.
• Loose ends: Because there are fewer characters, points of view, and events in flash fiction there are fewer loose ends to resolve. Also, it is more common to leave the problems of other characters unresolved. I think this practice is more accepted in flash fiction because of the space constraints.

Flash Fiction: Middle

A possible benefit of flash fiction is that the middle is so short. Many people struggle with middles although for me the most difficult part is cutting my middles down to size. Flash fiction emphasizes techniques that can help me do this. But if you are the type who writes your middles too short, then flash fiction middles may be easy for you.

Off Camera Flash (Photo credit: nickwheeleroz)

• Inference: One way to cut down on words is to refer to well known events, people, or legends. Saying that a character is shaped like Marilyn Monroe saves a lot of words, as does simply saying “we were under old maritime law”, or “his life suddenly seemed a modern-day Hamlet”.
• Telling: A key phrase in the last point was “simply saying”. The flash fiction I have looked at so contains more “tellling” than I expected. This might be because “showing” takes more words. This is one technique that is frowned on in longer fiction but the conventions seem different in this medium.
• Obstacle: Most flash fiction I read only had one major obstacle. In long fiction, I can usually find three major complications or obstacles. Since there is only one obstacle, it is – of course – the major obstacle and needs to really count.
• Uncertainty: One way to save words is to not resolve or explain everything. This has the added benefit of keeping the reader reading to find the answers to the unanswered questions.

Flash Fiction: Opening

Okay. As part of my learning about flash fiction, I've decided to break down the short structure into its opening, middle, and end. While some of the advice will be true for any story, some is especially important for word-limited format.

• Character: Set up in two sentences. At least one of these sentences should be an active description. What is an “active” description? Other than it not being passive or static, the description should achieve more than one task at a time – which tasks are up to you.
• Setting: Start with a powerful, evocative image. For instance: a sunset can mean an ending, the coming of darkness, give unusual color to the story, is easily visualized, sets a time limit.
• Back-story: If you need a preamble, set it down in the first paragraph (not paragraphs). Become a master of the implication and unsaid. This will let you fit in more world building, back-story, and description.
• Story: If you have a large issue, break it down. Take small pieces of it. Start in the middle of things. This is true of all books and poems but flash fiction takes the process of breaking down almost to its most basic level. One conflict is probably all the room you will find.

Flash Fiction: Ends

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Writing flash fiction can help you identify your audience. Because they are quick to write, you can easily test different types of endings and see which type of endings your target audience best responds to. Or work in reverse and write the endings you like in order to narrow down the identity of your target audience. Remember that the better you know your audience, the better you can satisfy their readerly cravings.

• Surprise: With such a short length, there is very little room for anything but surprises. A useful – if sometimes uncomfortable – skill for writers to develop. But the best surprise, the unforeseen logical outcome of all that came before, is in the end.
• Uncertainty: Some questions may never be answered, but enough information should be provided that the reader can create the answer alone. This approach has the added benefit of allowing different readers to come away with different impressions.
• Climax: Flash fiction is unusual in that there is not much room to build up to the climax. There are fewer obstacles and fewer characters. Typically, in flash fiction, only two characters (a group can be depicted as a character, remember) are involved. Sometimes the antagonist is absent or only implied, and is never fully characterized. I doubt a writer could get away with this for the climax of a full-fledged novel but it is one way to save space in flash fiction.
• Loose ends: Because there are fewer characters, points of view, and events in flash fiction there are fewer loose ends to resolve. Also, it is more common to leave the problems of other characters unresolved. I think this practice is more accepted in flash fiction because of the space constraints.

Flash Fiction: Middles

Off Camera Flash (Photo credit: nickwheeleroz)

A possible benefit of flash fiction is that the middle is so short. Many people struggle with middles although for me the most difficult part is cutting my middles down to size. Flash fiction emphasizes techniques that can help me do this. But if you are the type who writes your middles too short, then flash fiction middles may be easy for you.

