Tough Choices: Character-Informed Dilemmas

(Photo Credit: OffGamers)
Since we're talking about choices, we are obviously talking about characters. Regardless of the genre or the specific situation, it is the character who has to make the choice. An easy choice is almost no choice at all. While the specifics change from character to character, every character will have needs and wants. When the two or more clash, you can create tough choices.
The clash between a need and a want might be an easy choice... or it might not. Think of the many ways that we procrastinate fulfilling a need by chasing a want. Stopping this cycle can be difficult. A twist is when a need is mistaken for a want, or the reverse situation.
A clash of two or more wants can create a dilemma when the wants are almost the same intensity. A twist on this can be when one of the wants is given its intensity by a time limit, situation, or another character (ex, the real want is to please or impress another character).
A clash of two or more needs can be intrinsically more stressful for the character and engaging for the reader because of the very real possibility that one or more need will be sacrificed. Most often, these will be inner needs unless physical resources (food, shelter, etc.) are scarce.
I carefully avoided giving character-specific examples here (except for in the opening picture) and instead spoke of wants and needs. This is because the unique natures of your characters may contrast sharply with one another. What may be a need or want for your character may or may not even register with your villain. Happy writing!

Ch 1 Blunders: Missing Beats

(Photo Credit: Imgur)
Don't confuse your readers with illogical flow of sentances and action!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I did not have a logical flow of events. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Action-reaction. Both need to be external. There can be a stated internalization (thoughts, feelings) but both the cause of the action and the response to the action need to be external and sensory (I'd say physical but depending on your genre...)
• Rising action. Things should get worse for your character. I like to use a "Rule of 3". Set-up, Complication, Disaster. But I'm learning to keep the set-up short by removing backstory and other forms of explanation.
• Scene flow: Okay, I did not use on in this book -- but I have in others! The first scene needs to cause thee second scene, and so on. Possible exception is if you change point of view to someone like a villain or love interest who is not in the same place as the MC and can't logically be affected by the MC's actions.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one author's MS and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

(what is a beat, action-reaction, exception is action-internalization-reaction)

Ch 1 Blunders: Generic Characters

(Photo Credit: Adventures in Married Life)
Few readers will read about stick figures!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I used fleshed out stick figures. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Interchangeable characters may be well rounded but have overlaps in personality, functions, or appearance (physical, speech patterns, names). Overlapping personalities can be a source of conflict (especially in opposing forces) but can also mean that you are not fully exploring the posibilites that people offer.
• Emotional reactions are a must even in the most action-driven story. Ultimately, the reader reads because of the character. Readers can relat better to characters who react and act emotionally. Emotion provides motive -- and therefore logic -- for the action, too.
• 2-D: Okay, I did not use on in this book -- but I have in others! Archetypes are one possible building block for character design. However, if you do not "build" but instead stick with the model, you can end up with stereotypes.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one author's MS and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

Ch 1 Blunders: Premature POV Changes

(Photo Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
Don't blur your reader's vision of your story!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I made it difficult for my readers to connect with my characters. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Establish the character first before changing points of view. This may mean that you keep the first chapter mostly or entirely in the main character's (or villain's) POV. Give the reader space to invest in a character before you change POV. A point-of-view switch will build reader if done after the reader cares about the character you are leaving for the moment.
• Confuse the reader. Aside from caring about the character and needing to identify the main character, rapid POV changes can confuse the reader. Changing points of view means looking through another seet of eyes -- and the minds behind those eyes. Gender, assumptions, mood, emotions, involvement, goals, and focus all change each time you change perspectives. Confusing!
• Who is the MC? Okay, I did not use on in this book -- but I have in others! Typically the character given the most POV scenes is the main character. the importance of other characters is often determined by the reader according to 1) the order in which the characters are presented and 2) the amount of "air time" each character is given.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one author's MS and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