• Inference: One way to cut down on words is to refer to well known events, people, or legends. Saying that a character is shaped like Marilyn Monroe saves a lot of words, as does simply saying “we were under old maritime law”, or “his life suddenly seemed a modern-day Hamlet”.
• Telling: A key phrase in the last point was “simply saying”. The flash fiction I have looked at so contains more “tellling” than I expected. This might be because “showing” takes more words. This is one technique that is frowned on in longer fiction but the conventions seem different in this medium.
• Obstacle: Most flash fiction I read only had one major obstacle. In long fiction, I can usually find three major complications or obstacles. Since there is only one obstacle, it is – of course – the major obstacle and needs to really count.
• Uncertainty: One way to save words is to not resolve or explain everything. This has the added benefit of keeping the reader reading to find the answers to the unanswered questions.

Flash Fiction: Opening

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay. As part of my learning about flash fiction, I've decided to break down the short structure into its opening, middle, and end. While some of the advice will be true for any story, some is especially important for word-limited format.

• Character: Set up in two sentences. At least one of these sentences should be an active description. What is an “active” description? Other than it not being passive or static, the description should achieve more than one task at a time – which tasks are up to you.
• Setting: Start with a powerful, evocative image. For instance: a sunset can mean an ending, the coming of darkness, give unusual color to the story, is easily visualized, sets a time limit.
• Back-story: If you need a preamble, set it down in the first paragraph (not paragraphs). Become a master of the implication and unsaid. This will let you fit in more world building, back-story, and description.
• Story: If you have a large issue, break it down. Take small pieces of it. Start in the middle of things. This is true of all books and poems but flash fiction takes the process of breaking down almost to its most basic level. One conflict is probably all the room you will find.

Flash Fiction: Why Try It

Minolta Dimage 7Hi, digital camera, front left with flash (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Maybe it is because my WIP is so long but I've recently become interested in flash fiction. Depending on who you ask, flash fiction usually runs between 300 and 1000 words. Micro fiction is even shorter! I am no good at short stories but maybe I will give flash fiction a try.

• Plot: One benefit to flash fiction is a quick way to test or encapsulate a story idea. If you can't think of enough to fill this many words, it probably does not need to be told in 80 to 120 thousand words. On the other hand, if you have3 an idea you can't use now, a flash fiction piece or three might provide the prompt that you need later when you come back to the idea.
• Characters: You can test characters you want to use in your WIP by cresting one or more flash fiction stories about them. Use the format to showcase different relationships, roles, flaws, and strengths. Experiment with dialogue and mannerisms, then give test readers finished products to compare.
• Scenes: Can't bear to let the material go to waste? Write and polish a flash fiction story! The piece can be offered as supplementary material later on your site.
• Practice: Dialogue is not the only skill that can be practiced. Setting, mood, voice, fight scenes, suspense, and more can all be practiced. And you can practice the skill of revision – something that people with long first drafts can have trouble with. The small word counts alone almost guarantees that words will need to be cut.
• Pitch: This might or might not work – I haven't asked any writer friends yet – but wouldn't the skills acquired and polished through writing flash fiction help during the submission process? A proposal and pitch should be engaging, touch on the crucial points of the story, and all in as few words as possible.
• Self-improvement: Why can't I write short stories? Because I think I can't – even though I can write poems and long fiction. I have no such barrier erected against flash fiction. By learning to write flash fiction, I can expand my writing horizons and maybe work my way around to the frustrating short story.

Dare to Write Bad

Scribble (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One great fear of writers is that they will write something bad. I say “Write away!”

• Practice: To write well, you first must write badly. Writing is a skill that can be improved only through practice. Bad writing is writing where you make mistakes. A diligent writer will learn from those mistakes and gradually stop making them. That you know your writing is bad means you have a feel for the criteria of “good” work but didn't quite make it this time.
• Edit: Many first drafts are read badly. Good writing often comes through edits. Plan to revise and you can write as badly as you need. The important thing to remember is that you cannot improve a WIP that has not been written.
• Create: There's a need that drives any piece of writing. By writing something, even something bad, you are making, creating, doing. Even if you don't dare show it to anyone else, it was worth the time and effort it took to express yourself.
• Flow: You write what is on your mind. By writing, you put those thoughts into words. Sometimes the flow is the goal, rather than the aesthetic quality of the work. And who knows? The bad writing may trigger a great work, a healing, or a personal revelation.
• Critic: Maybe the finished product is not as bad as you think. If you are your own worse critic, then it might be a good idea to show the (polished) product to someone you trust to kindly analyze it. Even if it is awful, a kind critic will find the nuggets of goodness inside.