Ch 1 Blunders: Generic Settings

(Photo Credit: Popupology)
Don't leave the reader guessing about where the story takes place!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I started my reader off in a generic setting. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Genre can easily be established through setting details. A shoreline backed by imposing cliffs seems a distinctive setting but could appear in many different genres.  Add a dragon in the sky, a castle on top of the cliff, or a metal dome instead of sky, and you have swiftly taken advantage of genre -- and oriented the reader -- with very few words.
• Any old shoreline.  After (or while) you've established genre, show what makes this shoreline into this shoreline and not another in your world. One way to do this is to use landmarks personally important to the reader. Have the dragon circle her home, the castle belong to her brother, the shoreline is the only shoreline in the space station.
• Missed opportunities: Okay, I did not do this in this book -- but I have in others! How does the shoreline play into other elements of the story? It may be a recurrent setting, a symbol for the edge of two choices the heroine must make, set the mood, and so forth.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one author's MS and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

Ch 1 Blunders: Starting Too Late

(Photo Credit:  Pinterest)
Don't let readers leave your book behind!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I started some elements of my story too late. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Main story I started this too slowly. Although the Inciting Incident does not start until the end of the first portion of the book, I should have introduced an important clue or trigger to get that snowball rolling.
• Tangents are the main reason I started too slowly. I started with an arc (okay, maybe a whole subplot) that my main character pursued before fiding that important clue.
• Prologue: Okay, I did not use on in this book -- but I have. Prologues are tricky creatures and should be handled with care.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one MS by one author and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

Ch 1 Blunders: Floating Characters

(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
Don't leave your characters to float in a vacuum!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I did not ground my characters. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first chapter...

• Setting: Ground your character in physical surroundings either immediately or almost immediately. This can be tricky if you start with dialogue or thoughts but if you do not physically ground your character then you risk confusing the reader and/or making the action (verbal or otherwise) less immediate.
• Mood: Think about the mood of your story (comic, dark, sensual, etc.) and make sure your character introduction is permeated by this mood. This may mean going back and rewriting your hook from scratch or taking the already-written hook and changing the angle.
• Genre: Okay, I did not use on in this book -- but I have in others! It is important to establish your genre (and preferably your subgenere) in the first few pages. The reader who picked up your book typically expects a certain genre but don't leave the reader guessing. Show her that she chose the right book and the right character to meet her fantasy/romance/suspense desires.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one author's MS and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

(cartoon) too many characters or too few?

(Photo Credit: Zooky World)

Ch 1 Blunders: Starting Too Soon

(Photo Credit: Pinterest)
Sometimes you have to wait!
Last month, I received some fantastic feedback on the first quarter of my current MS. For this series of articles, I will draw from the remarks of my wonderful Beta readers and discussions I have had with other writers on these topics.
In some ways, I started my story too soon. Here were three bloopers that I made in the first scene...

• Character-driven action can be risky. Her actions are, of course, affected by her unique make-up. But opening action should show her "normal" while being interesting. LESSON: Show her normal before her deviation from normal!
• Backstory-driven action is a no-no when it confuses the reader instead of intriguing. Details of backstory should not be spelled out in an opening scene (or chapter). Engage the reader's curiosity. LESSON: Delay backstory-driven action until after the frontstory is established!
• Many characters: Okay, I did not make this mistake this time. But it is a common blooper. Typically, it is easiest on the reader to when the writer introduces characters one at a time in the general order of importance.

DISCLAIMER: This was feedback for one MS by one author and should not be taken as all-or-nothing advice for all stories.

Sniff the Roses

Sniff the Roses
 by Alina Chase

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

        We readers always seem to know what characters are wearing, but how often do we know what they smell like? Scent is so neglected, especially as it relates to humans, you’d think it was taboo.

         Scents (or aromas or stenches) are always present. They evoke memories like no other sense can. Faint or strong, pleasant or not, smells associated with experiences make powerful and lasting impressions.

Does Jordan’s apartment smell like cookies, disinfectant or dirty socks? Does the park smell like your grandmother’s roses, sunbaked earth or ripening dog poop?

          And don’t you know without checking for evidence in the trash can that your co-worker ate a fast food burger and fries for lunch--if not from the salty, greasy smell hovering in the office, then from her breath? (Perhaps not, if her noontime dose of musky perfume knocks you out first.)

         Begin paying attention to all aromas you encounter, and especially to the memories and emotions they evoke. And keep in mind how life experiences shape our gut responses. The sweet scent of gardenias reminds one of romance, another of funerals. The earthy smell of horses may be nostalgic or nauseating. Cologne may be enticing or asphyxiating. Might scent not be more than an interesting detail, but also a subtle source of attraction or conflict?

         So before your next writing session, take a deep breath. Imagine how easily you can create more vivid and memorable experiences for your readers by infusing scenes with what things and places--and characters--smell like.

The "Yes" Cliche

YES (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

I was writing today and made this mistake. It brought my dialogue to a screeching halt. I had fallen victim to a clichéd "yes". I was brainstorming alternatives when I realized that no one had ever warned me about the dangers of a clichéd "yes". Here are some reasons to look out for it and some ways to improve on the simple statement. First, three common problems with a simple "yes":

1. If the person simply agrees with a single word answer, there's no conflict, no new information, and no development. With no obstacle, there is nowhere to go. With no new information, there is nothing to react against. With no development, it is a passive response.
2. It is vague. Yes what? Yes, I heard you? Yes, I agree? It just isn't worth fighting you about? Is the speaker just being agreeable? Is the speaker just pretending to listen?
3. It lacks creativity, the first response that comes to mind -- a seemingly easy way out that backfires when it drags down the momentum of the conversation for the reasons stated above.

Built into these reasons hold possibilities for solutions and exceptions. There are times and places for it -- times when a simple "yes" works. (Notice that your options are somewhat limited by your current point-of-view.)

1. Add information to the "yes" that complicates, characterizes, or develops.
2. Use a simple "yes" as an attempt to withhold information or as some other form of passive resistance.
3. Give the "yes" an ulterior motive such as an attempt to defuse a situation, a manipulative ploy, or a lie that hides true intentions.
4. Brainstorm other responses that raise the intensity of the conversation, send it in a new direction, or achieve any (or several) of the above possibilities.

These warnings and possibilities are not unique to the word "yes". Any line that causes your sizzling dialogue to fizzle out deserves the same scrutiny. Sometimes the word or line should not be cut. In that case, look beyond the most obvious, most common, use of the word or words. Get past the cliché. Say "yes" to originality and your dialogue will probably get back on track.

Different Ways to Start a Scene: Part 2

Theater Festival 6 (Photo credit: Niels Linneberg)

Most people have a favorite way to start a scene and a chapter. One way usually comes more naturally. But variety is important for the reader and for the writer. Why is it important for you? Because different types of openings have different effects. They resume the story at different points in the stimulus – reaction – action sequence. In this way, different openings can fill different narrative needs. And experimenting with different types of openings will expand your skills as a writer.

Scenes rarely begin with a flashback but it can be done effectively. One benefit to starting a scene with a flashback as opposed to using the flashback later in the scene is that there is less of a sense that the events of the flashback have already been resolved. Since the flashback takes place in the past, the effects of events have already been felt – mostly. Consider leaving some questions in your flashback unresolved and when you return to the story's present, make the unanswered question a central issue of the scene. A downside of flashbacks is that you have to reorient your reader each time you change time periods. By starting a scene with a flashback, you reduce the number of times you have to reorient from three times to two.

The typical flow of action is stimulus – reaction – action. But you can mix things up a bit by starting a scene with a reaction. The reaction may be to an action that ended the last scene. Or it could be (since this is the start of a scene) a reaction to a stimulus that you have not shown. A reaction is the feeling or thought that the stimulus (immediate conflict or obstacle) generates in the view point character. The reader will read on to find out what caused this reaction so be sure to answer their questions at some point.

A slower way to start a scene is through description. I say slow but it does not have to be that way. Short sentences, short paragraphs, and active verbs all can hasten the pace. Description is an easy way to ground the reader – especially when the setting has changed. Description, when not using the omniscient point-of-view, is limited to what the view point character can experience. A benefit of point-of-view description is that it is easier to establish both character mood and over-all mood. Point-of-view description gives the character a chance to react to surroundings, maybe drop a bit of background information, or even introduce inner conflict.

Most writers have a favorite way to start a scene but they also often become limited in the options that they use. Consider the needs of your scene and experiment with different types of openings. You may even be inspired.

Different Ways to Start a Scene: Part 1

A scene from the Drama (Photo credit: NJ..)

Most people have a favorite way to start a scene and a chapter. One way usually comes more naturally. But variety is important for the reader and for the writer. Why is it important for you? Because different types of openings have different effects. They resume the story at different points in the stimulus – reaction – action sequence. In this way, different openings can fill different narrative needs. And experimenting with different types of openings will expand your skills as a writer.

Open with an omnipotent point of view when you need the reader to know something that is outside of the point-of-view character's realm of experience. This could be an approaching human or natural disaster. When the reader knows about approaching danger but the viewpoint character is ignorant, the knowledge heightens tension and even tranquil action takes on a new sense Omnipotent point-of-view is also a good way to get in quick back-story that sets up the scene and maybe even introduces tension.

Open with dialogue when you want to start off fast. Dialogue moves so starting with talking means starting with movement. Better yet, start in the middle of the conflict instead of setting it up first. This will disorient readers a bit and they will read on to answer the question what's going on? Opening with dialogue is also a quick way to establish the key characters of the scene – they are the ones talking. As a rule of thumb, have the main scene character talk first, followed by the second-most important character (usually the main character's opponent). This establishes a hierarchy of importance for the reader, much like the way you usually start a book by introducing the main character first.

Another way to start the scene off fast is to open with action – no set up, just an action. Again, the reader will be intrigued and read on to find out the set-up. Plan your introduction of the set-up carefully since it will slow your pace. Set-up, when not given at the start of the scene, can be given in pieces or as a whole chunk. Parts can be implied. Flashback can be used (although that typically slows down the scene even more because it takes place in the past and the reader already knows how it turns out). Opening action can ground or disorient the reader. Disorientation needs to be resolved to keep reader interest after a certain point – it seldom can be continued to the end of the scene without loosing the reader.

This post is getting long (there is so much to say), so I am going to divide it into two parts. Keep tuned!

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.

Revision Step 1: Delete for Conflict!

This blog post looks at what to delete from events in order to improve clarity, voice, logic, and flow. By deleting content in your first step of revision, you won’t waste time polishing material you will only remove later on. And if deleting content leaves holes, you can brainstorm and fill the gaps with something even better.

The blog does NOT delve into different types of conflict, a break-down of what a scene is and is not, or types of transitions. Again, each of those would need its own post. The post carries the subtitle “Delete for Conflict!” because most of an event is made of conflict (I know you know this). But remember to look at the entire event – both before the conflict starts and after it is resolved – because the entire event can benefit from these warning signs.

• Ignores main story goal. The characters are not trying to reach (or prevent) the main story goal. Every sub-goal needs to tie back to that main story goal.
• Lacks conflict, tension, or suspense. The three are not the same. Conflict is a struggle between two or more characters. Tension is the physical, mental, and emotional strain caused by the conflict. Suspense is the reader's uncertainty about how the conflict will end. If you are missing any of them, the reader will probably loose interest.
• Takes tangents. A tangent differs from a valid digression. Sometimes a character will get deflected from the initial scene goal – and that can be fine. BUT: Is the scene goal answered by the finishing event? Can you justify the diversion? Was it somehow caused by the last event or did the even “just happen”? (Hint: the second scenario is bad.) Does the tangent serve some purpose? Ex., foreshadowing, essential backstory. If not, it needs to go.
• Story still drags. When this happens, then the pace may be too slow. Use all the articles as a check-list to see what can be removed. But don't stop there. Also try shortening the length of sentences and paragraphs. This alone will make the story flow faster.
  
  

This is Part 2 of a series of five blog entries that look at deleting to improve Style, Events, Summary and Description, Characters, and Dialogue.

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Three very different book on planning events…

Bell, James Scott. Conflict & Suspense. Cincinnati, Ohio: Wiriter's Digest Books, 2011.

Dibell, Ansen. Plot. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1988.

Franklin, Jon. Writing for Story. New York: Plume, 1994 (republished).

Revision Step 1: Delete! (crossword puzzle)

English: A crossword puzzle created for the learning exercise component of the chapter on Reading in the Psycholinguistics textbook project. Made with the free crossword puzzle generator at http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s a crossword puzzle for the material covered in the blog series, “Revision Step 1: Delete!” I’ll post the answers this evening. Hope you like it!

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/Data/2013.04/1909/19092529.785.html

How to Write Dialogue (video)

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-write-dialogue

A video about writing good dialogue, especially for introducing and maintaining conflict.

Revision Step 1: Delete for Dialogue!

This blog post looks at what to delete from dialogue in order to improve clarity, voice, logic, and flow. Dialogue is an area I struggle with but many other people love. By deleting content in your first step of revision, you won’t waste time polishing material you will only remove later on. And if deleting content leaves holes, you can brainstorm and fill the gaps with something even better.

• Doesn't advance story. Story is not just plot. It is also the characters, the world, the mood, and the milieu. If a piece of dialogue doesn't do one – or preferably more – of these things, it needs to go!
• Pace. Fragmenting dialogue and thoughts will speed up the pace. Remove some tags and nonconverstional prose.
• Out of character. It is easy for many writers to write the way they talk. It is harder to write the way the character talks. Make sure to remove your slips of tongue. Keep in mind not only the characters' education, social class, and time period, but also their moods, who they are talking to, and where they are when they are talking (setting).
• Poor logic. There are three pieces to any event: stimulus/cause, internalization/reaction, response/action. In that order, please!

This is Part 5 of a series of five blog entries that look at deleting to improve Style, Events, Summary and Description, Characters, and Dialogue.

Three very different book on improving dialogue…

Cheney, Theodore. Getting the Words Right. Cincinnati: Ohio, Writer's Digest Books, 2005. 2^nd edition.

Kempton, Gloria. Dialogue. Cincinnati: Ohio, Writer's Digest Books, 2004.

Spencer, Brent. Dialogue Tips & Traps: A Guide for Fiction Writers. Writers Workshop Press, 2012. 1^st edition. Ebook.

Dramatic Dialogue: Steps to Great Conversation Dialogue

http://www.creativejuicesbooks.com/dramatic-dialogue.html

found by shutethesquare on Tumblr

She says about the link...

Dialogue in a story is different from real-life talk. If we were to record a normal conversation we’d find it filled with idle chatter, incomplete thoughts and broken sentences. Most real-life conversations would be too tedious to read.
Written dialogue has to capture and hold the attention of readers. If your characters ramble on, the way people do in real life, you’ll lose your audience. So cut out the flab: words that don’t serve any useful purpose, sentences and paragraphs that cause the story to drag.

Revision Step 1: Delete for Character!

This blog post looks at what to delete from your manuscript in order to improve clarity, voice, logic, and flow. By deleting content in your first step of revision, you won’t waste time polishing material you will only remove later on. And if deleting content leaves holes, you can brainstorm and fill the gaps with something even better.

Characters assumes that you have developed the people in your story or have plans to do so. The blog looks at staying true to your characters and your reader. Always, in my book, the reader comes first, the main character(s) comes second, and so on. The blog does NOT deal directly with character development but the tips and strategies will probably help you in this area, too.

• Flimsy reactions. A flimsy reaction is a label like “sad” or “startled”. These reactions are flimsy because they are insubstantial. They don't show anything about your character except at the most superficial level. Delete (or replace) reactions that are not concrete, don't give insight to your character, or don't convey movement.
• Out of character. Each character is an individual with quirks. When a character starts behaving like a stereotype, delete that action. Also delete moments when your character actively runs counter to his/her own nature IF you are not showing the character's anxiety and/or reasons.
• Overlapping characters. There are good reasons for overlapping qualities – especially in the protagonist and antagonist – but multiple characters who fill the same role, have the same personality, or share similar names, can be confusing to the reader. While an excellent effect when done deliberately for group characters, when you find overlapping characters you probably should consider merging or deleting a few.
• Too many characters. This can be confusing for the reader, especially early on, because the reader likes to focus on one (or a very few) characters at a time. When many characters are competing at the same level of importance – especially in the opening sections of a book – someone needs to go.

This is Part 4 of a series of five blog entries that look at deleting to improve Style, Events, Summary and Description, Characters, and Dialogue.

Three very different book on character development…

Edelstein, Linda. Writer's Guide to Character Traits: Includes Profiles of Human Behaviors and Personality Traits. Cincinnati: Ohio, Writer's Digest Books, 2006. 2^nd edition.

Hood, Ann. Creating Character Emotions. Cincinnati: Ohio, Story Press, 1998.

Swain, Dwight V. Creating Characters: How to Build Story People. Norman: Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma Press, 2008.